G. W.'s Correspondent will find it stated in Faulkner's History of Fulham, that "the Bishop died at Bath, September 6, 1748, aged 79, and was buried at Fulham. He married the sister of the wife of Dr. Bettesworth, Dean of the Arches, who died suddenly in her chair, December 28, 1741, and by whom he had several children."
Jewish Superstitions.
The superstitious notions and practices of the Jews in the middle ages, concerning the names of God, were singular. Of these they reckoned 72, from which, by different arrangements in sevens, they produced 720. The principal of these was אגלא, agla, which they disposed of in two triangles intersecting each other. This they called the "Shield of David," and pretended that it was a security against wounds, and would extinguish fires, and was able to perform other wonders.
ABRACADABRA.
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר ב א
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר ב
א ר ב א ד א כ א ר
א ר ב א ד א כ א
א ר ב א ד א כ
א ר ב א ד א
א ר ב א ד
א ר ב א
א ר ב
א ר
א
This word, thus written, is a charm for fever or ague, still used by some superstitious persons; it was invented by Basilides, of Alexandria, in the beginning of the 2nd century, to signify the 365 divine processions which he invented, (see Moreri); the value of the letters according to the Greek numbers, make 365 thus:
| Α | Β | Ρ | Α | Ξ | Α | Σ | Abraxas. |
| 1. | 2. | 100. | 1. | 60. | 1. | 200. | 365. |
Abraxas was a deity adored by the author, and was the root of his charm, as the more mysterious they were the more serviceable they were considered.
The mode of cure described in these verses, viz.