The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-10
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profering his requests, the mirror was
formerly laid before the altar near which
the faithful votary stood to recite his
prayers.
AS the years rolled on, and eastern
civilization gradually made its way into
the barbarous west, the demand for mir
rors, of all shapes and sizes, rapidly in
creased, and an old chronicler of the days
of Charlemagne states that they were
then used by all classes, and that even
the clergy had adopted the prevailing
fashion, some of the holy men wearing
small mirrors set in their shoes, that they
might necessarily contemplate the beauty
of their yestments.
Six hundred years later in the four
teenth century, the first glass mirrors
We're manufactured in Europe, at the cell
ebrated glassworks on the island OF
Murano, near Venice, and this establish
ment long monopolized the right of pro-
ducing these articles of commerce. Com
pared to the huge fawless mirrors Of the
present age, these first glass productions
were very rude contrivances indeed, as is
proved by the specimen preserved in the
apartments of Queen Mary in Hollywood
Castle.
Henry III. of France not only visited
the manufactures at Murano, but was so
delighted with all the wonders he saw
there that he issued patents of nobility
for the two directors OF the glassworks,
and his successor, Henry w., was quite
overcome by the gift of glass mirror,
from the republic OF Venice, ut his acces-
sion to the throne Restricted at first, as
we he have seen, to Murano, the manu-
facture of mirrors was eventually intro
duced in France, where the works Of St.
Goblin have attained great renown for the
beauty, size, and general excellence Of
their mirrors, which were sold at almost
fabulous prices. And IL was O French
man, Thebart. who first discovered the
art Of casting huge sheets Of plate
glass such as are seen to-day
During the middle ages the supersti-
tions Of all former times were rife, and
even in the beginning Of the renaissance
supernatural powers were still ascribed
TO certain magical or astrological mirrors.
which were still fashioned OF metal and
upon which mysterious cabalistic signs
were family traced. When properly used
Chat Is to say, with exact observance Of
the multitudinous imaginary laws and
signs by which they were supposed to be
qoyernedj, these mirrors were said to
effect magical cures.
In the far east few of these magic mir.
rors are still to be found, aud here is a de-
scription Of the ceremonies observed 10 SC
cure the recovery of q patient stricken
with an otherwise incurable disease
After insert bing sundry potent passages
OF the Koran upon tho magic mirror, IL
was perfumed aud placed in the hand Of
the sick.man. who was enioined TO gaze
fxedly at his reflection while certain
PRAYERS were recited around his bed.
These prayers were ended by special
invocation TO the spirits of the earth and
sky. and when the ceremony was over,
N ali the participants had faithfully per-
formed the parts assigned them, the pa
tient was sure 10 be entirely freed from
the disease There are other magic mir
rors which are supposed 10 be gifted with
the power Of predicting the future Of ef-
facing wrinkles, exercising evil spirits,