’Tis true, that wonderful Things have been done by Words, but how verbal Charms operated upon Serpents, wants Explication: Of some Inchanters ’tis said, that by vocal and instrumental Sounds, they have charm’d Rats, Mice and Serpents, some into a stupid State, and others into a flexible submissive State.

A remarkable Instance in Rats we have in the publick Records of Hamelen, (an antient City on the River Weser in Germany, about 28 Miles S. E. of Hanover) where the following strange Account is register’d, viz.

That in June 26. 1284, a certain Stranger undertook to destroy an Army of Rats with which the Town had been long pester’d, on promise of such a Reward; and immediately playing on his Pipe and Tabret, the Rats march’d out, and follow’d the Musick to the River, where they were all drown’d: But being denied the Reward, he threaten’d Revenge; and next day he went about with the same Musick, and most Children in the Town follow’d the Piper to the Mouth of a great Cave on a neighbouring Hill call’d Koppelberg, where he and they entered, and were never heard of after.

In remembrance of this sad Catastrophe, the Citizens for many Years after, dated all their publick Writings from the Day they lost their Children, as appears by their old Deeds and Records: They still call the Street thro’ which the Children went out, Tabret-street; and at the Mouth of the Cave there is a Monument of Stone, with a Latin Inscription, giving the Particulars of this tragical Story.

As to the other Instance, viz. Serpents charm’d into a ductile manageable State, ’tis thus accounted for; viz. Serpents, they say, are strangely influenced by the Smell of those Emanations, proceeding from the Cornus, or Dog-tree (why not the Cornelian-Cherry, antiently dedicated to Apollo?) and that by a Wand or Rod taken from it, they are thrown into an obsequious Temper—

“When touch’d by a Rod from that Tree, they are immediately intoxicated, but so as to be able to follow the Motion of the Rod; but whether by reason of some great Disproportion or Incompossibility, between these subtile Effluvia and the Temperament of the vital, spiritual Substance of the Serpent, or by what other way, we are not told^[131]. The Sassafras-tree, a Native of America, is call’d Cornus also, whose Wood is very odorous and fragrant.”

Now, say these Gentlemen why should it seem impossible, that he who understands this invincible Enmity, and how to manage a Rod of the Cornus with Cunning and Dexterity (having first intoxicated a Serpent by the Touch thereof) should during that Fit make it observe, and readily conform to all the various Motions of the Wand, so as that the unlearned Spectators, perceiving the Serpent to approach the Inchanter, as he moves the Wand near to himself, or to retreat from him, as he put the Wand from him, or turn round and dance as the Rod is mov’d to and fro, or lie still as in a Trance, as the Rod is held still over it; and all this Time, the People knowing nothing of the Virtue in the Rod, are easily deluded into a Belief, that the whole Scene is supernatural, and the main Energy radiated in those Words or Charms, which the Impostor with great Ceremony and Gravity of Aspect mutters forth, the better to disguise his Legerdemain, and dissemble Nature in the colour of a Miracle.

The Rattle-snakes in America are said to secure their Prey by Incantation; for they have the Power or Art, (I know not which to call it, says my Author) to charm Squirrels, Hares, Partridges, or any such Thing, in such a manner, that they run directly into their Mouths: This I have seen, adds he, by a Squirrel and one of the Rattle-snakes; and other Snakes have in some measure the same Power^[132].

It is allowed indeed, that there are dumb Creatures that do exceed Man in some sensible Perceptions, particularly in that of Smelling, as the Harriers, and other Dogs. How strange, that Odours from the Hare’s Body, Should so affect the Nose of a Hound, as to raise in him that Sensation or Scent, by which he follows her all the Day (tho’ he never had a Sight of her) thro’ a Cloud of Opposition, from perplexing intricate Places, and Effluviums proceeding from other Animals!

These Emanations are exceeding fine Effluvia, or Particles flying off odorous Bodies in all Directions; and as they float in the Air on the Surface of the Earth (within their Atmosphere) strike against the Dog’s Nose, and produce that Sensation of Smell.—N. B. The Intensity of Smell in all Creatures, is in proportion to the Density or Thickness where we are: This Density is always diminish’d in proportion to the Squares of the Distances from the odorous Body.

Yea, a little Cur, by the Power of Smelling, can find out his Master among Thousands, will trace his Steps thro’ Crouds in Fairs and Markets; yea, throughout a whole Country. Our Histories inform us of Dogs in some parts of this Island, that being put upon the Scent, would pursue a Thief and a Murderer; and if he cross’d a River, would smell where he entered, and swim after him; and when arrived at t’other side, would hunt about till they found where he landed, and then run on, till they overtook the Criminal.

