the black death and the dancing mania-第21章

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ting　a　little　she　would　discover　signs　of　discontent。

〃Next　day；　according　to　the　custom　in　the　cure　of　this　disorder；　she　was　taken　into　the　market…place；　where　several　jars　of　maize　or　tsug　were　set　in　order　by　the　relations；　to　give　drink　to　the　musicians　and　dancers。　　When　the　crowd　had　assembled；　and　the　music　was　ready；　she　was　brought　forth　and　began　to　dance　and　throw　herself　into　the　maddest　postures　imaginable；　and　in　this　manner　she　kept　on　the　whole　day。　　Towards　evening　she　began　to　let　fall　her　silver　ornaments　from　her　neck；　arms；　and　legs；　one　at　a　time；　so　that　in　the　course　of　three　hours　she　was　stripped　of　every　article。　　A　relation　continually　kept　going　after　her　as　she　danced；　to　pick　up　the　ornaments；　and　afterwards　delivered　them　to　the　owners　from　whom　they　were　borrowed。　　As　the　sun　went　down　she　made　a　start　with　such　swiftness　that　the　fastest　runner　could　not　come　up　with　her；　and　when　at　the　distance　of　about　two　hundred　yards　she　dropped　on　a　sudden　as　if　shot。　　Soon　afterwards　a　young　man；　on　coming　up　with　her；　fired　a　matchlock　over　her　body；　and　struck　her　upon　the　back　with　the　broad　side　of　his　large　knife；　and　asked　her　name；　to　which　she　answered　as　when　in　her　common　sensesa　sure　proof　of　her　being　cured；　for　during　the　time　of　this　malady　those　afflicted　with　it　never　answer　to　their　Christian　names。　　She　was　now　taken　up　in　a　very　weak　condition　and　carried　home；　and　a　priest　came　and　baptised　her　again　in　the　name　of　the　Father；　Son；　and　Holy　Ghost；　which　ceremony　concluded　her　cure。　　Some　are　taken　in　this　manner　to　the　market…place　for　many　days　before　they　can　be　cured；　and　it　sometimes　happens　that　they　cannot　be　cured　at　all。　　I　have　seen　them　in　these　fits　dance　with　a　BRULY；　or　bottle　of　maize；　upon　their　heads　without　spilling　the　liquor；　or　letting　the　bottle　fall；　although　they　have　put　themselves　into　the　most　extravagant　postures。

〃I　could　not　have　ventured　to　write　this　from　hearsay；　nor　could　I　conceive　it　possible；　until　I　was　obliged　to　put　this　remedy　in　practice　upon　my　own　wife；　who　was　seized　with　the　same　disorder；　and　then　I　was　compelled　to　have　a　still　nearer　view　of　this　strange　disorder。　　I　at　first　thought　that　a　whip　would　be　of　some　service；　and　one　day　attempted　a　few　strokes　when　unnoticed　by　any　person；　we　being　by　ourselves；　and　I　having　a　strong　suspicion　that　this　ailment　sprang　from　the　weak　minds　of　women；　who　were　encouraged　in　it　for　the　sake　of　the　grandeur；　rich　dress；　and　music　which　accompany　the　cure。　　But　how　much　was　I　surprised；　the　moment　I　struck　a　light　blow；　thinking　to　do　good；　to　find　that　she　became　like　a　corpse；　and　even　the　joints　of　her　fingers　became　so　stiff　that　I　could　not　straighten　them；　indeed；　I　really　thought　that　she　was　dead；　and　immediately　made　it　known　to　the　people　in　the　house　that　she　had　fainted；　but　did　not　tell　them　the　cause；　upon　which　they　immediately　brought　music；　which　I　had　for　many　days　denied　them；　and　which　soon　revived　her；　and　I　then　left　the　house　to　her　relations　to　cure　her　at　my　expense；　in　the　manner　I　have　before　mentioned；　though　it　took　a　much　longer　time　to　cure　my　wife　than　the　woman　I　have　just　given　an　account　of。　One　day　I　went　privately；　with　a　companion；　to　see　my　wife　dance；　and　kept　at　a　short　distance；　as　I　was　ashamed　to　go　near　the　crowd。　　On　looking　steadfastly　upon　her；　while　dancing　or　jumping；　more　like　a　deer　than　a　human　being；　I　said　that　it　certainly　was　not　my　wife；　at　which　my　companion　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter；　from　which　he　could　scarcely　refrain　all　the　way　home。　　Men　are　sometimes　afflicted　with　this　dreadful　disorder；　but　not　frequently。　　Among　the　Amhara　and　Galla　it　is　not　so　common。〃

