SCILLY ISLANDS 



5254 



SCIOTO RIVER 



wish and fact, of imagination and reality. The 

 demand for proof is slight, and the satisfaction 

 of belief urgent. At every stage the mind 

 reaches out for a complete solution, for some 

 system of explanation that makes a whole out 

 of detached happenings, and furnishes some 

 sort of clue to the meaning of existence. In 

 the course of such pursuits a considerable body 

 of observations accumulates; but these are 

 held together by the system that is imposed 

 upon them. At early stages such lore is re- 

 ligion and philosophy and science in one; out 

 of the notions thus favored, and thus devel- 

 oped by systematic interpretation, crudely scien- 

 tific, the earlier pseudo-sciences arise. The later 

 ones have a different history. The best known 

 of these, such as alchemy, astrology, palmistry 

 and others listed below, are treated in these 

 volumes. 



A common motive of these pursuits is the 

 control of personal fortune by guessing the 

 secret of its* source; more directly to read the 

 signs of qualities and fate in the appearances 

 of nature and of the human form. Primitive 

 thinking looks upon the universe of things and 

 events the movements of nature, the sky and 

 land and sea and all that they contain as a 

 setting for human fate, and looks upon the 

 forces in operation as acting after the manner 

 of human motives. The insight into nature is 

 so uncertain and perplexed, that only some 

 fortunate penetration of the mystery can avail. 

 Weak analogies are accepted, and the body of 

 tradition based upon them is carried forward in 

 a cult of mystic practices. J.J. 



Related Subjects. The following articles, if 

 they do not all deal with pseudo-sciences, strictly 

 so called, at least treat of closely-related topics : 

 Alchemy Occult 



Astrology Palmistry 



Clairvoyance Phrenology 



Conjuring Physiognomy 



Demonology Psychical Research 



Divination Psycho-Analysis 



Faith Cure Spiritualism 



Hypnotism Suggestion 



Magic Superstition 



Medium Telepathy 



Mesmerism Theosophy 



Mind Reading Trance 



Necromancy Witchcraft 



SCILLY ISLANDS, sil'ly, a group of islands 

 belonging to Great Britain, about thirty miles 

 from Land's End, on the coast of Cornwall, 

 England. They are about 140 in number, of 

 which only six are of any importance, namely, 

 Saint Mary, Saint Agnes, Saint Martin, Tresco, 

 Bigher and Sampson. The capital is Hugh 



Town, on Saint Mary. The group of those 

 inhabited has an area of 4,041 acres and a 

 population of about 2,100. On the islands are 

 found many remains of Druid circles and bar- 

 rows, and on the Isle of Sampson was found 

 a perfect "Kistvaen," or sepulchral chamber of 

 stone. 



The islands are wild and picturesque, with 

 bold and rugged cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean. 

 The climate is extremely mild, and flowers that 

 cannot be grown anywhere in England are pro- 

 duced in great profusion. The inhabitants are 

 chiefly engaged in fishing, flower growing and 

 agriculture. Vast quantities of narcissus, jon- 

 quils and other flowers are sent to the London 

 markets early in spring, and the first new po- 

 tatoes to be obtained in England usually are 

 sent from the Scilly Islands. 



SCIO, si' o, the ancient CHIOS, an island in 

 the Mediterranean Sea about fifty miles west 

 of Smyrna, in Asia Minor, and belonging to 

 Turkey. It covers an area of 400 square miles 

 and has a mountainous surface, the formation 

 being principally chalky limestone. The cli- 

 mate is delightful and the soil fertile, produc- 

 ing grapes, oranges, lemons and almonds in 

 great abundance. 



In 1881 the island suffered from the effects 

 of a terrible earthquake, previous to which it 

 had been one of the richest and most produc- 

 tive islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The 

 chief exports are leather, distilled spirits, fruits, 

 cheese, silk, wool, salt, cattle and wine; the 

 latter has been famous for centuries. The capi- 

 tal is Chios, which had a most important place 

 in ancient history. The island was captured 

 by the Turks in 1566 and was given to the sul- 

 tana, under whose protection it flourished for 

 a considerable time. Chios by some is sup- 

 posed to be the birthplace of Homer. 



SCIOTO RIVER, sio'toh, a river draining 

 the central part of the state of Ohio. It rises 

 in Auglaize County, flows eastward and then 

 turns southward, emptying into the Ohio River 

 at Portsmouth. Its most important tributaries 

 are the Little Scioto and Brush Creek; the 

 largest cities along its shores are Columbus, 

 Chillicothe, Circleville and Portsmouth. The 

 Scioto is about 225 miles long and is naviga- 

 ble for 130 miles. It is also a feeder for the 

 Ohio and Erie Canal, which runs nearly par- 

 allel with it from Cleveland to Portsmouth. 

 The river is used as a commercial route for 

 the transportation of coal, iron, cement, oil and 

 agricultural products; the whole tributary re- 

 gion is one of fertility and mineral wealth. 



