REPTILES. Class III. 



described it with every beauty both of form 

 and color: 



Adytis cum lulricus anguis ah imis 

 Septem ingens gyros, septena volumina, tramt ; 

 Amplexus placide tumulum, lapsusque per aras : 

 Ccerulece cui terga notce, maculosus et auro 

 Squamam incendehat fulgor ; ceu nuhilus arcus 

 Mille trahit varios adverso sole colores. 



Mn. Lib. V. 84. 



From the deep tomb, with many a shining fold, 

 An azure serpent rose, in scales that flam'd with gold : 

 Like heaven's bright bow his varying beauties shone, 

 That draws a thousand colors from the sun : 

 Pleas'd round the altars and the tomb to wind, 

 His glittering length of volumes trails behind. 



Pitt. 



But if after all some lively writer should pur- 

 sue the Naturalist with more wit than argu- 

 ment, and more humor than good nature, it 

 should be endured with patience. Ridicule is, 

 however, not the test of truth, though, when 

 joined to satire, it seldom fails of seducing the 

 many who would rather laugh than think. 

 Should this prove the case in the present in- 

 stance, let the author be allowed to skreen him- 

 self from censure, by saying he writes not to the 

 many, but the few ; to those alone who can ex- 

 amine the parts with a view to the zvhole, and 

 who scorn to despise even the most deformed, or 

 the most minute work of an all-wise Creator. 