Such　is　the　account　of　Pearce；　who　is　every　way　worthy　of　credit；　and　whose　lively　description　renders　the　traditions　of　former　times　respecting　the　St。　Vitus's　dance　and　tarantism　intelligible；　even　to　those　who　are　sceptical　respecting　the　existence　of　a　morbid　state　of　the　mind　and　body　of　the　kind　described；　because；　in　the　present　advanced　state　of　civilisation　among　the　nations　of　Europe；　opportunities　for　its　development　no　longer　occur。　　The　credibility　of　this　energetic　but　by　no　means　ambitious　man　is　not　liable　to　the　slightest　suspicion；　for；　owing　to　his　want　of　education；　he　had　no　knowledge　of　the　phenomena　in　question；　and　his　work　evinces　throughout　his　attractive　and　unpretending　impartiality。

Comparison　is　the　mother　of　observation；　and　may　here　elucidate　one　phenomenon　by　anotherthe　past　by　that　which　still　exists。　Oppression；　insecurity；　and　the　influence　of　a　very　rude　priestcraft；　are　the　powerful　causes　which　operated　on　the　Germans　and　Italians　of　the　Middle　Ages；　as　they　now　continue　to　operate　on　the　Abyssinians　of　the　present　day。　　However　these　people　may　differ　from　us　in　their　descent；　their　manners　and　their　customs；　the　effects　of　the　above　mentioned　causes　are　the　same　in　Africa　as　they　were　in　Europe；　for　they　operate　on　man　himself　independently　of　the　particular　locality　in　which　he　may　be　planted；　and　the　conditions　of　the　Abyssinians　of　modern　times　is；　in　regard　to　superstition；　a　mirror　of　the　condition　of　the　European　nations　of　the　middle　ages。　　Should　this　appear　a　bold　assertion　it　will　be　strengthened　by　the　fact　that　in　Abyssinia　two　examples　of　superstitions　occur　which　are　completely　in　accordance　with　occurrences　of　the　Middle　Ages　that　took　place　contemporarily　with　the　dancing　mania。　　THE　ABYSSINIANS　HAVE　THEIR　CHRISTIAN　FLAGELLANTS；　AND　THERE　EXISTS　AMONG　THEM　A　BELIEF　IN　A　ZOOMORPHISM；　WHICH　PRESENTS　A　LIVELY　IMAGE　OF　THE　LYCANTHROPY　OF　THE　MIDDLE　AGES。　　Their　flagellants　are　called　Zackarys。　　They　are　united　into　a　separate　Christian　fraternity；　and　make　their　processions　through　the　towns　and　villages　with　great　noise　and　tumult；　scourging　themselves　till　they　draw　blood；　and　wounding　themselves　with　knives。　　They　boast　that　they　are　descendants　of　St。　George。　　It　is　precisely　in　Tigre；　the　country　of　the　Abyssinian　dancing　mania；　where　they　are　found　in　the　greatest　numbers；　and　where　they　have；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Axum；　a　church　of　their　own；　dedicated　to　their　patron　saint；　Oun　Arvel。　Here　there　is　an　ever…burning　lamp；　and　they　contrive　to　impress　a　belief　that　this　is　kept　alight　by　supernatural　means。　　They　also　here　keep　a　holy　water；　which　is　said　to　be　a　cure　for　those　who　are　affected　by　the　dancing　mania。

The　Abyssinian　Zoomorphism　is　a　no　less　important　phenomenon；　and　shows　itself　a　manner　quite　peculiar。　　The　blacksmiths　and　potters　form　among　the　Abyssinians　a　society　or　caste　called　in　Tigre　TEBBIB；　and　in　Amhara　BUDA；　which　is　held　in　some　degree　of　contempt；　and　excluded　from　the　sacrament　of　the　Lord's　Supper；　because　it　is　believed　that　they　can　change　themselves　into　hyaenas　and　other　beasts　of　prey；　on　which　account　they　are　feared　by　everybody；　and　regarded　with　horror。　　They　artfully　contrive　to　keep　up　this　superstition；　because　by　this　separation　they　preserve　a　monopoly　of　their　lucrative　trades；　and　as　in　other　respects　they　are　good　Christians　（but　few　Jews　or　Mahomedans　live　among　them）；　they　seem　to　attach　no　great　consequence　to　their　excommunication。　　As　a　badge　of　distinction　they　wear　a　golden　ear…ring；　which　is　frequently　found　in　the　ears　of　Hyaenas　that　are　killed；　without　its　having　ever　been　discovered　how　they　catch　these　animals；　so　as　to　decorate　them　with　this　strange　ornament；　and　this　removes　in　the　minds　of　the　people　all　doubt　as　to　the　supernatural　powers　of　the　smiths　and　potters。　　To　the　Budas　is　also　ascribed　the　gift　of　enchantment；　especially　that　of　the　influence　of　the　evil　eye。　　They　nevertheless　live　unmolested；　and　are　not　condemned　to　the　flames　by　fanatical　priests；　as　the　lycanthropes　were　in　the　Middle　Ages。



