Consult the Oracle | Free Book
A Victorian Guide to Folklore and Fortune Telling
“If you sing before breakfast you will cry before supper...' In their
own words, what it meant for Victorians to dream of actors, April
Fools, herrings or a railway ticket – why it was advised to throw a
black snail by its horns over the left shoulder for good luck – and
why it is essential to inform bees of a death in the family. “If one
drops a knife, a woman is coming; a fork, a man is coming; a spoon, a
fool.” Tappings on tables, questionable curatives, old wives' tales
and whispers from beyond the grave – Victorians were fascinated by the
supernatural. Consult the Oracle was where they might have turned when
they needed to identify a witch, interpret an omen or dream, required
a natural cure or wanted to divine their future with a pack of cards –
or simply wished to understand what the supernatural meant to them and
their ancestors. First published in 1899, it offered a layman's guide
to 'matters magical and mysterious', and today is a quirky glimpse of
a supernatural age now lost, by turns haunting and hilarious.
About the Author
Gabriel Nostradamus
- Title: Consult the Oracle | Free Book
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-10-25 00:03:10
- Updated at : 2024-10-26 21:04:36
- Link: https://novels-ebooks.techidaily.com/2546455-9781783660001-consult-the-oracle/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.