1949 in 1968 W.B. Crow Hist. of Magic,
Witchcraft & Occultism (1972) xxx. 295 (footnote): Whilst
divination with the rod has been called rhabdomancy, Tromp
(Physical Physics, 1949) has coined the term pallomancy for
divination with the pendulum.
From the ancient Greek pantos of everything, genitive of pas all.
1652 Gaule The Magastromancer xxvii. 335: Of Astromancers turning Pantomancers; or presaging, not onely upon prodigies, but upon every slight occasion, by ever vile and vaine means: and so occasioning superstitious people to an omination upon every accident, and after any fashion.
1904 OED.
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict.: pantomancer [main
words list]
1973 Thomas Pynchon Gravity's Rainbow 442: ..Säure really turns out to be an adept at the difficult art of papyromancy, the ability to prophesy through contemplating the way people roll reefers.
1984 George Stone Saussy III The Penguin
Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Words: [citing Pynchon]
1592 Gabriel Harvey Pierce's Super (1593) 132. (OED) Pedomancie [is] more fitter for such coniurers, then either Chiromancie, or Necromancie, or any Familiar Spirit, but contempt.
1652 Gaule The Magastromancer xix. 165. ..Pædomancy, by the feet...
1709 J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (ed. 2) 374: There are lines in the Neck, the Forehead, the Lips, the Hams, the Elbows, and the bottom of the Buttocks..and therefore..as there is Chiromancy, there ought to be Frontimancy, Collimancy, Pedimancy, Natimancy.
1777 Brand Popular Antiquities (1844) iii. 329. [citing Gaule]
1832 Hone Year Bk 1517/2: Pædomancy... [citing Gaule (via Brand)]
1852 Mackay Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions 252. Podomancy, by the feet. [citing Hone citing Gaule]
1959 Robbins Encyc. of Witchcraft and Demonology 139. [citing Gaule; though changing spelling] Podomancy, by the feet.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 322. PODOMANCY: Study of the feet as a form of divination. This applies specifically to the soles, which can be interpreted in terms of lines and mounts, exactly as in cheiromancy or palmistry, but to a greatly limited degree. This mode of divination is of great antiquity in the Orient, particularly among the Chinese.
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PEDOMANCY - the soles of the feet. In Dictionaries
1656 Blount Glossographia Pedomancy (Gr.) a kind of divination by the lines of the sole of the feet.
1676 Coles An Eng. Dict.: Pedomancy, Divination by the lines of the soles of the feet.
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. ii. pedomancy..Divination by the soles of the feet.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang. pedomancy..Divination by the soles of the feet. Smart.
1899 Century Dict. (1903) V pedomancy.. Divination by examining the soles of the feet.
1904 OED
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. pedomancy..The art of divining by observing the soles of the feet and the lines upon them.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V and supp.
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. podomancy [minor words list]
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. pedomancy..fortunetelling by the soles of the feet.
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.)
212. pedomancy a form of divination involving the study of
the soles of the feet. Also called podomancy.
NOTES: OED 1592, 1652 Gaule, 1656 Blount, 1709, 1883. Despite the
fact that OED has 4 quotes for it, plus one for 'pedimancy', it labels it
nonce-wd. Queer.
[1696-9 Potter Archæologia Græca pegomanteia]
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. i PEGOMANCY [ãnyomanteia of ãnyn a Fountain, and manteia, Divination, Gr.] divining by Fountain Water: The same as Hydromancy, which see.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511. ..by fountains, Pegomancy...
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang. pegomancy..Divination by means of fountains. Roget.
1899 Century Dict. (1903) V pegomancy.. Divination by the agency of fountains.
1899 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon V: 1904 OED
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. pegomancy..Folk-lore. Divination by observing springs or fountains.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. pegomancy [minor words list]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16. pegomancy, fountains.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6 pegomancy (fountains)
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. pegomancy a form of divination by studying springs or fountains. --pegomantic, adj. In other texts
1931 Lock tr. de Givry Picture Museum of Sorcery (1963) viii. 301: Hydromancy - also known as hydatoscopy, if he augury was drawn from the examination of rain- water, or pegomancy, if spring-water is used - comprised of many different experiments. Practitioners would dangle a ring from a thread into still water, or would study the circles formed by three little stones thrown into still water, or would throw a drop of oil into water and see future events in it as in a mirror.
