National Republican., 1883-05-25
ANrIpATHIEs AND AvERsIoNs.
Instances Where Thoughts and Sights
Havo Struck Terror To Hearts OF Steel.
\riD York Star

NcU lofE star,
Shakespeare, in his Merchant of Venice"
has we'll known passage concerning the un-
accountable antipathies Of some men, and an
interesting book might be written on the sub
.ject. Not unfrequently these antipathies are
stronger, and, apparently, most ridiculous in
people whom one might suppose to be loftily
superior to anything of the sort.
Scaliger turned pale lat the sight of water.
cress neither he nor Peter, of Albano, could
ever drink milk Cordan was disgusted at
the sight of an egg a French lady never
could abide " the sight of boiled HOLSTERS, and
Ambrose Pare records the case of a man who
was similarly affected by the view of cooked
eels. .
Vaughelm, famous Hanoverian sportsman,
slew wild boars innumerable, but ran away
from roast pig or tainted If he had not time
to beat a retreat.
Maashal D. Albert was so terrified at the
view of the pigs head that If any one had
fought duel with the marshal with pigs
head in his left hand hewould have had as
much advantage as IL he had on q suit OF ar
NOR. So says Busy.
The smell of fish threw Erasmus into a
fever. King Vladislas, of Poland, ran away
from an apple.
Zimmerman records the case of a lady who
shuddered ON touching the velvety skin of a
peach, silk and satin being equally obnoxious
TO her.
Dr. Beattie tells of a strong man whom the
touch of velvet would disturb. Lord Barry
more could endure anything but pansy; the
Princess of Lamballe anything but a violet,
Gretry, the composer, and Ann of Austria
abhorred the smell of roses. We read of a
monk who fainted ON SO ing rose, and never
quilted his cell during the season Of their
Towering.
Favorite, the Italian poet, had similar
aversion, and so had Vincent, the painter.
Scalger tells of q relative whom the sight of
lily threw into convulsions
Henry III tainted on seeing cat, though
he was passionately fond of little dogG. The
Duke of Schomberg had the same mortal an
tipathy, and the case is recorded Of gentle
man who could not even bear to walk under
o signboard bearing the image of poor puss.
The Duke of Epernon was unaffected by the
sight of an old hare, but the sight of young
one siokened him. The marshal of 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, a
servant.
A hare or fox terrified Tyco Brahe nearly
out of his wits. William Mathews had mortal
dread ofspiders,a and when the Duke of Athole,
thinking the antipathy feignod, approached
him with his hgld shut, Mathews drew his
sword, and 1t WIS with great difficulty he was
prevented kllU " ulmocli Vi TIC uuhc.
Mariana, thS author of the Turkish Spy"
tells us thaty6 would have preferred encoun-
tering lioi rather than q spider. Mather
records the Jase OF a young woman who could
sec person trim his nails with pair of
scissors, but ifa knife were employed she
tainted.
Beattie toll of a man who had a horror Of
seeing q person handle cork. lie Mothe de
Mayer could not bear tho sound of any musi-
cal instrument, though he delighted in the
roar of thunder.
Augustus had mortal fear of thunder and
lightning, and though he always carried a
sealskin as n talisman against them, would
hide, if possible, in vault. His terror
had been inspired when, during q night
march, the lightning struck his litter and
killed a slave by his side.
A lunar eclipse was too much for the nerves
Of Bacon. Bayle, the philosopher, never
could overcome his antipathy to the sound of
water splashing.
The Emperor Heraolius at the age fifty
nine conceived such an aversion 10 the sight
Of water that it was found necessary to build
bridge Of boats across the Bosphorus and
screen it closely with boughs in order that he
might enter Constantinople,
The cases are mentioned Of one Nicano, who
tainted whenever he heard flute played ;
and a woman In Namur who fell into swoon
on hearing bell rung. A resident Of Alcan-
ora was thrown into GVnyulsiona at the sound