In Animals is a sulphurous or oily Matter, so attenuated and subtiliz’d as to become volatile, which is denominated a Spirit: Now that there is such a Spirit in Man, and a peculiar one too in every Man, is evident from these Dogs, which will pursue the Game by their Nose, and follow their Master’s Track, and distinguish it precisely; yea, tho’ a thousand other Persons had past the same way.

It must be by meer Force of Smelling, that the Dog is able to do this, that is, to distinguish his Master from all Men by the Instrumentality of his Nose.

Therefore there must be some specifick Matter exhaled from the Master’s Body, which the Dog can perfectly distinguish from the various Effluvia flowing from all other Persons.

The Dog must exceed us, in that he can thus exactly discern his Master, by these subtile, oily, or sulphurous Effluvia, which no human Nose was ever able to do.

We find the like Spirit in the Hound, who when put in the Track which a Deer has lately been in, will follow the Steps of that Deer thro’ all cross Paths of a thousand others, and at last single out that individual Deer among a whole Herd of those Animals.

In Scotland are a sort of Dogs (in Colour generally red and spotted with black, or black with red) of extraordinary Sagacity, being, as ’tis said, put upon the Scent, will pursue Thieves with Success; and the Use of them has been authorised by the Magistrate——Nullus perturbet aut impediat canem trasantem, aut homines transentes cum ipso ad sequendum latrones aut ad capiendum malefactores.

N. B. Trasantem is a Word latiniz’d from the old French Tracer or Trasser, signifying to follow by the Track.

If any shou’d suggest, That this derogates from the Wisdom and Goodness of the Creator, who has given to some Beasts stronger Perceptions, Nerves more exquisitely fine and delicate than he has bestow’d upon Man:

I answer, this is so far from derogating from divine Wisdom and Goodness, that it is an admirable Instance and Illustration of both; for were our olfactory Nerves susceptible of such quick Sensations as Dogs and some other Animals, we shou’d be continually annoy’d with pestiferous Fumes and Exhalations, so as not only to render most Situations troublesome, but even Life it self miserable and wretched.

Such quick Sensations may be very useful to carnivorous Animals, so as to direct them to their Prey, but to human Beings it wou’d be very vexatious, if not pestiferous and deadly. I shall only add to this Digression, a short Hint about the Magic Art, the most surprising of all Arts, and in its first Appearance most innocent and useful.

Among the antient Chaldeans, Babylonians, and Persians, where the Art-magic was first and principally cultivated, it signified no more than Wisdom and hence the Sophi, or Wisemen of the Greeks were by them call’d μαγοι that is, Magicians; who being acquainted with many of the hidden Powers of Nature, directed them in such manner, as to produce Effects, whose Causes being unknown to the Vulgar, were attributed to Dæmons.

Hence the Art in process of Time came into Disrepute, and Magicians have been censur’d, as working by Compact with the Devil: But this is invidious; for in the Gospel we find, the Magi or Magicians, are said to come from the East to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we—are come to worship him. No body can imagine this to be understood of those that have been called Sorcerers, Wizards, Conjurers, Witches or Magicians, in the modern Sense of that Word^[133]; for those who were familiar with the Devil, would scarce come to enquire after him, who came to destroy his Works.

The Notion of Witches in the Days of Ignorance and Superstition, was very prevailing in this Island, but of late Years has undergone a parliamentary Excommunication; though the Lancashire Witches, who are constituted of the fairer Part of the fairer Sex, triumph even over our Senators, and will maintain their fascinating Charms, while their rival Beauties, the Sun and Stars endure.

We read of a certain King of Egypt, who having assembled his Magical Priests without the City Memphis, caus’d them to enter where the People were gather’d, by Beat of Drum: All of them made some miraculous Discovery of their Magic and Wisdom. One had his Face surrounded with a Light, like that of the Sun, so bright that none could look earnestly upon him.

Another seem’d as if enrob’d with precious Stones of diverse Colours, red, green, yellow, or wrought with Gold.

A third came mounted on a Lion, compass’d with Serpents, like Girdles.

The next came in with a Pavilion, or Canopy of Light, distended over his Head.

Another entered surrounded with Flames of Fire, turning about him; so that none durst come near him.

