_Hinthial_ in
Etruscan meant simply a ghost or _revenant_--the apparition of some one
dead. But on mentioning my discovery of this legend to Professor Milani,
the Director of the Archaeological Museum in Florence, and the first of
Etruscan scholars, he astonished me by declaring that he believed the
word signified a _shadow_, and that its real meaning in its full
significance had apparently been marvellously preserved in this
witch-tradition. Too little is known as yet of the old Etruscan language
to decide with certainty as to anything in it, but should this opinion of
Professor Milani be sustained, it will appear that at least one word of
the mysterious tongue has existed till now in popular tradition.

There will be very few of my readers who will not be struck, as I was,
with the remarkable resemblance of the terrible curse uttered by Intialo
to the invocation in Byron's tragedy of "Manfred." It is like it in
form, spirit, and, in many places, even in the very words. That there
was, however, no knowledge of the English poem by the Italian witch-poet,
and therefore no imitation, is plain from intrinsic evidence. As the
question is interesting, I will here give the Incantation from "Manfred":

INCANTATION.

"When the moon is on the wave,
And the glow-worm in the grass,
And the meteor on the grave,
And the wisp on the morass;
When the falling stars are shooting,
And the answered owls are hooting,
And the silent leaves are still
In the shadow of the hill,
Shall my soul be upon thine
With a power and with a sign.

"Though thy slumber may be deep,
Yet thy spirit shall not sleep;
There are shades which shall not vanish,
There are thoughts thou canst not banish;
By a power to thee unknown
Thou canst never be alone;
Thou art wrapt as with a shroud,
Thou art gathered in a cloud,
And for ever shalt thou dwell
In the spirit of this spell.

"Though thou see'st me not pass by,
Thou shalt feel me with thine eye,
As a thing that, though unseen,
Must be near thee, and hath been;
And when in that secret dread
Thou hast turned around thy head,
Thou shalt marvel I am not
As thy shadow on the spot,
And the power which thou dost feel
Shall be what thou must conceal.

"And a magic voice and verse
Hath baptized thee with a curse,
And a spirit of the air
Hath begirt thee with a