i66 A N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y, ^c. 



the Age, and to Italian Mufick, difplay'd in Temples as well as 

 on the Stage, the firft Eredlion of which was intended for the 

 Honour and Defence of Virtue. 



The Laconians were wont at the Death of their King to tinkle 

 a Caldron, inftead of a Bell : Yea, the Jews had their Minftrels 

 at Funerals ; for, at the raifing to Life the Daughter of Jairus, 

 'tis faid, the Muficians were commanded to troop off, Matth. ix. 

 Before the Koman Funerals, a Trumpeter went, foUow'd by the 

 Prafica, i.e. old Women, finging Songs in Praife of the Deceafed, 



Thus we have had a general View of Serpents, their Poifon 

 and Cure ; and a particular Account of Perfons wounded by the 

 Tarantula, and cured by Mufick ; the EfFeds of which mufical 

 Operation, have paft for Miracles ; for, by means of it, dangerous 

 Diftempers have been cured, Infurreftions quelled, Paffions calm'd 

 and raifed, even co Dittraftion and Madnefs. 



Antiently all Laws, Exhortations to Knowledge and 

 Virtue, and Lives of illuftrious Men, were written in Verfe, and 

 publickly fung by a Chorus to the Sound of mufical Infl:ruments, 

 which was found a moft cffedlual way to imprefs MoraUty. So 

 much for Serpents in particular. 



N.B. In the Defcription of fome Serpents by different Au- 

 thors, 'tis difficult to know whether they mean the fame, or ano- 

 ther; fome having the fame Defcription with different Names, 

 and fome different Defcription with the fame Name. Another 

 Miftake may arife from fome Difference in the fame Serpent, in 

 different Climates, as in Situation (A^. or S.) and Size. 



