The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-04
ROCK TSLAHD.. .xI.LIHoxs
TIE MIRROR
Superstition connected
with its use.
Harbinger's of good and
Omens of Evil.

/ Most readers are no doubt acquainted
with Bonaparte's superstition regarding
the breaking of looking glass. During
one of his campaigns in Italy he broke
the glass over Josephine's portrait. So
distressed was he at this. as he thought,
omlnous occurrence. that he never rested
until the return of the courier whom he
had forthwith dispatched TO convince
himself OF her safety, so strong was the i'm
preston of her death upon his mind. In
Cornwall. breaking a locking glass is
believed to insure seven years of sorrow.
| and orkshlre proverb informs us that
such an unfortunate occurrence entails
| seven years trouble, but no want
| In Scotland, to smash a looking glass
| hanging against wall is regarded as an
| infallible sign that member of the family
will shortly die, Grose, alluding to this
superstition. says it foretells the speedy
decease of the master of the house 1t
has been suggested that this popular
| fancy dates very many years back, and
probably originated in the destruction of
| the reflected human image-an interest
ing illustration of how the association of
| ideas in the formation OF superstition is
often determined by mere analogy. Thus
similar style of thinking underlies the
medieval necromancer's practice of max
ing waxen image of bis enemy and
shooting it with arrows in order to bring
| about the enemy's death
In the South of England 1t is regarded
highly unlHcky for bride on her wedding
| day to look in the glass, when she is com
pletely dressed. before starting for the
| church Hence very great care is taken
| to put on glove or some slight
article of adornment after the last linger-
ing and reluctant look has been taken in
| the mirror. The idea, we are informed.
is that any young lady who is too fond of
| the looking glass will he unfortunate when
married. This is not, however, the only way
| in which superstition interferes with the
Rrown-up maiden's peeps in the looking
glass. Thus Swedish damsels are afraid
of blocking in the glass after dark or by
candlelight. lest by so doing they forfeit
the good will of the other sex.
On the other hand, in England, the
looking-gass occasionally holds prom
inent position IN love divination. In the
Northern countries a number of young
young men and women meet together on
st. Agnes Eve at midnight, and go, one
by one, to certain field, where they
scatter some grain, after which they
repeat the following rhyme:
Agnes sweet, and Agnes fair,
Hither, thither now repair;
Bonny Agnes, let me see
The lad who IL to marry ne.
On their return home it is believed that
the shadow of the destined bride or ibride
groom will be seen in looking glass on
this very night. Hence, for many an hour
together the young lnluirers SIT up anxious
ly watching the looking glass, before
which they not untrequently fall asleep.
mlstaking the visions that have appeared
in their dreams for actual realities.
Belgian girls who desire to see their hus
bands 10 q dream lay their garter cross
wise at the foot OF the bed and locking
glass under their pillow; in this glass they
believe the desired imagine will appear
The practice OF covering or removing the
looking glass from the chamber of death
still prevails in some parts OF England
the notion. according TO some. being that
'all vanity, all care for earthly beauty, are
over with the deceased" 1t has also been
suggested that, as The invisible world
trenches closely upon the visibies one in
the chamber of death, a superstitious
dread is felt OF some spiritual being imag-
ing himself forth in the blank surface of the
mirror Mr.. Barring Gould considers that
the true reason for shrouding the looking
glass before funeral was that given him
in Warwickshire, where there is a popu-
lar notion that if person looks into
mirror in the chamber of death, he will
see the corpse looking over bis shoulder.
4 similar superstition prevails Ia some
ports of Devooshire.
IF the looking glass is associated with
marriage and death, Sc its is with infancy;
for, according to piece of Durham folk
lore, a boy or girl should never be allowed
to lock iG one until year old In days
gone BY, too, it appears to have teen
customary for both sexes to wear small
locking glasses-a fantastic fashion ridi-
culed by Ben johnson and others OF his
time. Men ever wore them 10 their hatF.
w here IL your 'psge2 Call for your
casting bottle, and place your mirror in
your hal, as told you" This, We may
suppose. was the very height of affsc-
tation, by the manner in which Ben john
son introduces IL.