1953 Gaynor (ed.) Dict. Mysticism (1974) 136: Pegomancy: Divination using the water of a fountain for sources of divinatory omens.
1970 Man, Myth &ast Magic v. 658: Pegomancy - by fountains.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient &ast Forbidden Knowledge 469: PEGOMANCY: Requires spring water or bubbling fountains for its divination.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 322. PEGOMANCY: A form of hydromancy, or divination by water, applicable chiefly to springs and fountains. A change in color could be an omen, such as a spring turning reddish to symbolize the approach of war. Shapes formed by the swirl of a spring or the play of a fountain were also given appropriate interpretations.
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. pegomancy..fortunetelling by seeing how bubbles rise in a fountain.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 150. Scrying has links with hydromancy, because at first water and other liquids were the most important and most easily available reflectors. The water could be a sacred pool or spring (a form of divination called pegomancy), or a liquid could be held in a special container.
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PEGOMANCY -
bubbles rising in a fountain.
NOTES: OED 1727 Bailey vol II, 1824. Actually, in Sue's Bailey it is
vol I. not II.
[1696-9 Potter Archæologia Græca]
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. i PESSOMANCY [ãîååomanteia, Gr.] a Sort of Divination by putting Lots into a Vessel, and drawing them out, having first made Supplication to the Gods to direct them, and being drawn, they made Conjectures from the Characters marked on them what should happen.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511. ..by pebbles, pessomancy...
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. ii. supp. pessomancy..Divination by means of pebbles.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang. pessomancy..Divination by means of pebbles. Smart.
1899 Century Dict. (1903) V pessomancy.. Divination by means of pebbles.
1905 OED
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. pessomancy..Folk-lore. Divination with pebbles.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. pessomancy [minor words list]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16. pessomancy, tossed pebbles.
1981 Macquarie Dict. (1st ed.) pessomancy..divination from pebbles.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6 pessomancy (pebbles)
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. pessomancy a form of divination involving pebbles. Also called psephology, psephomancy. In other texts
1970 Man, Myth &ast Magic v. 658: Pessomancy - by pebbles.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient &ast Forbidden Knowledge 469: PESSOMANCY: This involves pebbles.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 322. PESSOMANCY or PSEPHOMANCY: Use of pebbles in divination, one ancient form being to draw different types from a large heap. The same system can be used with colored marbles, giving each type a special intepretation [sic] and drawing one from a bag.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 104. Pessomancy, psephomancy is divination by drawing or casting coloured or specially marked pebbles. Many African witch doctors keep bags of "wise stones" that they cast to foretell the future. In the Arab tradition, the pebbles are turned out into a heap, and the omens read one at a time as the stones are drawn at random.
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PESSOMANCY,
PSEPHOMANCY - pebbles.
NOTES: OED "1727 in Bailey vol II., whence in mod. Dicts."
Actually, in Sue's Bailey it is vol I. not II.
1960 J.E. Schmidt Libido (1984) 186
Phallomancy...Superstitious divination by the method of observing a
bull's phallus.
NOTES: not in OED; not recorded elsewhere. Schmidt has admitted to
the creation of many terms in his lexicographical works.
[1713 Fabricii Bibliographia Antiquaria xii. 419: Phyllomantia, s[ive] divinatio ex foliis arborum.]
1882 Mary Lockwood tr. Lenormant Beginnings of History ii. 94: We hear of a Phyllomancy among the Assyrians.... The orthodox Hebrews held...to the prophetic meaning in the agitation and rustling of the leaves of trees.
1913 Halliday Greek Div. ix. 185. Ooskopy,..libanomancy..and aleuromancy..belong to the same order of sub-rites. [footnote] Also phyllomancy, alphitomancy, krithomancy... In Dictionaries
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. phyllomancy..Divination by leaves.
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. phyllomancy [minor words list]
1961 Webs. Third New Int. Dict. phyllomancy..divination by means of leaves.
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. phyllomancy..fortunetelling with leaves.
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. phyllomancy a form of divination involving the examination of leaves.
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PHYLLOMANCY -
leaves.
