42 The Poets and Nature. 



it on his wrist by way of a bracelet, and so took it home, 

 playing many similar tricks with it as he went. After arrival 

 in the house, he produced the viper for the amusement 

 of his brothers and sisters, and, after repeating his per- 

 formances, tried to tie the snake in a double knot. This, 

 however, was enough to provoke the most pacific of 

 creatures, and in consequence he received a bite on his 

 finger." 



Respecting its deafness the same writer gives the following 

 delightful quotation from a "Sermon for the eleventh day 

 after Pentecost," by " Luis of Granada : " 



" Their fury is after the likeness of the serpent, as the 

 asp which even stoppeth her ears which heedeth not the 

 voice of the charmers, even of the wizard which charmeth 

 wisely. 



" For they say commonly, the asp, while she is charmed, 

 so that she poisoneth not men with her deadly venom, layest 

 one of her ears to the ground and stoppeth the other by 

 thereunto putting her tail, that so the strength of the poison 

 which lurketh within may abide without." 



To this the author adds the remark 



" It may be as well to remark, before passing to another 

 of the serpents, that snakes have no external ears, and that 

 therefore the notion of the serpent stopping its ears is 

 zoologically a simple absurdity." 



Viper is poetically, as also in popular language, a synonym 

 of adder, and the name is given as a rule to all snakes that 

 are of the smaller size but greater venom. To the larger, 

 the name u serpent " is appropriated. To illustrate this from 

 Thomson : 



" Lo ! the green serpent, from his dark abode, 

 Which e'en Imagination fears to tread, 

 At noon forth issuing, gathers up his train 

 In orbs immense, then, darting out anew, 

 Seeks the refreshing fount ; by which diffused, 

 He throws his folds ; and while, with threatening tongue 



