Aug. 21. 1852.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



177 



find many other sources, is quite unaccompanied 

 by heat, as is probably the odylic light, although 

 the ingenious experiments of Reichenbach have 

 shown tts power of decomposing iodine, and there- 

 fore, I conclude, its union with actinism. E. H. Y. 



I think that the fallacy in H. C. K.'s_ method of 

 accounting for the phenomenon he mentions is, that 

 the light which proceeded from the star the moment 

 before contact with the moon's limb, is, according 

 to this theory, projected from a different spot from 

 that occupied by the star at the moment before it 

 ceased to be visible. Whereas it is obvious that, 

 if the theory of the gradual transmission of light 

 is sound, however long the last-seen ray may be 

 in reaching the eye, it cannot be affected by any 

 after-motion of the star ; and cannot, therefore, 

 on that account appear to come from a different 

 position from that occupied by the star at the 

 Juoment of its transmission. G. T. H. 



SERPENT EATING. 



(Vol, ii., p. 130.) 



Partly from the idea of divinity attached to 

 serpents, and partly from their casting their slough 

 periodically, the serpent came not only to be a 

 symbol of health and reproduction, but a means of 

 procuring these blessings : 



" As an old serpent casts his scaly vest, 

 Wreathes in the sun, in youthful glory drest ; 

 So when Alcides mortal mould resign'd. 

 His better part enlarg'd, and grew refin'd." 



OviJ. 



Pliny, Galen, and the ancients are unanimous 

 as to the medicinal properties of its flesh when 

 eaten. To the instances I have already given of 

 the same idea in modem times, the following may 

 be added : 



" I was baptized in Tliy cordial water against 

 orighial sin ; and I have drunk of Thy cordial Blood 

 fi)r my recovery from actual and habitual sin in the 

 other Sacrament. Thou, O Lord, who hast imprinted 

 all medicinal virtues which are in all creatures, and 

 hast made even the flesh of vipers to assist in cordials, 

 art able to make this present sickness everlasting 

 health." — Dr. Donne's Devotions, 1624, Prayer xi, 



" Chacun salt que les viperes du Bas-Poitou etoient 

 autrefois particulierement recherchees pour la confec- 

 tion des Theriaques de Venise: depuis la revolution 

 ce commerce est entierement tombe." — Berthre de 

 Bournisseaux, Precis Hist, de la Guerre de la Vendee, 

 p. 294. 



In Mad. de Sevigne's Letters^ we have an order 

 for ten dozen vipers, two to be taken every day 

 in stuffing in a fowl; and directions for packing 

 the aforesaid vipers. 



Mr. Keysler relates that Sir Kenelm Bigby 

 used to diet his beautiful wife (Venetia Stanley) 



upon capons fattened with the flesh of vipers. In 

 Quarles's Sampson, 1. 303., viper wines are men- 

 tioned as aphrodisiacs : 



" Those who eat serpents* flesh (says Mr. Dean) 

 were also supposed to acquire the gift of understanding 

 the languages of the brute creation. Consult Philo- 

 stratus de Vita ApoUonii, lib. iii. c. 3. ; wherein he 

 says, that the Paraca;, a people of India, are said to 

 have 'understood the thoughts and languages of animals, 

 by eating the heart and liver of serpents.' The same 

 author (i, 14,) says the same of the Arabians." 



Serpents' flesh was also applied externally as a 

 treacle or antidote to their bite. Thus Pliny : 



" Fiunt ex vipera pastilli, qui theriaci vocantur a 

 Graecis." — Nat. Hist., lib. xxix. c. 21. 



In the old English divines. Bishop Taylor, 

 Hales of Eton, Farindon, &c., we meet with fre- 

 quent allusions to this, as in the passage : 



" The true Christian not only kills the viper, but, 

 like the skilful apothecary, makes antidote and treacle 

 of him." 



Kaempfer says the Japanese soldiers eat the 

 flesh of the serpent called Fitakutz, "believing 

 firmly that it has the virtue of making them bold 

 and courageous." The ancients tell of men having 

 their sight and hearing restored or supernaturally 

 quickened by serpents licking the organs. In 

 Russia the flesh of a serpent is esteemed a remedy 

 for bad eyes. 



Besides being used medicinally, and as a charm, 

 some nations use serpents as an article of food. 

 The American Indians, according to Hector St. 

 John, feast on the rattle-snake. The Chinese eat 

 water-snakes. The Doba of Abyssinia greatly 

 esteem the flesh of serpents, as the natives of 

 Surinam do that of the boa. Bruce says : 

 " he saw a man at Cairo take a live Cerastes, and be- 

 ginning at the tail, eat it as one would do a carrot or 

 a stock of celery, without any seeming repugnance." 



In justice to the nations I have just mentioned, 

 I should have said that they eat their snakes 

 cooked. Jarltzberg. 



COVTPER OR COOPER. 



(Vol. iv., pp. 24. 76. 93. 137.) 



Belonging as I do to one of the families which 

 bear the name of Cowper, I am interested in the 

 opinions expressed upon that name. I have 

 quietly heard your correspondents, and having 

 looked into the matter myself, I wish to say one 

 word. The question is certainly not settled by 

 H. S. T. W., nor do I think that any appeal to ar- 

 morial bearings can settle it. It might, perhaps, 

 be shown of some of the Cowpers, but not of all, 

 that their name was originally Cooper, though I 

 doubt it ; but it can never be shown that_ the 

 words Cowper r.nd Cooper have a common origin. 



