the jackalls." "The crows shall soon have thy carcase." "Yes, the teeth of the dogs shall soon have hold of thee." "The eagles are ready." 55.-"Whose son is this youth ?" (Chap. x. 11. xvi. 18. xx. 27. xxii. 7. Num. xxiii. 18. and Judges v. 12.) It is a favourite way of addressing of addressing a person by saying, 66 You are the son of such a person," or, "Is he not the son of such a man?" How Saul could have forgotten David is impossible to account for. When a person has to ask a number of questions, though he know well the name of the individual he has to address, he often begins by asking, "Whose son are you?" Many people never go by their proper name: they are known by the son of such a person, as Nellināderin Maggan, i. e. the son of Nellinäder. XVIII. 6. "To meet king Saul with tabrets with instruments of MUSIC." Has a long absent son returned, is a person coming who has performed some great exploit, are the bride and bridegroom with their attendants expected; then, those in the house go forth with tabrets and pipes to meet them, and greet them, and conduct them on the way. When a great man is expected, the people of the village always send the tabrets and pipes to meet him. It is amusing to see with what earnestness and vehemence they blow their instruments, or beat their tom-toms, and stamp along the road. Nearly all diseases, and accidents, and misery, are attributed to the power of evil spirits. There are evil spirits for infants, others for youth, and many for old age. That which is so troublesome to the youth of both sexes is called Mogani, which bears some relation to the English notion of a fairy. The elves of ancient Britain, so famous for their midnight revelries, have a numerous sisterhood, of equal renown for their orgies, in the East. The fairies, like those of our native land, are believed to be subject to passion, pain, and death. In general they are supposed to be extremely beautiful; but when on an evil errand they assume the most terrific shapes, having dishevelled hair, a dirty face, large teeth, and wounds in their legs. In their hands they carry a vulkku-māru, i. e. a broom, and are arrayed in black garments. But when they go on an expedition of love, they are dressed in white or scarlet, and have great pleasure in their intercourse with the youth of both sexes when asleep: lascivious dreams in early life are always attributed to their influence.' Does a young person look delicate; the parents or friends immediately suspect the fairy is troubling them, and have recourse to a charm or adcharam, which is bound round the wrist or waist. Some of these sylvan beings love to dwell in the jungle, trees, and rivers. They can assume either sex. XIX. 24." He stripped off his clothes also and prophesied- -and lay down naked." (Exod. xxxii. 25.) "Moses saw that the people were naked; for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame." (2 Sam. vi. 20. Isa. xx. 2. Micah i. 8.) It is supposed the term naked in these and many other passages, means either to take off all the upper garments, or to be in a defenceless condition. That it does so in some of them I do not doubt, but that it does so in all I cannot believe. The nature of the idolatry and the practices arising from it, in which the Israelites were engaged, probably demanded that shameless conduct in its votaries.. In those lascivious rites arising from the Satte-Poosy, those engaged are always naked. There are also vast numbers of devotees who walk about entirely destitute of clothes. Not long ago one of them entered the town of Jaffna, and walked about the streets in that condition, till taken up by the authorities, and removed to the place from whence he came. When a person is requested to submit to any thing shameful, he says, "I would rather go naked than suffer that.” * XX. 3. "There is but a step between me and death." Men in great danger say, "I have stretched my head to the gate of the pit." "Another step and the point is gained." "Fear not one step more." 5. "To-morrow is the new It appears to have been customary for David to dine with the king on the first day of the new moon; which may have arisen from the circumstance of some of their solemn sacrifices falling on that day. But the heathen and the Jews (who copied them) also paid honour to the moon, from a belief that she had great influence over the affairs of men. The Jews, as mentioned by the prophet Amos, were anxious that the new moon should be gone, that they might "sell corn." There was not a command for them to refrain from doing business on that day, which shows it was a custom of their own invention, arising from some opinion or superstition, which made it unfortunate or improper to sell their corn at that period. The merchants will not, except under particular circumstances, purchase stock during the first fifteen days of the informs us, that many M. Savary, in his Letters on Egypt, vol. i. 237., of the Santons " go entirely naked through the cities." "In the market stood a saint quite naked.”. See Henniker's Travels in Egypt, p. 90.— See on Isa. chap. lxv. 4.: and note on John xiv. 2. - new moon, they do, however, vend their goods to all who will buy. On seeing the new moon for the first time the people present their hands, in the form of adoration, in the same way as to their gods. XXI. 9." The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah; behold it is here wrapped in a cloth." All things which are valuable or sacred, or which have been acquired at great expense or trouble, are always folded in a cloth. XXIII. 19.- "Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds, in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?" The margin has, for south, "on the right hand." "The Hebrews express the east, west, north, and south, by words which signify before, behind, left, and right, according to the situation of a man with his face turned towards the south." In the same way do the Hindoos speak on this subject; the north is shown by the left, the south by the right hand, the face being considered to be towards the east. When the situation of any thing is spoken of, it is always mentioned in connection with the cardinal points. Often, when people wish to give intelligence respecting any thing, they begin by asking a question which conveys the information required. Thus the situation of poor David was described by asking a question. "Have not the elephants been ravaging the fields of Tamban last night?" is a question asked when such a circumstance has taken place. XXIV. 3.-"Saul went in to cover his feet." The Hindoos say for this, "He has gone to the open place," or "He has gone to the tank," or "He has gone for the two things." 14. "After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog?" It is highly contemptible and provoking to compare a man to a dead dog. Has a servant offended his master; he will say, "Stand there and be like a dead dog to me." Does a creditor press much for his money; the debtor will say, "Bring your bond, and then he is a dead dog to me." "I care as much for that fellow as for a dead dog." "I will tell you what that fellow is worth; a dead dog!" 16."Saul lifted up his voice and wept." When a man in great sorrow is spoken of, it is said, “ Ah, how he did lift up his voice and weep." "Alas, how great is their trouble, they are all lifting up the voice." XXV. 5. "Go to Nabal and him in greet my name." Job. xxix. 8. "The aged arose and stood up." Acts "Who also honoured me with many xxviii. 10. In the Old and New Testaments we have some striking examples of what may be termed good breeding. Look at the patriarchs and others in their renunciation of self, their anxiety to please, to show respect to the aged, the learned, the dignified, or those of the sacerdotal character: listen to their affecting eulogies and their touching appeals, and then say, have we not in them some of the most pleasing instances of gentility and good breeding? On their great anniversary festivals, the Hindoos always send to "greet" each other. Has a son or daughter got married; has a "male child" been born; has prosperity attended the merchant in his pursuits; does a traveller pass through a town or village where some of his friends or acquaintances reside: then, those concerned send greeting expressive of their joy, and best wishes for future prosperity. See them on receiving company. A servant, or friend, stands at the gate to watch for the approach of the guests, and |