Though this faculty of seeing into the future has usually been regarded as limited to Scotland, and there chiefly possessed by natives of the Highlands, there have been individuals in Lancashire who have laid claim to the possession of this species of foresight. Amongst those in the Fylde district was a man named Cardwell, of Marton, near Blackpool, who foretold deaths and evil events from his vision of things to come. Men of superior ability were credulous enough to visit him, and to give implicit faith to his marvellous stories. The real form of second-sight is the seeing of the wraith, spirit, or ghost of one about to die; and in one notable instance Cardwell's second-sight failed him utterly. On seeing something in a vision, he concluded that his own child was about to die, and so strong was his own faith in this delusion that he carried sand to the churchyard to be ready for its grave. The death, however, did not happen: the child grew to maturity, and retaining robust health, lived for many years afterwards. SPIRITS OF THE DYING AND THE DEAD. 1. Persons born during twilight are supposed to be able to _see_ spirits, and to know who of their acquaintance will die next. 2. Some say that this property also belongs to those who happen to be born _exactly_ at twelve o'clock at night. 3. The spirits of persons about to die, especially if the persons be in distant lands, are supposed to return to their friends, and thus predict the calamity. While the spirit is thus _away_, the person is supposed to be in a _swoon_, and unaware of what is passing. His _desire_ to see his friends is also necessary; he must have been _thinking_ of them. I am not aware that these spirits ever _speak_. 4. If no one in a family can _see_ a spirit, most can hear them, and hence strange noises are supposed to indicate death or misfortune to distant friends. CASTING LOTS, ETC. This is a species of divination or consulting of fate by omen. Great faith is placed by most in casting lots. Putting numbers in a box or bag is the common practice, and then drawing them out at random. Scripture was once quoted to the writer in proof that this mode of deciding doubtful matters was of God's appointment, and therefore could not fail. "The lot is cast into the bag, but the _disposal_ thereof is the Lord's." (Prov. xvi. 33; 1. Sam. xiv. 41.) When boys do not wish to divide anything they decide "who must take all" by drawing "short-cuts." A number of straws, pieces of twine, &c., of different lengths, are held by one not interested; each boy draws one, and he who gets the _longest_ is entitled to the whole. FOOTNOTES: [73] T. T. W., in _Notes and Queries_, vol. ii. p. 117. [74] T. T. W., in _Notes and Queries_, vol. ii. p. 5. MISCELLANEOUS FOLK-LORE. DRUIDICAL ROCK BASINS.