Images of the black Virgin are not uncommon in Roman Catholic churches.
Has the colour an Egyptian origin, or whence is it?

A. HOLT WHITE.

Gladwins, Harlow.


_Snake Charming_.--Two or three summers ago, I was told a curious story
of snake charming by a lady of undoubted veracity, in whose
neighbourhood (about a dozen miles from Totnes) the occurrence had taken
place. Two coast-guard men in crossing a field fell in with a snake: one
of them, an _Irishman_, threw his jacket over the animal, and
immediately uttered or muttered a charm over it. On taking up the
garment, after a few seconds had passed, the _snake was dead_.

When I heard this story, and understood that the operator was an
Irishman, I bethought me of how Rosalind says, "I was never so be-rhymed
since Pythagoras' time, that I was an Irish rat," and accounted
satisfactorily for the fact that, "as touching snakes, there are no
snakes in _Ireland_:" for, as the song voucheth, "the snakes committed
suicide to save themselves from slaughter," _i.e._ they _were charmed to
death by St. Patrick_.

I fear it would now be impossible to recover the charm made use of by
the coast-guard man; but I will have inquiry made, and if I can obtain
any further particulars, I will forward them to you.

J.M.B.