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Curious Coincidences and Fulfilled Predictions

Although led somewhat discursively from the remarkable phenomena of 1848 to the results of General Roy's observations at Fairlight in 1787, there are a few other phenomena of the former period yet to be noticed. Notwithstanding the generally unseasonable weather of the year, and the large fall of undesirable rain, the first week of May was one of phenominal(sic) heat. Phenominal(sic) also was the production or non-production of the sea, especially in its relation to the catches of fish, the mackerel season having proved itself the worst that had been experienced for twenty years. A heavy fall of snow on Sunday, the 9th of April, and another snowstorm on October 18th, were also unusual occurrences for those periods of the year.

Having in the next chapter (XL) alluded to and commented on the French Revolution and the flight of Louis Phillipe (who was afterwards domiciled for a considerable time at St. Leonards), it may not be amiss to transfer from my diary some curious predictions bearing on the fate of that monarch and two of his predecessors. The said predictions, under the head of ”Politicai Prophecies,” together with remarks thereon, were copied into my diary on June 3rd, 1848, from the London Pioneer, and were as follows :—

“We live in a sceptical age, that rejects all belief in prophecies — nobody, indeed, has ridiculed them more than myself — yet do we hear of things so passing strange that we are almost shaken in our proud contempt of the astrologer’s art, All verbal predictions are subject to the objection of being invented after the events they pretend to have foreseen; but what can we say to printed prophecies bearing a remote date, and that have come to pass under our own eyes? These ideas have been awakened by a little pamphlet, published ia December, 1837, which was thought nothing of at the time, but has now been bought up with such avidity that not a copy is left in the market, The publishers of the pamphlet took every pains to prove the genuineness of its genealogy They relate that in the year 92 and 793 the libraries of our royal palaces were nearly all committed to the flames, after a brief examination of their contents, Some few were saved, more by the caprice of the examiners than on any substantial grounds. One day in the month of June, 1793, after turning over a lot of books on theology, history and astronomy, the examiners came to a number of duodecimo, quarto and octavo volumes, all bound in parchment, and marked with a peculiar sign, supposed to belong either to the Benedictines or to the Canons of St. Jenevieve. These were treatises on the occult sciences, one of which was entitled The Book of Prophecies, by Philip Noël Olivarious, doctor of medicine and astrologer. The date it bore was 1542, Francois de Metz, secretary to the Commune of Paris, into whose hands this book happened to fall, read it (as he afterwards confessed) without understanding it. Yet it seemed so singular that he copied it. His copy bears the date of 1793. In it we find the whole career of Napoleon shadowed forth in quaint old language—his birth in la Gaule Itale, his wars in Italy, his conquest over kings, &c, Some of the most curious of these predictions are the following :—‘ He will bear in his hands an eagle, ....’ ‘He will go to war in a country where the lines of latitude and longitude cross each other during 55 months, There his enemies will burn a large town, and he and his troops will enter it, and come out amongst ruins and ashes, and he and his will want for bread and water amidst intense cold, and two thirds of his army will perish,’ &c. Then it goes on to say that he would remain in exile for eleven moons, when he would return to Celte Gauloise from which he would be expelled after three moons and a third. It seems that this strange prophecy was shewn to Napoleon and was printed in 1815. Nor is this the only one of the kind, Another Olivarius treated of the same subject, and with an accuracy equally startling. These prophecies foretold the death of Louis XVI.; and when that unfortunate monarch had perished on the scaffold these predictions were remembered, and people were struck with their fatal accomplishment. In this second prophecy,which likewise foretels(sic) the events of Napoleon’s career, marking the return of Louis XVIII. during the hundred days, &c., we find at paragraph 21 this distinct intimation of Louis Phillipe’s accession;—* Woe to the Celtic Gaul! The cock will set aside the white flower and a-high personage will style himself King of The People. There will be a great commotion in the minds of many persons because the crown will be placed on his head by the hands of workmen who will have warred in the great town.' What can be more explicit? And even were we disposed to be so sceptical and to doubt the authenticity of Olivarius, yet must we bear in mind that the book was preprinted in December, 1839, and contained in paragraph 23 the following prophecy, which last February saw fulfilled :-‘ The King of the People, when seated on his throne, will wax very weak, yet will he oppose many disaffected spirits, But he was not firmly seated, and behold! God has cast him down.’”

As touching the flight of Louis Phillipe, the following is a curious coincidence. In the ancient Roman Calendar the 24th of February is called Regifugium (the flight of the King), because on that day Tarquin the Proud fled from Rome. The 24th of February was also the day on which Louis Phillipe fled from France.

