THE WOLF. 205 
generations (1646), common people have proceeded 
into opinions, and some wise men into affirmations, 
that they will not live therein, although brought 
from other countries.” 
He also notices the popular belief that ‘a Wolf 
first seeing a man begets a dumbness in him,” a 
notion as old as the time of Pliny, who wrote: “ Jn 
Ltalia, ut creditur, luporum visus est noxius, vocemque 
homini, quem prius contemplatur adimere.” In France, 
when anyone becomes hoarse, the say “Jl a vu le 
loup.”* 
“The ground or occasional original thereof,” says 
Sir Thomas Browne,t “ was probably the amazement 
and sudden silence the unexpected appearance of 
Wolves doth often put upon travellers, not by a sup- 
posed vapour or venomous emanation, but a vehement 
fear, which naturally produceth obmutescence, and 
sometimes irrecoverable silence.” 
A critic, adverting to this passage, has somewhat 
wittily remarked: “ Dr. Browne did unadvisedly 
reckon this among his vulgar errors, for I believe he 
would find this no error if he were suddenly sur- 
prised by a wolf, having no means to escape or save 
himself!” 
* Howell’s “ Familiar Letters,” vol. ii. p. 52. 
f+ Op. cit., vol. ii. p. 422. 
