SUPERSTITION OF THE CORNISH MINERS.
Mr. Kingsley records a superstition of the Cornish miners, which I have not seen noted elsewhere. In reply to the question, "What are the Knockers?" Tregarva answers:
"They are the ghosts, the miners hold, of the Old Jews that crucified our Lord, and were sent for slaves by the Roman emperors to work the mines: and we find their old smelting-houses, which we call Jews' houses, and their blocks of the bottom of the great bogs, which we call Jews' tin: and then, a town among us, too, which we call Market Jew, but the old name was Marazion, that means the Bitterness of Zion, they tell me; and bitter work it was for them no doubt, poor souls! We used to break into the old shafts and adits which they had made, and find old stags-horn pickaxes, that crumbled to pieces when we brought them to grass. And they say that if a man will listen of a still night about those old shafts, he may hear the ghosts of them at working, knocking, and picking, as clear as if there was a man at work in the next level."—Yeast; a Problem: Lond. 1851, p. 255.
Miners, as a class, are peculiarly susceptible of impressions of the unseen world, and the superstitions entertained by them in different parts of the world would form a curious volume. Is there any work on Cornish folk lore which alludes to this superstition respecting the Jews? It would be useless, I dare say, to consult Carew, or Borlase; besides, I have not them by me.
Apropos to Cornish matters, a dictionary with a very tempting title was advertised for publication two or three years ago:
"Geslevar Cernewac, a Dictionary of the Cornish Dialect of the Cymraeg or ancient British Language, in which the words are elucidated by numerous examples from the Cornish works now remaining, with translations in English: and the synonyms in Welsh, Armoric, Irish, Gaelic, and Manx, so as to form a Celtic Lexicon. By the Rev. Robert Williams, M.A., Oxon., to be published in one vol. 4to. price 31s. 6d."
When shall we see this desirable lexicon? I was reminded of it the other day by hearing of the subscriptions on foot for the publication of the great Irish dictionary, which the eminent Irish scholars Messrs. O'Donovan and Curry have had in hand for many years.
Eirionnach.