Cyclopedia of Wonders and Curiosities

Among the most treasured works on my reference shelf is the Cyclopedia of Wonders and Curiosities of Nature and Art, Science and Literature, Representing Anatomy, Physiology, Phrenology, Astronomy, Botany, Geology, Natural History, Ichthyology, Mythology, Ornithology, Meteorology, Mineralogy, Chemistry, Zoology, Entomology, Biography, etc.; And Containing A Full and Authentic Description of the Most Remarkable and Astonishing Places, Beings, Animals, Customs, Experiments, Phenomena, etc., of both Ancient and Modern Times, in All Parts of the Globe, Comprising Correct Accounts of the Most Wonderful Freaks of Nature and Arts of Man, by I. Platt, D.D.

I am currently in possession of Volume Two, and my friend Jon Sequeira, who gave me the book, owns Volume One. I think the plan is to switch volumes now and then, so that we can each absorb this mass of wondrousness over the course of many years. (To try it all at once would be foolhardy and daft.)

In that spirit, I’ll be sharing some excerpts from the Cyclopedia here. The following entry is from Chapter LXII, Curiosities Respecting the Customs of Mankind (Continued).

A Curious Practice in North Holland.—To every house, of whatever quality, there is an artificial door, elevated near three feet above the level of the ground, and never opened but upon two occasions. When any part of the family marries, the bride and bridegroom enter the house by this door; and when either of the parties die, the corpse is carried out by the same door. Immediately after the due ceremonies are performed in either of these cases, this door is fastened up, never to turn on its hinges again, till some new event of a similar nature demands its services.

In future installments, we’ll consider such marvels and conundrums as Sand Floods, Androides, Remarkable Lamps, and the tale of an Unfortunate Artificer. In the meantime, you’re probably wondering, as I am, whether it should be “conundrums” or “conundra,” and to settle this matter we’ll have to consult the specialists.