Current Superstitions | Page 9

born moon than that poetic sentiment which delights in
the vision of the faint sickle silver through the twilight; if they possess
any further association with the planet, it is likely to be no more than a
vague dread of the effect of its radiance falling on a sleeper. Women,
on the contrary, will remember that the moon should be first seen not
"full face," but "over the the[TN-1] right shoulder;" they will be aware
that with such vision may be united a wish, to which jesting fancy
assigns a probability of accomplishment. But these, also, will be
surprised by the discovery that lunar divination is maintained with
profound seriousness, and that the honor paid to the orb is nothing else
than a continued worship, still connected with material blessings
expected from its bounty.
This record reveals the central principle and natural cause of moon
worship, by making clear the effect still ascribed to the variation of the
luminary. It is the night which is especially the season of primitive
worship; from times long antecedent to written history, as well among
the lowest savages as among tribes possessing the beginnings of
civilization, changes of the starry heavens have been the object of
devout contemplation and of reverent study. To the watcher it is the
rapid growth of the lunar crescent that is the most distinctive feature of
differences between the nights, an alteration which could not but be
supposed to exercise control over human and animal life. According to
natural processes of thought, it was inevitable that during the time
when it so rapidly increases, and becomes dominant in the sky, the
principle of growth should appear to prevail; and on the other hand,
that the time of lunar diminution should be the season of decay. Hence
the conclusion, probably prevalent in all times and countries, that
designs and undertakings which expect increase should belong to the
new moon, and that only operations which aim at the annihilation of
existence should be carried on during the waning quarter. In Hellenic
antiquity, the dark of the moon is mentioned as the suitable time for
magical operations; for such, no doubt, as were concerned with a
forwarding of life. Our collection exhibits the full survival of the usage
and theory. It is the new moon to which is dedicated the money that

under its expanding influence will be sure to multiply; it is at such time
that the seed is to be put into the ground. On the contrary, the
abolishment of pests and diminution of objects in which shrinkage is
desired may be obtained by connecting these with the waning sphere.
Lunar change has had an important connection with ancient myth as
well as with primitive ritual. For the reason indicated, the crescent was
assigned as an emblem to goddesses of growth. This ornament passed
from Cybele and Diana to Mary; as on the vault of St. Mark's the
Virgin wears the starry robe of the earlier goddess, so on garden walls
of Venice she stands crowned with the crescent, in the same manner as
the divinities whom she has superseded. In this connection is especially
to be considered the habit of personification implied in our English
rhymes. Of late, the doctrine which perceives in myth a symbolic
expression of the forces of nature has fallen into comparative discredit,
a contempt explicable in view of the unscientific manner in which
"sun-myths" have been exploited; our English sayings, therefore, are to
be received as a welcome demonstration that one must not proceed too
far in his attitude of doubt. If the popular mind, to-day, and in a country
particularly accessible to the influences of modern culture, worships the
personified moon, it may be considered as certain that antiquity did the
like. Mythology is woven out of so many strands that goddesses like
Artemis and Diana may have been much more than lunar
personifications; but I think it can scarce be doubted that in a measure
such they were.
There is to be noted a most important characteristic of modern
superstition, namely, that the original usage, and also the primitive
theory, has sometimes continued the longest, because founded on the
broadest and most human foundation. The modern survival exhibits
those fundamental conceptions out of which grew the complicated rites
and elaborate mythologies of ancient religions. In this manner, as from
a height of observation, we are able to look back beyond recorded
history, and to trace the principles of historic development. So may be
elucidated problems which neither metaphysical speculation nor
historical research has proved adequate to expound. Comparative study
of folk-lore has placed in our hands a key which ingenious theorists,

proceeding with that imperfect knowledge of antiquity which can be
gathered from books, have lacked, and for the want of which they have