The evil eye. An account of this ancient and wide spread superstition

IV PEACOCKS' FEATHERS 119
extended fingers are the well-known symbol of the
Holy Trinity ; so when we speak of bearing the
cross, wearing the wreath or the palm, we sym-
bolise and convey our meaning just as clearly as
though those symbols were actually painted or
carved.
Precisely as a miniature in a locket brings back
to the wearer the individuality of the person por-
trayed, so does the symbolic representation of the
deity, whose aid is sought, bring back to the mind of
the beholder the whole conception of the attributes
and power of the being so represented. An ancient
Roman believed that Juno would protect him against
certain dangers ;
forthwith he paints or carves a pea-
cock, her own bird, and is thus reminded of her.
In theory he prays to her as often as he looks upon
her symbol, while he honours or worships her by
wearino- it.^^^
The practice, if not the belief, still survives
amongst us.
Some eight or ten years ago a gentleman well known to me
went to call on an intimate friend of his. Unfortunately for him,
he had the eye of a peacock's feather in his hat. When the
lady of the house saw it, she snatched it from him and threw it
out of the hall-door, rating him as if he had been guilty of some
great moral offence.
Some years ago, in North Yorkshire, an old servant came to
the house where I was, and found some peacocks' feathers above
the mantelpiece in one of the bedrooms. She expressed her
horror to the young ladies of the house, and said that they
need never expect to be married if they kept such things for
ornaments.^^*'
185 ti On the main gateway of the Old City (Citta Vecchia) at Malta is a statue
of Juno, ancient protectress of Malta, bearing her cognisance of a peacock."
Col. R. L. Playfair, Murray's Handbook to the AIediterranea7i, 1882,
p. 199-
186 j\fotes and Queries, 8th ser. iv. p. 531 (December 30, 1S93).
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