"END OF THE WORLD" SCARES.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 114, 12 November 1881, Page 4

"END OF THE WORLD" SCARES.

Timid people who tremble fearfully at the present prediction of imminent dissolution of the world, may tako heart of grace by considering how often this terrible catastrophe has been foretold already. The first great scare mentioned above, when in 999 thousands of people cold all their effects and betook themselves as pilgrims to Palestine, was perhaps the worst known. But there have been others nearer our tim« 3. In every season of pestilence or of astronomical wonders, the end of the world had been deemed nigh. Even within the la3t century all London was driven into a paroxysm of terror. The famous Whi3ton foretold the destruction of the world on October 13th, 1736, and orowda went out to the suburbs of Islington and Hampstead to witness the first act, the demolition of London. Again, in 1761, following three shocks of an earthquake, a fresh alarm became general. It was originated by a mad Life Guardsman, who fixed on the sth April as the dread day. Crowds flocked again to all the open spaces, and the Thames was filled with boatloads of fugitives from the impending doom. All, however, returned on the 6th and 7th, looking very foolish, although safe. Still later— indeed, — barely 50 years ago— the whole Continent of Europe, Germany especially, was grievously concerned lest a comet just then expeoted should dash the world into atoms with ifca tail. The alarm of 168 1 has hardly risen to a panic, bnt it will no doubt be recorded with the rest in the history of .such Bcares.— Home News.