which prevented the serpents from approaching. Thus the camp was protected during the night. But if any soldier, when abroad in the daytime, happened to be bitten, the Psylli exerted their powers to effect a cure. First they rubbed the wounded part around with saliva, to prevent, as they said, the poison from spreading while they assayed their arts to extract it:

'Then sudden he begins the magic song,

And rolls the numbers hasty o'er his tongue;
Swift he runs on, nor pauses once for breath,
To stop the progress of approaching death:
He fears the cure might suffer by delay,
And life be lost but for a moment's stay.
Thus oft, though deep within the veins it lies,
By magic numbers chased, the mischief flies:
But if it hear too slow,-if still it stay,
And scorn the potent charmer to obey;
With forceful lips he fastens on the wound,
Drains out and spits the venom to the ground.'
Pharsalia, ix. Rowe.

6

In this account we find the voice repeatedly mentioned; and it is to the voice of the charmer' that the Psalmist refers. We may suppose that, as in the passage we have quoted, the charmers used a form of words-a charm, or else chanted a song in some peculiar manner. So Eusebius, in mentioning that Palestine abounded in serpentcharmers in his time, says that they usually employed a verbal charm. This is still one of the processes of the Oriental serpent-charmers. Roberts says that the following is considered in India the most potent form of words against serpents: Oh! serpent, thou who art coiled in my path, get out of my way; for around thee are the mongoos, the porcupine, and the kite in his circles is ready to take thee!' The Egyptian serpent-charmers also employ vocal sounds and a form of words to draw the venomous creatures from their retreats. Mr. Lane says: 'He assumes an air of mystery, strikes the walls with a short palm-stick, whistles, makes a clucking noise with his tongue, and spits upon the ground; and generally says, "I adjure you by God, if ye be above, or if ye be below, that ye come forth: I adjure ye by the most Great Name, if ye be obedient, come forth; and if ye be disobedient, die! die! die!" (Lane's Modern Egyptians, ii. 104). In these cases we may be sure that if any true effect were produced, it was by the sound of the voice, not by the form of words, which was doubtless addressed to other cars than those of serpents: and in the latter instance we may conclude the whistling and clucking to have been the most operative parts of the process.

But music is also much employed by the charmers of serpents. By means of pipes, flutes, whistles (calls), or small drums, they profess to attract them from their retreats, to subdue their ferocity, and (when the serpents are tame ones, exhibited by themselves) to make them dance, and perform various motions regulated by the notes of the music. We see nothing difficult to believe in the statement that serpents may be, as some other creatures are, influenced or attracted by music, or even by the voice of man properly regulated; or that the proper regulation of the music or the voice for the designed end may not have been discovered and rendered most effective by men who, for successive generations, have given their sole attention to the subject. Indeed, it is perhaps capable of proof that music, even in common hands, has power over serpents. Sir William Jones believed so, although not on ocular evidence. Enumerating instances of the powerful effects of music upon animals, he says, A learned native of this country (India) told me that he had frequently seen the most venomous and malignant snakes leave their holes upon hearing notes from a flute, which, as he supposed, gave them peculiar delight.' Asiatic Researches, iii. 315.

As to their pretension of being in their own persons insensible to the poison of serpents, we have never met with any satisfactory proof of it. Those which they exhibit, and by which they often allow themselves to be bitten,

are confessedly deprived of all or most of their venomous power by the extraction of their poison-fangs. But nevertheless, we know ourselves, and have read, many authenticated instances of their fearless handling of very venomous serpents in their native state; and it is therefore our impression that they possess some knack in seizing and handling such serpents, which prevents them from biting till their poison-fangs have been extracted. Their presence of mind and the possession of such a secret easily accounts for all the stories told on this point. But when they do happen to fail, and to receive a bite from the serpent, they suffer as others. They seem also to trust to the effect of their music in so diverting the attention of the serpents as to prevent them from attempting to exercise the fatal power they possess. In this also they sometimes fail. Roberts mentions an Indian serpentcharmer who came to a gentleman's house to exhibit his tame snakes. He was told that there was a cobra di capello in a cage, and asked if he could charm it. Oh, yes!' said the charmer; and the serpent was accordingly released from its cage. The man began his incantations and charms; but the reptile fastened upon his arm, and he was dead before night. This serpent would not listen to the voice of the charmer.'

We will now briefly specify the principal forms in which the serpent-charmers exercise the powers which they claim. As the houses in some parts of the East are much infested with serpents, the most profitable part of the charmer's business is to detect their retreat and draw them forth. They certainly discover where they are without ocular evidence, and make them come forth, either in the manner already described, or by the notes of a pipe. It is often said that the charmer introduces his tame serpents, and that they obey the accustomed call, and are exhibited in proof of the triumph of the charmer's art. This may sometimes be the case; but instances are known in which there could not have been any collusion or contrivance; and, after the severest test and scrutiny, many have been obliged to rest in the conclusion that the charmers do really possess the physical means of discovering the presence of serpents without seeing them, and of attracting them from their lurking places. This is Mr. Lane's conclusion, who also suspects that they discover the presence of serpents by the smell, and compares their attractive powers to those of the fowler, who by the fascination of his voice allures the bird into his net. In the Missionary Magazine for March, 1837, a missionary to India (G. Gogerly) states that some incredulous persons, after the most minute and careful precaution against artifice of any kind, sent a serpent-charmer into the garden. The man began playing with his pipe, and proceeding from one part of the garden to another for some minutes, stopped at a part of the wall much injured by age, and intimated that a serpent was within. He then played quicker, and his notes were louder, when almost immediately a large cobra di capello put forth his hooded head, and the man fearlessly ran to the spot, seized it by the throat, and drew it forth. He then shewed the poisonfangs, and beat them out; afterwards it was taken to the room where his baskets were left, and deposited among the rest.' From the statement of the precautions used on this occasion, for which we refer to the publication, this was a very fair trial. Does not his beating out the poisonfangs explain what follows in the next verse? Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth.' This is usually done by the serpent-charmers, who then tame them, and use them in various exhibitions. These exhibitions are much the same everywhere. The most usual are thus described by Mr. Gogerly, in the paper above cited, which we the rather quote, as it partly serves to explain our present cut: Taking out eight or ten different kinds, they cast them on the ground. The animals immediately make off in different directions. The sap-wullah (charmer) then applies his pipe to his mouth, and sends forth a few of his peculiar notes, and all the serpents stop as though enchanted; they then turn towards the musician, and approaching him within two feet, raise their heads from

