frittinnitus, or proper note thereof, is far more shrill than that of the locust, and its life so short in summer, that for provision it needs not have recourse unto the providence of the pismire in winter.

And therefore where the cicada must be understood, the pictures of heralds and emblematists are not exact, nor is it safe to adhere unto the interpretation of dictionaries, and we must with candour make out our own translations; for in the plague of Egypt, Exodus x., the word "Aspic is translated a locust, but in the same sense and subject, Wisdom xvi., it is translated a grasshopper; " for them the bitings of grasshoppers and flies killed;" whereas we have declared before the cicada hath no teeth, but is conceived to live upon dew; and the possibility of its subsistence is disputed by Licetus. Hereof I perceive Muffetus hath taken notice, dissenting from Langius and Lycosthenes, while they deliver the cicade destroyed the fruits in Germany, where that insect is not found, and therefore concludeth, Tam ipsos quàm alios deceptos fuisse autumo, dum locustas cicadas esse vulgari errore crederent.

And hereby there may be some mistake in the due dispensation of medicines desumed from this animal, particularly of diatettigon, commended by Etius, in the affections of the kidneys. It must be likewise understood with some restriction what hath been affirmed by Isidore, and yet delivered by many, that cicades are bred out of cuckoo-spittle or woodsear, that is, that spumous frothy dew or exudation, or both, found upon plants, especially about the joints of lavender and rosemary, observable with us about the latter end of May. For here the true cicada is not bred; but certain it is, that out of this, some kind of locust doth proceed, for herein may be discovered a little insect of a festucine or pale green, resembling in all parts a locust, or what we call a grasshopper.4

cicades are bred, &c.] Here is another error. The froth spoken of is always found to contain the larva of a little skipping insect, frequently mis-called a cicada, but properly cercopis; allied in form to cicada, and of the same order, viz., homoptera, but very distinct in generic character, and especially without the power of sound. It has no great resemblance to locustæ, which belong to a distinct order, viz., orthoptera.

Lastly, the word itself is improper, and the term grasshopper not appliable unto the cicada; for therein the organs of motion are not contrived for saltation, nor have the hinder legs of such extension, as is observable in salient animals, and such as move by leaping. Whereto the locust is very well conformed, for therein the legs behind are longer than all the body, and make at the second joint acute angles, at a considerable advancement above their backs.

The mistake therefore with us might have its original from a defect in our language, for having not the insect with us, we have not fallen upon its proper name, and so make use of a term common unto it and the locust; whereas other countries have proper expressions for it. So the Italian calls it cicada, the Spaniard cigarra, and the French cigale; all which appellations conform unto the original, and properly express this animal. Whereas our word is borrowed from the Saxon gærsthoop, which our forefathers, who never beheld the cicada, used for that insect which we yet call a grasshopper.

CHAPTER IV.

Of the Picture of the Serpent tempting Eve.

In the picture of paradise, and delusion of our first parents, the serpent is often described with human visage, not unlike unto Cadmus or his wife in the act of their metamorphosis. Which is not a mere pictorial contrivance or invention of the picturer, but an ancient tradition and conceived reality, as it stands delivered by Beda and authors of some antiquity,7 Whereas our word, &c.] This sentence was first added in 6th edition.

visage.] See Munster's Hebrew Bible, where in the letter which begins the first the serpent is made with a Virgin's face.-Wr.

In Munster's Hebrew and Latin Bible (Basil, 1535, ex Off. Bebeliana), at the commencement of the Psalms, is the initial letter B, which is a wood-cut of Adam, Eve, and the serpent between them, with the face of a virgin.

7 antiquity.] See vol. i. p. 57, where he quotes Basil saying, that the serpent went upright and spake. 'Tis probable (and thwarteth noe truth) that the serpent spake to Eve. Does not the text expressly saye soe? The devil had as much power then as now, and yf now he can take upon him the forme of an angel of light, why not then the face of a humane creature as well as the voice of man ?-Wr.

that is, that Satan appeared not unto Eve in the naked form of a serpent, but with a virgin's head, that thereby he might become more acceptable, and his temptation find the easier entertainment. Which nevertheless is a conceit not to be admitted, and the plain and received figure is with better reason embraced.

