Jacob's Rod A Translation From The French, 1875

"Jacob's Rod: A translation from the French of a rare and curious work, A.D. 1693 [authored by Jean Nicolas], on the art of finding springs, mines, and minerals by means of the hazel rod. To which is appended researches, with proofs of the existence of a more certain and far higher faculty, with clear and ample instructions for using it." Translated into English by Thomas Welton, c. 1875, 128 pages. Frankly speaking, this is a book about the ancient art of dowsing, or using the divining rod - divination. Many of the practices demonstrated in this work are still in use today. "Diving Rod (known also as Virgula Divina, Baculus Divinatorius, Caduceus, or Mercury's Wand, Aaron's Rod, etc.), a forked branch usually of hazel, willow or rowan, or sometimes artificially made, or a Y-shaped metallic rod (iron, brass, or copper), by means of which water or minerals may be discovered beneath the earth's surface by certain persons apparently possessed of the requisite powers. The rod is grasped by its 2 prongs and, held thus in front of the holder, twists or quivers suddenly when the exact spot is reached, thrusting down towards the concealed mine or spring. This belief is very old: Agricola, Sperlingius and Kirchmayer all believed in the occult powers of the magic wand, but the modern use of the divining rod by 'dowsers' should not be confused with the anct. wand. Another use was to discover the authors of a crime, as used by Jacques Aymer in the case of murder and robbery at Lyons, 1692. The D.R. [divining rod] of hazel or willow was used by prospectors for metals in the Hartz Mts of Germany in the 15th cent., and the custom was adopted in the next cent. in Cornwall, where it persisted until recent times. Some diviners use a polished stone held at the end of a string like a pendulum instead of a D.R. The stone revolves quickly or slowly, clockwise or anti-clockwise, thus, it is claimed, transmitting its message to the holder. See A. Lang, 'Custom and Myth,' 1884; J. Mullins, 'The Divining Rod,' 1894; B. Tompkins, 'Springs of Water,' 1925; T. Besterman, 'Water Divining,' 1938; H. de France, 'The Elements of Dowsing,' 1948." (FROM: 'Everyman's Encyclopedia, fourth edition in twelve volumes,' J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., c. 1958, vol. 4, p. 426.) SEE also: https://www.cutcat.com/item/Jacob_s_Rod/1483/pg https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14449074-jacob-s-rod https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jacob%27s-rod