NOTES: not in OED. Need to find orig. source - and work out what [s.
'82.] means.
1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult 324/1: Phyllorhodomancy: Divination by rose-leaves. The Greeks clapped a rose-leaf on the hand, and judged from the resulting sound the success or otherwise of their desires.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient &ast Forbidden Knowledge 469: PHYLLORHODOMANCY: An intriguing type of divination dating from Ancient Greece. It consists of slapping rose petals against the hand and judging the success of a venture according to the loudness of the sound.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 322. PHYLLORHODOMANCY: Clapping rose leaves against the side of the hand and noting the sounds that they make. This trifling pastime was used for divination by the ancient Greeks.
1973 L. Watson Supernature ix. 300: Precoginition means "knowing in advance," and systems of knowing cover just about every possible source of variation. They include..phyllorhodomancy (consisting of the sounds made by slapping rose petals against the hand)... None of these need be taken seriously...
1983 Complete Bk Predictions
Phyllorhodomancy Predicting from rose petals.
NOTES: not in OED.
Later refinements of this practice were metoposcopy or metopomancy, and moleosophy or meilomancy. Some suggest that it helped to give rise to phrenology, but I do not think the connection is that close, phrenology being formed on a quite different assumption.
The word is a simple compound of physiogno(my)
+ -mancy.
The word physiognomy was borrowed into English in the
Middle English period, and there was subject to much spelling
variation, occuring occasionally as phisionomie, but
more usually with a syllable dropped, as phisonomie,
physynomye, fysenamye , or even with two syllables
dropped, as in fysnomye, fisnomy and
physnomy.
The word makes it way into English from the Old French
fisonomie or Medieval Latin physonomia, both
in turn from the Medieval Latin physionomia, from Late Greek
physiognomia. This form actually arises, according to
OED, from an erroneous form, appearing in the Eclogae of Stobaeus,
of the Greek physiognomonia the art of reading the features,
ultimately a compound of physis nature, and
gnomon to judge.
The modern English form is an educated spelling based on the original
ancient Greek.
It is remarkable that from the Greek physiognomonia to
the Middle English fisnomy there is a reduction from
seven syllables to only three.
The variant forms given by Shipley (fiznomancy, phyznomancy) represent possible Middle English or even early modern English forms, though I cannot find corroborating evidence for them. I would like to express my great doubts about them. Hellweg merely copies Shipley. The variant from Collier's Encyclopedia is probably the result of an erroneous transcription. None of these forms, including the headword, appear in OED.
1797 Encyc. Brit. (3rd ed.) VII 66: Physiognomy, or physiognomancy, is a science that pretends to teach the nature, the temperament, the understanding, and the inclinations of men, by the inspection of their countenances, and is therefore very little less frivolous than chiromancy; though Aristotle, and a number of learned men after him, have written express treatises concerning it. But as it is an undeniable fact, that our passions, especially when frequently and violently agitated, make indelible impressions on our features, by their repeated action on particular muscles, insomuch that the tempers of many people may be known at first view from their looks; and as it is not improbable, that certain habits of vice may make impressions equally legible, if we were accustomed to study them, physiognomy appears to be worthy of rather more attention.
1829 London Encyc. [copying previous text]
1855 Henry Thompson in Smedley et al. Occult Sci. 293: Artificial divination..consists in the careful observation of external phenomena, which possess mysterious sympathies with future or occult events; and, as such connections pervade the whole frame of nature, hence naturally arise those ingenious varieties, astrology, aeromancy, meteoromancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, geomancy, chiromancy, rhabdomancy, physiognomancy, necromancy, and ten thousand others, alike imposing, profound, and veritable.
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16: physiognomancy, phyznomancy, fiznomancy, the countenance. 1973 Collier's Encyc. x. 211/1: Physiogmancy...face
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 75:
Physiognomancy (also phyznomancy, (fiznomancy) - The countenance
(the face).
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 17.
pneumancy, blowing; a vestigium of this is the blowing out of
candles on a festival cake.
NOTES: not in OED.
1852 Mackay Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions 252. Podomancy, by the feet. [citing Hone citing Gaule]
1899 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon V: 1907 OED
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii.
podomancy..Folk-lore. Divination by inspection of the
feet.
