The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1818-03-04
MloCELLAN EOUS ARTICLES.

i ~ II tn1A LEX Or Tie oENf LIN
From M Ohateaubrsands beauties Of Christianity.
The present age tejects With dssdain what.
ever has any tincture of the marvellous: arts,
sciences, morals, religion, are all stripped Of
their enchsntmcnts. The serpent has fire..
qucntiy been tho subject Of our observations,
and II we may venture 10 speak out, we have
often imagined that we could discover in him
that pernicious ssgacity aud that subtlely
which are ascribed to him by scripture. Ev
cry thing is mysterious, secret, astonishing,
in this incomprraensible reptile. His move
men,s dihe, from those OF all other animals
it's impossible 10 say where his locomotive
principle lies, for he has neither fms, nor
feet, nor wings; and yet he hts like shad-
ow, he vanishcs as by magic, he reappears
and is gone again, like, light azure vapour,
or the CLEANS of sabre in the dark. Now
he cv,is himself into circle, and projects
tongue Of fre now standing erect upon the
extremity Of his tail, he moves along in
perpendicular a,ti,udo as by cnchantment.
He rolls himself into ball; /; rises and falls
In a spiral line gives to HE rings the ucdura
htions of waves twinos round the branches
Of uecs, glides under tho grass of the mead
ows, or skins along tho surface Of wator
His colours arc not more detet mined than
his actively; they change with each new
point Of view, and like his motion they pos
sess false spiendour and deceitful variety.
Still more astonishing is the rest Of his
manners; he knows, like man polluted with
murder, how to throw aside his garment dis-
tainsd with blood, lest it should lead 10
HE detection. BY 4 singular faculty, the fc-
male can receive back into her body the little
monsters to which she has given Birth.
The serpent passcs whole months in sleep;
he frequents tombs, inhahits secret retreats,
produces poisons which chill, burn or check
or the body Of his victim with the colours
with which he is himself marked. In one
place, he raises, his ssuo menacins heods; 10
ano,her nc sounds rattle /; he Kisses like m
eagle Of tho mountain he bellows like a
bull. He naturally associates with all moral
or ,eligIous ideas, as II in consequence of the
Influence which he exercised over our dosti-
ny. An object Of horror or adorotion, men
eithcrfeel an i'm placablc hatred against him,
or bow before his genius falschood calls hin,
60 his aid, and prudence claims him 40 her
own In hell he arms the scourges Of the
faries, in heaven, eternity 10 ,ypl6ed by his
Image. He moreover possesses the art OF
seducing innocence; his eyes fascinate the
birds Of the air, and beneath the fern of the
crib, the eve to him gives up her milk. Bur
he may himself be charmed by the harmony
Of sweet sounds and to subdue him, the
shepherd needs no other weapon than his
pipe.
In the month OF July, i79i, we were trav.
eiling 10 Upper Canada, with several fam.
lilies Of savsgos belonging to tho nation
Of tho Opoutagucs. One day, when we
had halted in a spacious plain on the bank
of tho river Gcncsee, a rsttlesnakc entered
our cncampment. Among Us was Canadi.
an who could play on the Cute, and who, to
divert US, advanced against the serpent with
his new species Of weapon. On the ap.
proach of his enemy, the naughty reptile
eurIs himself into a spiral lioe, haitens his
head, iniaaes his cheeks, contracts his Iips'
displays hS envcnomed faogs, and his bloody
throat; his double tongue glows like two
harrs of FIRE his eyes are burning Goals
his body swollen with rage, rises and tails
like the bellows Of forge; his diiated skin
assumes dull aud scsly appearance and his
tail, whence proceeds the a'h-deuounciog
sound, y,brstes with sseh rspidiiy - to res
smbe light vapocr.