Fashion
in some parts of the Orient dictates the use of special colors for
raiment and jewels to be worn on the different days of the week. In
Siam deep red silks and rubies are appropriate for Sunday wear ; white
fabrics and moonstones are prescribed for Monday; light red garments
and coral ornaments are favored for Tuesday; striped stuffs and jewels
set with the cat's-eye are considered the proper wear for Wednesday ;
green materials and emeralds are decreed for Thursday ; silver-blue
robes and ornaments set with diamonds are chosen for Friday, and on
Saturday those who obey the dictates of fashion are clad in dark blue
garments and wear sapphires of a similar hue.
Our
age is not satisfied with the marvellous progress of science, which has
rendered possible the realization of many of the old magicians' dreams.
In spite of this there seems to be a growing tendency to revive many of
the old beliefs which appeared to have been definitely discarded;
therefore we need not be surprised that the nineteenth century offers
us a work on the magic art, written precisely in the spirit that
animated an Agrippa or a Portia in the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries.13 This work gives elaborate directions as to the manner in which the ' ' Magus ' ' should proceed to perform his magic rites.
13 Eliphas Levi, " Rituel de la haute magie," Paris, 1861.
