Evening star., 1923-02-04

~ is a. curious fact that various
numhers enjoy good regulations,
while others have always borne
evil regulations. Everybody mas
oe course. heard of 13 as very un-
lucky number. and there are many
persous, not In other ways supersu-
tious, who cling to the notion tnat 10
IS. indeed. an evil number
Int Scotland one will find that the
numher is unlucky. There Is his
tor,cal reason. inasmuch as the nine
diamonds was considered the curse
Of that country. 1t Is said tnaI IL d
person sees nine magpies in Scotlaho
it is a sign that the worst klnd Oh
misfortune is soon to befall him.
Consider the case of the cat-o-nine
ta,Is that old instrument or PUNISH
ment In the Navy. 1t had nine thonss
and was a terrible means OF PUNISH
ment for erring seamen. There are
nine crowns in heraldry. Many years
ago. when fairies were really consid-
sred az living on earth, the witches
told that IL they wished to see them
thsy must hunt for nine grains OF
wheat on a four-leaf clover. The ola
HYDRA Of ancient days had nine heaos'
Leases for very long periods are ire
ouentIy made out for ninety-nine
YEARS. When the angels Gas given In
Ni,ton's paradise Lost) were cast
nut of heaven they fell for nine days.
CcORDING to the cosmogony or
~ medieyal times. there were nine
earths. nine heavens, nine rivers OF
perdition and nine orders of angels.
These numbers represented a multi
pIe Of the trinity and were CONSIDERED
sacred in effect. So, as nine repre-
sented perfection, we find that IL
meant the greatest possible or any
thing. In that way we get such e1-
pressions as "a nine days wonder'
"a cat has nine lives" nine tailors
make a man." etc.
And vet the number was not the
only one that had varied and porten-
tious meanings. The Japanese hold
that the number l is the luckiest
possible In farming. for example,
they plan to do so much in one day
and what cannot be accomplished is
left undonc for while.
Among the early Christians the
number 9 had a very evil significance.
Inasmuch as hell was made on the
second day along with heaven and
earth, our forefathers Stunned tnat
digit 1t cannot be gainsaid, how
ever we may laugh at the supersti-
tions Of people of several centuries
ago, that the number has certainly
been unlucky for many rulers. we
often consider Henry II, George III
ard Charles III as very unfortunate
rulers but they were. not as unlucky
rs James IL, Richard II and Etheldred
IT, who were all forced to abdicate
their thrones: and still greater were
the misfortunes of Edward III and
William II, who were murdered, and
Harold IL, who was killed in battle.
The figure 4 is considered very
lucky by most people. especially by
those who believe in the potency Of
IT," four-lcaf clover.
By the Cabalists it was believed
that was the supreme number.
inasmuch as much of their belief
hinged on that number. The Jewish
servant always served for six years.
The world was said to have been Gre
Rtcd in SIX days.
As.to the number Z, it has been in
vested with more mystery than all
the other numbers put together. We
have a septenary division of time.
Old feasts would last for seven days;
Eaaman was sent to wash In the
Jordan seven times; Elijah sent his
aervant from Mount Carmel seven
times to look for rain, and Jericho
wos visited for seven days by seven
priests with seven trumpets, and on
the seventh day they went around the
city seven times.
ON the other hand, there are many
people who will have nothing to do
with II if they can possibly help 1t.
Perhaps this is along the idea that
two negatives make an affirmative,
the number 1 being considered lucky,
and also the number Z, but the COM
Ination may be considered as pro-
Gucing much strife.
Number Is about the only one
that has little meaning attached to it
l.y the superstitious.
Forty plays quite an important part
in sacred and profane literature.
The period of imaginary flood or
drought following st. Swithin's day is
frequently called to mind. Why forty
Lays was selected as the period OF