ANCIENT PROPHECIES AND THE PRESENT WAR.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 1, 6 October 1877, Page 3

ANCIENT PROPHECIES AND THE PRESENT WAR.

l> an article bearing upon the present hostilities between Russia and Ttirker, the " Ipswich Observer " remarks : It is somewhat singular that who have prophesied since the Christian era, and foretold extraordinary cven'« in the history of mankind have been old women ' Why the gift or the seer has been denied to cid meu or young women, we are tot.dly unable to- comprehend, but it is really of no great consequence The tact remains that old women have been chosen vessels to whom—

j Th» sunset oi life gave n magical lor<», I AadeomiagerenU cast their shadows before: I and they 3eem to have inherited the curse of Cassandra, the soothsaying daughter oi Priam, that they shoula prophesy and not be believed. Chief auiong the aged matrons who peered into the mysteries of futurity was the ancient dame who foretold the French revolution just one hundred years before the interesting occurrance took place. Then there was the venerable old lady, irreverently styled Mother Shipton. who foretold the invention of trains, steamers, balloons, telegraphs, tunnels, and that the world would come to an end in 18S1. Now, we must admit that her prophesy is a remarkable fragment of rhyme to be be written in 1448, or 426 years ago, and the more marvellous that, every part, of th< prophesy is fulfilled except the lost one , and we think it just as well to let the Douglas Ministry remain in power foi the next four years. as it is not worth while interfering with them until we see if the old dime's ominous epilogue is realised. Apart from the foreteller of the Revolution Mrs. Shipton, there was another interesting old lady who was inspired about the year 1453, of five years after the other celebrity. Her name is buried in the shadows of obilivion, but these are her orj uiar utterances, which have peculiar significance at the present time : Iu twice two hundred voars the Boar The Croscent shall assail; But if the Cock aud Bull units, The Bear shall not prevail Bat look ! ia twice ton years a^ain, Let Islam know aud i u ar. The Cross shall wax —the Cresont waue. Grow pale, and disiippetvr. How remarkably true the first verse is must be seen by all who know of the Crimean War when the Cock and Bull did unite and the Bear was overthrown. After the lapse of twenty years, the exact period mentioned, the Bear is again in arms, and the Russian troop 3 moving down on the Credent and the Turkish frontier. Who shall say that the fate of Poland shall not be the fate of Turkey, or that a war with Rusda must not ultimately lead to the downfall of Islamism and the extinction of the raco of the Caliphs and the throne of Omar, j