Gast. D OO.) Bi eM 49 
Sacred Fifo *, and diftinguifhed by thofe of Bay- 
loving, and Philanthropift. . \t gave rife to alone 
train of inventions, proofs of the credulity and ig- 
norance of the times. 
Ariftotle fteers the cleareft of all the antients from 
thefe fables, and gives in general fo faithful a natu- 
ral hiftory of this animal, as evinces the fuperior 
judgement of that great philofopher, in comparifon 
of thofe who fucceeded him. But the elder Pliny, 
_ Zélian, and others, feem to preferve no bounds in 
their belief of the tales related of this fifh’s attach- 
ment to mankind. 
Pliny ** the younger, (apologizing for what he 
is going to fay) tells the ftory of the enamoured dol- 
phin of Hippo in a moft beautiful manner. It is too 
lone to be tranfcribed, and would be injured by an 
abridgement; therefore we refer the reader to the 
original, or to Mr. Melmouth’s elegant tranflation. 
Scarce an accident could happen at fea but the 
dolphin offered himfelf to convey to thore the un- 
fortunate. Arion, the mufician, when flung into the 
ocean by the pyrates, is received and faved by this 
benevolent fifh. 
Inde (fide majus) tergo Delphina recurvo, 
Se memorant oneri fuppofuifle novo. 
Ille fedens citharamque tenens, pretiumque vehendi 
Cantat, et equoreas carmine mulcet aquas, 
Ovid. Fafti, ib. ii, 1 13, 
But (paft belief) a dolphin’s arched back, 
_Preferved Arion from his deftined wrack ; 
Secure he fits, and with harmonious ftrains, 
Reguites his bearer for his friendly pains. 
© Athenceus, 281. ¥* Epift. lib. ix. ep. 33. 
) We 