I now proceed to add from the same source some equally curious — not to say extraordinary — coincidences in connection with the French Revolutions of 1830 and 1848. These parallel occurrences are diaried as follows :—

June 21st, Longest Day. A Frenchman who signs himself Alphonse Langlois, Commis Libraire, has compiled an historical parallel so curiously exact as — to repeat his own expression — to be worthy of a place in the national annals of France. The said parallel is not less instructive than curious; for it reads a lesson to all, but particularly to the men who are entrusted with the moral and physical interest of that unhappy land. The compilation has been printed in France and is here translated :—

1	The Duke de Berry, son of Charles X.	1	The Duke d’Orleans, son of Louis Phillipe.
2	Marries a foreign princess (Sicilian)	2	Marries a foreign princess (Mecklenberg).
3	Of this marriage is born an heir to the crown, the Duke of Bordeaux.	3	Of this marriage is born an heir to the crown, the Count of Paris.
4	His father, the Duke of Berry, dies by assassination.	4	His father, the Duke of Orleans, dies by an accident.
5	The 13th Feb., 1820	5	The 13th July, 1842
6	In the year preceding the fall of Charles X, (1829) bread rises to an exorbitant price, 1f. 5c.	6	In the year preceding the fall of Louis Phillipe (1847) bread rises to an extraordinary price, 1f. 24c.
7	The Seine frozen over (1829-30).	7	The Seine frozen over (1847-48); the first time since 1830.
8	The retrograde movement of the Government, after magnificent promises, induces the true Royalists to tender it their advice on the approaching crisis	8	The retrograde movement of the Government, after magnificent promises, induces the true Conservatives to tender it their advice on the approaching crisis
9	This advice is disregarded by the authorities	9	This advice is disregarded by the authorities
10	The speech from the throne is offensive to the Opposition (session 1830)	10	The speech from the throne is offensive to the Opposition (session 1848)
11	Leads to a protest by 221 deputies.	11	Leads to a protest by a great number of deputies
12	Taking of Algiers and the Dey.	12	Taking of Ab-dele Kader.
13	Ordonnances of the 25th July, abolishing the liberty of the Press.	13	Ordonnance of the 21st February, opposing the Reform Banquet.
14	These ordonnances lead to tumultuous assemblages on Monday evening as a preface to next day’s revolution.	14	This ordonnance lead to tumultuous assemblages on Monday evening as a preface to next day’s revolution
15	The people revolt against the ordonnances, and the power falls into the hands of the insurgents.	15	The people revolt against the ordonnance, and the power falls into the hands of the insurgents.
16	The combat lasts three days — 27, 28 and 29 July, 1830.	16	The combat lasts three days - 22, 23 and 24 February, 1848,
17	Commencing on Tuesday and finishing on Thursday.	17	Commencing on Tuesday and finishing on Thursday.
18	The people gain a victory over the Royal troops.	18	The people gain a victory over the troops.
19	The gendarmerie first take part in the conflict, and yield.	19	The Municipal Guard first take part in the conflict, and yield.
20	They are disbanded.	20	They are disbanded.
21	The inviolability of the sovereign, proclaimed in the charter of 1814, is treated with derision.	21	The inviolability of the sovereign, proclaimed in the charter of 1830, is treated with derision.
22	Charles X. falls from the throne at 74 years of age.	22	Louis Phillipe falls from the throne at 74 years of age,
23	In July, the month of the death of the Duke of Orleans.	23	In February, the month of the death of the Duke of Berry,
24	He abdicates in favor(sic) of his grandson, the Duke of Bordeaux, aged 10 years.	24	He abdicates in favor(sic) of his grandson, the Count of Paris, aged 10 years.
25	he Duke of Bordeaux is presented as King.	25	The Count of Paris is presented as King.
26	He is refused, the people declaring that it is too late.	26	He is refused, the people declaring that it is too late.
27	A provisional government is established, after the Revolution	27	A provisional government is established, after the Revolution,
28	The Royal Family are obliged to quit the soil of France.	28	The Royal Family are obliged to quit the soil of France,
29	Which they do by short stages, &c.	29	Which they do precipitately and without the necessaries of life, &c.
30	They adopt England as their place of exile	30	They adopt England as their place of exile
31	Charles X., when reaching that country, shed tears of joy.	31	Louis Phillipe said, “Thank God, I am on English ground.“
32	The temperature of the atmosphere very high for the season.	32	The temperature of the atmosphere considerably above the average.
33	Some days afterwards a frightful storm occurred, accompanied by thunder and lightning.	33	On the 26th Feb., at 2 p.m,, a tremendous hurricane commenced, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
34	Impeachment of the ministers of Charles X.	34	Impeachment of the ministers of Louis Phillipe
35	The head of the family dies in a foreign land.	35	The head of the family dies in a foreign land,

I bethink me to follow up the strangely coincident ~ features of the French Revolution of 1830 and ’48, and the equally curious foreshadowing of those events, together with the career of Napoleon, by Olivarius, with further extracts from my diary, thereby adding to some already published realised predictions of the almanac-makers of that period. Those professors of star logic, I have reason to believe, have all passed the border-land of Time and Eternity, and have left the Horatios to discover that there are more things in the heavens and the earth than are dreamt of in man’s philosophy.