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x.
NOTES: OED lists as recorded in Syd. Soc. Lex. 1895.
[1696-9 Potter Archæologia Græca]
[1713 Fabricii Bibliographia Antiquaria xii. 419: Psephomantia.]
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. i PSEPHOMANCY [yníomanteia of yníoc, a Stone, and manteia, Gr. Divination] a Divination by Pebble- Stones, distinguished by certain Characters, and put as Lots into a Vessel; which, having made certain Supplications to the Gods to direct them, they drew out, and according to the Characters, conjured what should happen to them.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511. ..by pebbles drawn from a heap, Psephomancy...
1899 Century Dict. (1903) VI psephomancy.. Divination by means of pebbles drawn from a heap. Roget.
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. psephomancy..Folk-lore. Divination with pebbles.
1909 OED
1910 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) supp.
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. psephomancy [minor words list]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16. psephomancy, heaped pebbles.
1961 Webs. Third New Int. Dict. psephomancy
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. psephomancy..fortunetelling with pebbles.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6 psephomancy (heap of pebbles)
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. psephomancy 1. pessomancy. 2. a form of divination involving the study of marks made on pebbles which are drawn at random from a container. In other texts
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989). See pessomancy.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions. See pessomancy.
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. See pesso-
NOTES: OED 1727 Bailey; 1852 Roget
1656 Blount Glossographia Pseudomancy (pseudomantia) a false or counterfeit Divination. Mt. White in his Apol.
1676 Coles An Eng. Dict.: Pseudomancy, g. false divination.
[1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V - -mantist, citing Gaule]
1909 OED
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. pseudomancy [minor words list; labelled rare]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 17. pseudomancy, with intent to deceive, as when the witches promise Macbeth he'll be safe till Birnam Wood shall come to Dunsinane - which would leave more than a dunce inane.
1961 Webs. Third New Int. Dict. pseudomancy
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. pseudomancy..consciously fraudulent fortune-telling.
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.)
212. pseudomancy a form of divination that is deliberately
false or misleading.
NOTES: OED 1656 Blount. The only cit. All other cits are of
derivatives: 1652 Gaule -mantist, 1894 -mantic, 1901 -mantis, 1902 -
mantic.
1652 Gaule The Magastromancer xix. 165. ..Psychomancy, by mens souls, affections, wills, religious or morall dispositions.
1777 Brand Popular Antiquities (1844) iii. 329. [citing Gaule]
1832 Hone Year Bk 1517/1: [citing Gaule (via Brand)]
1853 Mackay Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions 251. Psychomancy, by the souls, affections, or dispositions of men. [citing Hone citing Gaule]
1893 Howitt tr. Ennemoser Hist. of Magic ii. 460: psycomancy, [sic] or sciomancy - Was an art among the ancients of raising or calling up the names or souls of deceased persons, to give intelligence of things to come. The witch who conjured up the soul of Samuel, to foretell Saul the event of the battle he was about to begin, did so by Sciomancy. [copied in Daniels &ast Stevans 1903]
1903 Daniels &ast Stevans Encyc. Occult Sci. (1971) III 1662. [text copied from Howitt 1893]
1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult 333/1: Psychomancy: Divination by spirits or the art of evoking the dead.
1959 Robbins Encyc. of Witchcraft and Demonology 139. [citing Gaule] Psychomancy, by men's souls, affections, wills, religious or moral dispositions.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 323. PSYCHOMANCY: Here, divination depends upon human reactions or emotions and therefore covers a wide range. Broadly, it can be defined as "psychic perception" attained through the astral counterparts of the five physical senses, thus including such factors as clairvoyance, precognition, automatic writing, and coherent messages obtained from an Ouija Board. Since these are often mistaken for spirit communications, psychomancy is sometimes linked with necromancy, or the evoking of the dead.
1986 F. Gettings Encyc. Occult
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PSYCHOMANCY - ghosts. In Dictionaries
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. i PSYCHOMANCY [Yvxomanteia of yvxn, the Soul, and manteia, Divination Gr.] a Divination by the Ghosts, Souls, or Spirits of dead Persons.
