Excerpt from Lean's Collectanea, Vol. 2: Collections by Vincent Stuckey Lean of Proverbs (English and Foreign), Folk Lore, and Superstitions, and Compilations Towards Dictionaries of Proverbial Phrases and Words, Old and Disused; Part II In Germany a plaister from a sore may be left at a crossway to transfer the disease to a passer-by. I am told on medical authority that the bunches of flowers which children offer to travellers in Southern Europe are sometimes intended for the ungracious purpose of sending some disease away from their houses. - Ty10r, Prim. Cult, ii. I 37. Iron nails, which have been used in sealing up a coffin, are considered quite efficacious in keeping away evil influences. They are carried in the pocket or braided into the cue. Sometimes such a nail is beat out into a long rod or wire, and incased in silver. A large ring is then made of it to be worn on the ankles or the wrists of a boy until he is sixteen years old. Such a ring is often prepared for the use of a boy if he is an only son. Daughters wear such wristlets or anklets only a few years, or for even a shorter time. Doolittle, Social Life of the Chinese, 11. 309. Elworthy (west Somerset word-book) says that the knuckle-bone of a sheep is still worn in a little bag tied round the neck as a charm. If by chance it touches the ground its virtue is lost. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.