THE WOLF. 205 



generations (1646), common people have proceeded 

 into opinions, and some wise men into affirmations, 

 that they will not live therein, although brought 

 from other countries." 



He also notices the popular belief that " a Wolf 

 first seeing a man begets a dumbness in him," a 

 notion as old as the time of Pliny, who wrote : " In 

 Italia, ut creditur, luporum visus est noxius, vocemque 

 homini, quern prius contemplatur adimere." In France, 

 when anyone becomes hoarse, the say " II a vu le 

 loup."* 



" The ground or occasional original thereof," says 

 Sir Thomas Browne,t " was probably the amazement 

 and sudden silence the unexpected appearance of 

 Wolves doth often put upon travellers, not by a sup- 

 posed vapour or venomous emanation, but a vehement 

 fear, which naturally produceth obmutescence, and 

 sometimes irrecoverable silence." 



A critic, adverting to this passage, has somewhat 

 wittily remarked : " Dr. Browne did unadvisedly 

 reckon this among his vulgar errors, for I believe he 

 would find this no error if he were suddenly sur- 

 prised by a wolf, having no means to escape or save 

 himself!" 



* Howell's " Familiar Letters,'' vol. ii. p. 52. 

 t Op. oit., vol. ii. p. 422. 



