Natural Hiftory of the Ancients. 99 



fome learning for his day, and father of the poet, 

 with elephants. It feems that, about the middle 

 of laft century, much curiofity was mown with 

 regard to the foflil elephant bones and ivory fo 

 often found in South Eaftern England, and there 

 were many fpeculations about the manner in 

 which elephants could have reached our mores. 

 In July, 1757, that clergyman (who was Vicar of 

 Ottery St. Mary, Devon) wrote his views to the 

 "Gentleman's Magazine." A previous corre- 

 fpondent had hazarded the notion that the 

 Romans had brought over thefe huge creatures to 

 intimidate the Britons ; but, he adds, " we have 

 not the leaft account of any fuch thing." Mr. 

 Coleridge, however, points out that a pafTage in 

 the "Stratagems " of Polyasnus expreflly mentions 

 that an elephant was brought over by Caefar and 

 ufed in forcing the paflage of the Thames when 

 the Romans were oppofed by Caflivelaunus. The 

 Romans then caufed their elephant to advance, 

 wearing an iron coat of mail, and carrying bow- 

 men and {lingers in a little caftle on its back, 

 whereupon the Britons at once fled. Caefar, he 

 adds, probably omitted this account in his 

 " Commentaries," thinking that the mention of it 

 would detract from the honour of his victories. 

 But the doling fentences of the letter are fo in- 

 terefting from the ftandpoint of the geologift in 

 the nineteenth century, that it is worth while 

 quoting them : "It is reafonable to fuppofe that 

 as the Romans reaped fuch advantages from one 

 elephant, they would bring over more of thefe 