After him appeared one with dreadful Birds, perching about his Head, and shaking their Wings like Vulturs and black Eagles.

The last made his Appearance with an Army in the Air, marching before him, of winged Serpents and terrible Personages.——In fine, every one did what was taught him by the Star he served; and, after all, the whole Scene was but an Apparition and Illusion, according to their own Confession to the King, when the Farce was over^[134].——Something analogous to this are the Magick Lanthorns in our days.

In antient times, the Word Magician generally signified Men of Wisdom and Learning, i. e. of superior Knowledge in Things natural and divine, and more especially in that sort of Learning relative to the Sun, Moon, and Stars, as we learn from Porphyry, Apuleius, and others. And seeing the inspired Apostle gives them that Name (Magicians) not as a Mark of Infamy, but a Title of Honour, therefore does the English Translation stile them Wisemen, such as the old Greeks called σοφοι, Sages of their Time^[135]. How, and how far this Art is degenerated, I refer to the Judgment of the Learned: We see there are Revolutions in Words, as well as in Families and Kingdoms; a Magician being formerly a Wise-man, as well as a Knave an honest one. Sed tempora mutantur.

I shall only add to the Aspick Subject, the Tribute of Veneration paid to this poisonous Animal in the Land of Egypt. The Historian speaks of a certain Person, who, in digging, happened unawares to cut an Asp with his Spade, and went mad upon it,—was taken into the House of Serapis, an Egyptian Idol,—the Relatives of the Patient praying the Spectrum of that Serpent might be destroyed,——which being accordingly done by Magick Art, the Man was cured.——By this we see, how highly Asps were venerated among the Egyptians, who not only suffer’d them to live, but to live in their Houses, where they were carefully fed, as Favourites of the Family^[136]. And Queen Cleopatra’s Case was not singular, for the Persian Kings kept an exquisite Poison by them, made of the Dung of an Indian Bird, which would kill without putting them to pain, that they might use it themselves in case of any Disaster^[137].

DEMOSTHENES, who slew his Soldier, when he was asleep, was a merciful Executioner; a kind of Punishment the Mildness of no Law has yet invented. It is strange that Lucan and Seneca made no discovery of it.

Sleep is a kind of Death, by which we may literally be said to die daily; and in this Sense, Adam may be said to die before his final Exit.

VIII. I now proceed to the Serpent Scytale; the Name is borrowed from the Greek Word σκυταλη, a Staff, or any thing like a Cylinder, of a long smooth round Form; the Body of this Serpent being in shape equally round, like a Rolling-Stone, with very little Variation in the Extremities of it.

It forms a beautiful Prospect, being an Aggregate of most charming Colours, (therefore call’d the Painted Serpent by Mantuanus.) It may be view’d without danger, because slow in its Motion. ’Tis an Error in Lucan to attribute its Slowness to a Design of enticing Spectators, if it be not Poetica Licentia.

When released from its Winter-Confinement, the first thing she does, says the Historian, is to refresh her languid Body with Fennel-Leaves; but does not tell us what is done, in case that Herb can’t be readily found. It must indeed be allowed, that wild Fennel is a common Herb of the Field, and well known and of Use in Physick^[138]. The Poet observes, that no Snake casts her Coat in Winter, but the Scytale^[139].

This Serpent being adorned with beautiful Colours, excuse a short Digression upon the Doctrine of Colours in Natural Bodies. Know then, Colours are the Children of Fire and Light.

I. Where there is Light, there is Fire; and Fire shews itself to be present by Light. The Sensation of Light is produced when the Particles of Fire, directed by the Action of the Sun, reach the Eye in right Lines. Now, Fire thus entering the Eye, gives a Motion to the optic Fibres at the bottom of the Eye, and thus excites the Idea of Light.

II. FIRE discovers itself by Colour; for all Colours depend upon Light, and Light depends upon Fire; and different Colours appear in Natural Bodies, as their Surfaces are disposed to reflect this or that sort of coloured Rays more than others. Colour is a Property inherent in Light.

Colours therefore are not connate with Natural Bodies, which are all of the same Hue in the dark. To this the Poet alludes, when he makes Darkness the Destruction of Colours^[140].—Colours are only in the Rays of the Sun: In Natural Bodies is a Quality or Power to reflect the Light falling upon them, which striking the Eye, produces in the Spectator the Sensation of Colour.

Clouds often appear very beautifully coloured; they consist of aqueous Particles, between which Air is interspersed; therefore, according to the various Thickness of those aqueous Particles, the Cloud will be of a different Colour^[141].

