12 A NATURAL HISTORY 



SECTION IV. 



THAT Duft was not the original Food of the Serpent, 

 feems evident from the Sentence paffed upon the Paradi- 

 faick Serpent, but the necefTary Confequence of the Change made 

 in the manner of its Motion, /. e. the prone Poflure of its Body, 

 by which it's doomed to Hve upon Food intermixed with Earth, 

 dried to a Powder j Duft Jhalt thou eafy is one part of the Curfe. 

 It's true, Serpents eat Flefh, Birds, Frogs, Fifh, Fruits, Grafs, 

 but as they continually creep on the Earth, 'tis impofTible but 

 their Food muft be often defiled with Dirt j fome of them may 

 eat Earth out of Neceflity, or at leaft Earth-Worms, which they 

 cannot fwallow without fome Dirt with them. No Animal but 

 has its proper Food 3 even the moft minute Infe(5ls ; thofc that 

 feemingly feed upon Duft, in reality feed only upon fome nutri- 

 tive Particles therein. Inleds have been feen through a Micro- 

 fcope to eat fome Particles of Duft, and reje(5t many others, hav- 

 ing accurate Organs of Sight, Smelling, and Feeling, as well ac- 

 commodated to Duft, as the Organs of Ducks and Hogs are to 

 find their Food in Dirt. 



And here it may be obferved, that what the Serpent does 

 through a Neceffity from the Divine Sentence, the earthly Man 

 does from his own Will \ the Serpent only by the Will of ano- 

 ther, Man eats it from his own Inclination to it; the Serpent 

 would have better Food if it could, Man might have better and 

 will not : This ftiews that Man has a mind to be Companion with 

 the Serpent, and to carry on the Acquaintance, that was begun 

 in Paradife j the Serpent licks the Duft materially, the earthly 

 Perfon licks it morally 3 the one has its Tongue upon it, the other 

 has his Heart. The earthly Man is only a Man in Shape, but a 

 Serpent in Pradice : What is the Punifliment of the Sercent, is 

 made the Happinefs of the earthly Mind. 



Some Serpents are carnroo^^ous^ and feed on Flefti ; others 

 are 'uenninrooi-ous^ and feed on Reptiles : Their Suftenance is va- 

 rious, fuited to their feveral Conftitutions, and Nature of the 

 Climates, where they inhabit. Vipers and Adders feed on Herbs, 

 Weeds, Dew, as well as upon Lizards, Mice, Frogs. — -When 



they 



