Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

DADE, r. a. Dut, douden. To hold up by a easily united to him when she discovered the leading string. artful measures he made use of to effect a reconciliation.

The little children when they learn to go,
By painful mothers daded to and fro. Drayton.

DEDAL, adj. Lat. dædalus; Gr. dada; to variegate skillfully, first applied to needlework. Why Dr. Johnson warns us against using the word with this meaning is difficult to divine. See Ainsworth, and the fine example from Spenser. Various; variegated. Skilful.

But living art may not least part expresse,
Nor life resembling pencill it can paynt,
All were Zeuxis or Praxiteles;

His Dadale hand would faile and greatly faynt,
And her perfections with his error taynt.
Spenser. Faerie Queene.

Nor hath

Philips.

The dadal hand of nature only poured Her gifts of outward grace. DEDALA, two festivals in Boeotia; one of them observed in Alalcomenos by the Plateans in a large grove, where they exposed in the open air pieces of boiled flesh, and carefully observed whither the crows that came to prey upon them directed their flight. All the trees upon which any of these birds alighted were immediately cut down, and with them statues were made, called Dædala, in honor of Dædalus. The other festival was of a more solemn kind. It was celebrated every sixty years by all the cities of Boeotia, as a compensation for the intermission of the smaller festivals, for that number of years, during the exile of the Plateans. Fourteen of the statues called Dædala were distributed by lot among the Plateans, Lebadæans, Coroneans, Orchomenians, Thespians, Thebans, Tanagræans, and Charoneans, because they had effected a reconciliation among the Plateans, and caused them to be recalled from exile about the time that Thebes was restored by Cassander, the son of Antipater. During this festival a woman, in the habit of a bride-maid, accompanied a statue which was dressed in female garments, on the banks of the Eurotas. This procession was attended to the top of Mount Citharon by many of the Baotians, who had places assigned them by lot. Here an altar of square pieces of wood cemented together like stones was erected, and upon it were thrown large quantities of combustible materials. After wards a bull was sacrificed to Jupiter, and an ox or heifer to Juno, by every one of the cities of Boeotia, and by the most opulent that attended. The poorest citizens offered small cattle; and all these oblations, together with Dædala, were thrown into the common heap and set on fire, and totally reduced to ashes. They originated in this fable-When Juno, after a quarrel with Jupiter, had retired to Euboea, and refused to return to his bed, the god, anxious for her return, went to consult Citharon king of Plataa, to find some effectual measure to break her obstinacy. Citharon advised him to dress a statue in woman's apparel, and carry it in a chariot, and publicly to report that it was Platea the daughter of Asopus, whom he was going to marry. The advice was followed; and Juno, informed of her husband's future marriage, repaired in haste to meet the chariot, and was VOL. VII.

DEDALUS, in fabulous history, the son of Eupalamus, descended from Erectheus king of

Athens. He was the most ingenious artist of his age; and to him we are said to be indebted for the invention of the wedge, with many other mechanical instruments; as well as the sails of ships. He made statues, we are told, which moved of themselves, and seemed to be endowed with life. After the murder of Talus, he, with his son Icarus, fled from Athens to Crete, where Minos gave him a cordial reception. Dædalus made a famous labyrinth for Minos, and assisted Pasiphae the queen to gratify her unnatural passion for a bull. For this action Dædalus incurred the displeasure of Minos, who ordered him to be confined in the labyrinth which he had constructed. Here he made himself wings with feathers and wax, and carefully fitted them to his body and that of his son, who was the companion of his confinement. They took their flight in the air from Crete; but the heat of the sun melted the wax on the wings of Icarus, whose flight was too high, and he fell into that part of the ocean, which from him has been called the Icarian Sea. The father, by a proper management of his wings, alighted at Cuma, where he built a temple to Apollo, and thence directed his course to Sicily, where he was kindly received by Cocalus, who reigned over part of the country. IIe left many monuments of his ingenuity in Sicily, which still existed in the age of Diodorus Siculus. He was despatched by Cocalus, who was afraid of the power of Minos, who had declared war against him because he had given an asylum to Dædalus. The flight of Dædalus from Crete, with wings, is explained by observing that he was the inventor of sails, which in his age might pass at a distance for wings. He lived about A. A. C.

