[1] Locke. Of Human Understanding, B. I, ch. 2.
[2] Cousin. Cours de l'Histoire de la Philosophie Moderne, edit. 1847,
T. III, p. 269.
[3] Cousin. Op. cit., T. III, p. 368.
[4] Cousin. Op. cit., T. III, p. 370.
[5] Plato. Politicus. Mitford's Greece, Vol. I, p. 84.
[6] "Vain indeed is the life of all men in whom there is not the true
knowledge of God: who, from the things which are seen to be good, have
not been able to conceive aright of that which is goodness itself; nor,
while they viewed the work, to acknowledge the architect: but have
thought that either fire, or the wind, the swift air, or the stars in
their courses, or the vast deep, or the sun and moon, were the deities
presiding over the world."--_Liber Sapientiæ_, ch. 13, v. 1, 2.
_Translation by Luke Howard, F.R.S._
[7] An interesting illustration of the tendency of mankind in a state of
savageism to attribute striking phenomena to supernatural agency, and
deify the means through which they are apparently exhibited, occurred on
the march of Cortes from Mexico to Honduras. During a deer-hunt, the
horse which Cortes rode was taken ill. "It did not then die, though it
would have been better if it had," says the devout but ruthless
conqueror, parenthetically. A little while afterwards, having been
courteously received by the Itzalan Indians, Cortes "entrusted them with
the care of his horse Morgillo, which had been lamed, charging them to
take great care of it, and attend to its recovery, as he prized it very
highly, and telling them that when he had found the Spaniards he was in
search of, he should send for his steed again. It was from no want of
care on the part of the Itzaex, but rather from an excess of it, that
Morgillo lost his life under their management; for in their anxiety to
effect a cure, and regarding the animal as one endowed with reason, they
gave him poultry and other meat to eat, and presented him with bunches
of flowers, as they were accustomed to do to persons of rank when they
were sick; a species of attention somewhat similar to that which the
fool laughed at in _King Lear_, when he speaks of the cockney who for 'a
pure kindness to his horse, buttered his hay.' The consequence of this
unaccustomed style of medical treatment was, that Morgillo languished
and died, and then a worse evil befell, for, observes the pious
Villagutierre, "though some people say Canek burnt his idols in the
presence of Cortes, there was in reality no burning of idols or anything
else in that city of Tayasal; on the contrary, by leaving the horse with
the infidel Itzaex, they obtained a greater and still more abominable
idol than the many they had before." The meaning of this sentence is
subsequently explained by the worthy chronicler informing us that, on
the death of Morgillo, the Itzaex raised its effigy "in stone and
mortar, very perfect," and worshipped it as a divinity. It was seated on
its hind-quarters, on the floor of one of the temples, rising on its
fore legs, with its hind legs bent under it. These barbarians adored it
as the god of thunder and thunderbolts, calling him Tzinachac, which
means the bride of thunder, or the thunderbolt. They gave it this name
from having seen some of the Spaniards who were with Cortes fire their
muskets over the horses' heads when they were hunting deer, and they
believed the horses were the cause of the noise that was made, which
they took for thunder, and the flash of the discharge and the smoke of
the gunpowder for a thunderbolt."--_Fancourt's History of Yucatan._
_Athenæum._ 1854, p. 109.
[8] Cicero. De Naturâ Deorum, B. II, c. 25.
[9] Servius. Tooke's Pantheon, p. 198.
[10] Horæ Britannicæ. By Jno. Hughes, Vol. I., p. 235. 1818.
[11] The Garrows, a number of wild tribes occupying the district lying
between the N.E. frontier of Bengal and the kingdom of Assam, in
addition to the worship of Mâhâdeva, or Siva, adore also the sun and
moon; and the _Khatties_, or _Catties_, another wild tribe inhabiting
the peninsula of Guzerat, worship the sun.
[12] Blackwell. Mallet's Northern Antiquities. Bohn, 1847, p. 473.
[13] Davis. "The Chinese," Chap. xii.
[14] Humboldt. "Aspects of Nature," Vol. I., p. 198, note 51. "Steppes
and Deserts."
[15] Ruxton. Adventures in Mexico and Rocky Mountains, p. 192.
[16]
_Str._ That cursed Chærophon and Socrates,
Who have deceived both thee and me alike.
_Phid._ I must not act unjustly towards my teachers.
_Str._ Nay, nay, revere paternal Jupiter;
_Phid._ Paternal Jupiter! old fashion'd fool;
Is there a Jupiter?
_Str._ There is.
