The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-12-04
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NefI been identified MT ae1ns but
certain that this is because our knowl-
edge of them is not sufficiently minute,
not because the things do not exist.
For the belief is an instinct, implanted
during those unrecorded ages when the
human animal was struggling upward
to the full use of it's reason. 1t reap
pears whenever civilized man engages
in any pursuit of absorbing interest
where luck is all powerful, as in seek
Ing for gold, diamonds or treasure
trove. One would scarcely find a dig
ger in South Africa who had been for
tunate without some object which he
cherished-commonly a diamond Of
odd shape, but perhaps any bit of rub
bish which caught his eye at some mo-
ment of triumph. If a man of intelii-
gence and culture, he would laugh at
his own fancy, but he would no part
with the thing. Diggers who were not
fortunate Knocked, but they fell into the
groove fast enough when their luck
changed.
The police tell us that to find a piece
OF coal in the pocket Of a man arrested
is sufficient proof for them that he be-
longs to the criminal class, living from
day to day upon his wits, at the mercy
of chance and in ceaseless fear of de-
lection. He does not ask how the coal
will bring him plumber and save him
from the constable-he obeys an in
stinct. The proportion Of elderly and
.:Iiua~, -,I~ do +ha 11yn
Is not to be computed, but doubtless 1t
Is large. The fact Is that belief in tails
mans d%escends, without a break, from
fetishism. Sir John Lubbock defines
that religion, so to call 1t, as tine
stage in which man supposes that he
can force the deities to comply with
his DESIRES" 1t is not worth while to
ridicule the notion, nor to ask how on
earth a reasonable being could conceive
that the possession of something he
picks Blp Upon the road, a pebble, a
stick. a bit of twisted root, will give
him power over the gods. 1t is beyond
our understanding in this advanced
age. After all his study and medita-
ton Sir John Lubbock can only sug-
gest that this case is akin to the belief,
also universal in past times, that he
who gets into his hands any object
belonging to his enemy obtains au-
thority over him. The negro sup
poses that the possession of a fetish
representing a spirit makes that spirit
his servant" Obviously, however, this
| Is not all the explanation needed. For
) in most cases the fetish is not made
but natural-a thing picked up, as we
have said. The question seems to be
a mystery insoluble now. But it was
Ineligible at a certain stage in hui
. mar progress, since all mankind be-
:. lieved in fetishes once and, in a meas
ure, do still, under the form of tails
+ mans.
, The most famous of them, perhaps
in authentic history-for we have nc
space for fables-is that discovered ir
: the tomb of Charlemagne at AK ls
y, Chapelle. We never met with a cleal
: record of its adventures. The story
. goes-almost contemporary-that thu
. ambassador ef Haroun Alraschid made
It for the wife of Charlemagne to keel
her husbands love forever. For thi'
purpose it proved triumphantly sue
cessful-we tave left the domain of his
tory now. When the lady died Charlie
magne could not allow her to be burie'
until his confessor, guessing where tn
difficulty lay, removed the talisman
Forthwith the priest rose in favor
became archbishop of Mayence and i'm
perial chancellor. Thinking his pro
~ motion enough, he threw the unhal
- lowed object into the lake of Nigel
~ helm. instantly Charlemagne bega
~ to raise a palace on the bank, plundei
ing Ravenna TO adorn it, nor would b
quit the lake until the chancello
dragged it and recovered the talismal
BY what token this legendary trea5llI
was recognized in the emperor's gray
we cannot tell, unless a description e.
he ist. 1t is ropnd, Of finest gold, wit
two rough sapphires in the middle, an
as other gems. The town OF AK la Gu;
pelle presented it to Napoleon l., VIII
'er presented it to Fox, earl of HOLLAND
ial Afterward it came into the possessiO
of Napoleon III. and still exists, n
is doubt.
ed DR.. Dee's talisman is also histor
Ter and also survives in the British nj
he scum. In November, 1882, DR.. Dee ~
an praying, when, in a blaze of light, Il
BIZ Archangel Uriel appeared, and, smilin
is gave him a ball of stone, polish(
eg- black-very like a piece of coal, in fac
as Herewith DR.. Dee summoned ange
Ids when he would. and they gave him i
ICE valuable information. But the worst
it was that he could not often unde
stand, and never could recollect, VIII
they told him. 1T is very rare" sa
he in his biography, yea, even in o
II, days, for an Operator or master to he
'na angels speak articulately. When tn
y. do speak it is like the Irish-much
Vi their throat" That expression, eye
ere even in our days" invites a CONNIE
tary. But ID receive daily commune
pie t;ons of tho utmost interest which :,
foo can rarely Interpret and never remel
Is Der must BID terribly trying for a n
gician in the long run. DR.. Dee co
the fided his troubles to a certain Kel
~ who, familiar with the Irish mode
lu- speaking, understood the angels pr
my fectly, and what is more, transcrib
ms. their remarks. But most people kn'
what singular results, uncomfortal
for poor Dr.. Dee, followed that as
les citation. Ssveral talismans survive
ay, Scotland. Sir Walter Scott had c
A. Hr4alc+onn p,Ltnh no nrIZ