60^ 



RELICS OF POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS. 



or by the length of his finger, saying as he measured, ' I will go — 

 I will not go — I will act — I will not act and, according to the 

 last words that fell out with the last snan, it was determined. The 

 ninth was Roc Baccabed, a diviner by entrails — a practice gener- 

 ally received among the heathens, especially regarding the liver." 



The young clerk eagerly interposed to mention the sorceries of 

 liver-eaters, so much feared by the Hindoos, and added — 



" I doubt not that a very pleasant parallel might be drawn if 

 any one had time and science enough to exhibit on one large 

 sheet of paper, a list of all the popular superstitions known to us 

 in every country yet discovered. The American feast of the 

 dead, the Obi of the West Indies, and the incantations of Lap- 

 land, all betray the same origin as the gayer and more elegant 

 sorceries of Persia and Peru. Perhaps, in the time-taper, the 

 bowl floating in a brass dish to measure hours, and the three trees 

 planted as a marriage bower, by the Hindoos, we may see no 

 slight resemblance to the sacred candle burned by our Yorkshire 

 maidens on the eve of St. Agnes, the ring and plum posset of St. 

 Mark's vigil, and the dear hawthorns of our ballad-singing shep- 

 herds." 



The Provost, stretching himself at his ease on the wooden set- 

 tee or sofa of the hearth -place, replied — 



" Among all your nine diviners, I should have chosen Ob, for 

 the inspiration of the bottle never fails. As for your reasons, you 

 have used them as men usually do, only to justify what you like 

 best ; but, as we have been all day too merry to be wise, let us 

 excuse our own by telling all the old-fashioned follies we know. I 

 reserve my tale to the last, as I intend it to be the most magnifi- 

 cent, and because, like the Chieftain M'lvor, I have not got it 

 ready." 



Prepare the best in your stock," said the Lady of Dent, " pro- 

 vided it does not relate to your gold mine at Dunduffie, or the 

 castle of Robert de Romeville, built before Miss MacJupiter's po- 

 etical name was translated into English. I mean to narrate all 

 the fibs concerning both." 



The audience gave a gallant assent, and the lady's history be- 

 gan, taking due precedence of her five companions — 



