houfe, and then returns home. Before this ceremony ihe is looked I
on as unclean, never is permitted to eat with the family ; nor will I
any one eat of the vidtuals ihe has dreffed.
It has happened that, after baptifm, the father has placed a I
baiket, filled with bread and cheefe, on the pot-hook that im-1
pended over the fire in the middle of the room, which the com-1
pany fit around; and the child is thrice handed .acrofs the fire, |
with the defign to fruftrate all attempts of evil fpirits, or evil eyes, I
This originally feems to have been defigned as a purification, ,and of I
idolatrous origin, as the Ifraelites made their children pafs through I
the fire to Moloch. The word ufed for charms in general is I
Colas or Knowlege, a proof of the high repute they were once held I
in. Other charms were ftyled Paiders, a word taken from the I
Pater nofter. A necklace is called Padreuchain, becauie on turning I
every bead they ufed one of thefe P aiders. Other charms again I
are called Foifgeuls, from the ufe of particular verfes of thel
G ospel.
The fuperftition of making pilgrimages to cer tain wells or I
chapels is ftill preferved. That to St. Phillan’s is much in vogue:I
and others again to different places. The objedt is relief from thel
diforders mankind labor under. In fome places the pilgrims only!
drink of the water: in others, they undergo immerfion.
A highlander, in order to proteft himfelf from any harms!
apprehended from the Fairy tribe, will draw round himfelf a circle!
with a faplipg of the;oak. This, may be a relique of Druidiftnit
and only a continuation of the refpedfc paid to the tree held in fuchl
veneration by the priefthood.of our anceftors.
They pay great attention to their lucky and unlucky 1days. I
I T h el
The Romans could not be more attentive on fimilar occafions:
and furely the • highlander may be excufed the fuperftition, fince
Auguftus* could fay, that he never went abroad on the day following
the Nundintf, nor began any ferious undertaking on the
TAottee, and that, merely to avoid the unlucky omen. The Scottijh
mountaineers efteem the 14th of May unfortunate, and the day of
■the week that it has happened to fall on. Thus Thurfday is a
black day for the prefent year.
They are alfo very clafiical in obferving what they firft meet on
the commencement of a journey. They confider the looks, garb
and charadter of the firft perfon they fee. If he has a good countenance,
is decently clad, and has a fair reputation, they rejoice in
- the omen. If the contrary, they proceed with fears, or return
home, and begin their journey a fecond time.
The Beitein, or the rural facrifice, on the firft of May, O. S.
I has been mentioned before. Hallow eve is alfo kept facred : as
' foon as it is dark, a perfon fets fire to a buih of broom fattened
round a pole; and, attended with a crowd, runs round the village.
He then flings it down,, keeps great quantity of combuftible matters
in it, and makes a great bonfire. A whole tradt is thus illuminated
at the fame time, and makes a fine appearance. The
carrying of the fiery pole appears to be a relique of Druidifm; for,
fays Dodtor Borlafe'f,. faces preferre, was efteemed a lpecies of
- paganifm, forbidden by the Gallic councils, and the accenfores fa-
scularum were condemned to capital puniihment, as if they facri-
!? Seed to the devil.
* Suetonius, wit, Aug. c. 92-. f A n tij. Cornwall, 131.
The