IX. AMPHISBÆNA Serpent, so called from αμφι & βαινω Biceps, a Monster with two Heads. This is a small and weak Creature, equal in Bulk to a little Finger, and about a Foot long, of a whitish or terraceous Colour; of the oviparous Family, of small Eyes, no otherways visible than the Prick of a little Needle; lives much under ground, and is often found by digging; feeds upon Ants. Under this Head, the Historian mentions three Serpents, viz.

The Brasilian, that has two Heads, and moves as a Crab^[142].

The Taprobanensian, with four Heads; and he who believes it must have a four-headed Faith.

The Hungarian; of which elsewhere.

The same Historian adds, that the marine Amphisbæna, taken in the English Sea, has two Heads. Ibid. Pliny, Ælian, Lucan, Mantuan,—affirm it has two Heads; Matthiolus denies it, Hesychius is doubtful. Mention is made of a Serpent found near Chipping-Norton, not far from Oxford, having two Heads, and Faces like Women; one being shaped after the new Tyre of that Time; the other was habited after the old Fashion, and had great Wings resembling those of the Flinder-Mouse or Bat^[143]. This happened in the Reign of Edward III.

A Spanish Author says, that in Chiapa he found a two-headed Serpent, 18 Inches long, in the Form of a Roman T, and very venemous; it does not only kill, adds he, by its Bite, but if any tread upon that part of the Ground over which ’twas just gone, it proves fatal^[144]. The Poet also subscribes to two Heads^[145].——If this two-headed Serpent has slain its Thousands, there is a certain metaphorical three-headed Serpent on the Banks of Tyber, that has slain its Ten Thousands.

Perhaps the Reason of ascribing two Heads to this Serpent, might be, because it is said to poison by the Tail and Teeth. Others say, both Ends are so like in Figure and Bulk, that they are not easily distinguished.

It seems probable to me, that this Serpent, like some Insects or Worms, has a double Motion, antrorsum & retrorsum, which made some of the Antients conclude it had two Heads; one in the usual Situation, the other in the Extremity of the Cauda. Its Body is of equal Thickness, and recommended to the View by various and delightful Spots^[146].

We read of this Serpent in Gothland, where it comes forth in the Spring before all other Serpents, being more able to encounter the cold Air^[147]. Some Authors tell us, that its Skin wrapt about a Stick, drives away all Serpents; which I place among the Tales of Antiquity.

This Serpent is found in the Lybian Deserts, and also in the Island of Lemnos, in the Ægean Sea. The Puncture made by its Wounds is so small, that it can scarcely be discerned, yet terminates in a dreadful Inflammation and a lingering Death.

ERASMUS was puzzled about the Sense of that Greek Proverb ὑδρος εν φιθω, hydrus in dolio, a Serpent in the Hogshead: The Meaning of it, said an Interpreter of Dreams, is this: A certain Person had a Vessel of Wine, that was constantly diminishing, tho’ carefully lock’d up; the Reason of which he could not account for, till he empty’d the Vessel, at the bottom of which he found a Serpent rioting in Wine^[148].

Perhaps as good an Interpretation may be this, that there was Venom in the Cask (of which the Serpent was an Emblem) to all those who rioted in the Bowls of Excess. Not so, says a Son of Bacchus; for

Some of the Poets have thought this Amphisbæna to be the Hydra Lernæa, the many-headed Serpent, that was very terrible to the adjacent Country, and slain by Hercules: When one Head was cut off, many others sprung up; so that there was no way to destroy the Monster, but by cutting off all the Heads with one Stroke.

Tho’ there be no Amphisbænick Animals, there is some Resemblance of it in Plants, whose Cotyledon is always double, and in the common Centre of the two, is a Point or Speck, which is the Plantule, or the Tree in Embryo; which Plantule being acted on by the Earth, warmed by the Sun, begins to expand, and shoots its Root both upward and downward. Thus, in a Bean committed to the Ground, we soon see it to cleave into two Parts, and in the Fissure appears a little Speck, which sends out a Root downwards, and a Bud upwards.—A remarkable Phænomenon, says the Note on Boerhaave’s Theory.

X. Among Serpents, Authors place Dragons; Creatures terrible and fierce in Aspect and Nature. They are divided into Apodes and Pedates, some with Feet, and some without them; some are privileged with Wings, and others are destitute of Wings and Feet: Some are covered with sharp Scales, which make a bright Appearance in some Position. Some have observed, that about the Ganges, are Dragons whose Eyes sparkle like precious Stones.