1400.

DÆMON, daiμwv, a name given by the ancients to certain spirits or genii, which they say appeared to men both to do them service and to injure them. The word is derived, according to Plato, in his Cratylus, from danuwv, knowing or intelligent; but according to others from datouaι, to distribute. They held a iniddle rank between the celestial gods and men, and carried on all intercourse between them. It was the opinion of many that the celestial divinities did not themselves interpose in human affairs, but committed the entire administration of the government of this lower world to these subaltern deities. Hence they became the objects of worship. If idols are nothing,' says Celsus (Origen cont. Cels. lib. viii. p. 393), what harm can there be to join in the public festivals? If they are dæmons, then it is certain that they are gods, in whom we are to confide, and to whom we should offer sacrifices and prayers, to render them propitious.' Plutarch teaches, Vit. Romul. p. 36, ed. Paris, that according to a divine nature and justice, the souls of virtuous men are advanced to the rank of dæmons; and that from dæmons, if they are properly purified, they are exalted into gods, not by any political institution, but according to right reason.'

[ocr errors]

D

He

says in another place, de Is. et Osir. p. 361, that Isis and Osiris were, for their virtue, changed from good dæmons into gods, as were Hercules and Bacchus afterwards, receiving the united honors both of gods and dæmons.' The word dæmon is used indifferently in a good and in a bad sense. In the former sense it is very common among the ancient heathens. Pythagoras held that dæmons sent diseases to men and cattle. Diogen. Laert. Vit. Pythag. Zaleucus, in his preface to his Laws, supposes that an evil dæmon might be present with a man to influence him to justice. The dæmons of Empedocles were evil spirits, and exiles from heaven. And Plutarch in his life of Dion says, it was the opinion of the ancients that evil and mischievous dæmons, out of envy and hatred to good men, oppose whatever they do.' Scarce did any opinion more generally prevail in ancient times than this, viz, that as the departed souls of good men became good dæmons, so the departed souls of bad men became evil dæmons. Besides the two forementioned kinds of dæmons, the fathers, as well as the ancient philosophers, held a third, viz. such as sprang from the congress of superior beings with the daughters of men. In the theology of the fathers these were the worst kind of dæmons. Different orders of dæmons had different stations and employments assigned them by the ancients. Good demons were considered as the authors of good to mankind; evil dæmons brought innumerable evils both upon men and beasts. Amongst evil dæmons there was a great distinction with respect to the offices assigned them; some compelled men to wickedness, others stimulated them to madness. See DÆMONIAC, Much has been said concerning the dæmon of Socrates; who declared to the world that a friendly spirit, whom he called his damon, directed him how to act on every important occasion in his life, and restrained him from imprudence of conduct. See SOCRATES.

We have seen above, not only the meaning of the word dæmon, but how the ancients wor-. shipped dæmons. They were of various orders, and, according to the situation over which they presided, had different names. Hence the Greek and Roman poets talk of satyrs, dryads, nymphs, fauns, &c. &c. See MYTHOLOGY. These different orders of intelligences, which, though worshipped as gods or demigods, were yet believed to partake of human passions and appetites, led the way to the deification of departed heroes, and other eminent benefactors of the human race; and from this latter probably arose the belief of natural and tutelar gods, as well as the practice of worshipping these gods through the medium of statues cut into a human figure. Dæmons, however, were not more zealously worshipped among the heathens, than they have been among Christians. Bishop Newton, after establishing the meaning of Paul's prophetic words, 1 Tim, iv. 1, above referred to, as corresponding exactly to the heathen dæmon worship, says, 'It appears then that the doctrines of dæmons, which prevailed so long in the heathen world, should be revived and established in the Christian church; and is not the worship of saints and angels now in all respects the same that

the worship of dæmons was in former times? The name only is different, the thing is identically the same.'