The Astrologers’ Almanac told its readers that about the third of January intelligence would be received of a melancholy loss at sea, involving much sacrifice of life and property; and the London Times of the 6th of January proved the ower true tale as follows :—“ The steam packet Pacha has arrived, bringing the melancholy intelligence of the loss of H. M. steam frigate Avenger. The crew of 276 persons have all perished, with the exception of a seaman and 8 officers, who have reached the African coast in a boat.”

The Astrologer predicted that in the second week of January the Italian States would be in a condition of fearful excitement; and the Times again proved the accuracy of the forecast when it said :— ”Nine steamers left Naples on the 14th instant, Palermo and Messina are barricaded, and are full of insurrection. Sixteen persons wounded at the conflict of Milan have died.”

Zadkiel, in his “Voice of the Stars” for January, said:— About the 4th day the new Parliament appears to enact some valuable laws, but the planet Uranus is still in Aries, and will continue to trouble old England, giving vexations to the people.” It was generally admitted at the time that Parliamentary business was never commenced with greater zeal, and never had to withstand much greater onslaughts from the Opposition. There were strong debates on the West Indian Interest; petitions from all parts of the Kingdom pro et con the Jewish Disabilities Bill; Motion to Improve the Law of Landlord and Tenant; new sanitary measures; Commercial Relations with China; proposed alteration of Game Laws, Navigation Laws, &c.

Mr. Simmonite, lecturer and master of the Classical and Mathematical School, Sheffield, announced to the world that at that time Ireland would “be afflicted and pressed down with many sorrows, brought about by her idle sons.” Too truly was this realised, the public journals having to report the murders, trials, convictions, sentences of transportation, and the executions which were almost daily taking place in that land of ire. Zadkiel also said :—" In Taurus we find the violent Mars, who afflicts old Ireland, where angry passions rage, and blood is poured forth, especially about the third week.”

Simmonite, however, had an encouraging word for housekeepers when he said, “Potatoes will sell well, with rather less disease than in 1847, and bread will also sell at a moderate price.” The average price of the former was 7d. and of the latter 11d. per gallon.

The violent gales, appalling shipwrecks, and lamentable loss of life during the winter of 1847-8 could hardly fail to impress the readers of Zadkiel’s Almanac with the accuracy of the following calculation:- ”Saturn, the ruler of the figure, is ascending in Pisces, whence I foresee many storms and tempests at sea, many shipwrecks, and much loss of life this winter.” It should be remembered that these secular prophets make their astral deductions several months in advance of the date of publication, and that their almanacs for any one year are generally to be had on the 1st of the preceding October. I have myself been permitted to see some of the proof-sheets as early as the last week in May.

Still going on with the curious coincidences of which I have record in my diary, I extract the following:—“Saturday, Jan. 15. Have this day read in the Dispatch an account of a singular circumstance, as here quoted: At an inquest held on Friday by Mr. Mills, he said that he had witnessed the fulfilment of a fatal wish. During dinner the deceased had expressed a wish that he might die suddenly, as Mrs. Gibson, a friend of his, had done. After dinner all the company except the deceased had retired from the dining room, and on their return they found their friend leaning on the table and lifeless.”

Another coincidence is that of the death of King Christian of Denmark on the 19th of January, thus realising that which appeared under the heading of January in The Astrologer as follows: “About the middle of the present month one of the Earth’s potentates will no longer wield the sceptre in his grasp.”

For the same month the almanac by Simmonite, the Classical schoolmaster, had the following comforting (?) notice: ”Eggs, bacon, pigs and poultry will be dear.” When we find that eggs are 2s. a dozen, bacon 10d. per lb., and pigs and poultry are considerably above their average price, it might be wished that Simmonite could have truthfully told us something less to our cost.

Among the coincidences of February were the following fulfilled predictions. The Astrologer warned that “about the 10th a casualty in one of the coal-pits is indicated.” and the newspapers informed us that soon after 7 o’clock on the morning of the 9th, a frightful accident occurred in the pit at West Bromwich. when four men were killed and twelve others fearfully mutilated, several horses being also killed. Simmonite expressed an opinion that “An old statesman departs this earthly career,” and the death on the 11th of February of the venerable Lord Primate Archbishop of Canterbury proved him to be right. From the same source may be quoted, “Bishops are now engaged in some Parliamentary proceedings,” a verification of which is somewhat unique. At that time an active and spirited warfare of a clerical nature was being carried on against the Queen and Government, the bishops being determined to resist, by every means in their power, the election of Dr. Hampden. For many years such a contention between the Crown and the bishops had not occurred; yet in spite of their protests, Dr. Hampden was elected a -