NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 359 



Laocoonta petunt : et primum parva duorum 

 Corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque 

 Implicat, et miseros morsu depascitur artus. 

 Post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem 

 Corripiunt, spirisque ligant ingentibiis ; et jam 

 Bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum 

 Terga dati superant capite et cervicibus altis. 

 Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos, 

 Perfusos sanie vittas atroque veneno ; 

 Clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit. 

 In tliat marvellous group, 



All made out of the carver's brain, 

 the serpents are so represented, that the spectator feels 

 that there is no hope for the victims. The very oppo- 

 site to this appears in the subject made musical by the 

 exquisite Doric reed of Theocritus, and brought in all its 

 grandeur before the eye by the bold and beautiful pencil 

 of our o^\Ti Reynolds. 



In the id^^ll of the Greek,* opening with one of the 

 most charming maternal scenes and good nights ever 

 presented to the imagination, the serpents are made to 

 relax their folds ^vhen the siyines of their hacks waxed 

 weary under the killing grasp of the Infant Hercules ; 

 and in the British picture you see at once that they are 

 dying, overcome by the vigour of the son of Jupiter. 



But as long as the locomotive machinery is in good 

 order, the sinuous, graceful windings of the serpent, 

 joined to the bright hues with which the skin of the 

 majority of the species is enamelled, make it a pleasing 

 object to those who can overcome the natural antipathy 

 felt by so many at their presence, and incline them to 

 S3mipathize with the Indian girl, — 



Stay, stay, thou lovely, fearfid snake. 

 Nor hide thee in yon darksome brake ; 

 But let me oft thy form review. 

 Thy sparkling eyes and golden hue : 



* HpaKhio-Kos. EldvXkiov kS'. 



HpaKkea ^(Kafxrjt/ov iovra. — k. r. X. 



