Fiends, Ghosts, and Sprites Part 3

Numerous saints were invoked against diseases: _e.g._, St. Clara against sore eyes; St. Genow, gout; St. Marus, palsies and convulsions; St.

Sigismund, fevers, &c.

"There be many miracles a.s.signed to saints," writes Barnaby Rich, in 1619, "that they say are good for all diseases: they can give sight to the blind, make the deafe to hear; they can restore limbs that be crippled, and make the lame go upright; they be good for horse, swine, and many other beasts. And women, also, have shee-saints.... They have saints to pray to when they be grieved with a third-day ague, when they be pained with toothache, or when they would be revenged on their angry husbands.

"They have saints that be good amongst poultry when they have the pip, for geese when they do sit, to have a happy success in goslings; and, to be short, there is no disease, no sickness, no griefe, either amongst men or beasts, that hath not his physician among the saints."[28]

The Romish church also adopted the pagan belief in apparitions, and as the latter had supported the argument in favour of the existence of the G.o.ds by the fiction of their occasional manifestations in a visible form, so the former endeavoured to sustain its dogmas by fables of the apparition, from time to time, of its saints.

It is needless to dwell upon the manner in which this church pandered to the credulity of the people in this respect, for an example is before the world even at the present time in the apparition of the Blessed Virgin near La Salette, a village about four miles from Corps, a small town situated on the road between Gren.o.ble and Gap.

The story is as follows:--On the 19th September, 1846, the Blessed Virgin appeared to two children, the one a boy aged 11, and the other a girl aged 14 years, who were watching cows near a fountain, in the hollow of a ravine in the mountains, about four miles from the church of La Salette. When first seen, she was in a sitting position, the head resting upon the hands, and she "had on white shoes, with roses about her shoes. The roses were of all colours. Her socks were yellow, her ap.r.o.n yellow, and her gown white, with pearls all over it. She had a white neckerchief, with roses round it; a high cap, a little bent in front; a crown round her cap with roses. She had a very small chain, to which was attached a crucifix; on the right were some pincers, on the left a hammer; at the extremities of the cross was another huge chain, which fell, like the roses, round her handkerchief. Her face was white and long."

Addressing the children, tears coursing down her cheeks, she spoke to them on the wickedness of the peasantry, particularly their neglect of the Sabbath and of the duties of Lent, when they "go like dogs to the butchers' stalls." Then she foretold that if the men would not be converted, there should be no potatoes at Christmas, all the corn should be eaten up by animals, or if any did grow up, it should fall to dust when thrashed. There should be a great famine, preceding which "children below seven years of age should have convulsions, and die in the arms of those who held them; and the rest should do penance by hunger. Nuts and grapes also should perish. But if men were converted, then the rocks and stones shall be changed into heaps of corn, and potatoes shall be sown all over the land." "The lady," in addition, confided to each of the children a secret which was not to be told to the other, but which they confided to the Pope in 1851. Then, after a little gossiping conversation, "the lady" vanished.

Soon after this apparition had been noised abroad, it was discovered that the waters of the fountain were possessed of marvellous healing properties, and many miraculous cures were effected by its use. Pilgrims flocked to the scene of the vision, and it is affirmed that in one day 60,000 of the faithful ascended the mountain.

Among others, the present Bishop of Orleans made a pilgrimage to the "holy mountain," and he was so impressed by the solemn feelings excited by treading on such holy ground, that he often e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, "It cannot be but that the finger of G.o.d is here." Other ecclesiastics of rank also visited the spot, and the whole affair was officially sanctioned.

Nor did the matter rest here, for churches are being built, and dedicated to "Our Lady of Salette," in different countries; and a society has been established in England bearing her name.

We have already alluded to the sacred fountains of heathen nations, and in the holy fountain of Salette we witness the modern development of a similar superst.i.tion. So also in the apparition of the Virgin the same credulity is traced which prompted the ancients to believe in the occasional appearance of their deities.

