Besides the inscriptions over shops, we often see in Cairo the invocation, “O God!” sculptured over the door of a private house, and the words “The Excellent Creator is the Everlasting,” or, “He is the Excellent Creator, the Everlasting,” painted in large characters upon the door, both as a charm, and to remind the master of the house, whenever he enters it, of his own mortality.[384] These words are often inscribed upon the door of a house when its former master, and many or all of its former inhabitants, have been removed by death. The most approved mode of charming away sickness or disease is to write certain passages of the Kur-án[385] on the inner surface of an earthenware cup or bowl; then to pour in some water, and stir it until the writing is quite washed off; when the water, with the sacred words thus infused in it, is to be drunk by the patient. These words are as follow: “And He will _heal_ the breasts of the people who believe” (chap. ix., ver. 14). “O men, now hath an admonition come unto you from your Lord, and a _remedy_ for what is in your breasts” (chap. x., ver. 58). “Wherein is a _remedy_ for men” (chap. xvi., ver. 71). “We send down, of the Kur-án, that which is a _remedy_ and mercy to the believers” (chap. xvii., ver. 84). “And when I am sick He _healeth_ me” (chap. xxii., ver. 80). “Say, It is, to those who believe, a guide and a _remedy_” (chap. xli., ver. 44). Four of these verses, notwithstanding they are thus used, refer, not to diseases of the _body_, but of the _mind_; and another (the third) alludes to the virtues of _honey_! On my applying to my sheykh (or tutor) to point out to me in what chapters these verses were to be found, he begged me not to translate them into my own language, because the translation of the Kur-án, unaccompanied by the original text, is prohibited: not that he seemed ashamed of the practice of employing these words as a charm, and did not wish my countrymen to be informed of the custom: for he expressed his full belief in their efficacy, even in the case of an infidel patient, provided he had proper confidence in their virtue. “Seeing,” he observed, “that the Prophet (God favour and preserve him!) has said, ‘If thou confide in God, with true confidence, He will sustain thee as He sustaineth the birds.’” I silenced his scruples on the subject of translating these verses by telling him that we had an English translation of the whole of the Kur-án. Sometimes, for the cure of diseases, and to counteract poisons, etc., a draught of water from a metal cup, having certain passages of the Kur-án and talismanic characters and figures engraved in the interior, is administered to the patient. I have a cup of this description, lately given to me[386] here (in Cairo), much admired by my Muslim acquaintances. On the exterior is an inscription enumerating its virtues: it is said to possess charms that will counteract all poisons, etc., and the evil eye, and cure “all