Note 845 — INDEX TO THE NOTES.

Helping all urchin blasts, remedying or preventing the blighting influence of evil spirits. ‘Urchin blasts’ is probably here used generally for what in Arcades, 49-53, are called “noisome winds and blasting vapours chill,” ‘urchin’ being common in the sense of ‘goblin’ (M. W. of W. iv. 4. 49). Strictly the word denotes the hedgehog, which for various reasons was popularly regarded with great dread, and hence mischievous spirits were supposed to assume its form: comp. Shakespeare, Temp, i. 2. 326, ii. 2. 5, “Fright me with urchin-shows”; Titus And. ii. 3. 101; Macbeth, iv. 1. 2, “Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined,” etc. Compare the protecting duties of the Genius in Arcades. Helping: comp. the phrases, “I cannot help it,” i.e. prevent it; “it cannot be helped,” i.e. remedied, etc.