The sun., 1909-02-28
SNEEZES As OMENS.
Origin or Greetings 70 sneczcrs-snesz-
ing Lore in all Language.

nB hOfo IN AL h<sukunBNs
The most ancient and universal observ-
anoe associated with sneezes is that OF
the bystanders uttering some form OF
benediction on the sneezer The general
rule Is that every sneeze should be greeted
with a God bless you or kindred aspi-
ration The origin OF this custom has
cause searohings OF the heart, to say
nothing Of many a quaint and curious
volume Of forgotten lore on the part
Of the learned throughout the ages.
Probably the Rabbinioal explanation
Is the earliest. This. says the | ondon
Globe. In to the effect that in the days
Of the first patriarohs men and women
only sneezed once. and that was at the
moment Of death, the shock proving
fatal. This curse was removed at the
supplication of Jacob. who obtained that
sneezing should be no longer fatal. on
condition that the boon should be every
where recognized by the utteranoe OF
| the words God bless you
According to some NEUROLOGICAL in
terpretations an equally remote origin
is implied in the legend that Prometheus
was the first who wished we'll to the sneeSer
who in this case was the man he had
made. and who sneezed on being vivifi cd
by the celestial fire. A quasi-naturalistic
explanation Ia suggested by many, ancient
and modern, Aristotle among the number.
Put shortly, this Is that the act OF sneezing
is an instructive effort of nature-or the
brain--to expel something injurious. and
honored as something sacred. a sign Of
sanity in the diviner part"
Another theory, obviously Of little
value. having regard to the priority OF
those above mentioned. traces the
custom TO an epidemic which devasta ted
Italy in the Middle Ages. the fatal symp-
tom in which was sneezing. A sneese
was therefore presunptive evidence
that the sneezer was doomed to death
in the nature OF prayer for onei drficuto
morfB. Earlier STILL when sneezee we're,
according to attendant circumstances,
either lucky or unlucky, the aspiration
was congratulatory or deprecative, as
the occasion demanded
This brings us TO another aspect
Of sneezes-that in which they were
looked upon az omens. As with other
occurrences. as rule the right hand was
the proptious. the left the unlucky side;
| but IL would seem that at other times
a sneeze was of good omen, irrespective
OF the quarter whence 10 came. Before
the battle of Salams, on the Admiral's
which Themistocles-who by the way
was an adroit manipulation Of omens-
accepted as a favorable presage.
In the Odyssey, just as Penelope had
uttered the words If Ulysses should
come soon would he with his
son be revenged upon the violence Of
men," Telemachus "sneezed loudly" and
han hA
stranger as we know, was none
other than Ulysses himself-to be brought
TO her presence "Dost thou not see
she says. that my son has sneezed
at all my wordsl' Xenophon hailed a
sneeze from one OF his soldiers as an omen
sent from Jupiter; another similar Incl
dent is recalled in the wars with Cyrus
the younger: Theocritus speaks Of happy
bridegroom welcomed by lucky sneeze;
Catullus makes Cupid's sneeze propitious
to pair Of lovers, and the list OF illusions
might easily be amplihed.
In some places should person sneeze
at dinner the previous course was brought
back, and at the risk Of incurring i'll luck
he had 10 taste II again; IL a man sneezed
while dressing and putting on his shoes
he went to bed again; II a sailor sneezed
the captain would put on his voyage.
A very remarkable feature about
sneezing lore liz its universal distribution;
it Is found in Buddhist writings, the early
conquerors found it in the new world.
travellers have noticed it among Zulus.
Persians. Siamese. dwellers in Mesopo-
tamla and the Tonga Islands,
In rural places among ourselves sneezes
vary in their presage according to the
day of the week or the hour OF the day.
II you indulge in sneezing before break
fast it indicates you will have a present
before the week Is out. though elsewhere
this il the special message of a Friday
sneeze; sneeze on Sunday before you
break your fast means you'll see your
true love before week Is past: Mon
days sneeze foretells danger, Tuesday s
that you'll kiss a stranger, Wednesdays
a letter. Thursday's something better.