The Fortune-telling Superstition

New Zealand Tablet, 15 July 1909, Page 1089

The Fortune-telling Superstition

Cardan, one of the official astrologers or fortune-tellers of the old English Puritan Parliament, predicted a good many things in his time. But his prophecies, however vaguely he managed to word them, kept ' gangin' agley' with a frequency that was decidedly disconcerting—for Cardan. At length, like ' Jubilee Juggins,' he made a ' plunge'—he foretold that his own death would take place within a stated time. To ensure this particular prediction coming true, he starved himself to death, and thus lost his life to save his credit. The present-day (unofficial) successors of Cardan do not resort to such heroic measures to ensure the verification of their prophecies. They draw their fee (which is, with them, the main thing), and leave their predictions, as the mother-frog leaves her tadpoles, to their own fate. And many there be in our time that dilute their, failing faith with belief in this and other forms of superstition, or fill with superstition the place that religious faith once occupied. It is the old, old- story: history is merely repeating itself. And there thus was something in the plea set up a few weeks ago by a fortuneteller ' across the water,' that she was ' supplying a want' of the time. It did not, of course, stave off the penalty provided by statute against ' any person pretending or professing to tell fortunes, or using any subtle craft, means, or device, by palmistry or otherwise, to defraud or impose on any other person.' The fortune-teller was fined, despite her plea. Her ' subtle craft, means, or device ' evidently did not enable her to foresee, in her own immediate future, events which she professed to see traced in lines of light in the future of her dupes. Many years ago a clever fortune-teller escaped a penalty in Paris by a plea that was somewhat more adroit. This particular ' futurist' plied her trade al fresco at a stand on the corner of the Rue de Bussy. She Avas ' pinched' at length and haled before the tribunal of correctional police. The President of the tribunal was a first-class wit, but, for a magistrate, rather over-given to jesting from his place upon the bench. ' You know how to read the future ?' said he to the lady sorcerer. ' Assuredly, M. le President,' the dame replied. ' In this case, then, you know the judgment I intend to pronounce.' * Certainly.' ' Well, what is going to happen to you?' ' You will acquit me.' ' Acquit you!' ' No doubt about it.' • But why ?' 1 Because, M. le President, if it had been your intention to condemn me, you would not have added irony" to misfortune.' The President of the court was visibly taken aback by the adroitness of the sorcerer, and outwitted by her wit. There was a hasty consultation between the President and his fellow-magistrates, the fortune-teller was acquitted, and went her way to freedom.