Amongst the oddities which cross our path, I recollect one which, at the
time it occurred, caused no small surprise to the young, of which I then
was one. I think it must be about forty-six years ago, a man travelled
about Hampshire professing to cure the blind, sick, and lame; and although
he did not belong to the medical order, yet numerous cures were attributed
to him, and he had quite a collection of crutches and walking-sticks, left
by his patients, who, it was said, no longer required his {533} or their
aid. I well know that he was looked upon by the common sort of people with
wonder, and almost awe. The notion prevalent amongst them was, that, being
the seventh son of a seventh son, he was endowed by nature with
extraordinary healing powers. After a few months his fame, such as it was,
evaporated, and I have not heard of him since, nor have I read of any
pretender acting like him since then. Can any of your readers enlighten my
darkness on the above, or on any other seventh of a seventh? and is there
any account or tradition of a similar impostor in any other county of
England? Also, if ancient or modern history records any such wonderful
attributes in reference to a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter?
The above was written before I saw MR. COOPER's allusion to the subject, in
Vol. iii., p. 148. I hope to be favoured with that gentleman's further
notice of the seventh son of a seventh son.
I should esteem it a favour if some one of your numerous and learned
readers would inform me if that word denoting seven, which is in such
frequent use in the Old and New Testaments, is susceptible of being
rendered "several," "many," or some other indefinite quantity?
Seven appears also to be a favourite number in modern days. I subjoin a few
of the many instances of its popular adoption:--
Seven ages.
Seven Champions.
Seven Churches.
Seven days in a week.
Seven days' notice.
Seven Dials.
Sevenfold.
Seven Hills.
Seven months' child.
Seven penitential psalms.
Seven senses.
Seven-shilling piece.
Seven Sisters.
Seven Sleepers.
Seven Sons.
Seventh son of the seventh son.
Seven stars.
Seven stages of life.
Seven times.
Seven times seven years a jubilee.
Seven wise men.
A jury of seven matrons.
Seven wonders of the world.
Seven years' apprenticeship.
Seven years, a change.
Seven years' transportation.
Seven years' Income-tax,
Sevenpence in the pound yearly; and these last are two of the
Seven abominations.