Year: 1869




A correspondent of the London AMcneum
writes:


ssIn most of those wrong notions mentioned
in your journal of the 1st of August, you will
find some substratum of fact. There is no
smoke without fire, and there is generally a
foundation for some ofthem-at least we know
or can guess at a foundation. That of thirteen
persons at table one will die within the year,
is distinctly traceablc to Our Lords last supper,
where there were thirteen and He died. The
spiling of salt is derived from the Eastern
idea that eating salt with man, or having
eaten of his salt, binds you to him. You may
remember in the Indian mutiny, that having
eaten of John Compnny's salt kept many men
faithful; and it was constantly thrown in the
teeth Of those who broke faith with US, "ttat
they had eaten our SALT" therefore spiiiing
or wasting this symbol of friendship would
be considered unlucky though why the
unlucky should be purged by ythrowing pinch
of it over the lett shoulder | do not see,
unless because the left is also the unlucky side.
Stammcring at beginning speech means that
if you begin i'll you are likely to go on i'll, and
end badly Breaking mirror is raterabie to
the days when mirrors were most rare, at least
glass ones and accounted magical instruments.
No magician was properly set up in trade with
out his mirror. Breaking wine glass Is also
thought unlucky.


"Magpies being unlucky is a superstition
as old most likely as the ark or older; 1t Is
both Celtic and Teutonic and ! believe the
odd numbers are those most unlucky. Certain
animals crossing our path is the same, and has
parallel superstition in India but the reason
why is probably lost in the mists OF antiquity.
That animals should be killed at certain times
of the month, is most likely founded on the
fact of their meat keeping better at one time
than another, and being less likely to be
putrcieG by weak and waning mo IN than by
a strong and waxing moon. Washing hands
in water which has been used by another,
causing them either to kiss or to quarrel, has
been referred to Plate washing his hands;
but think it must be referred to the older
use and custom which he illustrated of %ash-
ing an evil deed off his hands into the water
which would contaminate the water or any
that touched it.


"Thc raven (not the common rook) is
very strong, wise and wary bird, and being eX-
tremely common among the northern nations,
was adopted as their emblem, much as an eagle
was by the Romans and others, and from its
feeding on corpses would be considered as un-
lucky by all the Mortimer, to say nothing of
any traditions that mig ght remain from the
ancient aruspIces, and remnants OF Baal Wor-
ship and Ashtoreth worship that still linger
among u.s. How many ladies tell you to bow
to the new moon; that it is unlucky to see
the new moon through glass to turn piece
of money in your pock ct for luck the first time
YOU see the new moon, which was as ancient
as the time of Job, who emphatically declares
that he never kissed his hand to the new
moon, also, I think, David but have not
Concordance handy to find out the chapter
and verse.


ga great deal of curious matter is to be
found in these wrong notions. Among fish
ermen there is belief that salmon weighs
more dead than when Just caught; apropos OF
a man weighing more when dead than when
alive, and which is very likely true, as when
the lungs are inflated man really weighs less,
otherwise why does he Goat higher in water!
The twelfth wave on the sea coast IS really
the largest. The belief in the rowan on
mountain ash being efiicacous against witch
craft is known all over Europe, but L should
like to know the reason of it.


"Many other wrong notions with some that
are not wrong. too. might be brought forward !;
also, the reasons for them and shall be glad
| if some Of your correspondents will give
reason for some of those of almost universal
currency: Putting the wrong shoe on first
| dates from Augustus, al least he considered 1t
unlucky. Why Has this also an Eastern
origin 2"


VOLCANOES IN THE MooN.-Professor
Winloch, of Harvard University, reports that
he has seen volcano in active eruption in the
moon during the nights of December 1st and
I'd, During the past year astronomers have
differed in opinion as to the disappearance of
the crater Linnaus, marked on the best charts
of the moons surface till 1868. The destruc-
ton of this crater, if it should be the case, is
stated to be the first evidence or actually OBJ
served changes going on at the surface of the
moon. The observation of Professor Winloch
would seem to confirm the conclusion of other
astronomers on this subject. The foreign
| journals announce that ProfessorJ J. 81. Madler,
of Bonn, who is celebrated on account of the
moon charts prepared by himself, has written
letter on this subject. Madler has been for
many years nearly blind, but the disappear
ance OF the crater Linn eus interests him as
| Ipa1l oc oEba- eminent aSfrOneuprS