Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
CREDULITY OF GREAT MINDS.
Superstition by No Means Confined to
the Ignorant.

FROM on.Ieu service.
1t Is a mistake to imagine that supersti-
ton is weakness confined to seamen or
persons of feeble and uncultured minds
Men possessing the strongest intellects have
been swayed by almost childish credulitv
with regard to the supernatural The great
Napoleon was a firm believer in presenti-
ments once, when he was anxiously await
ing news from Egypt, he heard that Nile
boat had run ashore and that the crew had
peen put to death. This boat bore the name
of L1talie. Napoleon was much concerned
when he heard this last piece of news. He
looked upon 1t as an omen that his hopes
OF anneXing Italy to France were to be
shattered. Nothing would induce him to
believe the contrary My presentiments
never deceive me-" he said; "all is ruined:
L am satisfied that my conquest is lost"
The presentiment in this case certainly be-
came true.
A famous writer has said of Napoleon:
He was all star and destiny" Certain it
is that Napoleon had faith in his star, and
IL appeared to be the ruling omen of his en-
tire career. Gen. Rapp, who for a long pc
rlod was NapoleonS ad-de-camp refers
to the subject in his interesting memoirs
Rapp had just returned from the siege of
Danzig, and, seeking Napoleons presence.
round MIN gazing intently through the win
dow, his eyes fixed upon the heavens 1t
was some time before the emperor noticed
the presence of Rapp, when, suddenly seiz-
ing MIN by the arm, he exclaimed: Look
there; up there!' II see nothing but the
pale twinklng stars" replied the astute
ald-de-camp quietly. What" exclaimed
you do not see my star? The fiery red one
almost as large the moon? 1t is before
you now, and, ah how brilliant" Then,
warming up at the sight, he fairly shrieked
as ne cried out: 1T has never abandoned
me for single instant. l see it on all
great occasions; it commands me to go for
ward; it is my sign of good fortune, and
where 1t leads l will follow"
The Roman Admiral Apri,rS T1o,5;,,c ~,
being informed by the augurs on the eve of
an engagement that the sacred chickens
would not eat, said: Let them drink, them
and ordered them thrown overheard after
which he attacked the Carthagenian fleet
and received a terrible thrashing
The astute Bismarck was superstitious,
the number thirteen having a very deep
meaning for him. He would never sit down
to table when he made the thirteenth.
Count Bismarck Bolen states that one day
in 1870 at Rheims, when the chancellor gave
a dinner, one of the invitations had to be
countermanded, because otherwise there
would have been thirteen at table. Gen
Boyer, Bazaine's envoy, arrived at the Ger
man headquarters at Versailles on Friday,
October l, but Bismarck would not see him
till the next day, saying that he would
never do anything of Importance on any
Friday, much less on a Friday the date of
which conceded with the anniversary of
Horchkirk, Jena and Auerstadt. He was
talking one day Of a defeat the Germans
had experienced in the course of the cam
paign Of 1870. II beg you to observe. gen.
tlemen,' he said, that that happened on a
Friday" Bismarck did not believe in a
lucky an unlucky day, but he believed
that his life was seriously influenced by
mystic number.
The prosaic DR.. Johnson always counted
his steps before entering any place, so as to
arrange that his right foot should always
precede his left; or. again, touched every
post which he passed along certain route,
fearing that if he missed one some misfor-
fun oil i'm
Lord Wolseley writes: 81 not only believe
in many superstitions, but l hug them with
the warmest affection. They link me- If not
with a spiritual world of which I know
nothing, at least with a glorious and artis-
tic and picturesque past of which history
has told me much. | believe in ghosts and
in amulets. l have worn out the rims of
several hats since | have been in Dublin
through my salutations of single magpies.
That mystic bird abounds in Ireland; and
would not on ay account walk under
ladder, &c. In fact, l am prone to adopt
any superstition | am told of which L find
others believe in
The Shah of Persia is superstitous. He
always carries with him when he travels
circle of amber which is said to have fallen
from heaven in Mohammeds time. and
which renders the wearer invulnerable;
casket of gold which makes him invisible at
will and jeweled star which is potent to
make conspirators instantly confess their
crimes is always worn upon his person.
Abraham Lincoln, a few days before his
death had a vivid dream, In which he be-
held his own body lying in state. The Wis
ion made great impression upon him, ana
ne was rallied on account of it by his wife.
ULYSSES S. Grant would not have been
military man had it not been that his rival
for West Point cadetship had been found
to have six toes on each foot instead or
five Gen. Grant was firm believer In
dreams, and 10 dream of crockery was sure
to be followed by good luck. The night be-
fore he received his appointment as colonel
of the Illinois regiment he dreamed OF beng
in a field filed with beautiful china. He
Immediately informed his wife that pros
neritv was about to dawn upon their for
tunes.
Admiral Farragut when at the masthead
of his flagship praying for divine aid, pre-
vious to passing the forts at Mobile bay,
distinctly heard voice saying: Keep on
keep on" Nelson always kept horseshoe
nailed TO the miZzenmast of his flagship
Victory.
Regarding celebrated statesmen and their
superstitions it is said that Secretary Car
Isle would begin no new thing on Friday
Secretary Blaine would never turn back to
enter his house after leaving it in case he
had forgotten anything. Secretary Folger
all his life believed that there was charm
for him in the number three" He laughed
at it. but let il dominate him. SUCH a hard-
headed old statesman Th3ddeus Stevens
believed that there was luck in picking up
nins He never passed one II he saw II
Without picking it up getting the point be-
fore him Senator Chandler counts white
horses for luck. He counts every one he
sees until he reaches thirty-nine, and then
he hepins over again. Senator Sherman
would not extend his left hand in greeting
or receive one extended to him. Senator
F,dmunds regarded il as unlucky if the first
person he met Oh emerging from his house
start.