Things not generally known. Popular errors explained and illustrated

by John Timbs

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 edition. ...Andrews, of Royston, also a native of Woolstrope, to predict for them, and their sale rose as before. OMENS AND DEATH-TOKENS. Omens constitute the poetry of history. They cause the series of events, which they are supposed to declare, to flow into special unity; and the political catastrophe seems to be produced, not by prudence or by folly, but by the superintending destiny. The numerous tokens of the death of Henry IV. are finely tragical. Mary of Medicis, in her dream, saw the brilliant gems of her crown change into pearls, the symbol of tears and mourning. An owl hooted until sunrise at the window of the chamber to which the king and queen retired at St. Denis, on the night preceding her coronation. During the ceremony, it was observed with dread that the dark portals leading to the royal sepulchres beneath the choir were gaping and expanded. The flame of the consecrated taper held by the queen was suddenly extinguished, and twice her crown nearly fell to the ground. The prognostications of the misfortunes of the Stuarts have equally a character of solemn grandeur; and we are reminded of the portents of Rome, when we read how the sudden tempest rent the royal standard on the Tower of London. Charles, yielding to his destiny, was obstinate in the ivil death. He refused to be clad in the garments of the Confessor, in which all his predecessors had and he would be attired in white satin. Strongly did rl of Pembroke attempt to dissuade him, for the prophecy misfortunes of the white Hng had long been current; but his entreaties were in vain, and Charles was crowned, invested with the raiment which indicated his misfortunes.--Sir Walter Scott--Quarterly Review, No. 51. TWELFTH-NIGHT OMEN. At Bayeux, in Normandy, if either of the family be...

126 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2013

About the author

John Timbs was an English antiquary. He was educated at a private school at Hemel Hempstead, and in his sixteenth year apprenticed to a druggist and printer at Dorking. He had early shown literary capacity, and when nineteen began to write for the Monthly Magazine. A year later he became secretary to Sir Richard Phillips, its proprietor, and permanently adopted literature as a profession.

He was successively editor of the Mirror of Literature, the Harlequin, The Literary World, and sub-editor of the Illustrated London News. He was also founder and first editor of Year-Book of Science and Art. His published works amounted to more than one hundred and fifty volumes. In 1834 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.