They differ in external Form: The Draconopades are represented by a human Face, and sightly Countenance; the rest of the Body in a tortuous winding Shape. In one of Dr. Johnson’s Figures, a Dragon is made to appear like a Man’s Face, with a Grenadier’s Cap on the Head. Some differ in Colour, some are black in the upper Part of the Body, according to Philostratus; red, according to Homer; yellow, according to Pausanias; and Lucan makes it a golden Colour^[150].

The same Historian observes, that in the Atlantick Mountains, they kill where they touch, and those that are in the Kingdom of Narsinga, and dwell in the Woods, kill all they meet. Ibid.^[151]

I presume, the Author means Narsinga, a potent Kingdom, bounded on the East with the Bay of Bengal, that noble Part of India, says Herbert^[152]; where the Monarch is always attended with 1000 for his Guards, has 5 or 6000 Jesters, and reckons it one of his chief Titles to be the Husband of a Thousand Wives.

Dragons are Inhabitants of Africa and Asia; those of India exceed most in Largeness and Longitude: In the Tower of London, is the Skin of one, which is of vast Bulk. In Æthiopia, they have no Name for Dragons, but Killers of Elephants, which is supposed to be the largest of Land-Animals.

Over the Water-gate in the City of Rhodes, there is set up the Head of a Dragon, which was 33 Foot long, that wasted all the Country, till it was slain by Deodate de Gozon, one of the Knights of St. John Baptist^[153]. The Knights of that Order had frequently attack’d it, but in vain; for its Scales being proof against all their Arms, it destroyed so many of them, that the Grand-Master forbad them to engage the Monster any more.

GOZON, who, after several dangerous Onsets escaped with his Life, resolved to make another Trial by Stratagem; perceiving it was no where vulnerable but in the Eyes and Belly, contrived the Resemblance of a Dragon by a Machine of Pastboard, of equal Bulk with the Dragon, and by certain Springs made it leap like a true Dragon: Having trained up a Couple of fierce Dogs to attack it at the Belly, he went out privately one Morning, well-armed on a managed Horse with his Dogs, and rode up to the Den, from whence the Dragon leaped furiously at him: In the Encounter, the Dogs laid hold on his Belly, and forced him to lie down; upon which the valiant Knight alighted, thrust his great Sword several times into his Throat, and soon killed him: Upon which the Spectators drew near, and with great difficulty sever’d the Head from the Body, and lugged it into the Town in Triumph.

The Conqueror was degraded for the sake of Form, because he had violated the Grand-Master’s Order; but was immediately restored, and soon after was elected Grand-Master himself; he died in the Year 1335, and on his Tomb were engraven these Words, Draconis Extinctor; The Destroyer of the Dragon.

In the Life of Attilius Regulus (the Roman General in the War against the Carthaginians) is described a Dragon of prodigious Bulk near the River Bagrada, that annoyed all the Country round, without Remedy. Several Devices were formed to destroy it, but without effect, till the Military Possé was called in, who discharged the Engines of War against it with Success: And so great was this Deliverance, that an Ovation, or a small Triumph, was publickly made at Rome for the Victory.

XI. The Pythian Dragon, so called from its being the Guardian of the Delphick Oracle: Its Eyes are large and sharp, and the Body painted with Variety of Colours, as red, yellow, green and blue, and furnished with Scales that are resplendent, well compacted and hard. It has been called Deucalionæus, because in the Language of Ignorance, it was produced from the Mud left by the Deucalionian Deluge: a Serpent of prodigious Bulk.^[154]

PYTHON is also taken for a prophetick Demon, by St. Luke^[155].—As we went to Prayer, a certain Damsel possest with a Spirit of Divination, (having the Spirit of Pytho, according to the Greek) which brought her Masters much Gain by Sooth-saying, that is, by Predictions, telling of Fortunes. Python of the Greeks is supposed the Typhon of the Phenicians, and the Phœnician Typhon to be Ogg King of Bashan, and Apollo that slew it, to be Joshua. Apollo is called Pythius from this Serpent, or from some notorious Tyrant of that Name, slain by him, as the antient Geographer observes. So Gesner from Pausanias. The Priestess of Apollo, that delivered the Sacred Oracles, was called Pythia and Pythonissa. This Pythonick Spirit among the Gentiles, was esteemed as a God, and by Juvenal is styled Vates, a Prophet.