1740 Dyche &ast Pardon New General Eng. Dict.: psychomancy (s.) a pretended divination by the ghosts, souls, or spirits of dead persons.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511. ..by ghosts, Psychomancy...
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. ii. psychomancy..A species of divination, in which the dead were supposed to appear as spirits to communicate the wished for information.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang. psychomancy..Divination by consulting the spirits or souls of the dead. Walker.
1899 Century Dict. (1903) VI psychomancy.. 1. Divination by consulting the souls of the dead; necromancy. - 2. A mysterious influence of one soul upon another.
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii. psychomancy..1. Divination by communicating with the souls of the dead; necromancy. 2. A supposed mystic influence of one soul over another.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V
1909 OED
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. psychomancy [minor words list]
c1920 Cassell's New Eng. Dict. [marked obsolete]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 17. psychomancy, spirits.
[1981 Macquarie Dict. (1st ed.) psychomancy..occult communication between souls or with spirits.]
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6 psychomancy (ghosts)
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. psychomancy a form of divination involving communication with the spirits of the dead.
1987 Random House Dict.
NOTES: OED three defs. (1) Gaule (with no other explication other
than "See quote" - labelled Obs. rare-1; (2a) 1684 I Mather 'Remark.
Provid.'; 1702 C. Mather. (2b) 1865 'Sat. Rev.' 1883 'Pall Mall G.'.
OED's etym. says [ad. Gr. type *psychemanteia, f. psychomantis...]
Why ad. Gr. type??
a1392 Gower CA 6.1295-8 (MED) The craft which that Saturnus fond, To make prickes in the Sond, That Geomance cleped is, Fulofte he useth it amis; And of the flod his Ydromance, And of the fyr the Piromance, With questions echon of tho He tempteth ofte.
c1400 (a1376) Piers the Plowman A(1) (Trin-C) 11.161 (MED) Experimentis of alkenemye of albertis makyng, Nigromancie &ast permansie [vrr. perimansie, pernirancy] pe pouke to reisen.
?a1425 Mandev. (Eg) 115/9 (MED) At a syde of pe emperour table sittez many philosophers and grete clerkez of diuerse sciencez, sum of astronomy, sum of nigromancy, sum of geomancy, sum of pyromancy, sum of ydromancy.
c1450 De CMulieribus 1390 (MED) Mantho, dowghter to Tyresyas..of wytt was so sotell That..noon lyke hir was In pyromancy.
c1500 (?a1475) John Lydgate Assembly of the Gods ll. 862--70:
These folowyd Konnyng & thedyr with hym came,
With many ooñ moo offryng her seruyce
To Vertew at hat nede; but natwithstandyng than
Some he refusyd and seyde in nowyse
They shuld with hym go, and, as I coude auyse,
These were her names: fyrst, Nygromansy,
Geomansy, Magyk, and Glotony,
Adryomancy, Ornomancy, with Pyromancy,
Fysenamy also, and Pawmestry,
And all her sequelys, yef I shult nat ly.
1594 Greene Frier Bacon &ast Frier Bongay (ii. ll.
13-18): Burden. Bacon we hear, that long we have suspect,
That thou art read in Magicks mysterie; In Piromancie to diuine by
flames; To tell by Hadromaticke, ebbes and tides; By Aeromancie, to
discouer doubts, To plaine out questions, as Apollo did.
Ibid.
(ix. ll. 24-27): Bungay. Let it be this, whether the spirites of
piromancie or Geomancie, be most predominant in magick.
Vander. I say of Piromancie. Bungay. And I of
Geomancie.
1620 J. Melton Astrologaster 69: If in the Fire, Pyromancie.
1650 French tr. Paracelsus Nine Books Of the Nature of Things (1674) ix. 299: Pyromancy draws forth its Signs by the Stars of the Fire, in common fire by particular sparks, flames, or noise, &c. in the Mines by Coruscations: in the Firmament by Stars, Comets, Flashing and Lightning, and Nostock, and the like: in Visions by Salamandrine and fiery spirits.
1652 Gaule The Magastromancer xix. 165. ..Pyromancy, by fire...
1656 R. Turner tr. Paracelsus Occult Philosophy 29: In this booke we do intend to treat of the greatest and most occult secrets of Philosophy, and of those things which do appertain to Magicke, Nigromancy, Necromancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, and Geomancy.
a1660 (1693) Urquhart tr. Rabelais Gargantua &ast Pantagruel iii. xxv. 133: Have you a mind (quoth Her Trippa) to have the truth of the matter yet more fully and amply disclosed unto you by Pyromancy...
