New-York tribune., 1905-06-11
7>nd;ag Place in Literature, His
torn. Music and Religion.

s.sent world savors very much of chance or coin
.s,noe Although thres was considered most ac-
.,tsbs to the gods. Aristotle tells how because
weakly Infants commonly died before this date.
te seventh day was therefore honored with the
mn festival OF tb pbsns ing + chid dd Even in this
t.en alone eNcepted-is largely believed in-seven
ef he e. Isle ss s serogsy ysi
asserted thai there for certain child's
sssas be discovered for the deed. But curious
Cd rhyme respecting magpies would seem to con-
r1tct this magic potency OF seven:
three for wedding. four for birth
Seven 'Gt for 'saed Il. de'iFs rs o@n OF nss ssit
M % .s viii s. aaset to st aaass nGs
On thy ssven hills Of yors
Thou kat'st Queen
Another classic Instance. similarly curious. may
Be recalled:
n geshy % Pns s vO s0ptfna for s Ss SsaS S.ss
History records many more. One in evidence just
nOw IS that long secretly guarded Chapel OF the
PIX dedicated by Edward the Confessor to St
sysH IN later years, by those stately oficers Of
STATE when, seven huge keys had unfastened its
e ee TegTetted that little now remains rua! OF
the original locatE where famed 81; sizes tI an an
mn ssa' roared 1ai'sd is Is loft lofty head @ - '''S
Es STREETS fs q,als 5 9n. Sqgn the day.
but the nans of Seven DiaIs is in itself sufficient
testimony to more honor laid to this typical
Thai folks were IN olden times occasionally
scared OUT of their seven senses early indicates
posediy under the influence of the seven planets
81 this and other theories the ancient Hebrews.
spect and reverence for the number seven The
seven bodies Of alchemy may be appropriately re-
One of the more prominent proofs Of the original
81 se IN saed nsd at te because fs
supposed to be in danger and qnderge @ enange
following up this suppostion. and affirming In those
Oft repeated lines:
and one man in his plays many parts.
His being seven
Closely allied, of course. is the seven years ap
premiership" and that dreaded seven years penal
Adolf Beck-which, when the sin merits such Sc
verify. becomes twice and three times seven ,,.
nesses were required by the Hebrews 20 attest an
Judges were dsputed TO sit in judgment was that
OF these appointed by the justice loving though E
Of State Sins over S & oo GsF6 e6uqfh 2f pQsGa @eP
the Middle Ages there dawned q happier day, and
toward the mystical number. enacted that there
Dumas in his Isabel of Bavaria" refers to an
ancient privilege which authorized The deputies OF
ena Queens Of France upon their entry into Paris
from the gate Of St Denis TO me palace followed
fersnt nanufact turing bodies clothed to represent
tbs tbs seven SI Ghr5tian viTHes TRe recognized
sins and virtues" appear to have varied
though in number usually seven.
Kingsiey IL VIII be remem,bered says, ,+,, Every Every
fresh duties at its back" The Mahometans believe
waits seven hours peradventure he may seek
pardon
To be In the seventh heaven OF delight" is q
qualitative term still In use for suPeriatve express
sion and may be trace9 g me Ga6aoe oeeI arn IN
I've the Hebrews three and other systems nine OF
more than one occasion showed considerable pref
erence for seven, convinced, seemingly. OF the di,
xvf- IN, odd 6r1aTrTa alarz
seven times. His prophetic wish that there shall
peanv'' assuredly came from a kindly heart
well that thoughtful reflection of the potential
good lurking In seven hundred pounds and posi-
bliles." In age so greedy Of gold as the pres
the could hardly be expressed in less
trenest section Of these money minded mortals
perhaps & oooO is barely adequate for their desig-
Space viii not permit the enumeration of all the
IN the Scriptures II is interwoyen with almost
eyery Biblical story Beginning with the Greaoh; H.
yest. Noah had seven days warning OF the noo0,
and by command. took fowls of the air and clean
beasts by sevens The ark touched ground the
seventh month and after seven days a dove was
seventh day OF the seventh menth holy 9bssry. cry
seventh year was Sabbath OF rest for an things;
A. the end of seven times seven began the grand
Every seventh year general release from al
oeb1s. Jacob served seven and yet seven years Tor
Rachel. Pharaoh's dream predicted seven years OF
spoken OF as wiser in his own conceit than seven
raen that can render a reason. the number would
seem to be selected without any special purpose
The fiery furnace for Shadrach. Meshach ana Aoed-
nego was heated seven times hotter than usual.
With rather more signihcance just as the od . law
bade forgive his brother seven times seven,
snd the newer law seventy times seven Al tne
sized. Seven priests bore seven trumpets seven
days and on the seventh surrounded the walls
seven aitars Turning 10 Job. we see his friends
sng With him seven Gays and seven 81 stone
nent King Ahasuerus IN the seventh year OF bis
reign feasted seven days and on the seventh d.
rected seven chamberlains TO find queen. who
vas allowed seven maidens to attend her; For
Ssanan The lamps Of the Tabernacle numbered
70 life Fnocb was the seventh after Adam. and
Christ (alsc ''transeted') the seventy seventh.
peared seven times. Another striking instance Is
when Christ cast out seven devils. Frequetr{ g
seven appears TO be typical Of thoroughness ana
The Apocalypse likewise revels in this reveIed
number. II may also be noted that the apostles
planted seven churches In Asia. and that the sa-
nunber0narneiy- our Christian Bible. the Koran,
the Eddas Of the scandinaviana, the Five Kings OF
gedas of The Hindoos and the Zend-Avesta OF tne
Continually as we contemplate the moon. seldom
60 we heed the fact that she has seven phases ario
septenary in character Yet our ancestors gave
.eerons albeit possibly supersutous regaT9 gT ~ ~
70 6e caliously overlooked, and that dominant sew
enth is perpetusiiy giving particular evidence Of
itself Wynn Westcott points out that seven pipes
older deity Pan Dice. though OF ancient origin gin
ane found IN very early Egyptian tomDs, were tioI
~sEinally numbered This evolution of consid-
sraoly later period obviously keeps the gambler ats9
oerpetually IN mind Of .Ancently the synOoi
OF the universe q ship with seven pilots
Conspicuous IN the field OF fiction Is that az
trective old Syrian legend which tells now thoSe
IeVen Christian youths Of EphesCs fed rom tle
rage Of Decius and lived in until dlScoVeTSu;
then, when great stones were by the enemy. rolled
oefo:e its routh. they fell asleep the story SAYS
LOT III years. TO waken more llVlIls UestIho
mes Of resurrection from the dead. the lsleho
ot the Seven Cities Is another curious legeno re-
gsrding fabulous land OF the Atlantic whicn gave
rcefnge to BODY Of Christians in flight IRON ths