571 



Mr, Thomas Oldham, which held the lucky horse-shoe in 

 one hand, and a cross, or dagger, in the other. 



The horse-shoe, and the triangle, A, or n, &c., and the 

 trefoil, are all, apparently, emblems for the same antidote, 

 which the evil eye abhors, and by which the mechanic's wife 

 was not only able to identify the evil genius himself, but to 

 eject him from her house, and save her husband's body and 

 soul, the stake which he proposed to play for. In this coun- 

 try the peasantry are said to entertain similar notions of 

 the great efficacy of the same means, which is said to be 

 " capable of driving the Devil away," the use for which, it is 

 surmised, these figures were intended. 



Mr. William Hackett, the moment he saw a drawing of 

 one of the figures, declared it was a " fetish ;" the African 

 name of a figure which closely resembles the shela-na-gigs, 

 and is commonly used for the purpose of averting the evil 

 eye, and giving good luck. On the north coast of Africa 

 certain emblems, carved in stone, are placed over the doors 

 for this purpose; and formerly it would appear that certain 

 parts of animals were used instead. In Italy the peasantry, 

 in the neighbourhood of Naples, have a complete system 

 " of magic" for averting the evil-eye, which consists, to 

 a great extent, of exposures and practices, which are com- 

 pared to the ancient orgies, and calculated to eject or avert 

 the evil eye, or genius, from a place, and drive him and his 

 colleagues, and their influence, beyond certain limits. 



These figures were, probably, intended as fetishes, or 

 charms, to keep off the evil eye, or its influence ; and, con- 

 sequently, they are found placed over doors of churches and 

 castles, &c. In many instances they are evidently much 

 older, and of a totally different material and style of art, to 

 the building in which they are found. The workmanship is 

 quite unequal, and the style of the figures differ very much. 

 They are not copies of a common original, but, generally, 