DÆMONIAC, a human being, whose volition and other mental faculties are overpowered and restrained, and his body possessed and actuated, by some created spiritual being of superior power. Such seems to be the determinate sense of the word; but it is disputed whether any of mankind ever were in this unfortunate condition.

It is the opinion of some, that neither good nor evil spirits are known to exert such authority at present over the human race: but in the ancient heathen world, and among the Jews, particularly in the days of our Saviour, evil spirits, at least, are thought by many to have possessed more influence than they do now. The Greeks and Romans imagined that their deities, to reveal future events, frequently entered into the prophet or prophetess who was consulted, overpowered their faculties, and uttered responses with their organs of speech. Apollo was believed to enter into the Pythoness, and to dictate the prophetic answers received by those who consulted her. Other oracles, besides that of Delphi, were supposed to unfold futurity by the same. machinery. And in various other cases, either malignant dæmons or benevolent deities were thought to enter into, and to actuate, human beings. The Lymphatici, the Cerriti, the Larvati, of the Romans, were all of this description; and the Greeks, by the use of the word daovCoμevo, show that they referred to this cause the origin of madness. Among the ancient heathens, therefore, it appears to have been a generally received opinion, that superior beings entered occasionally into men, overpowered the faculties of their minds, and actuated their bodily organs. They might imagine that this happened in instances in which the effects were owing to the operation of different causes; but an opinion so generally prevalent had surely some plausible foundation. The Jews, too, both from the sacred writings, and Josephus, appear to have believed in dæmoniacal possession. The case of Saul may be recollected as one among many in which superior created beings were believed by the Jews to exert in this manner their influence over human life. The general tenor of their history and language, and their doctrines concerning good and evil spirits, prove the opinion of dæmoniacal possession to have been well known and generally received among them.

We shall here subjoin the chief popular arguments on each side of this interesting subject, and add a few remarks. Those who are unwilling to allow that angels or devils have ever intermeddled with the concerns of human life, urge a number of specious arguments. The Greeks and Romans of old, say they, did believe in the reality of dæmoniacal possession. They supposed that spiritual beings did at times enter into the sons or daughters of men, and distinguish themselves in that situation by capricious freaks deeds of wanton mischief, or prophetic enunciations. But, in the instances in which they supposed this to happen, it is evident that no such thing took place. Their accounts of the

state and conduct of those persons whom they believed to be possessed in this supernatural manner, show plainly that what they ascribed to the influence of dæmons were merely the effects of natural diseases. Whatever they relate concerning the larvati, the cerriti, and the lymphatici, shows that these were merely people disordered in mind, in the same unfortunate situation with those madmen and idiots, and melancholy persons, whom we have among ourselves. Festus describes the larvati as being furiosi et inentemoti. Plato, in his Timæus, says, aduc γαρ έννους εφάπτεται μαντικής ενθεους, αληθους. Lucian describes dæmoniacs as lunatic, and as staring with their eyes, foaming at the mouth, and being speechless. It appears still more evidently, that all the persons spoken of as possessed with devils in the New Testament, were either mad or epileptic, and precisely in the same condition with the mad men and epileptics of modern times. The Jews, among other reproaches which they threw out against our Saviour, said, He bath a devil, and is mad: why hear ye him? The expressions, he hath a devil, and is mad, were certainly used on this occasion as synonymous. With all their virulence they would not surely ascribe to him at once two things that were inconsistent and contradictory. Those who thought more favorably of the character of Jesus, asserted concerning his discourses, in reply to his adversaries, These are not the words of him that hath a dæmon; meaning, no doubt, that he spoke in a more rational manner than a madman could be expected to speak. The Jews appear to have ascribed to the influence of dæmons, not only that species of madness in which the patient is raving and furious, but also melancholy madness. Of John, who secluded himself from intercourse with the world, and was distinguished for abstinence and acts of mortification, they said, He hath a dæmon. The youth, whose father applied to Jesus to free him from an evil spirit, describing his unhappy condition in these words, Have mercy on my son for he is lunatic, and sore vexed with a dæmon; for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water, was plainly epileptic. Every thing, indeed, that is related in the New Testament concerning dæmoniacs, proves that they were people affected with such natural diseases as are far from being uncommon among mankind in the present age. When the symptoms of disorders cured by our Saviour and his apostles, as cases of dæmoniacal possession, correspond so exactly with those of diseases well known as natural in the present age, it would be absurd to inspute them to a supernatural cause. It is much more consistent with common sense and sound philosophy, to suppose, that our Saviour and his apostles wisely, and with that condescension to the weakness and prejudices of those with whom they conversed, which so emiDently distinguished the character of the author of our holy religion, and must always be a prominent feature in the character of the true Christian, adopted the vulgar language in speaking of those unfortunate persons who were groundlessly imagined to be possessed with dæmons, though they well knew the notions which had given rise to such modes of expression

