"The term obeah, obiah, or obia, (for it is variously written,) we conceive to be the adjective, and obe or obi, the noun substantive; and that by the word obia—men or women—is meant those who practise obi. The origin of the term we should consider as of no importance, in our answer to the question proposed, if, in search of it, we were not led to disquisitions that are highly gratifying to curiosity. From the learned Mr. Bryant's commentary upon the word oph, we obtain a very probable etymology of the term. 'A serpent, in the Egyptian language, was called ob or aub.' 'Obion is still the Egyptian name for a serpent.' 'Moses, in the name of God, forbids the Israelites ever to inquire of the demon Ob, which is translated in our Bible, charmer or wizard, divinator aut sorcilegus.' 'The woman at Endor is called oub or ob, translated Pythonissa; and oubaois (he cites from Horus Apollo) was the name of the Basilisk or Royal Serpent, emblem of the sun, and an ancient oracular deity of Africa.'"
One of your correspondents has formed a substantive from obe by the addition of ism, and another from obeah by the same process; but it will be seen by the above quotation that there is no necessity for that obtrusive termination, the superstitious practice in question being already sufficiently described by the word obe or obi.
Henry H. Breen.
St. Lucia, March, 1851.
SAN MARINO.
(Vol. iii., p. 321.)
On the death of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, without legitimate male issue, in October, 1468, Pope Paul II. declared Rimini and his other fiefs to have reverted to the Holy See. In the spring of the following year the Pontiff proceeded, with the assistance of the Venetians, to enforce his claim, and threatened the Republicans of San Marino with his vengeance if they did not aid him and his allies in gaining possession of Rimini, which Roberto Malatesta, one of the illegitimate sons of Sigismondo Pandolfo, had seized by stratagem.
By advice of their faithful friend Federigo, Count of Urbino, who was at the head of the opposite league, comprising the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and the Florentines, the San-Marinese forwarded the Papal mandate to Florence, and requested through their ambassador, one Ser Bartolomeo, the support of that Republic. Several letters appear to have been sent in answer to their applications, and the one communicated by Mr. Sydney Smirke is characterised by Melchiarre Delfico (Memorie storiche della Repubblica di San Marino. Capolago, 1842, 8vo. p. 229.) as
"Del tutto didattica e parenetica intorno alla libertà, di cui i Fiorentini facevano gran vanto, mentre erano quasi alla vigilia di perderla intieramente."