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Article EARLY THEATRICAL MYSTERIES. ← Page 2 of 2 Article MAGICAL SUPERSTITION. Page 1 of 2 →
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Early Theatrical Mysteries.
i 4 86 he saw played and exhibited in mysteries , by persons of Poitiers , the Nativity , Passion , and Resurrection of Christ , in great triumph and splendour ; there were assembled on this occasion most of the ladies and gentlemen of the nei ghbouring counties .
Magical Superstition.
MAGICAL SUPERSTITION .
FROM THE SAME . Sometimes these superstitions are classed under the title of PHY-1 ACTERIES , or preservatives . Le Brim divides them into two kinds ; the one employed without words , and the other with words . In the first class are to be placed the talismans , which are certain figures invented by the Arabiansengraved on certain stones or
me-, tals . To make these talismans perfect , according to the minute description of an adept , and which is inserted in this work , so many wonderful things are required , that any one , in the least in his senses , must despair of accomplishing his purpose . Yet the same adept enumerates a variety of instances of their miraculous powers . He informs us of their potency as remediesand prescribes them as
excel-, lent for the head-ach , the sore throat , rheumatisms , & c . and , what is very essential , they will assist us in becoming agreeable to the ladies , in acquiring riches and honours , in being- successful in commerce or gaming ; to be men of genius , Sic . —The reader ' s curiosity is probably awakened ; I have transcribed one of his recipes , on a subject in which most aspire to be successful .
R . for JOY , BEAUTY , and STRENGTH . ENGRAVE the figure of VENUS , which is a lady holding in her hand apples and flowers , in the first scale of Libra , or of Pisces , or of Taurus . This is no difficult operation ; but the reader must first obtain the perfect talisman , on which it is to be engraved . Of the effects of these talismans there are numerous instances
recorded by old writers ; but I shall not venture to transcribe them . One lam induced to notice . It was said that the cells of the Chartreux were never troubled witli bugs ; though they bad been discovered in the cells of their domestics . Several religionists cherished an opinion that this was owing to a particular exemption with which God favoured the order ! These are the literal expressions of father
Jaques du Breul;— " God would not allow them to be afflicted and distressed by those stinking animals called bugs ; and , to show his peculiar favour , he has not exempted the cells of their servants from these creatures . "—This was a subject of serious controversy amongst the scholars of those days ; and some attributed the exemption to the use of talismans . Cardanmore philosophicallyto their not eating
, , meat ; Scaliger rallies him' on this , but gives no reason for it ; at length Vossius , in his work on idolatry , mentions this fact as very uncertain , while he at the same time brings the best proof of it , which simply proceeded from the act of cleaning their cells daily ' .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Theatrical Mysteries.
i 4 86 he saw played and exhibited in mysteries , by persons of Poitiers , the Nativity , Passion , and Resurrection of Christ , in great triumph and splendour ; there were assembled on this occasion most of the ladies and gentlemen of the nei ghbouring counties .
Magical Superstition.
MAGICAL SUPERSTITION .
FROM THE SAME . Sometimes these superstitions are classed under the title of PHY-1 ACTERIES , or preservatives . Le Brim divides them into two kinds ; the one employed without words , and the other with words . In the first class are to be placed the talismans , which are certain figures invented by the Arabiansengraved on certain stones or
me-, tals . To make these talismans perfect , according to the minute description of an adept , and which is inserted in this work , so many wonderful things are required , that any one , in the least in his senses , must despair of accomplishing his purpose . Yet the same adept enumerates a variety of instances of their miraculous powers . He informs us of their potency as remediesand prescribes them as
excel-, lent for the head-ach , the sore throat , rheumatisms , & c . and , what is very essential , they will assist us in becoming agreeable to the ladies , in acquiring riches and honours , in being- successful in commerce or gaming ; to be men of genius , Sic . —The reader ' s curiosity is probably awakened ; I have transcribed one of his recipes , on a subject in which most aspire to be successful .
R . for JOY , BEAUTY , and STRENGTH . ENGRAVE the figure of VENUS , which is a lady holding in her hand apples and flowers , in the first scale of Libra , or of Pisces , or of Taurus . This is no difficult operation ; but the reader must first obtain the perfect talisman , on which it is to be engraved . Of the effects of these talismans there are numerous instances
recorded by old writers ; but I shall not venture to transcribe them . One lam induced to notice . It was said that the cells of the Chartreux were never troubled witli bugs ; though they bad been discovered in the cells of their domestics . Several religionists cherished an opinion that this was owing to a particular exemption with which God favoured the order ! These are the literal expressions of father
Jaques du Breul;— " God would not allow them to be afflicted and distressed by those stinking animals called bugs ; and , to show his peculiar favour , he has not exempted the cells of their servants from these creatures . "—This was a subject of serious controversy amongst the scholars of those days ; and some attributed the exemption to the use of talismans . Cardanmore philosophicallyto their not eating
, , meat ; Scaliger rallies him' on this , but gives no reason for it ; at length Vossius , in his work on idolatry , mentions this fact as very uncertain , while he at the same time brings the best proof of it , which simply proceeded from the act of cleaning their cells daily ' .