THE TARANTULA. 493 



who were desirous of witnessing it. Mr. Swin- 

 burne, when he was in Italy, minutely investigated 

 every particular relative to this insect. The season 

 was not far enough advanced, and it was pretended 

 that no persons had that year been yet bitten : he, 

 however, prevailed upon a woman, who had for- 

 merly been bitten, to dance the part before him. 

 Several musicians were summoned, and she per- 

 formed the dance, as every one present assured 

 him, to perfection. At first she lolled stupidly on 

 a chair, while the instruments played a dull strain. 

 They touched at length the chord supposed to 

 vibrate to her heart ; and up she sprang with a most 

 hideous yell, staggered about the room like a 

 drunken person, holding a handkerchief in both 

 hands, raising them alternately, and moving in very 

 true time. As the music grew brisker, her motions 

 quickened, and she skipped about with great vigour, 

 and in a variety of steps, every now and then 

 shrieking very loud. The scene was unpleasant, 

 and, at his request, an end was put to it before the 

 woman was tired. 



He informs us that, wherever they are to dance, 

 a place is prepared for them, hung round with 

 bunches of grapes and ribbons. The patients are 

 dressed in white, with red, green, or yellow ribbons ; 

 on their shoulders they have a white scarf; they let 

 their hair fall loose about their ears, and throw the 

 head quite back, lie says that they are exact 

 copies of the ancient priestesses of Bacchus. The 

 introduction of Christianity abolished all public ex- 

 hibitions of heatbeabh rites ; but the women, un- 



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