OF SELBORNE 169 



the size of full-grown earth-worms. This little fry issued into 

 the world with the true viper-spirit about them, shewing great 

 alertness as soon as disengaged from the belly of the dam : they 

 twisted and wriggled about, and set themselves up, and gaped 

 very wide when touched with a stick, shewing manifest tokens 

 of menace and defiance, though as yet they had no manner of 

 fangs that we could find, even with the help of our glasses. 



To a thinking mind nothing is more wonderful than that early 

 instinct which impresses young animals with the notion of the 

 situation of their natural weapons, and of using them properly 

 in their own defence, even before those weapons subsist or are 

 formed. Thus a young cock will spar at his adversary before 

 his spurs are grown ; and a calf or a lamb will push with their 

 heads before their horns are sprouted. In the same manner 

 did these young adders attempt to bite before their fangs were 

 in being. The dam however was furnished with very formidable 

 ones, which we lifted up (for they fold down when not used) and 

 cut them off with the point of our scissars. 



There was little room to suppose that this brood had ever 

 been in the open air before ; and that they were taken in for 

 refuge, at the mouth of the dam, when she perceived that danger 

 was approaching ; because then probably we should have found 

 them somewhere in the neck, and not in the abdomen. 



LETTER XXXII. 



TO THE SAME. 



CASTRATION has a strange effect : it emasculates both man, beast, 

 and bird, and brings them to a near resemblance of the other 

 sex. Thus eunuchs have smooth unmuscular arms, thighs and 

 legs ; and broad hips, and beardless chins, and squeaking voices. 

 Gelt-stags and bucks have hornless heads, like hinds and does. 

 Thus wethers have small horns, like ewes ; and oxen large bent 

 horns, and hoarse voices when they low, like cows : for bulls 

 have short straight horns ; and though they mutter and grumble 

 in a deep tremendous tone, yet they low in a shrill high key. 

 Capons have small combs and gills, and look pallid about the 

 head, like pullets ; tney also walk without any parade, and hover 

 chickens like hens. Barrow-hogs have also small tusks like sows. 

 Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine vigour 