to be ill founded, than to imagine that diseases which arise at present from natural causes, were produced in days of old by the intervention of dæmons, or that evil spirits still continue to enter into mankind in all cases of madness, melancholy, or epilepsy. Besides, it is by no means a sufficient reason for receiving any doctrine as true, that it has been generally received through the world. Error, like an epidemical disease, is communicated from one to another. In certain circumstances, too, the influence of imagination predominates, and restrains the exertions of reason. Many false opinions have extended their influence through a very wide circle, and maintained it long. On every such occasion as the present, therefore, it becomes us to inquire, not so much how generally any opinion has been received, or how long it has prevailed, as from what cause it has originated, and on what evidence it rests. When we contemplate the frame of nature, we behold a grand and beautiful simplicity prevailing through the whole. Notwithstanding its immense extent, and though it contains, such numberless diversities of being, yet the simplest machine constructed by human art does not display greater simplicity, or a happier connexion of parts. We may therefore infer, by analogy, from what is observable of the order of nature in general to the present case, that to permit evil spirits to intermeddle with the concerns of human life, would be to break through that order which the Deity appears to have established through his works; it would be to introduce a degree of confusion unworthy of the wisdom of Divine Providence.

In opposition to these arguments the following are urged by the Dæmonianists. In the days of our Saviour, it would appear that dæmoniacal possession was very frequent among the Jews and the neighbouring nations. Many were the evil spirits whom Jesus is related in the gospels to have ejected from patients that were brought unto him as possessed and tormented by those malevolent dæmons. His apostles, too, and the first Christians, who were most active and successful in the propagation of Christianity, appear to have often exerted the miraculous powers with which they were endowed on similar occasions. The dæmons displayed a degree of knowledge and malevolence which sufficiently distinguished them from human beings: and the language in which the dæmoniacs are mentioned, and the actions and sentiments ascribed to them in the New Testament, show that our Saviour and his apostles did not consider the idea of dæmoniacal possession as being merely a vulgar error concerning the origin of a disease or diseases produced by natural causes. The more enlightened cannot always avoid the use of metaphorical modes of expression; which, though founded upon error, yet have been so established in language by the influence of custom, that they cannot be suddenly dismissed. But in descriptions of characters, in the narration of facts, and in the laying down of systems of doctrine, we require different rules to be observed. Should any person, in compliance with popular opinions, talk in serious language of the existence, dispo sitions, declarations, and actions of a race of

