HOUSEHOLD SUPERSTITIONS.
Somnia, terrores magicos, miracula, sagas,
Nocturnos lemures, portentaque Thessala rides?
HOR., Ep. ii. 2, 208.
Visions and magic spells, can you despise,
And laugh at witches, ghosts, and prodigies?
Going yesterday to dine with an old acquaintance, I had the
misfortune to find his whole family very much dejected. Upon asking
him the occasion of it, he told me that his wife had dreamt a very
strange dream the night before, which they were afraid portended
some misfortune to themselves or to their children. At her coming
into the room, I observed a settled melancholy in her countenance,
which I should have been troubled for, had I not heard from whence
it proceeded. We were no sooner sat down, but, after having looked
upon me a little while, "My dear," says she, turning to her husband,
"you may now see the stranger that was in the candle last night."
Soon after this, as they began to talk of family affairs, a little
boy at the lower end of the table told her that he was to go into
join-hand on Thursday. "Thursday!" says she. "No, child; if it
please God, you shall not begin upon Childermas-day; tell your
writing-master that Friday will be soon enough." I was reflecting
with myself on the oddness of her fancy, and wondering that anybody
would establish it as a rule, to lose a day in every week.
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