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DIVINATION & AUGURY IN A MODERN LIGHT 209
enumerate all the various methods adopted by individuals and natious, or to enquir from what source the Etruscans, Egyptians, Delphians, Magi, Indians, Mexicans, Negroes, South sea Islanders and other people who have practised these arts, derived them. But, as all these practices will not come under the same explanation, it will be as well to classify them in groups according as they seem to be die to the same cause or to bear some superficial similarity.
In the Arst-class may be placed the cases where the judgement was based on the action of animals and not. of human beings or on natural operations independent of buinan actions, such as the novements of birds. of dying victims, appearances and cries of beasts, the boiling of water, settling of dregs. blowing of leaves, and drifting of waifs.
Next akin to the first come judgments made from the fortuitous movement of human agents, such as dice and lots, the flinging up of sticks and staves, the laphazard opening of books, spontaneous utterances and ejaculations of the voice, automatic writing and drawing.
In the third-class we may put the divinations whico appeal to, or rest upon, a supposed higher inspiration of the automnatic conciousoess and judgement such as the decision of number on which Geomancy was based and the decision of right moments of the time or elections' by which Horary Astrology foretells the issue of events.
Y. 14
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