Book Review: Superstitions by Francis Grose

Superstitions, Omens, Charms, Cures 1787 from an original text by Francis Grose

This text is the last part of a book entitled A Provincial Glossary, with a Collection of Local Proverbs, and Popular Superstitions (1787) written by Francis Grose, a famous antiquarian in the late eighteenth century. The writing is a weird amalgamation of Enlightenment scoffing and lurid embracing of the topics. The book goes through various categories, like ghosts, witches, sorcerers, fairies, the second-sighted, and common curses, cures, and folkloric beliefs. Some things are quite familiar, like witches riding on brooms or singles sleeping on a slice of wedding cake to dream about whom they will marry. Others are unfamiliar, like fairies shooting cattle with arrows tipped with flint (the cow can be healed by touching another flint-tipped fairy arrow to the wound). Some are even a blend of both: "When a person's cheek, or ear, burns, it is a sign that some one is then talking of him or her. If it is the right cheek, or ear, the discourse is to their advantage; if the left, to their disadvantage." [p. 84] Who knew you have to pay attention to where you burn?

The text is so straightforward and matter-of-fact that it's hard to tell if the author is snickering behind his quill or not. The style is very serious, even when he seems most difficult to take at face value. The writing is entertaining and it made for some mildly spooky fun reading for Halloween.

Recommended for a look at superstitions from two-hundred years ago. Some of them are still hanging around.