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the silversmiths' shops at Seville。
The Gitanos have nothing more to say on this species of sorcery
than the Spaniards； which can cause but little surprise； when we
consider that they have no traditions； and can give no rational
account of themselves； nor of the country from which they come。
Some of the women； however； pretend to have the power of casting
it； though if questioned how they accomplish it； they can return no
answer。 They will likewise sell remedies for the evil eye； which
need not be particularised； as they consist of any drugs which they
happen to possess or be acquainted with； the prescribers being
perfectly reckless as to the effect produced on the patient；
provided they receive their paltry reward。
I have known these beings offer to cure the glanders in a horse （an
incurable disorder） with the very same powders which they offer as
a specific for the evil eye。
Leaving； therefore； for a time； the Spaniards and Gitanos； whose
ideas on this subject are very scanty and indistinct； let us turn
to other nations amongst whom this superstition exists； and
endeavour to ascertain on what it is founded； and in what it
consists。 The fear of the evil eye is common amongst all oriental
people； whether Turks； Arabs； or Hindoos。 It is dangerous in some
parts to survey a person with a fixed glance； as he instantly
concludes that you are casting the evil eye upon him。 Children；
particularly； are afraid of the evil eye from the superstitious
fear inculcated in their minds in the nursery。 Parents in the East
feel no delight when strangers look at their children in admiration
of their loveliness； they consider that you merely look at them in
order to blight them。 The attendants on the children of the great
are enjoined never to permit strangers to fix their glance upon
them。 I was once in the shop of an Armenian at Constantinople；
waiting to see a procession which was expected to pass by； there
was a Janisary there； holding by the hand a little boy about six
years of age； the son of some Bey； they also had come to see the
procession。 I was struck with the remarkable loveliness of the
child； and fixed my glance upon it： presently it became uneasy；
and turning to the Janisary； said： 'There are evil eyes upon me；
drive them away。' 'Take your eyes off the child； Frank；' said the
Janisary； who had a long white beard； and wore a hanjar。 'What
harm can they do to the child； efendijem？' said I。 'Are they not
the eyes of a Frank？' replied the Janisary； 'but were they the eyes
of Omar； they should not rest on the child。' 'Omar；' said I； 'and
why not Ali？ Don't you love Ali？' 'What matters it to you whom I
love；' said the Turk in a rage； 'look at the child again with your
chesm fanar and I will smite you。' 'Bad as my eyes are；' said I；
'they can see that you do not love Ali。' 'Ya Ali； ya Mahoma；
Alahhu！' （30） said the Turk； drawing his hanjar。 All Franks； by
which are meant Christians； are considered as casters of the evil
eye。 I was lately at Janina in Albania； where a friend of mine； a
Greek gentleman； is established as physician。 'I have been
visiting the child of a Jew that is sick；' said he to me one day；
'scarcely； however； had I left the house； when the father came
running after me。 〃You have cast the evil eye on my child；〃 said
he； 〃come back and spit in its face。〃 And I assure you；' continued
my friend； 'that notwithstanding all I could say； he compelled me
to go back and spit in the face of his child。'
Perhaps there is no nation in the world amongst whom this belief is
so firmly rooted and from so ancient a period as the Jews； it being
a subject treated of； and in the gravest manner； by the old
Rabbinical writers themselves； which induces the conclusion that
the superstition of the evil eye is of an antiquity almost as
remote as the origin of the Hebrew race； （and can we go farther
back？） as the oral traditions of the Jews； contained and commented
upon in what is called the Talmud； are certainly not less ancient
than the inspired writings of the Old Testament； and have unhappily
been at all times regarded by them with equal if not greater
reverence。
The evil eye is mentioned in Scripture； but of course not in the
false and superstitious sense； evil in the eye； which occurs in
Prov。 xxiii。 v。 6； merely denoting niggardness and illiberality。
The Hebrew words are AIN RA； and stand in contradistinction to AIN
TOUB； or the benignant in eye； which denotes an inclination to
bounty and liberality。
It is imagined that this blight is most easily inflicted when a
person is enjoying himself with little or no care for the future；
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 super