The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-09
Cnriosities of Numbers.
ron, he Cincinnati Eno,.iirer.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
In alchemy, astrology, astronomy, his
tory, legend and superstition, there has al
ways been sort of witchery about certain
numbers and combinations that has been
as astonishing to the ignorant as it was In
explicabIe to the learned. They obey GER
tain laws. Pythagoras taught that each
number had its own peculiar character,
yirsue and properties. Number one, or
the monad, was the principal and end of
all the sublime knot which binds together
the chain Of causes, the symbol of identity,
of equality, of existence, of conservatism,
and general harmony 1t represented d.
yinity. Aristotle said every tragedy should
have one catastrophe, be limited to one
scene, and be circumscribed to the action
of single day. There are the Aristolian
or dramatic writers. The French add a
fourth uniformity-in tragedy, all charac-
tiers tragic; in comedy, all comic.
NUMBER TWO
is the dryad, the origin Of contrasts, the
symbol Of diversity, Of inequality, of divi-
sion, of separation. Two was an evil prin-
ciple, a bad sign, characterizing disorder,
confusion and change. Hence the second
day of the second month was sacred to
Pluto, the God of hell Glance at the his
tory of England and the misfortunes that
have attached to monarchs with the fatal
number to their names Ethelred H.,
called ''the Unready," was forced to abdi-
cate: Harold H. was slain at Hastings;
William III. was shot by Tyrell in New
Forest; Henry III. had to fight for his
crown; Edward III. murdered at Berkley
Castle; Richard H. deposed; Charles Ii.
exiIed; George H. whipped at Fontenoy
and Lowfeld; civil wars occurring In his
reign, and General Braddock in America
and Admiral Byng disgraced him. Cross
ing the English Channel, the same iH-luck
attends emperors and kings who are second.
Charles III. of France died of poison;
Charles H. of Navarro was called '9The
Bad" Charles II. of Spain ended his dy-
nasty and wrecked his kingdom; Charles IL.
of Aniou spent his life captive; Charles
II. of Savoy reigned but nine months, and
died at eight years of age; Francis Ii. OF
France died after reigning only two years;
Napoleon III. never reigned; Franz Ii. OF
Germany lost all his Rhine possessions, and
in 1906 resigned his title; Frederick IL.
was cursed. accommodated, dethroned and
poisoned; Jean III. of France was captured
by the Black Prince; Joan III. of Arragon
fought for his crown with Carlos, his own
son; Philip H. of Spain sent against Eng
land the Invincible Armada, which was
wrecked; Garibaldi drove francesca III.
from the throne Of the Two Sicilies. In
Rolnulus II. ended the Empire of the
West; Peter H. of Russia died at the age
of fifteen; Pietro H., de Medicis, was ship
wrecked after abdie2tion; James Ii. of
Scotland was shot; James Ii. of Magoroa
was murdered; Alexander III. of Scotland
had his kingdom laid under an interdict;
Pope Alexander Ii. had war with Homo
rius5II, the Anti Pope; Alexander Ii. was
strangIed; Adronicus of Greece was de-
throned; Henry II. of France killed in
tournament; John III. Of England for four
years a captive. Certainly record of
fatality imposing enough to brighten any
one who assumed the title of Second.
THE NUMBER THREE.
This is the triad or first of the unequals,
containing the most sublime mysteries, for
everything is composed of three substances.
It represents God the soul of the world,
the spirit of man. It plays an important
part in Asiatic traditions, classical history
and Platonic philosophy. Pythagoras called
it the perfect number, because it expressed
the beginning, middle and the end; hence
he makes it symbol Of deity. Among the
Greeks and Romans Jupiter was represent
ed holding ee-pronged lightning. Nep-
tune, god of the sea, had trident, and
Pluto was followed by three-headed dog.
Hecate had threefold power. Three
Fates controlled the birth, events and death
of every person, being Clotho, Laehesis and
Atropos. Three Hore opened the gates
of day. Three Furies avenged wickedness.
Three Graces were painted naked or IN
transparent and loose garments, and joined
hands In France were the three estates.
Epiphany was called Three Kings Day, to
commemorate the three wise men who Wis
tied the infant Jesus. Among the Turks
the three-tailed Bashaw is Prince Of
Princes, outranking all others. The eighth
religious war Of France was called War Of
the Three Henrys. There is a Norman
monkish tradition about the number three
relative to the royal line of England that
is a historical curiosity. 1t is that there
shall not be more than three princes in
succession without revolution. Here is
the proof:
William l., William H., Henry l., then
followed the revolution Of Stephen.
Henry H., Richard l., John, when Louis
invaded England and the Dauphin claimed
the throne
Henry Ill, Edward l., Edward II. was
dethroned and put to death.
Edward III, Richard H., who was de-
throned
Henry ", Henry ", Henry VI, the
throne passed to the House Of York.
Edward w., Edward ", Richard Ill,
the crown claimed and worn by Henry
Tudor
Henry VII, Henry Will, Edward VI,
usurpation of Lady Jane Grey.
Mary l., Elizabeth, crown passed to the
House of Stuart.
James l., Charles L, then revolution.
Charles H., James H., invasion of VIII
liam of Orange.
William of Orange, Mary H., Anne, ar
rival of the House Of Brunswick.
George L, George H.. George III, crisis
in the reign of George Nv.
There is another queer circumstance.
Oliver Cromwell was born September 3,
1899; won the battle of Dunbar September
3, 1850; that of Worcester September 3,
1861, and died September 3, 1868.
Rabelais speaks of three cur-dogs, Rag,
Tfg and Bobtail, whence the expression
"Rag-tag and bobtail.'
Three men were cast into the fiery fur
mace, and Canning, the orator, says the
three tailors Of Tooley street addressed a
petition to the House of Commons begin
ming, ''We, the people of England"
The Chaldeans respected the number as
illustrative of figure, light and motion; the
Egyptians of matter, form and motion; the
Persians, of life, light and. aoisdona; the
Greeks, of the God Of Heaven, Earth and
Sea; the Cretans, Of life, cause and energy;
the Hindoos, of posoer, understanding and
L.. Uy-;,,lo o,,obIon,s ora fouDd IN tho