Snakes in Nature. 43 



And deathful jaws erect, the monster curls 

 His flaming crest, all other thirst, appalled, 

 Or shivering flies, or checked at distance stands, 

 Nor dares approach." 



This is the serpent, the reptile of the largest size. Then 

 the passage continues thus : 



" But still more direful he, 

 The small close-lurking minister of fate, 

 Whose high concocted venom through the veins 

 A rapid lightning darts, arresting swift 

 The vital current. Formed to humble man, 

 This child of vengeful Nature." 



Here we have the two poetic genera in juxtaposition, the 

 one terrific, bulky, crested, that awes all the wild things of 

 the tropics by its furious aspect, and its acknowledged 

 strength ; the other insignificant in size, but " lightning " in 

 its deadliness. 



Nor are these passages without interest as illustrating 

 several very prevalent errors prevalent, not only among 

 poets about this most wondrous order of creatures. They 

 may indeed be called the " normal " errors of the poets. 



One of these is the idea that snakes Titania's " spotted 

 snakes with double tongues" wound with their tongues. 

 Shakspeare has both " tooth " and " sting," and was evidently 

 in doubt on the point. Thomson, we have seen, has 

 " threatening tongue " because, perhaps, Somerville (whom 

 he had read assiduously and to much useful purpose) has 

 the same expression : 



" So when the unwary clown with hasty step 

 Crushes the folded snake, her wounded parts, 

 Grov'lling, she trails along, but her high crest 

 Erect she bears, in all its speckled pride 

 She swells, inflamed, and with her forky tongue 

 Threatens destruction." 



Scott compromises with his doubts : 



" Thus, circled in his coil, the snake, 

 When roving hunters beat the brake, 