It is related that Castor and Pollux, the sons of Jupiter, by Leda the wife of Tyndarus, were seen fighting at the battle of Regillus; and that, subsequently, mounted on white horses, they appeared to P.

Vatienus, as he journeyed by night to Rome, from his government of Reate, and told him that King Perses had that day been taken prisoner.

On these legends Cicero remarks; "Do you believe that the Tyndaridae, as you called them, that is, men sprung from men, and buried in Lacedemon, as we learn from Homer, who lived in the next age,--do you believe, I say, that they appeared to Vatienus on the road, mounted on white horses, without any servant to attend them, to tell the victory of the Romans to a country fellow rather than to M. Cato, who was that time the chief person of the senate? Do you take that print of a horse's hoof, which is now to be seen on a stone at Regillus, to be made by Castor's horse? Should you not believe, what is probable, that the souls of eminent men, such as the Tyndaridae, are divine and immortal, rather than that those bodies, which had been reduced to ashes, should mount on horses and fight in an army? If you say that was possible, you ought to show how it is so, and not amuse us with fabulous stories."

"Do you take these for fabulous stories?" says Balbus. "Is not the temple built by Posthumius in honour of Castor and Pollux, to be seen in the Forum? Is not the decree of the senate concerning Vatienus still subsisting?... Ought not such authorities to move you?"

"You oppose me," replies Cotta, "with stories, but I ask reasons of you."[29]

It would seem then that the parallelism is perfect, even to the building of temples, and the official recognition of the truth of the event.

Of the individual personages of ancient mythology very few traces remain in England, and these princ.i.p.ally belong to the fairy belief. This superst.i.tion, of which the a.n.a.logue is found in the Nymphs, Oreads, Dryads, Naiads, Lemoniads, and Nerieds, of ancient Greece and Rome, is still prevalent in certain districts of this country; and the extinction of the general belief, among the lower orders, of one of the most noted of the personages which are met with in fairy lore, the _hobgoblin_, is comparatively of recent date. The name is, however, still familiar, and in use for certain vague manifestations of the supernatural, although the actual signification of the term is, to a great extent, lost sight of.

The hobgoblin is worthy of notice not only for its intrinsic interest, but also for the ill.u.s.tration which it affords of the intimate relationship which is often found to exist between the superst.i.tions of different and even far distant nations.

This spirit, in his palmy days, was that fairy which attached itself to houses, and the neighbourhood of dwellings and churches (for even sacred edifices were not exempted from its influence). In disposition it was mischievous and sportive, although it often deigned, during the night, to perform many menial offices, and whatsoever building it attached itself to prospered. It was apt to take offence, particularly if, as a reward, money or clothes were placed for it in that part of the house it most frequented; but it was partial to cream, or some delicately prepared eatable, and any housewife who was careful to conciliate the spirit by administering to this taste, was certain to be well rewarded.

As might be antic.i.p.ated, it was a favourite character with poets, and descriptions of its propensities and actions abound. Thus, in the "Midsummer Night's Dream" (Act II, Sc. 1), one of the Fairies is represented as addressing this spirit, and saying:--

"Either I mistake your shape and making quite, Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite Called Robin Goodfellow. Are you not he That frights the maidens of the villagery, Skims milk, and labours in the quern, And bootless makes the breathless housewife churn; And sometimes makes the drink to bear no barm; Misleads night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?

Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck, You do their work and they shall have good luck, Are not you he?

_Puck._ Thou speakest aright, I am that merry wanderer of the night.

I jest to Oberon, and make him smile, When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile, Neighing in likeness of a filly-foal; And sometimes lurk I in a gossip's bowl, In very likeness of a roasted crab, And when she drinks against her lips I bob, And on her withered dewlap pour the ale.

