Observations on the Popular Antiquities of Great Britain: Chiefly Illustrating the Origin of Our Vulgar and Provincial Customs, Ceremonies, and Superstitions, Volume 3Bell and Daldy, 1872 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Account of Scotland Alexander Ross ancient apparition appear ash tree Astrologaster astrologers bewitched bird body called candle charms child commonly crow cure curious custom dæmon dead death denotes devil diseases divination dogs doth dream Duncan Campbell evil fire following passage Gaule Gent ghosts gipsies hand hanged hath head History Honest Whore horses Hudibras Ibid King king's evil Lond Lord Mag-astromancers Posed mentions mole moon nails neck never night observes old woman omen ominous parish person Pliny Posed and Puzzel'd practised presages prognostic quæ quod rain ravens Reginald Scot salt says Grose Scotland second sight seen signifies Sir Thomas Browne sneezing speaking spirit spit Statistical Account stone storm super superstition supposed tells Theocritus things thou tion told tree unlucky unto vulgar weather Willsford witchcraft witches women words wren
Popular passages
Page 175 - If I beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness ; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, Or my mouth hath kissed my hand : This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge : For I should have denied the God that is above.
Page 69 - Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night ; And for the day confined to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purged away.
Page 211 - One for sorrow, Two for mirth, Three for a wedding, Four for a birth— Four on 'em!
Page 149 - How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank ! Here will we sit and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold.
Page 392 - Lead then, said Eve. He leading swiftly roll'd In tangles, and made intricate seem straight. To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy Brightens his crest. As when a wandering fire, Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night Condenses, and the cold environs round, Kindled through agitation to a flame, Which oft, they say, some evil spirit attends, Hovering and blazing with delusive light, Misleads the amazed night-wanderer from his way To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool, There swallow'd...
Page 303 - pothecary's shop I went, And in love-powder all my money spent : Behap what will, next Sunday, after prayers, "When to the alehouse Lubberkin repairs, These golden flies into his mug I'll throw, And soon the swain with fervent love shall glow.
Page 46 - Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and...
Page 109 - Alas! you know the cause too well, The salt is spilt, to me it fell. Then, to contribute to my loss, My knife and fork were laid across, On friday too! the day I dread! Would I were safe at home in bed! Last night (I vow to Heav'n 'tis true) Bounce from the fire a coffin flew. Next post some fatal news shall tell. God send my Cornish friends be well...
Page 179 - Nor less amused have I quiescent watch'd The sooty films that play upon the bars Pendulous, and foreboding, in the view Of superstition, prophesying still, Though still deceiv'd, some stranger's near approach.
Page 180 - So when a child, as playful children use, Has burnt to tinder a stale last year's news, The flame extinct, he views the roving fire, There goes my lady, and there goes the 'squire ; There goes the parson, oh ! illustrious spark, And there, scarce less illustrious, goes the clerk.