SUPERSTITION. 
481 
beams direct in our faces, and the comfortable prospect of their 
fervour increasing every hour. The track we were to go, being 
partly through a most intricate ridge of hills, or rather moun¬ 
tains, which divided the plain, it was represented to us as most 
formidably dangerous, from hordes of banditti, who infested 
the passes in every direction. Several peasants in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of our menzil, hearing of our destination, and wanting 
to travel that way, begged to be admitted to the protection of 
our company ; the request was immediately acceded, and the men 
mounted; but just in the moment of our setting out, a fine 
menacing cavalcade by such an accession to our numbers, one of 
the volunteers happened to sneeze: the dreadful omen suddenly 
stopped the whole party ; it was a sign foreboding evil, and no 
arguments could prevail on them to remove that day. Absurd as 
it is, we find traces of the like superstition amongst the ancient 
nations of Europe, as well as of the East. But the portent 
differs according to circumstances. Xenophon was elected to 
the rank of General, in compliance with such an omen ; and the 
same army who had obeyed that signal, hesitated to attack the 
enemy while intimidated by an untimely sneeze. A similar 
sign in an animal, adjudged the empire of Persia to one of the 
greatest of its monarchs, Darius Hystaspes, who had agreed with 
six princes, his rivals for the sovereignty, to mount their horses, 
and ride next morning together to a certain spot, to meet the 
rising Sun ; and, when there, whichever horse neighed first, the 
crown was to belong to his rider. The groom of Darius so well 
understood his business, that his master’s horse no sooner 
saw the spot, than he gave the omen, and the empire was 
adjudged. 
The remnants of these old superstitions are not confined to 
the vulgar in Persia, as they may be with us ; even the present 
VOL. i. 3 Q 
