FRrazer—On a Perforated Ball of Rock Crystal. 295 
globes has obtained believers down to our own times. So late as 1862, 
there was a trial in the Queen’s Bench in England, where an action for 
damages was brought by Mr. R. J. Morrison, better known as Zadkiel, 
the proprietor of a ‘‘ Prophetic Almanack,” against Admiral Sir 
Edward Beecher, who wrote a letter to the Daily Telegraph which 
Zadkiel considered injurious. It would appear the crystal in question 
(No. 13) was bought from a dealer who said it had formerly belonged 
to the Countess Blessington. Zadkiel preserved it in a puce-coloured 
bag, and produced it in Court, drawing the globe with much reserve 
from its retirement with a blue ribbon (a procedure, I regret to say, 
which is described as productive of irreverent laughter). He told the 
Court that with this ball he could foretell futurity, and had obtained 
four qualified seers capable of looking into the globe with success. 
One of these immaculate individuals was his own son—though the 
father modestly did not advance a personal claim. Several persons of 
distinction were produced in Court as witnesses, or cited as having seen 
the magical proceedings. The list included numerous lords, the Bishop 
of Lichfield, Baron Bunsen, and Lord E. B. Lytton. Some of these 
individuals, who were personally examined, could only say they saw 
nothing in the crystal except numerous cracks. Zadkiel got a verdict 
for 20s. costs, as it was not proved he had obtained any money under 
false pretences—in fact he had never asked for it; but sceptics might 
inquire why his gifted son could not foresee the termination of his 
father’s lawsuit—a much simpler matter to predict than the fate of Sir 
John Franklin and his Arctic expedition. This globe of crystal was 
about 4 inches in diameter and full of flaws. 
Mr. Longfield informed me he thought the fine sphere which he 
has was brought from the East, either Japan or China; and I owe to 
him conclusive evidence that the Chinese are also fabricators of counter- 
feit globes of ordinary glass; for one of these imitations fell into his 
hands, and, being suspicious ofits real nature, he had it examined and 
tested by Dr. Moss, in the Royal Dublin Society. It had been presented 
as a valuable gift by a Chinese merchant to its possessor, who either 
had it mounted or obtained it already mounted upon a stand of silver, 
and always regarded it as composed of veritable rock crystal, and 
therefore very valuable, until undeceived as to its composition in 
Dublin. 
This information led me to seek for further knowledge on the 
question, and I found in Mr. King’s Work on Antique Gems, vol. 1. 
p-. 373, a distinct statement that balls of rock crystal are still utilized 
in Japan to keep the hands cool in sultry weather—a practical use to 
which they were also applied in the days of Imperial Rome—for 
Propertius has two distinct references bearing on the point, which 
Mr. King quotes :— 
‘‘ Now courts the air with plumes of peacock fanned— 
Now holds the flinty globe to cool her hand.’’ 
—(II. 24.) 
R. I. A. PROC., VOL. II., SER. II.—POL. LIT. AND ANTIQ. 2M 