beings whom he knew to be absolutely fabulous, we surely could not praise him for integrity: we must suppose him to be either exulting in irony over the weak credulity of those around him, or taking advantage of their weakness, with the dishonesty and the selfish views of an impostor. And if he himself should pretend to any connexion with this imaginary system of beings; and should claim, in consequence of his connexion with them, particular honors from his contemporaries; whatever might be the dignity of his character in all other respects, nobody could hesitate to brand him as an impostor. In this light must we regard the conduct of our Saviour and his apostles, if the idea of dæmoniacal possession were to be considered merely as a vulgar error: They talked and acted as if they believed that evil spirits had actually entered into those who were brought to them as possessed with devils, and as if those spirits had been actually expelled by their authority out of the unhappy persons whom they had possessed. They demanded, too, to have their professions and declarations believed, in consequence of their performing such mighty works, and having thus triumphed over the powers of hell. The reality of dæmoniacal possession stands upon the same evidence with the gospel system in general. Nor is there any thing unreasonable in this doctrine. It does not appear to contradict those ideas, which the general appearances of nature and the series of events suggest, concerning the benevolence and wisdom of the Deity, by which he regulates the affairs of the universe. We often fancy ourselves able to comprehend things to which our understanding is wholly inadequate we persuade ourselves at times that the whole extent of the works of the Deity must be well known to us, and that his designs must always be such as we can fathom. We are then ready whenever any difficulty arises to us, in considering the conduct of Providence, to model things according to our own ideas; to deny that the Deity can possibly be the author of things which we cannot reconcile; and to assert that he must act on every occasion in a manner consistent with our narrow views. This is the pride of reason; and it seems to have suggested the strongest objections that have been at any time urged against the reality of dæmoniacal possession. But the Deity may surely connect one order of his creatures with another. We perceive mutual relations and a beautiful connexion to prevail through all that part of nature which falls within the sphere of our observation. The inferior animals are connected with mankind, and subjected to their authority, not only in instances in which it is exerted for their advantage, but even where it is tyrannically abused to their destruction. Among the evils to which mankind have been subjected, why might not their being liable to dæmoniacal possession be one? While the Supreme Being retains the sovereignty of the universe, he may employ whatever agents he thinks proper in the execution of his purposes: he may either commission an angel or let loose a devil, as well as bend the human will, or communicate any particular impulse to matter. All hat revelation makes known, all that human

:

reason can conjecture, concerning the existence of various orders of spiritual beings, good and bad, is perfectly consistent with, and even favorable to, the doctrine of dæmoniacal possession. It is mentioned in the New Testament in such language, and such narratives are related concerning it, that the gospels cannot well be regarded in any other light than as pieces of imposture, and Jesus Christ must be considered as a man who took advantage of the weakness and ignorance of his contemporaries, if this doctrine be nothing but a vulgar error. It teaches nothing inconsistent with the general conduct of providence. In short, it is not the caution of philosophy, but the pride of reason, that suggests objections against this doctrine.

Such are the leading arguments generally urged on this subject; the reader must of course judge for himself between them; but we cannot dismiss the article without a few additional remarks. It is argued by those who deny the influence of dæmons or evil spirits, that to permit such an influence on the concerns of human life, would be to break through that order which the Deity appears to have established throughout his works, and to introduce a degree of confusion unworthy of the Divine Providence. This, to say the least of it, is a most gratuitous assertion. For surely those who make it are well aware of the existence of much real evil in the affairs of human life, and yet the Divine government moves on with a regularity and an order that cannot fail to excite the admiration of every well-disposed mind. Now to meet the objection in all its bearings, we would ask those who make it, whether they think that all the evil which they see existing around them, or any part of it, is effected without the medium of any kind of agency? This, we conceive, no rational man would venture to maintain. The question then is simply this, of what nature is this agency? To this question, as the point at issue rests solely on the authority of Divine Revelation, we reply, it is of a purely spiritual nature, and has its origin in the spiritual world. The existence of such agency, both of a good and of an evil nature, is as clearly taught as any fact made known by the sacred writings. It is by means of it that the various affections of the human mind are produced; nor would any difficulty be experienced by us on this point were we constantly to keep in mind that man, in his present state, is intimately connected with both worlds; with the invisible by means of his spirit, and with the visible or material world by means of his body. The cases of dæmoniacal possession that occurred during the time of Christ's sojourning on earth were exactly what, from the information of Scripture, might have been expected to take place. The Eternal (according to the opinion of a vast body of Christians) assumed the human nature, that in it He might, in the sight of mankind, effect their deliverance from the infernal influence which threatened their destruction. This was accomplished by His passing through a series of the most unparalleled trials, which terminated in a conflict unutterably awful. The numerous cases of dæmoniacal possession that are introduced to

