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Article THE UNIVERSALITY OF SUPERSTITION. ← Page 9 of 20 →
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The Universality Of Superstition.
hour of its extinction is ever to arrive until the natural impulses of humanity are controlled by the voice of cultivated reason ; until the utilitarian spirit shall , throughout the land , have swamped the extensive Avaste of the Avorld of imagination ? And furtherno one Avill say that Ave are not to hasten fonvard such
, a period . None AA'ill weigh the decline of faith in our semisuperstitious holiday customs and bright fairy imaginings , against the fatal consequences of such a branch of superstitious belief as has just been brought under consideration . To return to the connection betAveen modern and ancient
pagan superstition . The Romans placed great reliance upon certain clays of good and ill omen , and upon astrological climacterics ; the Fasti of Ovid treats of the former exclusively ; and the belief appears to liave been one of universal influence . The fishermen of the Baltic suspend all operations during the interval betAveen the feasts of All Saints and St . Martin—they
would otherxA'ise , according to tlieir notions , take no fish during the remainder of the year . Their xvomen never sew on Ash-AVednesday , because so doing would induce diseases to cattle . By abstaining from the use of fire on St . Laurence ' s-day , they are secure from conflagration through all the year . In Livonia , as xve learn from a Riga journal of 1822 , the faith in lucky and
unlucky days was still undiminished . The people xvould not hunt on St . Mark ' s nor St . Catherine ' s-day , under fear of losing success in sport during the whole season . This reminds us of a superstition among the farmers of North Wales , who xvould not hold a team on St . Mark ' s-day , apprehending that loss of oxen xvould certainly ensue . In Livonia , again , there is a general
dislike to settle bargains , and ' sometimes to dress children , or do other such offices , on a Friday ; if they receive visits on a Thursday , it portends a continuation of disagreeable visitors for a Aveek ensuing . The vulgar prepossession against Friday among our countrymen has originated with reference to the crucifixion , accompanied by the idea that on that day evil spirits would be likely to have especial liberty of action . To return to the shores of the Baltic . If a fire occurs , a
black hen is throAvn into the flames , by way of stopping its progress . This custom is evidently a remnant of the expiatory sacrifices to a malevolent deity , derived from pagan rites ; in fact , many of these customs are directly connected Avith their ancient mythology . The belief in certain auspicious clays has been occasionally
strengthened by coincidences . Thus , on April 6 th Alexander xvas born ; on an anniversary of that clay he conquered Darius ; on another he died . On April 6 th the emperor Caracalla was born .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Universality Of Superstition.
hour of its extinction is ever to arrive until the natural impulses of humanity are controlled by the voice of cultivated reason ; until the utilitarian spirit shall , throughout the land , have swamped the extensive Avaste of the Avorld of imagination ? And furtherno one Avill say that Ave are not to hasten fonvard such
, a period . None AA'ill weigh the decline of faith in our semisuperstitious holiday customs and bright fairy imaginings , against the fatal consequences of such a branch of superstitious belief as has just been brought under consideration . To return to the connection betAveen modern and ancient
pagan superstition . The Romans placed great reliance upon certain clays of good and ill omen , and upon astrological climacterics ; the Fasti of Ovid treats of the former exclusively ; and the belief appears to liave been one of universal influence . The fishermen of the Baltic suspend all operations during the interval betAveen the feasts of All Saints and St . Martin—they
would otherxA'ise , according to tlieir notions , take no fish during the remainder of the year . Their xvomen never sew on Ash-AVednesday , because so doing would induce diseases to cattle . By abstaining from the use of fire on St . Laurence ' s-day , they are secure from conflagration through all the year . In Livonia , as xve learn from a Riga journal of 1822 , the faith in lucky and
unlucky days was still undiminished . The people xvould not hunt on St . Mark ' s nor St . Catherine ' s-day , under fear of losing success in sport during the whole season . This reminds us of a superstition among the farmers of North Wales , who xvould not hold a team on St . Mark ' s-day , apprehending that loss of oxen xvould certainly ensue . In Livonia , again , there is a general
dislike to settle bargains , and ' sometimes to dress children , or do other such offices , on a Friday ; if they receive visits on a Thursday , it portends a continuation of disagreeable visitors for a Aveek ensuing . The vulgar prepossession against Friday among our countrymen has originated with reference to the crucifixion , accompanied by the idea that on that day evil spirits would be likely to have especial liberty of action . To return to the shores of the Baltic . If a fire occurs , a
black hen is throAvn into the flames , by way of stopping its progress . This custom is evidently a remnant of the expiatory sacrifices to a malevolent deity , derived from pagan rites ; in fact , many of these customs are directly connected Avith their ancient mythology . The belief in certain auspicious clays has been occasionally
strengthened by coincidences . Thus , on April 6 th Alexander xvas born ; on an anniversary of that clay he conquered Darius ; on another he died . On April 6 th the emperor Caracalla was born .