Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-07-10
Myth and Marvels of Astronomy.

AZ tAA oliNA A'ANh 'CA1 Va
p. %.
So much space has been taken al
ready that / can only glance at the
statement that "all of Nostradamus'
predictions are given in quartrains,
verse of four lines" The predictions
of Nostradamus were first written in
prose, this he afterward changed, not
to "quartrains," of which he never
heard, and of which Webster's una
bridged is equally innocent, but into
"quatrains," defined as a stanza of
four lines rhyming alternately. The
wretched verses quoted in the "reply"
as translations ofparticularpr prophecies
fill only the definition therein given
of "quartrains," verses of four lines,
but are of more than doubtful author
ity for exactness and accuracy as
TRANSACTIONS of quatrains, with their
alternate rhymes, which they ignore.
1t is hardly credible that if Nostrada-
mus wrote only "wretched moon
ings" like these that his centuries"
would have been "often reprinted and
translated" Readers and publishers
alike, it would seem, could not have
been found for them.
But to the authorities. | quote
from very late work, remarkable
for its painstaking accuracy and care
to avoid and correct past errors, viz :
"The American Encyclopedia" pub
lished by Appleton, to verify what
has been said above about Nostrada-
mus. "Nostradamus, Michael de, a
French physician and astrologer, born
of Jewish parents in st. Remy Prov
ince, Dec. l4th, 1888, died in Salon
July Cd, 1866. Hestudied the classics
and philosophy at Avignon, and med
icine at Montpelier, and afterwards
travelled in the south of France for
years. He then returned to Mont
peleir, took the degree of M. d., in
his 9th year, and again set out on
his travels. He was very successful
in curing the plague in Provence by
means of powder which he invent
ed. About the year 1547 he began to
believe himself inspired with pro-
phetic powers. n
He first wrote his predictions in
prose, but afterwards
changed the form to verse, and in
1856 published in Lyons, 4 centuries
of quatrains dedicated to his son, an
infant. Having increased these to
the number of 1000, he published q
new edition in 1858 dedicatedto King
Henry III, whose remarkable death
in a tournament the year following
was found to be predicted therein
which greatly increased his fame. He
became very celebrated throughout
France, was made physician in Ordi
nary to Charles TX, and was consult
ed by all classes of persons for dis
eases. X
He was said to have predicted the
death of Charles /, of England, and
of Louis XVI, and the elevation O
Napoleon to the empire Of France
He was the intimate friend of Scali
ger. y u \ His Centuries have
been often reprinted and translated
. The best edition is that of Lyon
1868. His son was the author O
'Histoire ct Chronique de Provence,
Uyons 1914, and his brother Jeal
f wrote 'Vies dies plus celebres ct an
; ciens poetes Provenceaux,' Oyon
1857"
J A few words as to the alleged pre-
, diction of our civil war and event
following it. The "reply'' scouts tn
idea that Nostradamus made it, ant
: seeks to prove he could not hav
, done so. All / know about it is, tina
1 read it many years ago sub
, stantially if not literally a
j published in the STANDARD
and the reasons assigned in the Gre
. ply" for the confident disbelief ar
E unsatisfactory. AS to the time whel
/ first read it | can give no informa
q ton. Ihave wholly forgotten. Blu
q l do remember having some amust
: ment out of it during the war!
Senator in the Confederate Congress
/ accepted a military appointment, an
y under q similar commission l wa
t ordered upon joint duty with him
O and so served until the surrender.
!. knew him well, for we had long bee
h friends. He wasan ultra secessionis
Il and impatient at any intimation tn,
r, it was possible for the southern caus
II to fail. Dyspeptic of habit, an attac
G of indigestion was apt to render hi
70 moody. not to say mOrOSe, and pert