CHAPTER　IVSYMPATHY



Imitationcompassionsympathy；　these　are　imperfect　designations　for　a　common　bond　of　union　among　human　beingsfor　an　instinct　which　connects　individuals　with　the　general　body；　which　embraces　with　equal　force　reason　and　folly；　good　and　evil；　and　diminishes　the　praise　of　virtue　as　well　as　the　criminality　of　vice。　　In　this　impulse　there　are　degrees；　but　no　essential　differences；　from　the　first　intellectual　efforts　of　the　infant　mind；　which　are　in　a　great　measure　based　on　imitation；　to　that　morbid　condition　of　the　soul　in　which　the　sensible　impression　of　a　nervous　malady　fetters　the　mind；　and　finds　its　way　through　the　eye　directly　to　the　diseased　texture；　as　the　electric　shock　is　propagated　by　contact　from　body　to　body。　　To　this　instinct　of　imitation；　when　it　exists　in　its　highest　degree；　is　united　a　loss　of　all　power　over　the　will；　which　occurs　as　soon　as　the　impression　on　the　senses　has　become　firmly　established；　producing　a　condition　like　that　of　small　animals　when　they　are　fascinated　by　the　look　of　a　serpent。　By　this　mental　bondage　morbid　sympathy　is　clearly　and　definitely　distinguished　from　all　subordinate　degrees　of　this　instinct；　however　closely　allied　the　imitation　of　a　disorder　may　seem　to　be　to　that　of　a　mere　folly；　of　an　absurd　fashion；　of　an　awkward　habit　in　speech　and　manner；　or　even　of　a　confusion　of　ideas。　　Even　these　latter　imitations；　however；　directed　as　they　are　to　foolish　and　pernicious　objects；　place　the　self…independence　of　the　greater　portion　of　mankind　in　a　very　doubtful　light；　and　account　for　their　union　into　a　social　whole。　　Still　more　nearly　allied　to　morbid　sympathy　than　the　imitation　of　enticing　folly；　although　often　with　a　considerable　admixture　of　the　latter；　is　the　diffusion　of　violent　excitements；　especially　those　of　a　religious　or　political　character；　which　have　so　powerfully　agitated　the　nations　of　ancient　and　modern　times；　and　which　may；　after　an　incipient　compliance；　pass　into　a　total　loss　of　power　over　the　will；　and　an　actual　disease　of　the　mind。　　Far　be　it　from　us　to　attempt　to　awaken　all　the　various　tones　of　this　chord；　whose　vibrations　reveal　the　profound　secrets　which　lie　hid　in　the　inmost　recesses　of　the　soul。　　We　might　well　want　powers　adequate　to　so　vast　an　undertaking。　　Our　business　here　is　only　with　that　morbid　sympathy　by　the　aid　of　which　the　dancing　mania　of　the　Middle　Ages　grew　into　a　real　epidemic。　　In　order　to　make　this　apparent　by　comparison；　it　may　not　be　out　of　place；　at　the　close　of　this　inquiry；　to　introduce　a　few　striking　examples：…

1。　　〃At　a　cotton　manufactory　at　Hodden　Bridge；　in　Lancashire；　a　girl；　on　the　fifteenth　of　February；　1787；　put　a　mouse　into　the　bosom　of　another　girl；　who　had　a　great　dread　of　mice。　　The　girl　was　immediately　thrown　into　a　fit；　and　continued　in　it；　with　the　most　violent　convulsions；　for　twenty…four　hours。　　On　the　following　day　three　more　girls　were　seized　in　the　same　manner；　and　on　the　17th　six　more。　　By　this　time　the　alarm　was　so　great　that　the　whole　work；　in　which　200　or　300　were　employed；　was　totally　stopped；　and　an　idea　prevailed　that　a　particular　disease　had　been　introduced　by　a　bag　of　cotton　opened　in　the　house。　　On　Sunday　the　18th；　Dr。　St。　Clare　was　sent　for　from　Preston；　before　he　arrived　three　more　were　seized；　and　during　that　night　and　the　morning　of　the　19th；　eleven　more；　making　in　all　twenty…four。　　Of　these；　twenty…one　were　young　women；　two　were　girls　of　about　ten　years　of　age；　and　one　man；　who　had　been　much　fatigued　with　holding　t