found in the
"Breitmann Ballads," a work, I believe, by an American author. On which
subject the learned Flaxius remarks that "if all the men who swear after
their evening refreshments were to lose their wives, widowers would
become a drug in the market."

Of the connection between _aura_ as air, and as an _air_ in music, I have
something curious to note. Since the foregoing was written I bought in
Florence a large wooden cup, it may be of the eleventh century or
earlier, known as a _misura_, or measure for grain, formerly called a
_modio_, in Latin _modus_, which word has the double meaning of measure
for objects solid or liquid, and also for music. Therefore there are on
the wooden measure four female figures, each holding a musical
instrument, and all with their garments blowing in one direction, as in a
high wind, doubtless to signify _aura_, Italian _aria_, air or melody.
These madonnas of the four _modes_ are rudely but very gracefully
sketched by a bold master-hand. They represent, in fact, Eurydice
quadrupled.

There is a spirit known in the Toscana Romagna as _Turabug_. He is the
guardian of the reeds or canes, or belongs to them like the ancient
Syrinx. There is a curious ceremony and two invocations referring to
him. Ivy and rue are specially sacred to him. One of these two
invocations is solely in reference to playing the _zufolo_, partly that
the applicant may be inspired to play well, and secondly, because the
spirit is supposed to be attracted by the sound of the instrument. The
very ancient and beautiful idea that divinities are invoked or attracted
by music, is still found in the use of the organ in churches.

A large portion of the foregoing on Orpheus formed, with "Intialo," the
subject of a paper by me in Italian, which was read in the Collegio
Romana at Rome at the first meeting of the Italian _Societa Nazionale per
le Tradizioni Popolari Italiani_, in November 1893. Of which society I
may here mention that it is under the special patronage of her Majesty
Margherita the Queen of Italy, who is herself a zealous and accomplished
folklorist and collector--"special patronage" meaning here not being a
mere figurehead, but first officer--and that the president is Count
Angelo de Gubernatis.

I believe that the establishment of this society will contribute vastly
to shake in Italy the old-fashioned belief that to be a person of the
_most_ respectable learning it is quite sufficient to be thor