The Dragon. 
613 
on the front wall of Syon House, at Brentford, the seat 
of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. 
This chimerical figure is generally represented as sit- 
ting and at rest ; a graceful attitude adopted by Egyptian 
sculptors, and imitated by the Greeks and Romans. 
THE DRAGON. 
This fabulous animal, which figures largely in ancient 
romances, was supposed to be the tutelary genius of 
fresh-water springs in the bosom of dark forests and 
enchanted rocks. Dragons were harnessed to the car of 
Ceres ; they were the guardians of the golden apples of 
the Hesperides, and of the golden fleece of Colchis ; and 
in several parts of the world set as protectors to the car- 
buncles and other precious stones hidden at the bottom 
of wells and fountains. They are represented as scaly 
serpents, with webbed feet, and with wings similar to 
those of a bat ; having been, it seems, originally a hiero- 
glyphic emblem of the dangerous influence of an undue 
combination of air and water. Thus the serpent Python 
was the allegory of a pestilence, originating from a union 
of mephitic air and moisture. They have been long 
supporters to the arms of the city of London, as if the 
guardians of the wealth which commerce brings hither 
from all the parts of the world. Four of them are placed 
in fanciful attitudes, and beautifully carved, on the pe- 
destal of the monument of London. 
