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 subeimtem ac tela ferentem 

 Corripiunt, spirisque ligant ingentibus ; et jam 

 Bis medium amplexi, bis collo squaraea circum 

 Terga dati superant capite et cervicil)us altis. 

 Ille siraul raanibus tendit divellere nodes, 

 Perfusos sanie vittas atroque veneno ; 

 Clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit. 



In that marvellous groiiiD, 



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 own Reynolds. 



In the idyll 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 ivhen the spines of their bads 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 



sympathize with the Indian girl, — 



Stay, stay, tbou lovely, fearfid snake. 

 Nor hide thee in yon darksome brake ; 

 But let me oft thy form review^ 

 Thy sparkling eyes and golden hue : 



* UpaKXiaKos- EiSvXkiov kS'. 



HpaKkea bfKafirjvov iovra. — k. t. A. 



