97 
ON EPIZOOTIC DISEASES. 
By Mr. W. You att. 
[Continued from page 38.] 
At the close of the history of epidemic diseases in the last 
number of this periodical one name was omitted, and the 
most valuable of all — that of the poet and agriculturist Virgil. 
He died in the 19th year before the death of Christ. His 
Georgies, the most beautifully written of any of his works, 
although devoted nearly exclusively to agricultural subjects, are 
read with undiminished delight at this distant era. 
The account of an epizootic disease which raged at this time 
is very interesting. We quote from the translation of Dryden. 
“ Here,” — in some part of the Alps — “ from the vicious air and 
sickly skies, 
A plague did on the dumb creation rise ; 
During the autumnal heats th’ infection grew, 
Tame cattle and the beasts of Nature slew. 
Strange death — for when the thirsty fire had drunk 
Their vital blood, and the dry nerves were shrunk, 
A watery humour swelled and oozed again. 
Converting into bane the kindly juice 
Ordained by nature for a better use*. 
The victim ox — sunk of himself. 
Or by the holy butcher if he fell. 
The inspected entrails could no fate foretell. 
Scarcely the knife was reddened with his goref, 
Or the black poison stained the sandy floor.” 
This is marked by a master’s hand. 
* The original is far superior to the delineation of the translator. 
Hie quondam morbo cceli miseranda corta est 
Tempestas, toto que auturnni incanduit aestu ; 
Et genus omne neci pecudum dedit, ornne ferarum, 
Corrupitque lacus, inf eat pabula tabo. 
Nec via mortis erat simplex, sed ubi ignea venis 
Omnibus acta sitis miseros adduxerat artus; 
Rursus abundabat fluidus liquor; omnia que in se 
Ossa minutatim morbo eollapsa trahebat. 
Georgic. lib. iii, 481 . 
f The original is here singularly expressive: 
Ac vix suppositi tinguntur sanguine cultri, 
Summaque jejuna sanie infuscatur arena. (492.) 
