"The eyes be not only instruments of enchantment, but also the voice and evil tongues of certain persons for there are found in Africk, as Gellius saith, families of men, that, if they chance exceedingly to praise fair trees, pure seeds, goodly children, excellent horses, fair and will-liking cattle, soon after they will wither and pine away and so dye. No cause or hurt known of their withering or death. Thereupon the custome came, that, when any do praise any thing, that we should say, God blesse it or keepe it."
-Richard Lupton, Minor Morals, 1795