_Phid._ Not so,
Since having cast out Jove a whirlwind reigns.
_Str._ Not cast him out; but I imagin'd this,
Seeing the whirlwind here. O wretched ones,
To take thee, earthen image, for a god!
[17] Wheelwright's Translation, p. 124, and note. Oxford, 1837.
[18] Cicero. De Naturâ Deorum. B. I., ch. 15.
[19] Op. cit., B. II., c. 24.
[20] Bonomi. "Nineveh and its Palaces," pp. 139-264, &c.; Dr.
Grotefend, Athenæum, June 26, 1853; Ravenshaw, Athenæum, July 16, 1853.
[21] Paradise Lost.
[22] Rape of the Lock. Ch. 1.
[23] The _black_ colour which is popularly ascribed to the devil, was
probably derived from old monkish legends, which affirmed that he often
appeared as an Ethiopian. (Jortin. Vol. II., p. 13, ed. 1805.)
[24] Bonomi. Op. cit., p. 159. "The root, or the original word from
which teraphim is derived, signifies, to relax with fear, to strike with
terror, or 'Repheh,' an appaller, one who makes others faint or fail; a
signification that singularly accords with the terrifying images found
by Botta." The possible connection between these images and the images
(_teraphim_) which Rachel had stolen from her father Laban, is of great
interest.
[25] This custom is probably a relic of old Scandinavian mythology. In
the "Prose Edda," it is stated, that the gods having captured Loki (the
personification of evil), who had fled from their justly excited anger,
"dragged him without commiseration into a cavern, wherein they placed
three sharp-pointed rocks, boring a hole through each of them."
[26] Notes and Queries, Vol. VIII, p. 200.--Eusebius, in his _Oration_
in praise of the Emperor Constantine, writes, that the Emperor honoured
"the triumphall signe of the crosse, having really experienced and found
the divine virtue that is therein. For by it the multitudes of his
enemies were put to flight; by it the vaine ostentation of the enemies
of God was suppressed, the petulant tongues of evil speakers and wicked
men were silenced; by it the barbarous people were subdued; by it the
invisible powers of the divil were vanquished and driven away; and by it
the superstitious errors were confuted and abolished."
[27] Bede. Ecclesiastical History. B. I., ch. 30. Dr. Giles' Transl.
Bohn.
[28] Brand's Popular Antiquities of Great Britain. Vol. I. p. 201. Note.
Michaelmas Day.
[29] Cicero. De Naturâ Deorum. B. III., ch. 5.
[30] See "Notes and Queries." Sir J. E. Tennant, Vol. V., p. 121; W.
Blood, &c., Vol. VIII., p. 413.
[31] The Berlin correspondent of the _Times_ related the following
incident:--
"The comet which has lately been visible, has served a priest, not far
from Warsaw, with materials for a very curious sermon. After having
summoned his congregation together, although it was neither Sunday nor
festival, and shown them the comet, he informed them that this was the
same star that had appeared to the Magi at the birth of the Saviour, and
that it was only visible now in the Russian Empire. Its appearance on
this occasion was to intimate to the Russian eagle, that the time was
now come for it to spread out its wings, and embrace all mankind in one
orthodox and sanctifying church. He showed them the star now standing
immediately over Constantinople, and explained that the dull light of
the nucleus indicated its sorrow at the delay of the Russian army in
proceeding to its destination."
[32] "Madam Morrow, seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and a
descendant of a line of astrologers reaching back for centuries, will
give ladies private lectures on all the events of life, in regard to
health, wealth, love, courtship, and marriage. She is, without
exception, the most wonderful astrologist in the world, or that has ever
been known. She will even tell their very thoughts, and will show them
the likenesses of their intended husbands and absent friends, which has
astonished thousands during her absence in Europe. She will leave the
city in a very short time. 76, Broome Street, between Cannon and
Columbia. Gentlemen are not admitted."
"Madame la Compt flatters herself that she is competent by her great
experience in the art of astrology, to give true information in regard
to the past, present, and future. She is able to see clearly any losses
her visitors may have sustained, and will give satisfactory information
in regard to the way of recovery. She has, and continues to give perfect
satisfaction. Ladies and gentlemen 50 cents. 13, Howard Street."
"Madame la Compt has been visited by over two hundred ladies and
gentlemen the past week, and has given perfect satisfaction; and in
consideration of the great patronage bestowed upon her, she will remain
at 13, Howard Street, for four days more, when she will positively sail
for the South."
