The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-11-18
UuaccOuntable Antipathies.
MEN, THE wlsEsr AND MOST
COURAGEOUS.


Shakespeare in his "Merchant of Ven
ice has a well known passage concern
ing the unacc3untablc antipathies of some
men, and IN interesting book might be
written upon the subject Not unfre-
qucntly these antipathics are strongest
and--apparently--most ridiculous in
people whom one might suppose to be
loftily superior to anything of the sort.
Scaliger turned pale at the sight of water
cress; neither he nor Peter Abano could
ever drink milk; Cardan was disgusted at
the sight of an egg French lady "nev-
er could abide" boiled Holsters, and Am
brOise Pare records the case of gentle
man who is similarly affected by the
view Of cooked eels. Vaughcim, ia
nous Hanoverian sportsman, slew wild
boars innumerable, but ran away from a
roast pig, or tainted if he had not time
to beat a retreat Marshal d Albret was
so terrified at the view of pigs head
that Busy says that if any one had
fought duel with the Marshal with a
pigs head in his left hand he would have
had as much advantage as if he had worn
a suit of armor. The smell of fish threw
Erasmus into fever. King Nladislas
of Poland ran away from an apple.
Zimmerman records the case of q lady
who shuddcred on touching the vclvety
skin of peach, silk and satin being
equally obnoxious to her. DR.. Beatty
tells of healthy and strong men whom
the touch of velvet disturbed Lord
Barrymore could endure anything but Il
pansy: the Princess of Lamballe any
thing but violet Gretry, the compo-
ser, and Anne of Austria abhorred the
smell of roses We read of monk who
tainted on seeing a rose, and never quit
ted his cell during the season of their
Towering. Fayorita, the Italian poet,
had a similar aversion and so had Vim.
cent the painter, and Scallger tells of
relative whom the sight of a lily threw
into convulsions. Henri III tainted on
seeing cat, though he was passionatcly
fond of little dogs The Duke of Schom-
berg had the same mortal antipathy,and
the case is recorded of a gentleman who
could not even bear to walk under sign
board bearing the image Of poor puss
The Duke of Epernon was unaffected by
the sight of hare, ,but,the view of lev
erct would throw him into n cold perspi-
ration. The Marshal de Breze tainted
at the sight of rabbit; in this case the
antipathy could be traced back to his
having shot, while firing at a rabbit, n
servant, the husband of one of his mis-
tresses. A hare or fox terrified Tvcho
Brahe fairly out of his wits. William
Matthews had a m ortal dread of spiders
and when the Duke of Athole. thinking
the antpathy feigned, approached him
with his hand closed, Matthews drew his
sword and was with difficulty prevented
from killing himself or the Duke, Ma
rama. the author Of the Turkish Spy"
tells US that he would have preferred en-.
courtering n lion rather than spider
Mather records the case of n Young
woman who could see a person trim his
nails with a pair of scissors, but if
knife were employed, she tainted; Be
attic that of man who had horror of
seeing any one handle a cork. La Mothe
de Nayer could not bear the sound of
any musical instrument, though he de
lighted in the roar of thunder. Angus
tus had mortal fear of thunder and
lightning, and although he always car
ried Il sealskin as a talisman against
them, would hide if possible in a
vault; his terror had been inspired
when, during a night march, the light
ming struck his litter and killed II slave
by his side. Heny III. was similarly
affected a lunar eclipse was too much
for the nerves of Bacon. Baylc,
the philosopher, never could overcome
his antipathy to the sound of water
splashing from pipe or cock. Peter
the Great, though later he built a fleet,
could not till he was fourteen bear sight
of still or running water, especially if
he was alone, nor could he cross the
shortest bridge in his carriage unless
the windows were shut close.
The Emperor lleraclius at the age of
hity-ninc conceived such an aversion to
the sight of water that it was found nee
essary to build a bridge of boats across
the Bosphorus and screen it closely with
boughs in order that he might enter Con
stantinoplc. The cases are mentioned of
one Nicano, who tainted whenever he
heard flute played, and a woman in
Namur who swooned on hearing bell
rung, and resident of Alcantara who
was thrown into convulsions by the
sound of the word "wool,' though he
wore garments of that material Pen
nant, the traveller, had a great aversion
70, nd on hi 10,
after eXhausting himself in malcdiction,
upon the Mayor of CheSter's head coy
ering, snatched it off and fled through
the streets with it, pursued by the indig
naut magistrate. Louis XIV. abhorred
the sight of a gray hat, and Lope would
not suffer any one to use tobacco in hn
presence. And every one knows the
aversion James |. had to the sight of &
naked sword, and how Sir Kenelm Dig
by used to relate with pride that wher
the King knighted him, His Majesty
turned away his face shuddering anc
nearly ran the new candidate fo
knighthood through. Lastly, according
to Brantome, while the Queen of Naples
Jane H., was unlike the majority of he
sex in being without fear of the smalles
mouse that creeps the floor as mucl
could not be said for Caraccioli, he
favomtc He was so timid in all res
poets that Her Majesty let mouse loos
while he was playing at chess, and in hi
terror he rushed into the Queens arm
for protection, new version of the ia
miiar story about PUSSY, ask you
mistress
\ CASE or CoNsCIENCE.-A citizen O
Detroit entered a Michigan avenue gro
Gerry the other day and said he wanted
private word with the proprietor. Whc
they had retired to the desk he began;
Il want to make confession and repi
ration, DO you remember of my buyin
sugar here two or three days ago?'