are devoted to him; and that there are occasionally horses, but at other times none. "The holy king Tirru-Sangu”* (that is, "divine chank ")" was taken to heaven, body and soul, without the pain of dying." When a man, as a Heathen, is very regular in his devotions, or when he reproves others for vice or neglect of duty, it is often scornfully asked: "What! are you expecting the green † chariot to be sent for you?" meaning, "Do you, by your devotions, expect to go to heaven in the chariot of Siva without the pain of dying?" Does a man act with great injustice? the person who finds him out asks: "Will you get the green chariot for this?" Has a Heathen embraced Christianity? he is asked the same question. "Charity, charity!" says the beggar at your door, "and the green chariot will be sent for you."

Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head !—Verse 23.
See Isai. xv. 2; Amos viii. 10.

Some suppose that this expression alludes to the head being uncovered. I was not a little astonished in the East, when I first heard a man who had a large quantity of hair on his head called "a bald head:" and I found, upon inquiry, it was an epithet of contempt! A man who has killed himself is called, "a bald-headed suicide;" and a stupid fellow, "a baldheaded dunce." It is asked concerning those who are powerless, "What can those bald heads do?" Hence the epithet has often been applied to Christian missionaries. Is a man told, that his wife does not manage domestic matters well? he replies, as if in contempt of himself: "What can a bald head do? Must he not have a wife of the same kind?"

Let a merchant, or any other person, who is going on business, meet a man who is really bald, and he will assuredly refuse to attend to the business; and pronounce, if he dare, some imprecations on the object of his hatred. Sometimes he will repeat the proverb: "Go, thou bald head, pilferer of a small fish, and sucker of bones cast away by the goldsmith!"

I think it is Mosheim who says, "The Kalmucks worship an idol called Xacamuni, who is represented to have been a sovereign prince of India: he lived four thousand years ago, and on account of his great sanctity was taken to heaven without dying." Is it not remarkable that the word Xacamuni is from the Sanscrit language, and is also Tamul, Saca-Muni, that is, "great hermit ?"

+ Pachi means not only "green," but also something fresh: thus an infant is called green child, which means "just born."

Call a man a mottiyan, that is, "bald head," (though he may have much hair,) and then abuse, sticks, or stones, will certainly be your portion. Thus the epithet implics great and is given to those who are weak or mean.

scorn,

In viewing this subject, does not the mind naturally revert to the bald-headed Samson, bereft of his strength, and made the sport of the lords of the Philistines? Would such an event as that soon be forgotten? Is it not likely, that the extreme folly of Samson, in disclosing the secret of his strength, would give rise to such an epithet? When was Samson killed? About A.M. 2884. When was Elisha mocked? In A.M. 3108, which makes it only 224 years after the event. Samson was a servant of the true God; (Heb. xi. 32 ;) those who conquered him in consequence of his bald head, were Heathens. Elisha was a servant of the true God; those who applied the epithet to him were also Heathens; for he was going "up unto Bethel," which has been called "the mother city of idolatry." Some young heathen "lads" met the servant of the Lord, and mocked him, saying, "Go up, thou bald head! go up, thou bald head!' As did thy master Elijah, so do thou, go up to heaven." The spirit of this is in excellent keeping with modern Heathenism; and it is the way in which they show their contempt for those who are weak, and for those servants of the true God among them who now labour for their conversion to Christianity.

Look at the time when Samson lived,-1229 years after the flood. Would all the regions of the East then be peopled? Some parts would have few inhabitants; others, none at all. Is it not likely that such a person as Samson, his amazing strength, his wonderful exploits, and the manner in which he became weak as other men, as well as the destruction of the heathen nobility, would be known to the neighbouring Heathen? Of this no doubt can be entertained. therefore of opinion that the term "bald head," as applied to the prophet Elisha, was derived from the foolish, the baldheaded Samson; and that the epithet, as used in the East at this day, is derived from the same source. See the remarks on Isai. vii. 20.

I am

CHAP. III.

Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.-Verse 11.

We read, that Elisha "went after Elijah, and ministered unto him;" which simply means he was his servant. The people of the East use their fingers in eating, instead of a knife and fork, or spoon; and consequently after each of their meals, as well as before, they are obliged to wash their hands. The master, having finished his repast, calls a servant to pour water on his hands. The domestic then comes with a little brass vessel filled with water, which he pours on the hands and fingers till he hear the word Potham, "Enough!"

