better decline this love,
for it will neither be constant nor true. Your travels are in vain;
you had better stay at home. You must not expect to regain that which
you have lost. You will obtain a great fortune in another country. You
may have many impediments in the accomplishment of your pursuits.
Beware! an enemy is endeavouring to bring you into strife and
misfortune. This day is unlucky, therefore alter your intentions. Your
fortune will soon be changed into misfortune."

There were unlucky days, on which one was advised not to consult the
Oraculum: for instance, January 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 12, and 20 were looked
on as particularly unpropitious. The 1st, 17th, and 18th February were
lucky, and so were the 14th and 16th March. Besides those mentioned,
there were unfortunate days in all the months of the year. If a person
wished to avoid meeting with severe disappointment, he was not to
inquire twice in one day regarding the same subject.

SIGNS, OMENS, AND WARNINGS.

CHAPTER XLI.

Crying in Youth--Image of Opis--New-born Babes--Man
born to Trouble--How Man's Time is spent--Bacon's
Belief in Presages--Dugdale's Foresight--Sir Thomas
More's Power to judge of Passing Events--Erasmus at
the Tomb of Becket--Sir Walter Raleigh's
Predictions--What Tacitus foresaw--Solon's
Predictions--Cicero's Predictions--Philosophers'
Observance of Signs and Omens--Knox's
Predictions--Queen Mary and Darnley--Death of Thomas
Maitland and of Kirkaldy of Grange predicted--Regent
Murray warned against going to Linlithgow--Belief in
Physiognomy--Natural Phenomena--The Human Body a
medium for discovering Future
Events--Phrenology--Hairy People--The Finger
Nails--Unaccountable Sounds--Death
Warnings--Appearance of Spirits.

If the Romans were right in considering that crying in youth portended
ill-fortune in old age, there can be little doubt it has been decreed
that man's existence shall be more embittered with disappointments
than sweetened with unalloyed pleasures; for it is nearly as common
for children to cry as it is for them to come into the world. Parents
may pray to their favourite gods for wise, happy children; expectant
mothers may wear suspended from their girdles the image of Opis, in
the fond expectation that their offspring shall find a smooth passage
through life; and nurses may bring new-born babes into contact with
s