New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-08
FAITH IN SUGGESTIONS
Inquiry Shows That II Still IN.
and ThriveS.

Most people take II for granted =,
question OF superstition is neither We
issue" nor one that Is open 10 de- I'VE
This unquestlonably represents "n.
general attitude, but an attitude hauY
two erroneous premises. The ars, = On
superstition always has been. and ~. MAJ
will be, an unmixed evil The SECOND a's
It cannot survive the progress ~ :, N'e'
and education. 1t may be a derno,..'1a'.e
fact that civilized communities no To-.
collectively stand in awe Of the s,.,
hang witches, or tremble before pE.s,a'p'
ers Of magic. II is equally demons,,es.
however, that large numbers OF ins,,,s'
in such communities-men and worne, %,
pass as people Of education retain r'' '
faith In even the most absurd arno,. =.
superstitlons Of their ancestors. az So.
for instance, by the Christian sclep,l.,,
dread Of malicious animal magnetism ~
by the golden harvest reaped In -.
American city by fashionable fortune 49,
ers. And, even where such extraysgar,..
are absent, distinct traces OF supers,s,.
are TO be found I'm persons Of the hi,A...
culture and refinement.
To settle this point. / undertook A ce,,..
not long ago. limiting It 10 group OF NJ.
Of maturity and highest education. In a.,
I confined II 10 members of the teaet,.1
staff OF Harvard Uniyersity-prof 4,
structors and assistants Here. a..
where, / felt that trustworthy data ,o,,.
be obtained. for the atmosphere Of Hare,
is admittedly not favorable 20 the r1alr,.-
ance Of superstition. II. J the0rized IN,
appreciate degree OF superstitious hal.,
is 10 be found among these university e5s.
cators-men vigorously trained in the Ia.
Of their reasoning powers-no doubt a.
remain as 10 the universally OF suDars,,.
ton in all ranks OF society.
The result surprised, even startled. me 7
had expected to find perhaps 10 or Il 10,
cent OF the men whom / Questioned-morly
connected with the departments OF history
philosophy and psychology Acknowledge
some measure Of superstitlous faith. Ae,p.
ally, only $50 per cent. after earnest intro.
spection, could truthfuily profess that. 20
far as they were aware they were abso.
lutely free from superstition The remain.
ing 1874 per cent. while In no case ain!,-
ting full belief" confessed that in their
daily life they had little habits and Gus.
toms indicating that whether consciously
or subconsciously, they were under super.
stition's influence. Nor is Il without SIC.
nificance that, of this 1914 per cent, large
proportion at first denied, sometimes With
Indignation, that they were In the sligates,
degree superstitious; their denlals weak
ened only after close questioning hal ID
them to look into the matter more care.
fully. Here, in the respondents ovl
words, are some Of the superstitlons 10
which these men Of Harvard made colies-
sion:
Il must say that / don't think sholh
feel very comfortable If seated Thirteen a,
a meal, or living I'm a house Numbered T.
Il always pick up pins II l find hen
lying on the floor or sidewalk II SEEMS
10 me that | DO this automatically ba
there may be a superstitious remnant n
it,"
THE number 10 bothers me great deal
I have a species Of dread when ] think Of
the year 1913, feeling that Il VIII prove
disastrous to me. Probably this irraiioaal
fear has grown out of the 10 superstition
THE only superstition / can think Of that
| affects me at all is the old, childish fear
the dark. Even to-day [ dislike to be Do
the dark. especially after reading a ghost
story. II walking along dark io1a
have a tendency to look around me, even
though | know nothing is there
"The 70 superstition bulks largest
my mind. and while l have no cohFPA
belief IN il. ! feel that 10 must exercise
! some subconscious influence upon me-
MY own superstitious practical lo'
can call il such-is 10 knock on wood are
boasting Of my health, good fortune e'c
81 knock on wood. and ! have a cef'dl.
amount of faith in the truth OF the OF
SAYING. Sing before breakfast ana yol WI
cry before night
Il have a belief-how complete cam"
say-in the superstition that one sAo--
always knock on wood after speaNhs WIZ
undue confidence. As / say l don't N0'
how much of a belief I have IN TINS p.'
I do know that / always knock on "VOD ,
1 catch myself Boosting
81 have a dread-call BE- superstition =
YOU please-of Boosting about anytIhls
II always knock on wood if / happen
.brag.' and / have an instructive disAAs
seeing the new moon over my left shollo''
So I always try to see it over my TislI
with educated men confessins su'H =
centricities of conduct, the inference :
irresistible that superstition plays =.
more important part in the world lo-N
than is generally supposed.-H. Aau'''-
Bruce. IN The outlook
/ Geraldine-You said that you WY -,
for me and vet YOU decline 20 face iatAs