366 CHAPTER LI. 



suffering, they set themselves to dance, observing 

 exactly the cadence of the tune ; and by this violent 

 exercise, accompanied by great perspiration, they are 

 gradually cured : for the poison is insensibly dissi- 

 pated, and quits the body which has been invaded 

 by it. But if, unfortunately, the diapason of the 

 music is not in concert with the nature of the disease, 

 the suffering of the patient is only increased thereby, 

 and he does not set himself to dance. So that we 

 must be careful to employ musicians, who by their 

 experience and skill may be able to discover those 

 harmonies which are best suited to restore the patient 

 to his former health. 



" Some of those who are under the influence of 

 this poisonous spider will show a preference for 

 certain colours ; green, yellow, red, and so forth. 

 These different effects depend upon the varying con- 

 stitution of the person who is stung, and also in some 

 measure upon the nature of the particular spider. 

 Similarly we observe that the effect of strong drink 

 varies according to the temperament of the drinker : 

 he may become warlike, or jovial, or sleepy, or witty, 

 or talkative, or liberal, or boastful. 



" The Tarantula herself is of such a nature that, 

 when she hears the sound of musical instruments, she 

 begins to dance after her own fashion. Nowhere are 

 the effects of her sting so much to be dreaded as in 

 the province of Pouille. This is due partly to the 

 heat of the climate, and partly to the fact that 

 spiders of this district are peculiarly venomous." 



The romance of this quaint old naturalist is 

 not without some elements of fact. The subterranean 

 burrow of his Tarantula may well have been derived 



