Magic Squares.
Magic squares have been so called on account of the wonderful powers which the ancients thought they possessed. According to this idea, a square containing one cell represented the Deity, the product of unity by itself always being unity. The square of the root two represented imperfection, while a square of nine cells was consecrated to Saturn, of sixteen to Jupiter, of twenty-five to Mars, of thirty-six to the Sun, of forty-nine to Venus, of sixty-four to Mercury, and of eighty-one to the Moon. There are even and odd magic squares. Added vertically, horizontally, or diagonally the result will be the same. A still more ingenious square is so arranged that when it is lessened by one, two, or three bands on each side it will still remain "magic." Still another square is divided into four compartments, each compartment being magic.
Odd Square.
Even Square.
Bordered Square.
Compartment Square.
Vincent V. M. Beede, R.T.F.