The wisest aunt telling the saddest tale, Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; Then slip I from her b.u.m, down topples she, And _tailor_ cries, and falls into a cough; And then the whole quire hold their hips and loffe, And waxen in their mirth, and reeze, and swear A merrier hour was never wasted there."

Milton, in the "L'Allegro," writes of him in a different office, and--

"Tells how the drudging goblin sweat, To earn his cream-bowl duly set, When in one night ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail has thrashed the corn, That ten day-lab'rers could not end: Then lies him down the lubber-fiend, And stretched out all the chimney's length, Basks at the fire his hairy strength, And cropfull out of doors he flings, Ere the first c.o.c.k his matin rings."

Another noted characteristic of this fairy is mentioned in the fine old song of Ben Johnson's:--

"When house or hearth doth s.l.u.ttish lye, I pinch the maidens black and blue; The bed-clothes from the bed pull I, And lay them naked all to view.

Twixt sleepe and wake I do them take And on the key-cold floor them throw: If out they cry Then forth I fly, And loudly laugh out, ho! ho! ho!"

The hobgoblin is one of the widest-spread forms of fairy belief. In England it is also termed _Boggard_, _Puck_, _Robin Goodfellow_, and _Robin Hood_; it is the _Brownie_ of Scotland; the _Cluricaune_, _Luricaune_, _Leprochaune_, &c., of Ireland; the _Kobold_ of Germany; the _Servant_ of Switzerland; the _Nis_ of Denmark and Norway; the _Niagruiser_ of the Feroes; the _Tomt-gubbe_, or _Tont_, of Sweden; the _Phynnoderee_ of the Isle of Man; the _Monaciello_ of Naples; the _Duende_ of Spain; the _Lutin_, or _Gobelin_, of France; and the _Para_ of Finland appears to have some affinity with it.

The derivation of some of the princ.i.p.al names of this fairy is also of interest. From the Sclavonic _Bog_, signifying _G.o.d_, come the words _boggard_ and _boggart_; the Scottish _Bogle_, a hill-fairy; and probably, also, the words _Bug-bear_ and _Bugaboo_; and from the Icelandic _Puki_, an evil spirit, come the English _Puke_, a devil, as also _Puck_; the Friesland _Puk_; the German _Putz_, or _Butz_; the Devonshire _Pixie_; the Irish _Pouke_; the Welsh _Pwcca_, and the words _big_ and _bug_,--all names of certain varieties of the fairy-belief, and having the signification of an evil spirit.

Certain forms of pagan worship would appear to have been perpetuated unmodified in Christian countries even to the present time. A remarkable and singular ill.u.s.tration of this is found in Ireland.

Off the north-west coast of that kingdom are situated the islands of Inniskea, containing a population of about 400 human beings. Nominally the inhabitants are Christians, and under Roman Catholic tuition; in reality, they observe the ancient forms of Irish clan government, and are idolaters, worshipping rocks and stones. Their chief G.o.d is a stone idol termed _Nee-vougi_, which has been preserved from time immemorial.

It is clothed in homespun flannel, which arises from the custom of its votaries offering portions of their dress when addressing it. These fragments are sewed upon it by an old woman who has charge of the idol, and who officiates as priestess. It is invoked, among other things, to dash helpless ships upon the coast, and to calm the sea in order that the fishing may be successful.[30]

The adoration of rocks and stone pillars is one of the most ancient forms of idolatry on record. It probably took its origin from the custom of erecting stone pillars as a memorial, and consecrating them as altars on any extraordinary event or occasion. The earliest mention of this custom is found in Genesis (cxxviii, v. 10):--

"And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took up the stone he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

"And he called the name of that place Beth-El ... saying ... this stone which I have set up for a pillar shall be G.o.d's house."

Stones thus erected as memorials, and consecrated as altars, in the course of time were considered to be the abode of, or rather to be filled with, the divine power, which had manifested itself there; and ultimately stone pillars were used as symbols of the Deity. Singularly formed rocks and stones were also regarded in a similar light; and traces of this very ancient form of idolatry may be found in all parts of the world.

