Fiends, Ghosts, and Sprites Part 16

_Translation by Luke Howard, F.R.S._

[7] An interesting ill.u.s.tration 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 c.o.c.kney who for 'a pure kindness to his horse, b.u.t.tered 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 G.o.d 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._ _Athenaeum._ 1854, p. 109.

[8] Cicero. De Natura Deorum, B. II, c. 25.

[9] Servius. Tooke's Pantheon, p. 198.

[10] Horae Britannicae. 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 a.s.sam, in addition to the worship of Mahadeva, 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 Chaerophon 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 G.o.d!

[17] Wheelwright's Translation, p. 124, and note. Oxford, 1837.

[18] Cicero. De Natura Deorum. B. I., ch. 15.

[19] Op. cit., B. II., c. 24.

[20] Bonomi. "Nineveh and its Palaces," pp. 139-264, &c.; Dr.

Grotefend, Athenaeum, June 26, 1853; Ravenshaw, Athenaeum, 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 G.o.ds 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 mult.i.tudes of his enemies were put to flight; by it the vaine ostentation of the enemies of G.o.d 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 superst.i.tious 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 Natura 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 circ.u.mstances 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 aeneis. 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.