CHAP. IV.

Lay my staff upon the face of the child. And Gehazi laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing.-Verses 29, 31.

The rod or staff is mentioned in the scriptures, as an emblem of authority over inanimate nature, over man, and over the discases to which he is subject; and also as an instrument of correction for the wicked. The Lord commanded Moses: "Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood." (Exod. vii. 19.) The magicians of the heathen king had their rods also, by which they performed many wonderful things.

I see no reason to doubt, that the staff of Elisha was of the same nature, and for the same purposes, as the "rod of God," which did such wonders in the hands of Moses. Gehazi, though he had the emblem of his master's office, could not perform the miracle: and no wonder; for, the moment before that in which he received the command from Elisha, he had showed his evil disposition to the mother of the dead child, when she caught the prophet "by the feet" to state her case: "But Gehazi came near to thrust her away."

The orou-mulle-pirambu, that is, "a cane with one knot," is

believed to possess miraculous power, whether in the hand of a magician or of a private individual. It is about the size of the middle finger, and must have only one knot in its whole length. "A man bitten by a serpent will be assuredly cured, if the cane or rod be placed upon him: nay, should he be dead, it will restore him to life!" "Yes, sir, the man who has such a stick need neither fear serpents nor evil spirits."

A native gentleman who is known to me, has the staff of his umbrella made of one of these rods; and great satisfaction and comfort seem to be infused into his mind by this his constant companion. "The sun cannot smite him by day, neither the moon by night; the serpents and wild beasts move off swiftly; and the evil spirits dare not come near him.”*

There came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof.-Verse 42. The margin has, instead of in the husk thereof, " in his scrip or garment."

I think the marginal reading is better than the text. In what was the man to carry the ears of corn? In that which may be seen every day,-" in his scrip or garment." In the mantle which resembles a scarf, the natives carry many things in this manner the petty merchant takes some of his wares, and the traveller his rice.

CHAP. V.

The Lord pardon thy servant.-Verse 18.

This phrase is much oftener in the mouth than in the heart. Thus when a man is talking to you, he is every moment repeating, Umudiya valekaran, that is, "Your servant!" "Sir, how can I reply to you? How can I oppose? Am I not your servant?" and this when the man

"Not only the Chaldeans used rods for divination, but almost every nation which has pretended to that science has practised the same method. Herodotus mentions it as the custom of the Alani; and Tacitus, of the old Germans."— CAMBRIDGE's "Scribleriad."

"No man can tell why forked sticks of hazill (rather than sticks of other trees) are fit to show the places where the veines of gold and silver are."-" Historicall Meditations," folio, 1621.

possesses property, and influence in society, far beyond the person whom he addresses. When he receives a gentle intimation on this point, he courteously subjoins: "True, sir; I have houses and lands; but I am your servant."-"Why do you come to ask me to speak for you? I am a low man.” "No, my lord, you make a mistake: I am your servant.” The phrase therefore is used to evince humility on the one part, and dignity on the other; and this peculiarity in Eastern manners illustrates the feelings and demeanour of the Syrian commander to the prophet of the Lord.

When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon, and he leaneth on my hand.-Verse 18.

It is amusing to see full-grown men here, as they walk along the road, leaning on each other's hands, like school-boys in England. Those who are weak or sick lean on another's shoulder. It is also a mark of friendship to lean on the shoulder of a companion.

The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.-Verse 27.

This was denounced by Elisha against Gehazi, because he ran after Naaman, who had been cured of his leprosy, and told him that his master had sent him to receive " a talent of silver, and two changes of garments," of which he actually took possession.

There is an account, in the Hindoo book called SeythuPurana, of a leper who went to Ramiseram to bathe, in order to be cured of his complaint. He performed the required ceremonies; but the priests refused his offerings. At last a Brahmin came in the moment of temptation he took the money, and immediately the leprosy of the pilgrim took possession of his body!

This complaint is believed to come in consequence of great sin, and therefore no one likes to receive any reward or present from a person infected with leprosy.

There are many children born white, though their parents are quite black. These are not lepers, but albinos; and are of the same class as the white Negroes of Africa. To see a man so unlike the rest, almost naked, walking amongst the