ASCRIBEP TO THE RATTLE-SNAKE. 271 



many of the fubjedls of their fcience ; the credulity which has 

 accompanied them in their refearches after truth, and the pre- • 



cipitancy with which they have decided upon many queftions 

 of importance, are proofs of this aflertion. 



There is a queftion in natural hiftory that has, in an efpecial Fafcmatlon by- 

 manner, folicited from me thefe obfervations. I mean the 

 queftion concerning the fafcinating faculty, which has been 

 afcribed to different kinds of American ferpents. It is my 

 intention to examine this queflion, in the memoir which I now 

 prefent to the Philofophical Society. 



Of this fafcinating faculty we have all heard and read. In 

 many of our country iituations, there is hardly a man or a 

 woman, who will not, when the fubjed comes to be men- 

 tioned, ferioufly relate fome wonderful ftory, as a convincing 

 proof of the dodrine. Children feem taught to believe it. generally bcliev- 

 I think, it is fometimes one of the earlieft prejudices im- ^ '" menca. 

 printed on their tender minds. It is a prejudice which often 

 increafes with their years; and even in that happy period of 

 life when the mind is moft firm, and the leaft propenfe to the 

 belief of extraordinary things, the ways of which we are not 

 capable of fcanning, I have known this prejudice fo deeply 

 and fo powerfully rooted, as to mock the light and furenefs of 

 fa^ls, and all the ftrength of reafoning. 



It is not my intention, in this memoir, to give an analyfis, or Examination of 



complete view, of everv thine: that has been written on the *^^ queftion 



..."'. . . psopoied. 



fubjed. Nor is it my intention to examine the many flories, 



related by authors, in fupport of the fafcinating faculty of 



ferpents. For the firft talk, I have not leifure ; and, as to 



the fecond, I fliould think my time ill employed in pointing 



out the grofs ablurdities which feem to conftitute a neceflary 



part of many of thofe (lories. I think it proper, however, to 



obferve, that I have anxioufly fought for, and have patiently 



perufed, the volumes of tales publithed in favour of the 



do6trine which 1 mean to controvert. 



I aim at giving a general, though correft, view of the General view* 



queftion, uninfluenced by the bold aflertions of ignorance, 



or by the plaufible conjedures of fcience. In the invefliga- 



tion of the queftion, I have fought for fads : thefe have been 



my guides. I have ftudioufly endeavoured to follow where 



they feemed to lead. Perhaps, they have led me aftray. 



Tha 



