56 A NATURAL HISTORY 



Privilege againfl: the Strength of Poifon, and fuftain no Harm by 

 the biting of Serpents. 



The Serpents, fays Pliny, are afraid of them, and when others 

 are bitten by them, thefe Pjyllians by fucking the Wounds, cure 

 them. 



The Marfians in Italy, 'tis faid, are flill in poffeffion of this 

 natural Power againfl Serpents, and are fuppofed to defcend from 

 the Son of Circe, the fimous Enchantrels. 



The Trial of Children's Legitimacy by Serpents, puts me in 

 mind of Hereditary Right; whofe Title was try'd by the Fatal- 

 Stone, on which the Irijh Monarchs ufed to be inaugurated on the 

 Hill of Tar ah', and which being inclofed in a Wooden-Chair, was 

 made to emit a Sound under the rightful Candidate, when he fat 

 in it; but was quite filent under one who had no Title, or not a 

 good one; that is, one who was not, for the Druidick Priefl's 

 Turn. 



*' This Stone was fent to confirm the Irijh Colony in Scotland, 

 ' where it continued to be the Coronation-Chair till in the Year 

 '■ 1300, Edward I. of England brought it from Scoon, and placed 

 ' it under the Coronation-Chair at fFefttninfler * ; and there it 

 ' ilill remains, is ufed in the Coronation, the antienteft refped:ed 

 ' Monument in the World -f. The Vulgar call it Jacob's Stone, 

 ' as if this had been his Pillow at Bethel" Note, Antique Ap- 

 pearances often give birth to popular Superftitions. 



Such natural Power againft Difeafes did in our Days appear 

 in the celebrated Mr. Greatrix, before whofe Hand they Jled. \\\ 

 the Philofophical Tranfadions we have the following Account 

 of it, received fiom Eye-WitneiTes — e. g. 



" • • • • My own Brother, John D- n, was feized with a vio- 

 lent Pain in his Head and Back : Mr. Greatrix (coming by ac- 

 cident to our Houfe) gave prefent Eafe to his Head, by only 

 llroaking it with his Hands. He then rubb'd his Back, which 

 he moft complain'd of, and the Pain immediately fled from 

 his Hand to his right Thigh; then he purfued it with his 

 Hand to his Knee, from thence to his Leg, Ancle and Foot; 

 and at lad to his great Toe. As it fell lower, it grew more 



violent 3 



* Ni fallat fatum Scoti quccunque locatum 

 Invenieiu lapidem, regnare tcnentur ibiJem, 

 t IpruVs Collat. A. D. 1726. 



