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when he is reclining in the sun before the door； or when he is full
of health and spirits： it may be cast designedly or not； and the
same effect may be produced by an inadvertent word。 It is deemed
partially unlucky to say to any person； 'How well you look'； as the
probabilities are that such an individual will receive a sudden
blight and pine away。 We have however no occasion to go to
Hindoos； Turks； and Jews for this idea； we shall find it nearer
home； or something akin to it。 Is there one of ourselves； however
enlightened and free from prejudice； who would not shrink； even in
the midst of his highest glee and enjoyment； from saying； 'How
happy I am！' or if the words inadvertently escaped him； would he
not consider them as ominous of approaching evil； and would he not
endeavour to qualify them by saying； 'God preserve me！' … Ay； God
preserve you； brother！ Who knows what the morrow will bring forth？
The common remedy for the evil eye； in the East； is the spittle of
the person who has cast it； provided it can be obtained。 'Spit in
the face of my child；' said the Jew of Janina to the Greek
physician： recourse is had to the same means in Barbary； where the
superstition is universal。 In that country both Jews and Moors
carry papers about with them scrawled with hieroglyphics； which are
prepared by their respective priests； and sold。 These papers；
placed in a little bag； and hung about the person； are deemed
infallible preservatives from the 'evil eye。'
Let us now see what the TALMUD itself says about the evil eye。 The
passage which we are about to quote is curious； not so much from
the subject which it treats of； as in affording an example of the
manner in which the Rabbins are wont to interpret the Scripture；
and the strange and wonderful deductions which they draw from words
and phrases apparently of the greatest simplicity。
'Whosoever when about to enter into a city is afraid of evil eyes；
let him grasp the thumb of his right hand with his left hand； and
his left…hand thumb with his right hand； and let him cry in this
manner： 〃I am such a one； son of such a one； sprung from the seed
of Joseph〃； and the evil eyes shall not prevail against him。
JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL BOUGH； A FRUITFUL BOUGH BY A WELL； （31） etc。
Now you should not say BY A WELL； but OVER AN EYE。 （32） Rabbi
Joseph Bar Henina makes the following deduction： AND THEY SHALL
BECOME （the seed of Joseph） LIKE FISHES IN MULTITUDE IN THE MIDST
OF THE EARTH。 （33） Now the fishes of the sea are covered by the
waters； and the evil eye has no power over them； and so over those
of the seed of Joseph the evil eye has no power。'
I have been thus diffuse upon the evil eye； because of late years
it has been a common practice of writers to speak of it without
apparently possessing any farther knowledge of the subject than
what may be gathered from the words themselves。
Like most other superstitions； it is； perhaps； founded on a
physical reality。
I have observed； that only in hot countries； where the sun and moon
are particularly dazzling； the belief in the evil eye is prevalent。
If we turn to Scripture； the wonderful book which is capable of
resolving every mystery； I believe that we shall presently come to
the solution of the evil eye。 'The sun shall not smite thee by
day； nor the moon by night。' Ps。 cxxi。 v。 6。
Those who wish to avoid the evil eye； instead of trusting in
charms； scrawls； and Rabbinical antidotes； let them never loiter in
the sunshine before the king of day has nearly reached his bourn in
the west； for the sun has an evil eye； and his glance produces
brain fevers； and let them not sleep uncovered beneath the smile of
the moon； for her glance is poisonous； and produces insupportable
itching in the eye； and not unfrequently blindness。
The northern nations have a superstition which bears some
resemblance to the evil eye； when allowance is made for
circumstances。 They have no brilliant sun and moon to addle the
brain and poison the eye； but the grey north has its marshes； and
fenny ground； and fetid mists； which produce agues； low fevers； and
moping madness； and are as fatal to cattle as to man。 Such
disorders are attributed to elves and fairies。 This superstition
still lingers in some parts of England under the name of elf…shot；
whilst； throughout the north； it is called elle…skiod； and elle…
vild （fairy wild）。 It is particularly prevalent amongst shepherds
and cow…herds； the people who； from their manner of life； are most
exposed to the effects of the elf…shot。 Those who wish to know
more of this superstition are referred to Thiele's … DANSKE
FOLKESAGN； and to the notes of the KOEMPE…VISER； or popular Danish
Ballads。
CHAPTER IX
WHEN the six hundred thousand men； （34） and the mixed multitude of
women and children； went forth from the land of Egypt； the God whom
they worshipped； the only true God； went before them by day in a
pillar of cloud； to lead them the way； and by night in a pillar of
fire to give them light； this God who rescued them from slavery；
who guided them through the wilderness； who was their captain in
battle； and who cast down before them the strong walls which
encompassed the towns of their enemies； this God they still
remember； after the lapse of more than three thousand years； and
still worship with adoration the most unbounded。 If there be one
event in the eventful history of the Hebrews which awakens in their
minds deeper feelings of gratitude than another； it is the exodus；
and that wonderful manifestation of olden mercy still serves them
as an assurance that the Lord will yet one day redeem and gather
together his scattered and oppressed people。 'Art thou not the God
who brought us out of the land of bondage？' they exclaim in the
days of their heaviest trouble and affliction。 He who redeemed
Israel from the hand of Pharaoh is yet capable of restoring the
kingdom and sceptre to Israel。
If the Rommany trusted in any God at the period of THEIR exodus；
they must speedily have forgotten him。 Coming from Ind； as they
most assuredly did； it was impossible for them to have known the
true； and they must have been followers （if they followed any）
either of Buddh； or Brahmah； those tremendous phantoms which have
led； and are likely still to lead； the souls of hundreds of
millions to destruction； yet they are now ignorant of such names；
nor does it appear that such were ever current amongst them
subsequent to their arrival in Europe； if indeed they ever were。
They brought with them no Indian idols； as far as we are able to
judge at the pr