OF SERPENTS. 72 



I T forms a beautiful Profpedl, being an Aggregate of moft 

 eharming Colours, (therefore call'd the Painted Serpent by Man- 

 tuanus.) It may be view'd without danger, becaufe flow in its 

 Motion. 'Tis an Error in Lucan to attribute its Slownefs to a 

 Defign of enticing Spectators, if it be not Poetica Licentia. 



When releafed from its Winter-Confinement, the firft thing 

 fhe does, fays the Hiftorian, is to refrefh her languid Body with 

 Fennel-Leaves j but does not tell us what is done, in cafe that Herb 

 can't be readily found. It muft indeed be allowed, that wild 

 Fennel is a common Herb of the Field, and well known and of 

 Ufe in Phyfick *. The Poet obferves, that no Snake cafts her 

 Coat in Winter, but the Scytale -f. 



This Serpent being adorned with beautiful Colours, excufe a 

 fhort Digreffion upon the DocSrIne of Colours in Natural Bodies, 

 Know then, Colours are the Children of Fire and Light. 



I. Where there is Light, there is Fire \ and Fire fhews itfelf to- 

 be prefent by Light, The Senfation of Light is produced when 

 the Particles of Fire, diretfted bytheAdion of the Sun, reach the 

 Eye in right Lines. Now, Fire thus entering the Eye, gives a 

 Motion to the optick Fibres at the bottom of the Eye, and thus 

 excites the Idea of Light. 



II. FIRE difcovers itfelf by Colour ; for all Colours depend 

 upon Light, and Light depends upon Fire ; and different Colours- 

 appear in Natural Bodies, as their Surfaces are difpofed to refledt 

 this or that fort of coloured Rays more than others. Colour is 

 a Property inherent in Light.. 



Colours therefore are not connate with Natural BodieSj 

 which are all of the fame Hue in the dark. To this the Poet 

 alludes, when he makes Darknefs the DejlruBion of Colours :{:.—=. 

 Colours are only in the Rays of the Sun : In Natural Bodies is 

 a Quality or Power to refled: the Light falling upon them, which 

 ftriking the Eye, produces in the Spedlator the Senfation of Co- 

 lour. 



Gl o u OS 



* JEliav^ Gyllii Aece0o. 



\ Et Scytale fparfis etiani nunc fila fritini^ 



Exuvias pofitura fuas.--Li\ca.ns Pharf 

 4= Rebus mx abfiulit atra colore!.— Yirgil. 



