The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-23
roRERUYNERs OF GREAT EVENTS.
Popular belief That Comets Portend
Changes ia MundaGe Affairs.

The approach Of Fayes periodical
comet naturally raises the question to
what extent. if any, this earth of ours
is Influenced by these strange denizens
of heaven. That they have some in
huence has been stoutly maintained by
astrolosers Of all ages.
Albumazar tells us that comets becom-
ing first visible in Aries. signify evil to
the countries ruled by that sign, ana
that drought will be especially prevalent.
Now, the comet Of 1870 appeared in
Aries, the sign OF Germany, and that
year the Franco-Germau war was begun,
and several districts in Europe suffered
severely from drought. Douats comet
appeared in 1855, and was followed by
the Italian war of 1859. The appearance
OF the great comet of 1861 conceded
with "a most destructive cOnhagratiOn ia
London, and was Immediately followed
10y the outbreak OF the civh war IN TINS
country. The assassination Of President
Lincoln belongs 10 the same epoch. This
comet appeared in Gemini the sign OF
the United States and London. The
great comet Comet - was first seen IN
Ciemini ON May y, 1881, and on July
of the same year President Carried was
shot. TIE same period was noted for
its violent storms and hurricanes. Now.
the ancient astrOlOgers taught that the
appearance of d comet in Gemini always
signifies severe tempests and the death OF
some lllustrlOus man.
Evidences of like nature abound in
history. comet tenanted the heavens
for several months before the birth of the
great Napoleon, and another one Of vast
spendor became visible at the beginning
OF September, 1911, when he was at the
hight of his glory. More curious still,
IL attained iis greatest luster in the lat
itude of Paris, and it vanished over the
latitude of Corsica. When Napoleon was
dying comet appeared agaln-for the
third time in his notable life.
Ia 1916 "a comet appeared IA England in
the watery sign Scorpio, ana soon after
ward there was terrible inundation in
Bristol Somersetshlre. Norfolk and the
eastern counties. Nostradamus, by the
way, predicted this flood in 1900, % years
Oriental potentates have for centuries
been swayed greatly by comets. Tlmour,
when one appeared, consulted Abdulldu
Lissan, a famous astro1Oger, and was in
formed that it presaged tine utmost us
asters TO his enemies and especially to the
Ottoman empire. Abdullah predicted thus,
seeing that the comet was in the west
of Tmour's dominons ana IN the sign
Aries. Timour prepared for war, entered
the enemies territory, ana utterly over
threw them In the reign of Sellm IL (l3f-)
there appeared comet, winch had the
brightness and magnitude OF Venus rms
excited the monarch $ apprenensloha,
which were augmented by the predictions
of his astrologers, VINO loretOlu tndt inns
phenomenon announced the calamtles
which excessive rain would inflct upon
"Forfv DAYS afterward." says the his
torian, -'they imagined themselves threat
eued with a universal uelugei lhcessdul
rains oyerhowed the monarch comm
ions in Europe and Asia, laid waste thfee
of the chief cities, swept away men, cat
tie and houses, and rendered the prldSes
and puhHc roads impossible for several
weeks W histOu has cOnJectured lhaL the
deluge mentioned i'm the Bible was pro
duccd by the near approach of comet 10
the earth, and he lurther surmises that
the end OF the world may be produced py
the approach OF a comet pra1iglOusly neat
ed i'm ITS perihcliOn. 1t is interesting 70
compare ans views on the subject with
those expressed by Nj. tlamnaron, IN ms
book eDutled La Fin du Monde.
Even the great Charlemagne regarded
comets as portents. Seeing one appear
few weeks before his death, ne consulted
his astronomers, and iu reply TO ms sec
Rotary. Egiuhard, VINO urged MN not 10
grow uneasy he said that ne was NOT as
mayed at such signs, but feared the az
vine Trainer of them, who, being lncehsed
with anger against a people or prince
is wont in this way 70 admonish then
of his wrath and TO call them 70 repent
ance Other famous men held similar
opinions. Cicero writes that IN the civil
war between OctaviOus Augustus ana
Mark Antony il was observed that com
cts were the haTbtugers OF the mlserles
that then befel them, and expresses the
opinion that such appearances toreteH
Piiny writes: "A fearful star this comet
is and not easily eXpl8 ted, as 1T appeared
bv the late civil troubles when Octauus
Was consul. as also a second time by the
intestine war of Pompey and Caesar, ana
in our DAYS about the time that Claudius
Caesar was poisoned and left the empire
TO Domitius Nero, In the time of whose
reign and government there was blazing
comet continually seen" Seneca eE-
claims: Some comets are very cruel and
threaten us with the worst of mischets;
they bring with them and leave behinG
them the seeds Of blood and slaughter.
Socrates, writing OF the siege OF Coilstan-
tinople. says so great was the danger
that hung over the city that 1T was fore
told by a huge blazing comet, that reached
from heaven to earth, the IKE Of which
no man ever saw before anna COM
mena, the daughter of Emperor AieNlus,
speaking of comet that appeared before
the invasion Of tine Gauls, says: rms
happened by the usual ADMINISTRATION Of
providence in such cases Tor 1t IS not TIT
that so great and strange an alJefaloh
of things as was brought TO pass ny thal
coming of theirs should ne without Some
previous denunclauon ana adIhohlshmehl
from heaven
Machiavelli, writing on inc same sub
jcct, says. 'ENpeNehce SHOWS thdl some
great connections are me consequence OF
such signs as these. .dlncnlus' noted
mathematician, says MucH experience
and observation shows that comets an
nounce great slaughter 70 me Wofl9 such
as sacking Of cities, suDEerSlohs OF kits