12 NETHER LOCHABER. 



It is astonishing how difficult of thorough eradication are certain 

 superstitions, if once established amongst a people. Once let the 

 popular mind become inoculated with error in this shape, and 

 although times may change and the manners of the people may- 

 alter, though a new tongue even shall have succeeded the language 

 in which the error was imbibed, and knowledge have spread and 

 civilisation have steadily progressed, yet there the superstition stUl 

 lurks, frightened it may be at the outward light, and, owl-like, 

 ashamed to appear in the brightness of the blessed sunshine of 

 unclouded truth, but ever ready, nevertheless, under favourable 

 circumstances, to manifest itself, and assert its sway over its 

 votaries, like certain fabled mediaeval philters and potions that 

 when administered are said to have lurked for years and years in 

 the human system, tUl, under certain conditions, their subtle 

 properties were called into active operation, and the desired effect 

 was produced. A short time ago we spent an evening in the 

 company of a gentleman from the south of Scotland, a distinguished 

 antiquary and archaeologist, and of wonderful skiU in everything 

 connected with the folk-lore of Scotland, whether of the past or 

 present. In the course of conversation, " over the walnuts and the 

 wine," our friend surprised us not a little by informing us that even 

 at this day, in certain parts of the south-western districts of Scot- 

 land, the Sortes SacrcB are frequently resorted to by the people 

 when they are in doubt or perplexity about anything of sufficient 

 importance in their opinion to warrant their having recourse to this 

 ancient mode of divination. The Sortes Sacrcv are founded upon 

 the more ancient Sortes Virgilianw — Virgilian Lots, a method of 

 divination which had at least the merit of being extrcmely simple, 

 and not necessarily occupying much of the votary's time. What 

 may be called the literary oracle, as distinguished from vocal 

 oracles, was consulted in this wise : The operator having before 

 him a copy of Virgil— the sortes wore generally confined to the 



