84 Of the fascinating FACULTY 



Rattle-fnake (Crotalus horriJiis) In any part near a great 

 vein. But the merciful God has diitinguilhed thefe pefts 

 by peculiar figns, and has created them moft inveterate 

 enemies ; for as he has appcinicd cats to deftroy mice, lo 

 has he provided the Ichneumon (Vivcrra Ich)ieiimo)i) 

 againfl the former ferpcnt, and the Hog to perfecute the 

 latter. He has moreover given the Crotalus a very flow 

 motion, and has annexed a kind of rattle to its tail, by 

 the motion of which it gives notice of its approach : but, 

 left this flownefs Ibould be too great a difadvantnge to the 

 animal itfelf, he has favoured it with a certain power of 

 fafcinating fquirrels from high trees, and birds from the 

 air into its throat, in the fame manner as flies are precipi- 

 tated into the jaws of the lazy toad."* 



Linnasus was, certainly, extremely credulous, though 

 I do not find that any of his profefled biographers have 

 taken notice ol this feature of his mind. But the proofs 

 of my obfervation are numerous : they are to be found 

 in almoft every efl~ay that he has written. His credulity 

 ■with refpedt to the powers of medicines is, perhaps, 

 peculiarly ftriking -f-. How far this credulity, in a mind 

 otherwife truly great (a mind which with refpedt to the 

 arrangement of natural bodies has never been equalled), 

 is to be fought for in the general character of the country 

 which gave Linnscus birth, I (hall not paufe to inquire. 

 Yet in an inveftigation of this kind, where the opinion 

 of the Swedifh f'liny is neceffarily mentioned, it might be 



* See Refleitions on the Study of Nature, tranflated from the Latin of 

 Linnafus. p. 33 & 34- Dublin edition, 1786. Dr. I. E. Smith, the in- 

 genious Iranflator of this differtation, in a note to the above paflage, has 

 the following words. " This opinion of the fafcinating power of the Toad 

 has been reiuted, and the appearance which gave rife to it tuUy accounted 

 for, by Mr. Pennant, in his Biitilh Zoology. Piobably the ftory of the 

 Rattle-fiiake's having a fimilar power might be found equall) falfe, if en- 

 quired into with the fame degree of accuracy." p. 34. 



f See his Materia Medica, hber. i. de Plantis, &c. Amftelsedami : 

 1749. 



I curious 