the ground, and bending backward and forward, keep time with the tune. When he ceases playing, they drop their heads, and remain quiet on the ground.' He adds that there is another and inferior kind of serpent-charmers, who are Bengalese of the lowest caste. They do not use the pipe, but merely beat with their fingers on a small drum which is held in the hand. Sometimes these men, sitting on the ground, hold the cover of a basket with one hand, and with the other pull the tails of the serpents, and otherwise irritate them, until the animals become so infuriated that they dart forward and seize the naked arm of the sap-wullah, which he exposes for the purpose. They sometimes allow their arms to be bitten in this manner till they are covered with blood.

Other serpent-charmers allow large serpents to twine round their bodies, as if merely to shew their perfect tameness, and the impunity with which they are able

To dally with the crested worm,

To stroke his azure neck, or to receive The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.' Others again, in this situation, allow themselves, when compressed in the serpent's folds, to be dreadfully wounded in many places (the poisoned fangs of course being wanting), till, when streaming with blood, tortured, swollen, and in a really dangerous condition, the coadjutor makes his appearance, and applies the pipe or whistle to his lips. The serpents listen to the music, gradually unloose their coils, and creep back to the cage from which they had been released at the commencement of the awful and cruel exhibition. Of such a display there is a very

detailed account in Captain Riley's Narrative of the Loss of the American brig Commerce, New York, 1817. One of the serpents employed was the Effah, of which a figure is given under Job xx. There are other allusions in the Scripture to the charming of serpents; as in Eccles. x. 11, and Jer. viii. 17. Such passages intimate the existence of the art, without denying or affirming the power and skill to which the charmers pretend.

8. Snail

shubbelul). The original word seems to come from another, which signifies a trail or a path; and is therefore very descriptive of a creature so remarkable for leaving its path or trail behind it. The glutinous secretion assists its progress, but then every excursion is undertaken at the expense of its own substance. To modify this inconvenience it prefers travelling in the night, or after a shower, when the expenditure is consequently least, or at its minimum. If in a hot climate it were cast a great distance from damp or a sheltered spot, it would in all likelihood soon perish from the loss of moisture. The number of words (as marked by italics) brought in to make out the sense, seems to intimate something obscure in our version. We should be disposed to render the first part of this verse by, Like the snail which wastes away as it goes.'

VOL. III.

E

65

PSALM LIX.

1 David prayeth to be delivered from his enemies. 6 He complaineth of their cruelty. 8 He trusteth in God. 11 He prayeth against them. 16 He praiseth God.

To the chief Musician, 'Al-taschith, Michtam of David; 2when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

DELIVER me from mine enemies, O my God: 'defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.

3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.

4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake 'to help me, and behold.

5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for 'who, say they,

doth hear?

8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

1 Or, Destroy not, A golden Psalm of David. 5 Psal. 10. 11, and 73. 11, and 94. 7.

9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee for God is 'my defence.

10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon 7mine enemies.

11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O LORD our shield.

12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.

13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.

14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my

mercy.

3 Heb. set me on high. 7 Heb. mine observers.

TITLE.-It must be confessed that the contents have very little agreement with the title of this psalm. But it is easier to discover the inappropriateness of the present title than to find materials for a better. It is clear to us that the heathen were in some way concerned; but how is less certain. De Wette regards it as a plaint of the people having reference to the relations that arose during the Captivity: but according to Ewald the Psalmist is one of the last kings of Judah besieged in Jerusalem by a multitude of heathenish enemies.

Verse 7. Swords are in their lips.'-This and similar expressions of Scripture bring to mind the strong poetical phrase of our great dramatic poet, 'I'll speak daggers to her.' See Ps. lv. 21.

15. Wander up and down for meat.'-Dogs may in England do this for amusement, when their essential wants are provided for by their masters: but in the East, where they have no particular masters, they are obliged to do so from necessity. Retaining much of their native habits, as beasts of prey, they do this chiefly by night, as the text intimates, being in general dozy and inactive in the daytime. This contributes to render their presence in an Oriental city more formidable, to passengers, at night than by day. In their night prowlings they effectually clear the streets of whatever offal or carrion may be in them; and their want of squeamish appetites is then, as well as by day, evinced to an extent which would alone well account for all the abhorrent allusions which the Scriptures contain. They refuse scarcely anything (except crude vegetables) capable of mastication; and yet are for ever lean, hungry, and unsatisfied; which seems to intimate that the dog was so much intended for and suited to complete domestication, that even while in a position more favourable than that which any other undomesticated beast obtains, it is only in fellowship with man that he can arrive at a prosperous condition of existence.

4 Heb. to meet me. 8 Heb. to eat.