International Weekly Miscellany of Literature, Art and Science - Volume 1, No. 5, July 29, 1850Various
Science
International Weekly Miscellany of Literature, Art and Science - Volume 1, No. 5, July 29, 1850
Various
Art -- Periodicals; Literature -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
Superstition In France.--The _Courrier de la Meuse_ says: "Witchcraft
is still an object of belief in our provinces. On Sunday last, in a
village belonging to the arrondissement of Verdun, the keeper of the
parish bull forgot to lay before the poor animal at the usual hour
its accustomed allowance of provender. The bull, impatient at the
delay, made a variety of efforts to regain his liberty, and at last
succeeded. The first use he made of his freedom was to demolish a
rabbit-hutch which was in the stable. The keeper's wife, hearing a
noise, ran to the place, and as soon as she saw the bull treading
mercilessly upon the rabbits with his large hoofs, seized a cudgel and
showered down a volley of blows on the crupper of the devastator. But
not being accustomed to this rough treatment, the bull grew angry,
and fell upon his neighbors the oxen, and what with horns and hoofs,
turned the stable into a scene of terror and confusion. The woman
began to cry for help. Her cries were heard, and with some trouble
the bull was ousted from the stable, and forthwith began to butt at
everything in his path. The mayor and the adjoint of the commune were
attracted to the scene of this riot, and on witnessing the animal's
violence, declared, after a short deliberation, that the bull was a
sorcerer, or at any rate that he was possessed with a devil, and that
he ought to be conducted to the presbytery in order to be exorcised.
The authorities were accordingly obeyed, and the bull was dragged or
driven into the presence of the curate, who was requested to subject
him to the formalities prescribed in the ritual. The good priest found
no little difficulty in escaping the pressing solicitations of his
parishioners. At last, however, he succeeded; but though the bull
escaped exorcism, he could not elude the shambles. Condemned to death
by the mayor as a sorcerer, his sentence was immediately executed."
* * * * *
The Libraries At Cambridge.--There are now belonging to the various
libraries connected with the University, about 86,000 volumes beside
pamphlets, maps and prints. The Public Library contains over 57,000
volumes. The Law Library, 13,000; Divinity School, 3000; Medical
School, 1,200; Society Libraries for the Students, 10,000. There have
been added during the past year 1,751 volumes, and 2,219 pamphlets.
* * * * *
The _Birmingham Mercury_ thinks some of Lord Brougham's late
proceedings may be accounted for in part by natural vexation at
Cottenham being made an earl. "Cottenham is several years younger than
Brougham, and was his successor in the chancellorship, and yet _he_
gets an earldom, while Brougham, who was known all over the world
before Cottenham was ever heard of out of the Equity Courts, still
remains and is likely to remain a simple baron."
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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