1777 Brand Popular Antiquities (1844) iii. 329. [citing Gaule]
1797 Encyc. Brit. (3rd ed.) VII 66. Pyromancy is a divination made by the inspection of a flame, either by observing to which side it turns, or by throwing into it some combustible matter, or a bladder filled with wine, or any thing else from which they imagined they were able to predict.
1832 Hone Year Bk 1517/1: [citing Gaule (via Brand)]
1853 Mackay Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions 251. Pyromancy, by fire. [citing Hone citing Gaule]
1855 Elihu Rich in Smedley et al. Occult Sci. 334. pyromancy, Or divining by fire, has been alluded to in extispicy. The presage was good when the flame was vigorous and quickly consumed the sacrifice; when it was clear of all smoke, transparent, neither red nor dark in colour; when it did not crackle, but burnt silently in a pyramidal form. On the contrary, if it was difficult to kindle, if the wind disturbed it, if it was slow to consume the victim, the presage was evil. Besides the sacrificial fire, the ancients divined by observing the flames of torches, and even by throwing powdered pitch into a fire; if it caught quickly, the omen was good. The flame of a torch was good if it formed one point, bad if it divided into two; but three was a better omen than one. Sickness for the healthy, and death for the sick, was presaged by the bending of the flame, and some frightful disaster by its sudden extinction. The vestals in the Temple of Minerva at Athens were charged to make particular observations on the light perpetually burning there.
1868 Chambers's Encyc. III 599. ..Pyromancy, or divination by flame (it was common amoung the Greeks and Romans: if the flame of the sacrifice was vigorous and quickly consumed the victim, if it was clear of all smoke, and did not crackle, but burn silently in a pyramidal form, the omen was favourable; otherwise, it was not)...
1893 Howitt tr. Ennemoser Hist. of Magic ii. 460: pyromancy - A species of divination performed by means of fire. The ancients imagined they could foretell futurity by inspecting fire and flame, for this purpose they considered its direction, or which way it turned. Sometimes they threw pitch into it, and if it took fire instantly they considered it a favorable omen. [copied in Daniels &ast Stevans 1903]
1895 A. Lanyard (ed.) John Maundevile Kt. xxii. 290. And at one Side of the Emperor's Table sit many Philosophers that be proved for wise Men in many diverse Sciences, as of Astronomy, Necromancy, Geomancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, of Augury and of many other Sciences.
1897 (Agrippa) Three Bks Occult Phil. lvii. 179: So also Pyromancy divines by fiery impressions, and by stars with long tails, by fiery colors, by visions and imaginations in the fire.
1903 Daniels &ast Stevans Encyc. Occult Sci. (1971) III 1662. [text copied from Howitt 1893]
1931 Lock tr. de Givry Picture Museum of Sorcery (1963) viii. 301: Pyromancy, or pyroscopy, was divination by fire; certain objects, chiefly pounded peas, were thrown in the fire, and observation was kept on their manner of burning; if they caught fire quickly the augury was good.
1951 Works of Rabelais III. xxv. 360 Have you a mind, quoth Her Trippa, to have the truth of the matter yet more fully and amply disclosed unto you by pyromancy..?
1959 Robbins Encyc. of Witchcraft and Demonology 139. [citing Gaule] Pyromancy, by fire.
c.1965 Garman tr. Flaceliere Greek Oracles i. 13: There was also a vegetable form of pyromancy which was encouraged by the Pythagoreans in preference to animal sacrifices because they disapproved of any shedding of blood. At Delphi for example, the smoke of the incense and the crackling of the laurel-wood and barley in the flames were observed by the priests.
