eclipse is, "Alas! a divinity has devoured the moon!"

Finally, to close this chapter where it commenced, in Chaldaea, the
cradle of _star-reading_, Sir Austen Henry Layard says: "I gained,
as other travellers have done before me, some credit for wisdom and
superhuman knowledge by predicting, through the aid of an
almanack, a partial eclipse of the moon. It duly took place, to the
great dismay of my guests, who well-nigh knocked out the bottoms
of all my kitchen utensils in their endeavour to frighten away the
jins who had thus laid hold of the planet. The common notion
amongst ignorant Mahometans is, that an eclipse is caused by some
evil spirit catching hold of the sun or moon. On such occasions, in
Eastern towns, the whole population assembles with pots, pans, and
other equally rude instruments of music, and, with the aid of their
lungs, make a din and turmoil which might suffice to drive away a
whole army of evil spirits, even at so great a distance." [320] We
have reached three general conclusions. _First_, when the moon is
occulted by the earth it is believed to be devoured by some evil
demon, or by wolves or dogs. This is the superstitious vagary of the
Hindoos, the Chinese, Asiatics generally, Europeans, Africans,
Americans, and Polynesians. _Secondly_, a lunar eclipse is the
precursor of some dreadful calamity to the inhabitants of the earth.
This notion is also traceable in every quarter of the globe. And
_thirdly_, during the obscuration the light of the moon is reddened,
and at last extinguished, by the blood which flows from its wounds;
which belief originates with the _Edda_, and obtains in the Western
world. Students of sacred prophecy may still elect to deem these
occurrences that are purely natural as of supernatural significance,
and may risk the interests of true religion in their insane disregard of
science; but the truth will remain, in spite of their misconceptions,
that eclipses of the moon have no concern with the moral destiny of
mankind.

IV. LUNAR INFLUENCES.

The superficies of the earth being twice seven times that of the
moon, what an influence the earth must exercise over its satellite!
We may be unable to describe this influence in all of its effects; but
we may observe its existence in some of its apparent signs. The
moon not only turns while we turn, but its rotations on its axis keep
exact time with its revolutions round our globe; it accompanies us as
we encircle the sun, fac