In spite of a determination to omit unimportant matter and to be concise, this volume has swelled out far beyond what was originally intended. The more the subject of superstition is studied, the more interesting it becomes. One judges of a nation's strength by its victories, of its industry by its products, of its wealth by its mines and cultivated fields, of its domestic condition by its diet and dress, of its moral condition by its laws, of its religion and intelligence by its literature; but before obtaining full knowledge of a people's convictions, it is necessary to search into their superstitions. In these are discovered the secrets of man's inner life, and by these also have been forged strong fetters, which have kept his soul in thraldom for ages. If the author has succeeded in pointing out, that, notwithstanding the progress of science and the advancement of civilisation and Christianity, some of the darker shadows that have disfigured past ages are still floating over a portion of our social horizon, he feels his labour will not have been altogether in vain. Like many of the ghosts alluded to in the following pages, that of superstition needs only the continued light of day to shine upon it, in order to make it vanish for ever. _January 1880._ CONTENTS. * * * * * THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF SUPERSTITION. CHAPTER I. PAGE Rise and Progress of Superstition--The Serpent--Cain's Departure from the true Worship--Worship of the Sun, Moon, and Stars--Strange Story of Abraham--The Gods of Antiquity--Ether, Air, Land, and Water filled with living Souls--Guardian Angel--Cause of the Flood--Magic--How the Jews deceived the Devil--A Witch not permitted to live--Diviners, Enchanters, Consulters with familiar Spirits, and Necromancers proved a Snare to Nations--Charms worn by the Jews--Singular Customs and Belief--Prognostication--Allegorical Emblems--Marriage Customs--Ceremonies at Death and Burials--Divination among all Nations--Observers of Times--Opinion concerning the Celestial Bodies--Power of Witches--Wizards--Necromancers' Power to call up the Dead 1 CHAPTER II. Men endowed with Prophetic Spirits--The Jews forbidden to consult the Oracles of the Heathen--Schools of Prophets--Influence of Music--The Prophetic Mantle--Way Revelations were made--Bath Kol--Urim and Thummim--False Prophets Strangled or Stoned--Diabolical Art--Moloch--Seething a Kid in its Mother's Milk--The Smooth Stones mentioned by Isaiah--Sheep-head and Sheep-head Broth--Casting Sins into the Sea--Fasting among the Pharisees--Dust of Heathen Countries--The number 10--Angels that had the Care of Men--Predictions by Hebrew Women--Punishment in the Grave 10 CHAPTER III.