UNINSPIRED PROPHECIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2246, 7 October 1889, Page 2

UNINSPIRED PROPHECIES.

It Is not my intention (writes the oorrea. pondent of a Melbourne paper) at present to examine the verified predictions, of tho Bible, bet to Bhow that propheoles have beea mad a and fulfilled by persons who did not olaim to be divinely inspired. Take, for instance, the oaso of the Empress Josephine, Ht-r fature destiny was fore* told by an old fortune -toUor. Alison, the historian, m referring to It says, " the history of Josephine had been very remarkable ; Sho was born In the West IndieoY and jt hsd early been prophesied by an old negrem that ehe should lose her fir&t hmband, bd bxtrorao'y unfortunate, but that she should afterwards bo greater than a quoea. This prophecy, the authenticity of whicm is placed beyond a doubt, was fulfilled m the most singular manner. Her frst husband, Alexander Beauharnai?, a general m the army of tbe Rhine, had been guillotined during the FreDoh Revolution ; and sbe, who was imprisoned at tin name time, was only saved from deith by tho fall of Robespierre. So strongly was the prophecy im pressed upon her mind that while lying m tho dungeon of the Oonciergtrie, expecting every hour to , be summoned to the Uevoutlonnry Tribunal, she mentioned it to her fellow prisoners, and to amuse them named some of them &b lodfoa of the bed chamber — a jest which she afterwards lived to roallso to one of their uambor." Alieon m ano to adds, "The author ;eard of (his prophecy long before Napoleon's elevation to the throne, frpm the late ooontess of B*th »nd the pounteao of Auoram, who were educated In tbe i sumo ootront with Josephine, and hud heard her rep-atedly mention the olroomutanoe In.eatly youth." Then there is the propheoy In tho Medea of Seneaa whioh predicts tho discovery of America. It re»d& tboß : "Tmes shall heroafter come when the ohnln of all things ahall be relaxed bytheoce»n, a vast country ohnll be revealed, tho sea shall unfold now worlds, and Thule ooasa to be tho moat JJstant country. "