ON SNAKES. 



287 



spots which have appeared on the pages of Natural 

 History, and to amuse the reader, 



Should he take it amiss that I have placed the 

 old virgin- queen, not among "those happy souls 

 who dwell in yellow meads of asphodel," but in the 

 sulphurous walks beyond the river Styx, I would 

 entreat him to reflect how much we unoffending 

 Catholics have been annoyed by incessant insults 

 to our ancient creed. 



Formerly, when I was a lad, it was nothing but 

 the "Devil, the Pope, and the Pretender." In 

 these times, if any weathercock doctor in unsound 

 theology wishes to acquire notoriety, or any Italian 

 renegado comes amongst us, to attack the Pope 

 with the fury of a demoniac, they are attentively 

 listened to, and the room is filled to overflowing. 



Seeing the Church by law established in these 

 realms, torn to pieces by its own ecclesiastical 

 supporters, its liturgy denounced, and its sacra- 

 ments set at nought, I judged it a favourable 

 opportunity, to warn the reverend combatants of 

 the mischief which hangs on their horizon; and 

 thus, I introduced the royal spectre to speak the 

 truth, and nothing but the truth. 



