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LETTERS FROM 
destroyed all the 1 venomous snakes in the 
island. But instead of believing that Malta 
was freed from poisonous reptiles in this 
manner, is it not more rational to conclude 
that St. Paul wrought no miracle whatever 
upon the occasion, and that the animal which 
fastened upon his hand was not a “ venomous 
beast,” but a harmless snake ? The English 
snake is still believed to be venomous by 
many of our own countrymen, especially by 
the ignorant and superstitious Welchmen, 
some of whom 1 have found it quite impos¬ 
sible to convince, when I have taken the 
animal into my hands, that I did not possess 
some supernatural power or charm , which 
prevented it from injuring me. “Ah, he 
knows you ,” they have said ; “ but I would 
not touch him for the world !” We may 
safely conclude that the company assembled 
round the fire after the shipwreck were 