The Priestess that delivered the Sacred Oracles, was called Pythia, from Apollo Pythius, and must be a pure Virgin. Most of the Fathers of the Church were of opinion, that it was the Devil gave the Answers, which were generally dubious, a Sign of his Ignorance about Futurity.

One Œnomaus, a certain Pagan Philosopher, highly resenting it, that he had been so often befooled by the Oracles, speaks to Apollo thus—

“When we come to consult thee, either thou knowest Things to come or not. If thou knowest them, why dost not thou speak so as to be understood? If thou knowest not, why dost thou pretend to it? If Things necessarily come to pass, why dost thou amuse us with Ambiguities?^[156]”

F. BALTHUS, a learned Jesuit, and F. Bouchet, say there were real Oracles, and such that can never be attributed to Priests and Priestesses; and that the Devil still gives Oracles in the Indies, and that not by Idols, which would be liable to Imposture, but by the Mouths of Priests, and By-Standers; and that the Devil becomes mute, in proportion as the Gospel prevails.——

“It is generally believed among the more Learned, that the Pagan Oracles were mere Frauds and Impostures, and calculated to serve the political Views of Princes, and covetous Ends of Pagan Priests.”

According to the learned Bayle, they were meer human Artifices; and he is seconded by Vandale and Fontenelle. But to return to the Oracle at Delphos, which was very antient and much in vogue before the Trojan War: The Situation of the Place, where People were made to believe God spoke, was at the Mouth of a certain Cavern, whence they received their Intelligence. The Prophetess sat upon a Tripodium, a three-footed Stool, assisted in her Function by divers Priests.

Under her Seat, ’tis said, that some time there appeared a Dragon, through whose Throat Responses were audibly deliver’d, with a loud and strong Voice: According to Eusebius, a Serpent rolled itself about the Tripod, on which the Priest sat.

Of all Oracles, that of Apollo Pythius at Delphos, in the Ægean Sea, was the most celebrated, and consulted as the dernier Resort by the Princes of those Times; yea, all the Greeks resorted thither for Counsel in Matters of Importance. At the first opening of that Oracular Office, Answers were given to the Querist in Verse; but upon People’s ridiculing the Poorness of the Verification, the Oracle fell to Prose. ’Tis strange, that what they made a God, could not make a good Verse, but not strange to see the old Serpent adhering to its first Scheme of Politicks, by making the weaker Vessel the Vehicle to convey his strong Delusions to the World.

Some of these Draconick Serpents excel in the Sensations of Hearing and Seeing, as well as in the Art of Killing; and therefore a Dragon was made the Conservator of their Treasures and Curiosities; e. g. Mauritania in Africa, was famous for the Gardens of the Hesperides (so called from three Sisters and Daughters of King Hesperius) that produced Golden Apples, and were guarded by a Dragon, which Hercules having killed or charm’d into a profound Sleep, he robbed the Golden Orchard.

The Rod of Moses, ’tis said, was turned into a Serpent. The Syriack, Arabick, and Septuagint Translations, say, twas turned into a Dragon; and so the Rods of the Magicians became Dragons.

XII. The Basilisk or Cockatrice, is a Serpent of the Draconick Line, the Property of Africa, says Ælian, and denied by others: In shape, resembles a Cock, the Tail excepted. Authors differ about its Extraction; the Egyptians say, it springs from the Egg of the Bird Ibis; and others, from the Eggs of a Cock: Other Conjectures about its Descent, being as ridiculous, I forbear to mention them. Nor are they agreed whether it more inclines to the black or yellow Colour; nor are their Sentiments less various about its Stature.

It is gross in Body, of fiery Eyes, and sharp Head, on which it wears a Crest, like a Cock’s Comb; and has the Honour to be stiled Regulus by the Latins, the Little King of Serpents; and ’tis generally supposed to be terrible to them. The Sight of this Animal, and Sound of his Voice, puts them to flight, and even to over-run their Prey^[157]: Yea, Tradition adds, that his Eyes and Breath are killing; that is, I presume, when he grasps the Spoil. Several dreadful things are attributed to his venemous Qualities, so sing the Poets^[158].

According to Pliny and other antient Historians, this Serpent in its Motion, inclines to the Erect; it goes half upright, the middle and posterior parts of the Body only touching the Ground. The Venom of the Basilisk is said to be so exalted, that if it bites a Staff, ’twill kill the Person that makes use of it; but this is Tradition without a Voucher^[159].