Evil eye in the western Highlands

Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations in hyphenation and accents have been standardised except in the Gaelic passages, but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged.
EVIL EYE IN THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS
BY THE SAME AUTHOR THE GAMES AND DIVERSIONS OF ARGYLESHIRE. Demy 8vo, viii.-270 pp., cloth, uncut, 10s. 6d. net.
This volume forms No. 47 of the Publications of the Folk-Lore Society.
BY R. C. MACLAGAN, M.D. AUTHOR OF “THE GAMES AND DIVERSIONS OF ARGYLESHIRE”
LONDON DAVID NUTT, 57-59 LONG ACRE 1902
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. At the Ballantyne Press
EVIL EYE
The Evil Eye is a superstition arising not from local circumstances, or peculiarity of a great or small division of the human family, but is a result of an original tendency of the human mind. The natural irritation felt at the hostile look of a neighbour, still more of an enemy, is implanted in the breast of all, however much they may be influenced by moral teaching. When we add to this the feeling that some valued possession has attracted the coveteous desire of another, the fear of loss is added to the irritation of mere anger. To some such natural feeling we must ascribe the belief in an Evil Eye.
Theories of an origin more restricted, founded on the fear of loss or damage to particular possessions of individuals guaranteed them by the custom of law, developed in the community of which they form part, scarcely satisfy after inquiry. Where a subsistence can be easily procured the Evil Eye would be little regarded in connection with food, but might naturally develop itself in connection with the relations of the sexes. No doubt the latter, the most interesting to individuals of all passions, causes feelings of hostility between rivals universally, but where the food supply is difficult to procure one would naturally expect that damage from the covetous desires of others, where they seemed to affect the life-preserving store, would become equally important.