The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-06-12


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 dig
ger in South Africa who had been for
| tunate without some object which he
herished-commonly a diamond Of
odd shape, but perhaps any bit of rub
bish which caught his eye at some mo-
ment of triumph. II a man Of intellt-
gence and culture, he would laugh at
his own fancy, but he would not 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 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
substantial citizens who do the like
{e mt IN ha cOuo Oufad bV1f doubtless II
Is large. The fact is that belief IN tails
mans descends, without break, from
fetishism. Sir John Lubbock defines
that religion, so to call it, as "the
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 up upon the road, a pebble, a
stick, a bit of twisted root, will give
him power over the gods. II 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,
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 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
man 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 no
space for fables-is that discovered in
the tomb of Charlemagne at AK la
Chapelle. We never met with a clear
record of its adventures. The story
goes-almost contemporary-tha the
ambassador of Haroun Alraschid made
1t for the wife of Charlemagne to keep
her husbands love forever. For this
cessful-we have left the domain of his
tory now. When the lady died Charlie
magne could not allow her to be buried
until his confessor, guessing where the
difficulty lay, removed the talisman.
Forthwith the priest rose in favor
became archbishop of Mayence and inn
perial chancellor. Thinking his pro-
~ h. 6A
lowed object into the lake of Nigel
helm. Instantly Charlemagne began
to raise a palace on the bank, plumber
Ing Ravenna to adorn it, nor would he
quit the lake until the chancellor
dragged it and recovered the talisman.
By what token this legendary treasure
was recognized in the emperor's grave
we cannot tell, unless a description ex-
lst 1t is round, of finest gold, with
two rough sapphires in the middle, and
other gems. The town Of AK la Cha
pelle presented it to Napoleon l., who
presented it to Fox, earl of Holland.
Afterward it came into the possession
Of Napoleon III. and still exists, no
doubt.
DR.. Dee's talisman is also historic
and also survives in the British mu-
scum. In November, 1882, DR.. Dee was
praying, when, in blaze of light, the !
Archangel UrIel appeared, and, smiling.
gave him a ball of stone, polished
black-Very like piece of coal, in fact.
Herewith DR.. Dee summoned angels
when he would, and they gave him in