"Mrs. Alwin, renowned in Europe for her skill in foretelling the future,
has arrived, and will furnish intelligence about all circumstances of
life. She interprets dreams, law matters, and love, by astrology, books,
and science, and tells to ladies and gentlemen the name of the persons
they will marry; also the names of her visitors. Mrs. Alwin speaks the
English, French, and German languages. Residence, 25, Rivington Street,
upstairs, near the Bowery. Ladies 50 cents, gentlemen 1 dollar."
"Mrs. Prewster, from Philadelphia, tenders her services to the ladies
and gentlemen of this city in astrology, love, and law matters,
interpreting dreams, &c., by books and science, constantly relied on by
Napoleon; and will tell the name of the lady or gentleman they will
marry; also the names of the visitors. No. 59, Great Jones Street,
corner of the Bowery. Ladies 50 cents, gentlemen 1 dollar."
"The celebrated Dr. F. Shuman, Swede by birth, just arrived in this
city, offers his services in astrology, physiognomy, &c. He can be
consulted in matters of love, marriage, past, present, and future events
of life. Nativity calculated for ladies and gentlemen. Mr. S. has
travelled through the greater part of the world in the last forty-two
years, and is willing to give the most satisfactory information. Office,
175, Chambers Street, near Greenwich."
(From a recent number of the _New York Herald_. Notes and Queries,
December 10, 1853, p. 561.)
[33] The Æneis. B. III.
[34] Carthon. Ossian.
[35] "The Literature and Romance of Northern Europe," by W. and Mary
Howitt. Vol. I., p. 99.
[36] Howitt. "The Literature and Romance of Northern Europe." Vol. I.
[37] An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians; by
E. W. Lane, Vol. I, p. 311.
[38] Adventures in the Libyan Desert, p. 22.
[39] B. I, ch. 13 and 16.
[40] Thorpe's Yule-Tide Stories. Bohn, p. 248. And Table of Contents, p.
XIII.
[41] "The Fall of the Nibelungers," &c.; a Translation of the Nibelunge
Nôt, or Nibelungenlied, by W. N. Lettsom, p. 59, St. 346, 347; p. 167,
St. 983.
[42] Thorpe. Op. cit. Table of Contents, p. IX.
[43] "The marvellous stories, the frightful tales, the threats, which
were so long the apanage of infancy, would dispose the naturally
impressionable mind to receive all the fantastic creations of the
period. Now, it is said, the system is completely changed, and they are
taught to ridicule these ancient beliefs. This argument would be
unanswerable if they spoke of colleges and boarding schools; but they
forget the servants to whom are confided the early years of infants;
thus is the nursery always reviving fooleries, terrors, and frightful
stories, in the middle of which the infant grows. I will content me with
one example, that of one of the celebrated poets of England, Robert
Burns. 'I owed much in my infancy,' says this writer, 'to an old woman
who lived with us, and who was extremely ignorant, and remarkably
credulous and superstitious. No one in the country had a larger
collection of tales and songs respecting devils, fairies, ghosts,
sorcerers, magicians, jack-o'-lanterns, hobgoblins, phantoms,
apparitions, charms, giants, dragons, &c.
"'Not only did these tales cultivate in me the germs of poesy, but they
had such an effect upon my imagination, that, even now, in my night
journeys, I have often, in spite of myself, the eye upon certain
suspicious places; and although no one can be more sceptical in such
matters, an effort of the reason is occasionally necessary to chase away
these vain terrors.'
"'Darkness, obscurity, the silence of night, solitariness, contribute
strongly to develop the feeling of terror so wrongly cast in the minds
of infants. Their eye readily perceives frightful figures which regard
them in a menacing manner; their chamber is peopled with assassins,
robbers, devils, and monsters of all kinds."--_A. Brierre de Boismont.
"Des Hallucinations; ou Histoire Raisonnée des Apparitions,"_ &c. Ed.
II, 1852, p. 362.
[44] This idea has been beautifully expressed by Longfellow in the
"Voices of the Night."
"When the hours of day are numbered,
And the voices of the night
Wake the better soul, that slumbered,
To a holy calm delight,
Ere the evening lamps are lighted,
And like phantoms grim and tall,
Shadows from the fitful firelight
Dance upon the parlour wall;
Then the forms of the departed
Enter at the open door;
The beloved, the true-hearted,
Come to visit us once more." &c.
See also Washington Irving's Bracebridge Hall. St. Martin's Eve.
[45]
"I looked to heaven, and tried to pray;
But or ever a prayer had gusht,
A wicked whisper came and made
My heart as dry as dust."