country places it is still practised.  The origin of this superstition is probably to be found in ancient fire worship.  The great blazing fire was evidently an important element in the transaction; nor was this a solitary instance in which regard was paid to fire.  I remember being taught that it was unlucky to spit into the fire, some evil being likely shortly after to befall those who did so.  Crumbs left upon the table after a meal were carefully gathered and put into the fire.  The cuttings from the nails and hair were also put into the fire.  These freaks certainly look like survivals of fire worship.

The influence of those possessing the evil eye was not confined to children, but might affect adults, and also goods and cattle.  But for the bane there was provided the antidote.  One effective method of checking the evil influence was by scoring aboon the breath.  In my case, as I was the victim, scoring with a wet finger was sufficient; but the suspected possessor of the evil eye was more roughly treated, scoring in this case being effected with some sharp instrument so as to draw blood.  I have never seen this done, but some fifty years ago an instance occurred in my native village.  A child belonging to a poor woman in this village was taken ill and had convulsive fits, which were thought to be due to the influence of the evil eye.  An old woman in the neighbourhood, whose temper was not of the sweetest, was suspected.  She was first of all invited to come and see the child in the hope that sympathy might change the influence she was supposed to be exerting; but as the old woman appeared quite callous to the sufferings of the child, the mother, as the old woman was leaving the house, scratched her with her nails across the brow, and drew blood.  This circumstance raised quite a sensation in the village.  Whether the child recovered after this operation I do not remember.  Many other instances of the existence of this superstitious practice in Scotland within the present century might be presented, but I content myself with quoting one which was related in a letter to the Glasgow Weekly Herald, under the signature F.A.:—­“I knew of one case of the kind in Wigtownshire, in the south of Scotland, about the year 1825, as near as I can mind.  I knew all parties very well.  A farmer had some cattle which died, and there was an old woman living about a mile from the farm who was counted no very canny.  She was heard to say that there would be mair o’ them wad gang the same way.  So one day, soon after, as the old woman was passing the farmhouse, one of the sons took hold of her and got her head under his arm, and cut her across the forehead.  By the way, the proper thing to be cut with is a nail out of a horse-shoe.  He was prosecuted and got imprisonment for it.”