The "_animated stones_" of antiquity, which received divine honours, derived their names from Beth-El, as for example, Baithulia, Bethyllia, and ?a?t???a, signifying consecrated or living stones; and one of the modifications of Jupiter, _Jupiter Lapis_ (a stone), was derived from this form of idolatry, and the most solemn of the Roman oaths was that taken in the name of this G.o.d.

Numerous traces of superst.i.tion are found scattered throughout England, and the countries of Western Europe, which are the lineal, although degenerated descendants of the superst.i.tions of the mythological era of the respective nations, or rather races, dwelling there.

There are few large towns in Great Britain which do not contain one or more persons who profess to practise astrology, magic, or divination--_wise men_, as they are popularly designated; and the belief in charms and omens is far from being eradicated among a large ma.s.s of the population, particularly among those who dwell in secluded or mountainous districts.

Not unfrequently events happen by which we may gauge the extent to which these superst.i.tions are still entertained. Those who marked the effect which the appearance of the late comet had on the minds of many in this country, would perceive that a somewhat powerful feeling of superst.i.tious dread, on the occurrence of remarkable celestial events, remained. The alarm excited among the credulous in England was, however, if anything, less marked than that caused in many parts of the continent[31] and in America.

Three years ago we had an opportunity of witnessing a singular exhibition of fear, which was excited in the inhabitants of the most impoverished districts of Leeds, by the prevalence of a brilliant display of the aurora borealis. The scene paralleled the descriptions recorded of the effects produced by similar phenomena in the Middle Ages. The prevailing impression was, that the world was on the point of, if not in, the actual process of destruction; and in many the alarm became extreme, when, during the most magnificent period of the phenomena, several of the streamers became of a deep crimson and blue tint.

This display of the aurora extended over a vast extent of country, and a singular example of the feelings with which it was regarded in Spain was recorded at the time in the daily papers.

On the evening on which it occurred, it so happened that the subject of the homily in one of the churches of Madrid was the destruction of the world, and the day of judgment. At the conclusion of the service, and as the congregation were issuing from the church, the northern heavens were glowing with the brilliant and ever-varying light of the aurora.

Startled by a phenomenon which is of somewhat rare occurrence in Spain, the idea at once occurred that the terrible events upon which the priest had been descanting were about to come to pa.s.s; the people rushed back to the steps of the altar, and while the aurora continued, the terror and confusion beggared all description.

Another indication of the influence which the superst.i.tions we have named exercise on the minds of certain cla.s.ses, is the number of works on astrology, princ.i.p.ally reprints, which have issued from the press during the last eight or nine years.

This ancient superst.i.tion, which is still practised by the Mahomedans, Chinese, &c., retains a hold upon the minds of many, even now. Its practice in this country is, however, most frequently combined with some of the minor forms of magic and divination; and those who profess a knowledge of these arts chiefly direct them to the ign.o.ble purpose of detecting stolen articles.

In America, it would seem, from the advertis.e.m.e.nts which from time to time appear in the newspapers, that this superst.i.tion is flourishing with some vigour. We subjoin, in a note, specimens of these advertis.e.m.e.nts.[32]

The belief in charms and omens, which was one of the most important of the superst.i.tions of antiquity, is still entertained by the lower orders in many counties, and it forms one of the most striking features of the current folk-lore.

The Devonshire peasant will recite the 8th Psalm on three consecutive days, for three weeks, over his child, in order to prevent its being attacked with the thrush; and should the disease, notwithstanding this precaution, occur, he either plucks three rushes from a running stream, pa.s.ses them through the mouth of the child, and then casts them into the stream, believing that the disease will decrease and disappear as the rushes float away; or seizing a duck, he will force it to open wide its bill, and then placing it close to the mouth of the child, he hopes to see the affection vanish as the duck inhales the infant's breath.