-
Articles/Ads
Article ON THE FASCINATING POWER OF SERPENTS. ← Page 4 of 4 Article ANECDOTES. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Fascinating Power Of Serpents.
of this fact , the Beef-aal , or . electrical eel of Surinam . I had for many years an opportunity- of observing this species of fish ; as my father , for the purpose of experiment , kept one continually in his house . Upon touching a fringed sort of membrane , -sitUTited under the belly , and extending the whole length of the body , I have always observed a very violent shock immediately follow . My father was desirous of ascertainingif the shock would be
di-, minished by ' being communicated to a number of individuals at once ; and , for this purpose , he collected togethenabout ten persons , who formed a chain by the junction of hands . No sooner had they touched the membrane of the eel , Jhan they felt themselves equally struck at the same moment . Nbrwas this all . To' convince the spectators that the imagination had nothing to do in producing this
effect , he had placed a dog as a link between two of the persons composing the chain , who held him , one by the right , and the other b y the-left foot . At the instant of contact the animal gave a loud cry ; and his pain , which was the cause of this cry , proved beyond dispute that that of the rest of the parry- was not lessreal . Reasoning physically upon this subject , I acknowledge that a
considerable difference ought " to be made between an effect visibly produced by the immediate action of a body , and another effect operated without any apparent contact , any visible medium , like that , of the serpent upon the animals in question .- . But who will affirm that , in presence of its prey , the serpent does not act physically upon it ? Perhaps this death-dealing quality belongs only to some particular sorts of serpentPerhaps it is not enjoyed by themunless at particular
. , seasons , and in certain countries . The ancients have described the basilisk as killing with its look . This is certainly a fable ; but is it not a fable , absurd as it may appear , that originally had some truth for its foundation ? No doubt , in remote periods , circumstances may have been observed similar to those of my Shrike and my mouse ; or , per-, haps , even to that related by the captain . Hence they might have
. concluded that a serpent , impregnable himself , and always conqueror , since he could kill by a look , could be no other than the king -of his race . From his royalty they would naturally have called him basilisk ; and as a sovereign must have some particular sign . to . attest 'his pre-eminence , the poets , who often exaggerate by wishing tp > . adorn nature , may have added the wings , tlie feet , and the crown .
Anecdotes.
ANECDOTES .
MR . -de Malezieux , speaking one day to the Duite of Orleans , regent of France , respecting a treaty of peace that had been just concluded , observed , that it would have been prudent to insert some Obscure clause in it , the interpretation ofwhich might , at a convenient opportunity , furnish a pretence for renewing the war . ' That , ' replied the prince , ' is not necessary ; when people have money enough to go to war , they need not care a farthing for a pretence . '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Fascinating Power Of Serpents.
of this fact , the Beef-aal , or . electrical eel of Surinam . I had for many years an opportunity- of observing this species of fish ; as my father , for the purpose of experiment , kept one continually in his house . Upon touching a fringed sort of membrane , -sitUTited under the belly , and extending the whole length of the body , I have always observed a very violent shock immediately follow . My father was desirous of ascertainingif the shock would be
di-, minished by ' being communicated to a number of individuals at once ; and , for this purpose , he collected togethenabout ten persons , who formed a chain by the junction of hands . No sooner had they touched the membrane of the eel , Jhan they felt themselves equally struck at the same moment . Nbrwas this all . To' convince the spectators that the imagination had nothing to do in producing this
effect , he had placed a dog as a link between two of the persons composing the chain , who held him , one by the right , and the other b y the-left foot . At the instant of contact the animal gave a loud cry ; and his pain , which was the cause of this cry , proved beyond dispute that that of the rest of the parry- was not lessreal . Reasoning physically upon this subject , I acknowledge that a
considerable difference ought " to be made between an effect visibly produced by the immediate action of a body , and another effect operated without any apparent contact , any visible medium , like that , of the serpent upon the animals in question .- . But who will affirm that , in presence of its prey , the serpent does not act physically upon it ? Perhaps this death-dealing quality belongs only to some particular sorts of serpentPerhaps it is not enjoyed by themunless at particular
. , seasons , and in certain countries . The ancients have described the basilisk as killing with its look . This is certainly a fable ; but is it not a fable , absurd as it may appear , that originally had some truth for its foundation ? No doubt , in remote periods , circumstances may have been observed similar to those of my Shrike and my mouse ; or , per-, haps , even to that related by the captain . Hence they might have
. concluded that a serpent , impregnable himself , and always conqueror , since he could kill by a look , could be no other than the king -of his race . From his royalty they would naturally have called him basilisk ; and as a sovereign must have some particular sign . to . attest 'his pre-eminence , the poets , who often exaggerate by wishing tp > . adorn nature , may have added the wings , tlie feet , and the crown .
Anecdotes.
ANECDOTES .
MR . -de Malezieux , speaking one day to the Duite of Orleans , regent of France , respecting a treaty of peace that had been just concluded , observed , that it would have been prudent to insert some Obscure clause in it , the interpretation ofwhich might , at a convenient opportunity , furnish a pretence for renewing the war . ' That , ' replied the prince , ' is not necessary ; when people have money enough to go to war , they need not care a farthing for a pretence . '