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Article THE UNIVERSALITY OF SUPERSTITION. ← Page 17 of 20 →
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The Universality Of Superstition.
hunting , or the Hottentot labouring under bodily ailment , each AA'ithout delay invoke the assistance of the respective presiding spirit . This belief in invisible agents has been with us derived from antiquity , and is to be found in Devonshire ancl Cornwall , as Avell as in certain parts of Scotland ancl Ireland—Avhile the romantic superstitions of other parts of the island have been
brought subsequently from the East by pilgrims and crusaders . In our Avestern villages many ceremonies are performed by the vulgar in honour of brooks ancl Avells , and Cornishmen invoke the assistance of the spirit BroAvnie upon the occasion of the swarming of bees . Plenty of " spriggian" still continue to delude benighted Avanderers , ancl discover hidden treasures . In
the AA'estern Isles sacrifices xvere annually made to the genius of the ocean , until the close of the last century , reminding one of the deification of the Ganges by the Hindoos , and the Arabs , who , like their ancestors , the Ishmaelites , reverenced fountains ancl springs . Not many years sinceevery family of distinction in the
, Shetland Isles possessed a Broxxmie , resembling the Robin Goodfelloxv of English poetry , XA'I IO xvould condescend to perform any piece of menial labour laid out for Mm , for the accompanying recompense of a boxi'l of cream . The Irish Banshie is in many respects similar to the Brownie , although his services are of a loftier ancl more heroic nature . The
cluricaune of Ireland AA'as an equally common , and more harmless sprite . In Ireland many customs and beliefs exist of Norse origin , as Avell as those from other sources . In this island and the Highlands , elf-shots are much regarded ; these are triangular arroAV-headed flints , believed to have power to inflict mortal xvounds Avithout breaking the skinand to be the
, Aveapons of fairy elves . " There every herd , by sad experience knOAVS How , wing'd with fate , their elf-shot arroxvs fl }' , When the sick eAve her summer food foregoes , Or stretched on earth the heart-smit heifers lie . "
In AVales , a race similar to the BroAvnies exist , called Knockers , from then * method of indicating to the miners the direction of the A * eins of lead and silver ore . Waldron saj's , that the monks of the Isle of Man asserted that their island Avas peopled by Fairies , ancl exhibit a ledge of rock , called the Fairy Saddle , on AA'hich the tiny impalpables sit at evein garments of
pale-, green . The fabulous sea-nymphs , knoxvn as mermaids , Avere also generally belieA'ed in during the seA'enteenth century . Fairy rings , or bright circles on the grass , haA'e given rise to much superstition . Shakspeare represents the Fairies as
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Universality Of Superstition.
hunting , or the Hottentot labouring under bodily ailment , each AA'ithout delay invoke the assistance of the respective presiding spirit . This belief in invisible agents has been with us derived from antiquity , and is to be found in Devonshire ancl Cornwall , as Avell as in certain parts of Scotland ancl Ireland—Avhile the romantic superstitions of other parts of the island have been
brought subsequently from the East by pilgrims and crusaders . In our Avestern villages many ceremonies are performed by the vulgar in honour of brooks ancl Avells , and Cornishmen invoke the assistance of the spirit BroAvnie upon the occasion of the swarming of bees . Plenty of " spriggian" still continue to delude benighted Avanderers , ancl discover hidden treasures . In
the AA'estern Isles sacrifices xvere annually made to the genius of the ocean , until the close of the last century , reminding one of the deification of the Ganges by the Hindoos , and the Arabs , who , like their ancestors , the Ishmaelites , reverenced fountains ancl springs . Not many years sinceevery family of distinction in the
, Shetland Isles possessed a Broxxmie , resembling the Robin Goodfelloxv of English poetry , XA'I IO xvould condescend to perform any piece of menial labour laid out for Mm , for the accompanying recompense of a boxi'l of cream . The Irish Banshie is in many respects similar to the Brownie , although his services are of a loftier ancl more heroic nature . The
cluricaune of Ireland AA'as an equally common , and more harmless sprite . In Ireland many customs and beliefs exist of Norse origin , as Avell as those from other sources . In this island and the Highlands , elf-shots are much regarded ; these are triangular arroAV-headed flints , believed to have power to inflict mortal xvounds Avithout breaking the skinand to be the
, Aveapons of fairy elves . " There every herd , by sad experience knOAVS How , wing'd with fate , their elf-shot arroxvs fl }' , When the sick eAve her summer food foregoes , Or stretched on earth the heart-smit heifers lie . "
In AVales , a race similar to the BroAvnies exist , called Knockers , from then * method of indicating to the miners the direction of the A * eins of lead and silver ore . Waldron saj's , that the monks of the Isle of Man asserted that their island Avas peopled by Fairies , ancl exhibit a ledge of rock , called the Fairy Saddle , on AA'hich the tiny impalpables sit at evein garments of
pale-, green . The fabulous sea-nymphs , knoxvn as mermaids , Avere also generally belieA'ed in during the seA'enteenth century . Fairy rings , or bright circles on the grass , haA'e given rise to much superstition . Shakspeare represents the Fairies as