1970 Man, Myth &ast Magic v. 658: Pyromancy - by looking into a fire.
1973 K. Ellis Prediction and Prophecy iii. 42. Pyromancy..If powdered resin thrown on the flames gave a clear blaze, all would be well, but smoke meant disaster. Eggs, flour or incense could also predict the future, according to the way they burned.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy (1989) 323. PYROMANCY: This covers a wide range of fire omens. If a sacrificial fire kindled slowly or uncertainly, the prospect was bad indeed. If smoky or crackly, it still augured ill. A bright, strong flame, growing rapidly and evenly, was the best of signs. With ordinary fires, omens were obtained by throwing substances such as powdered peas or pitch upon the flames; the more rapidly these were consumed, the better. In northern climes, where winter nights were long, these traditions carried on through the Middle Ages and were common to every hearth and home. Sudden sparks from knotty logs, colored flames from burning driftwood, curious shapes caused by flames or smoke, all were accepted as omens, good or bad.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 144. Pyromancy..obviously played an important part in societies where burnt offerings were made to the gods, or where fire itself was regarded as a god.
1985 N. Drury Dict. Mysticism &ast Occult
1993 McCormack Q&astA 71. PYROMANCY - fire. In Dictionaries
1616 Bullokar An English Expositor s.v. divination. Pyromancie is a diuination made by the fire, or spirits appearing in the fire.
1626 Cockeram The English Dictionarie (2nd ed.)
Pyromancie, Diuination by smoake and fire.
Ibid. (reverse
dictionary) Diuination by fire, Piromancy.
1650 French Chymical Dictionary (1674) 342: Pyromancy is an Art presaging by fire.
1656 Blount Glossographia s.v. divination. The
third and last manner of Divination is that which we call
Superstitious, whereof there has been among the Gentiles divers
different kinds. As namely..Pyromancy, by the fire, or by spirits
appearing in the fire.
Ibid. Pyromancy
(pyromantia) divination by fire.
1676 Coles An Eng. Dict.: Pyromancy, g. divination by fire.
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. i PYROMANCY ïvpomanteia of ãvp, Fire, and manteia, Divination Gr.] a Divination by the Fire of the Sacrifice. The good Signs were these: If the Flames immediately took hold of and consumed the Victims; if the Flame were bright and pure, without Noise or Smoak; if the Sparks tended upwards in Form of a Pyramid, and the Fire went not out, till all was reduc'd to Ashes. The contrary Signs were, when the Fire was kindled with Difficulty; when the Flame was divided; when it did not immediately spread it self over all the Parts of the Victim, but creeping along consumed them little and little; when it ascended not in a straight Line, but whirled round, turned sideways or downwards, and was extinguished by Wind, Showers, or any other unlucky Accident; when it crackled more than ordinary, was black, casting forth Smoak and Sparks. All these and such like Omens signified (with them) the Displeasure of the Gods.
1740 Dyche &ast Pardon New General Eng. Dict.: pyromancy (s.)...
1755 Bailey An Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. (16th ed.) PYROMANCY [pyromantia, L., of ãvpomanteia, of ãvp, and manteia, Prediction, Gr.] a Soothsaying by Fire.
1755 Johnson Dict. of the Eng. Lang. (1840) Pyromancy..Divination by fire. [citing Ayliffe, see hydromancy]
1852 Roget Thes. § 511. ..by sacrificial fire, Pyromancy...
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. ii. pyromancy..Divination by fire.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang. pyromancy..Divination by fire. Ayliffe.
1899 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon V: 1899 Century Dict. (1903) VI pyromancy.. Divination by fire, or by forms appearing in fire.
1908 Funk &ast Wagnalls Standard Dict. ii.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) V
1909 OED
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. pyromancy [main words list]
c1920 Cassell's New Eng. Dict.
1930 Winston Simplified Dict.
1932 Wyld Universal Dict.
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 17. pyromancy, flames.
1961 Webs. Third New Int. Dict. pyromancy
1981 Macquarie Dict. (1st ed.) pyromancy..divination by fire or by forms appearing in fire.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6 pyromancy (fire)
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies &ast -Isms (3rd ed.) 212. pyromancy a form of divination involving fire or flames.
1987 Random House Dict.
1988 Chambers Eng. Dict.
NOTES: OED 1362 Langley P.Pl. to 1855 Smedley.
NL Cornelius Agrippa De Occult Philosophia lvii. "Pyromantia
divinatur per impressiones igneas, per stellas caudatas, per igneos
colores, perque visiones et imaginationes in igne."