O F S E R P E N T S. 63 



there came a Serpent of great Bulk, fuppofed to be the Devil, that 

 leapt upon the Charmer, and immediately flew him *. 



Answer me, fays Paracelfus, (the celebrated Swifs Phyfician, 

 who did wonderful Cures by Liquids extracfted from Vegetables) 

 from whence is it, that a Serpent of Helvetia, Algovia^ or Suevia, 

 does underfland the Greek Idiom, Ofy, OJ'ya, Ojy ; that they 

 fhould, at thefirft Sound of thefe Words, flop their Ears, remain 

 immoveable, and do us no hurt with their Poifon ? From whence 

 he infers, there was a Power in Words to operate upon the Ear, 

 without Superilition, The Antients feem to have entertain'd 

 fome favourable Thoughts of the Power of Spells upon Serpents : 

 Their Poets fpeak often of thefe Charms and Incantations. 



Frigidus in pratii cantando rumpitur anguis. Virgil. 



Vipereas riunpo verbis, G? carmine fauces. Ovid. 



Ingue pruinofo coluber dijlenditur arvo 



Viperes coeunt ahriipto corpore nodi 



Humanoque caditferpens afflata veneno. Lucan.. 

 PHILOSTRATUS defcribes particularly how the Indians 

 charm Serpents — they take a Scarlet-Coat embroider'd with golden 

 Letters, and fpread it before the Serpent's Hole; and thefe golden 

 Letters have a fafcinating Power over it, and therewith its Eyes 

 are overcome and laid afleep -f-. 



I F we confider the flrange Things done by Force of Words, fo 

 much extoll'd in Antiquity, it will be no wonder to fee Letters, 

 out of which Words are for in' d, 7nade the Kudiment andfirfl Study 

 of human Life : But as to the Mode of Operation by Words, the 

 Learned are not agreed. 



Some fay, there is a natural Virtue and Efficacy in Words, 

 and appeal to the notable Feats done by Force of Eloquence. This 

 was the favourite Study and View of Orators ; in this they 

 triumph'd, and never wanted Acclamations and loud Applaufes. 

 I N Plutarch, v/e have, among others, one remarkable Inftance, 

 viz. Ccefar, upon the Accufations brought in by Tubero again ft 

 ^imtus Ligarius [Pompyefs Friend) he was refolved to facrifice 

 that Rebel, till he was charm'd by the Words of the Orator that 

 pleaded in his favour No fooner did Cicero begin his Oration int. 



* Dofloi- ]\Iore'< Antidote. 



t His Lxic oi A^'JUrihis Tyameus, wiir ai the Dt'fine of ihcEmprcfs j'"''''i 'Jb. 3= 

 cap 2. 



bis- 



