OF SERPENTS. 69 



The Notion of Witches in the Days of Ignorance and Super- 

 flition, was very prevailing in thisliland, but of late Years has un- • 

 dergone a parliamentary Excommunication; though the Lauca- 

 JJjtre Witches, who are conftituted of the fairer Part of the fairer 

 Sex, triumph even over our Senators, and will maintain their faf- 

 cinating Charms, while their rival Beauties, the Sun and Stars 

 endure. 



W E read of a certain King of Egypt , who having alTembled 

 his Magical Pricjis without the City Memphis^ caus'd them to en- 

 ter where the People were gather'd, by beat of Drum; All of 

 them made feme miraculous Difcovery of their Magic and Wif- 

 dom. 0?ie had his Face furrounded with a Light, like that of 

 the Sun, fo bj-jght that none could look earneftly upon him. 



Another feem'd as if enrob'd with precious Stones of di- 

 verfe Colours, red, green, yellow, or wrought with Gold. 



A Third came mounted on a Lion^ compafs'd with Serpents, 

 like Girdles. 



The next came in with a Pavilion, or Canopy of Light, di- 

 ftended over his Head. 



Another entered furrounded with Flames of Fire, turnincy 

 about him j fo that none durft come near him. 



After him appeared one with dreadful Birds, perching about 

 his Head, and (Iraking their Wings like Vulturs and black Eagles. 



The laft made his Appearance with an Army in the Air 

 marching before him, of winged Serpents and terrible Perfo- 



nages. In fine, every one did what was taught him by tlie 



Star he ferved; and after all, the whole Scene was but an Ap- 

 parition and lUufion, according to their own Confeffion to tlie 

 King, when the Farce was over *.—— Something analogous 

 to this are the Magic Lanthorns in our days. 



I N antient times, the Word Magician generally fignified Men 

 of Wifdom or Learm?7g, i. e. of fuperior Knowledge in Things 

 natural and divine, and more elpecially in that fort of Learning 

 relative to the Sun, Moon, and Stars, as we learn from Porphyry, 



yl^uleius, 



* This PafTage is taken out of the Egyptian Hiftory of the Pyramids- by Mur- 

 tadixhQ Jrabian^ printed at Tibe, a City in Arabia^ \\x.\\ o{ Regehe, 992; which 

 correfponds to Jidy lid, 1584; about 156 Years ago ; trunflateil into Fri?icby and 

 into Englijhy 1672. 



