Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-20
MAGIC IN NUMBERS.
sUPERSTlTlONS FOUNDED ON THE
NINE DIGlTS.

sUPERsTITloNS FOUNDED ON THE
NINE OIGITS.
"There's Luck in Odd Numbers" Says an
Old saw-Events Quoted as Proofs Of the
Influence of Numbers on Everything in
Life
Very many superstitious and curious
ideas have been and are still connected
with numbers. Great hopes have been
founded upon certain combinations Of
numbers in lotteries, in horoscopes, or in
predictions regarding important events.
Important undertakings have awaited
favorable dates for their inception, and
the lives Of more than one leader of men
have been more or less influenced by a |
regard for certain numerical combina-
tions, supposed to have a dominating |
power in shaping a successful career.
There have been supersitious notions |
connected with nearly every one of the |
nine digital numbers.
The number / was held to be sacred
|
Godhead. This number is esteemed as
very lucky by the Javanese, who allot but
one day to each of the several operations
of husbandry, leaving that portion of the
crop that could not be gathered in one
day.
BAD REPUTATION OF NUMBER 2.
The second digit acquired an especially
evil reputation among the early Chris
l IlAarrZa tl,.N. 4 Inn
created, along with heaven and earth
The Cabalists said it tyriied the hypo-
static union of Christ. 1t seems TO have
been a number unlucky in English dynas-
ties. Harold IL was slain in battle;
William Ii and Edward II were muir
dered; Ethelred Il, Richard II and James
II were forced to abdicate; and Henry II,
Charles II and George II were unfortu-
nate in many ways. The number seems
to have been an unlucky one to the sover-
eigns of other European countries. The
Charles lis of France, of Navarro. of
Spain, of Anjcu and of Savoy passed OF
ended their reigns unhappily,
The number has an abundance of Eu-
perstitions connected with it. 1t was the
perfect number of the Pythagoresns,
who said it represented the beginning,
middle and end. A greater importance
was given to the number because it rep
resented the trinity, not only in the
Christian religion, but in many others.
There was but litae mystery attached
to the numbers and 5. In folk lore the
four leaved clover is especially lucky.
The four of clubs is an unlucky card
| and it is named the devils four post bed
The Cabalists asserted that the numbel
6 was potent In mystical properties. The
world was created in six days, the jew
ish servant served six years, Job Ell
dured six tribulations. and hence the fig
ure typilied labor and suffering. Tn,
. rabbiS asserted that the letter yau, whicl
represents SIX, was stamped on th'
e mamma, to remind the Jews that it fei
:. on six days only.
II The number was an unlucky one a
Ii Rome. Tarquinius SeXtus was bruta
l tyrant, the church was divided unde
Urban the Sixth and Alexander til
Sixth was monster of inlquty.
{ SEWN AN IMPORTANT NCMBER-
The number has been invested wit
more mystery than all the other digit
3 together, and to it were ascri0ed magi
and mystical qualities possessed by Ii
other number. Several learned treatise
have been written on this number, an
septenary combinations have bee
sought everywhere. In an old writer c
two centuries ago we may read why, i
his opinion, the number Is peculiarly e1
| cpilsnt- First. hs'sSayos 1t IL IicfthcT w
gotten nor begets;" secondly, lit is
harmonic number and contains all th
harmonies;' thirdly, 1T is a theologic;
number, consisting of perfection
fourthly, it is composed of perfect nun
"a bers, and participates of their virtues
He may find better reasons for the III
portance attached to this number. Niue
of it is doubtless due to its prominenC
in the Bible. The seven days of creato
led to a septenary division of time to a
ages. Several of the Jewish feasts laste
sever days. Elisha sent Naaman to was
in the Jordan seven times, and Eliza
sent his servant from Mount Carm
seven times to look for rain. For seve
e., DAYS seven priests with seven trumpe
invested Jericho, and on the seventh da
they encompaSsed it seven times. The
were seven virtues, and seven mort
sins.
The ancients not only noted the In
portance of seven as an astronomic
period, but also connected with the sevt
planets IL. seven metals then know
to be controlled by this double septenal
combination. 1t was also an ancient b
lief that change in the body Of ms
occurs every seventh year.
The Koran enumerates seven heaven
There was an old Russian superstition
the same effect, and ladder of sew,
rounds was laced in the grave to enat
y the defUnct to ascend these seven grade
:, WHAT YOU MUST DO ON THE NINTH.
- Says an old writer: Augustus Cesa
as Gellius saith, was glad, and hoped tn
he was to live long, because he hi
passed his GO years. For olde men seldo
passe that year but they are in danger
- their lives. Two years, the seventh al
the ninth, commonly bring great chang
Nj | to mans life, and great dangers; thel
fore GO, that containeth both these nul
bers multiplied together, containeth u
known dangers"
Leases, now granted for a period
"; ninety nine years, were formerly Civ
for 900.
There were nine earths, according
L medieval cosmogony; nine heavens, nj
Us rivers of hell, nine orders of angels, e.
The number being perfection, since
Unit represented divinity, was often used
\ signify great quantity, as In the phras
"a nine days wonder, !" "a cat has nj
ives," Mine tailors make man" et'
3. In Scotland, distempered COW "
cured by washing her in nine surfs.
see nine magpies is extremely unlucl
o Nine knots made in black woolen thre
served as charm in the case of spra
When a servant maid finds nine gre
n peas in one pod she lays it on the wind'
n sill, and the first man that enters will
her beau" Nine grains of wheat, L
re on four leaved clover, enable on to
OF the fairies.-F. S. Bassett in St. Lo
IF Globe Democrat.
W -------------------
far Rocky Mountain Engineering.
as m GLOW far is it to the next station, 81
ilr H,Ro11t trrn miles by rail :"