[ocr errors]

our notice in the sacred history appear to have been so many specimens of the ascendency which this influence had gained, and the certainty of its being removed; for we find, in every case, that the evil spirit was cast out: and certainly it was no obscure allusion that Jesus made to this when in the immediate prospect of the last great conflict with the invisible powers of darkness, and in reference to the grand effect of his triumph over them in the spiritual state, he said, Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.' Does not this very declaration seem to allude to the circumstance of such possessions being less frequent since that time? We say less frequent, because we think there can be no doubt but that some instances of extraordinary evil agency are, for wise purposes, still permitted to appear in the world; although certainly, in no case, to the same extent as before our Lord's subjugation of such agency. We do not deny that superstition bas much augmented the number of these; yet it would be easy to specify some cases that have powerful claims on the most rational and enlightened belief.

DEMONIACS, in church history, a sect whose distinguishing tenet was said to be, that the devils shall be saved at the end of the world.

DAFF, v. a. & n. s. Į Goth. doef; Fr. dofwa, DAFT, n s. to stupify. But Dr. Johnson thinks our word daff, or daft, is a corruption of to do aft, or throw aside, and the examples from Shakspeare seem to justify him. To cast off; to daunt. A person treated contemptuously; a dolt, or coward.

When this jape is tald another day,
I shall be halden a daffe or a cokenay,
I wol arise and auntre it by my fay :
Unhardy is unsely, thus men say.

Chaucer. Cant. Tales.
The nimble-footed mad-cap prince of Wales,
And his comrades, that daft the world aside,
Bid it pass.
Shakspeare. Henry IV.
I would she had bestowed this dotage on me: I
would have daft all other respects, and made her half
myself.

Id.

DAFFODIL, n s. Supposed by Skinner DAFFODI'LLY. to be corrupted from asDAFFODOWN DILLY. phodelus. A common S

flower.

[blocks in formation]

DAG, or DAGGE, n. s. DAGGER.

Old Fr. dagge; Ital. dagga; Span. daga Wel. and Arm, dagr

רקר

to

DAGGER-DRAWING. from Heb. pierce; Minsheu. A cutting and stabbing weapon, principally the latter.

Upon his arme he bare a gaie bracer,
And by his side a swerd and a bokeler,
And on that other side a gaie daggere,
Harneised wel, and sharpe as point of spere.

Chaucer. Prol. to Cant. Tales.

She ran to her son's dagger, and struck herself a mortal wound.

This sword a dagger had his page,
And was but little for his age,

And therefore waited on him so

Sidney.

As dwarfs upon knights-errant do. Hudibras.

They always are at daggersdrawing, And one another clapperclawing.

Id.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Nor like a puppy daggled through the town,
To fetch and carry sing-song up and down.
Pope.

DAGELET, an island on the coast of Corea, about three leagues in circumference, covered with fine trees, and surrounded with steep rocks, except a few sandy creeks, which form convenient landing places. It was discovered by La Peyrouse in 1787, who found some boats of a Chinese construction upon the stocks. The men employed upon them, were supposed to be Corean carpenters, but as the ships approached they fled to the woods. The French navigator Supposed that the island was uninhabited; except during summer by people from Corea, for building boats. Long. 131° 22′ E., lat. 37° 25′ N.

DAGHESTAN, a country of Asia, west of the Caspian Sea, between the efflux of the Koisin and the Rubas. It is about 134 miles in length, by between thirty and forty in breadth. It is almost wholly mountainous; but the soil is productive, and fine crops of grain are raised The

« AnteriorContinuar »