For first, as Pierius observeth from Barcephas, the assumption of human shape had proved a disadvantage unto Satan, affording not only a suspicious amazement in Eve, before the fact, in beholding a third humanity beside herself and Adam, but leaving some excuse unto the woman, which afterward the man took up with lesser reason, that is, to have been deceived by another like herself.

Again, there is no inconvenience in the shape assumed, or any considerable impediment that it might disturb that performance in the common form of a serpent. For whereas it is conceived the woman must needs be afraid thereof, and rather fly than approach it, it was not agreeable unto the condition of paradise and state of innocency therein; if in that place, as most determine, no creature was hurtful or terrible unto man, and those destructive effects they now discover succeeded the curse, and came in with thorns and briars; and therefore Eugubinus (who affirmeth this serpent was a basilisk) incurreth no absurdity, nor need we infer that Eve should be destroyed immediately upon that vision. For noxious animals could offend them no more in the garden than Noah in the ark; as they peaceably received. their names, so they friendly possessed their natures, and were their conditions destructive unto each other, they were not so unto man, whose constitutions then were antidotes, and needed not fear poisons; and if (as most conceive) there

Eve.] Eve might easier entertaine a suspicious amazement to heare a serpent speake in a humane voyce, than to heare a humane voyce in a humane shape; nor was itt more wonder for Sathan to assume one than both. It suited better with his crafte to deliver his wile by a face suitable to the voice of man, and since we believe the one, we may without error believe the other. But itt is safest to believe what we finde recorded of the human voyce, and leave the other to Him who thought not fit to reveale any more. Wee see the fathers differ in opinion, and there is enough on either side to refute the scorne of Julian, who payd deare inoughe for his atheistical, or rather anti-theisticall blasphemye.-Wr.

were but two created of every kind, they could not at that time destroy either man or themselves, for this had frustrated the command of multiplication, destroyed a species, and imperfected the creation; and therefore also if Cain were the first man born, with him entered, not only the act, but the first power of murder, for before that time neither could the serpent nor Adam destroy Eve, nor Adam and Eve each other, for that had overthrown the intention of the world, and put its creator to act the sixth day over again.

Moreover, whereas in regard of speech, and vocal conference with Eve, it may be thought he would rather assume an human shape and organs, than the improper form of a serpent, it implies no material impediment. Nor need we to wonder how he contrived a voice out of the mouth of a serpent, who hath done the like out of the belly of a Pythonissa, and the trunk of an oak, as he did for many years at Dodona.

Lastly, whereas it might be conceived that an human

9 conceived.] Itt might wel bee conceived (and soe it seemes itt was) by St. Basil, that a virgin's head (hee does not saye a humane shape) was fittest for this intention of speakinge, itt being most probable Eve would be more amazed to heare such a creature as a serpent speake with a humane voyce, then to heare a human voyce passe through the mouth of a virgin face. To hear a voice without a head must needs (as the subtile serpent knew full well) have started in Eve either the supposition of a causeles miracle, or the suspition of an imposture; therefore to cut off those scruples, which might have prevented and frustrated his ayme, 'tis most probable the subtile tempter assumed the face as well as the voice of a virgin to conveigh that temptation which he supposed Eve would greedily entertain.

Julius Scaliger, that magazin of all various learninge, in his 183rd exercitation and 4th section, speaking of certaine strange kinds of serpents, reports that in Malabar, there are serpents 8 foote long, of a horrible aspect, but harmless unless they bee provoked. These he cals boy-lovers (pæderotas) for that they will for manye houres together stand bolt upright gazing on the boyes at their sportes, never offring to hurte any of them.

These, saithe he, while they glide on the ground are like other serpents or eeles (like conger eeles), but raising themselves upright they spread themselves into such a corpulent breadthe, that had they feet they would seeme to be men, and therefore he cals them by a coigned name, lyxeλavoрúπovç, eele-like men, though hee might more properly call them opiavėрúrovç, dragon-like men. Now though we can yeeld noe greater beleefe to this story then the Portuguez that traffique thither deserve, yet bycause the world owes many excellent discoveryes

shape was fitter for this enterprise, it being more than probable she would be amazed to hear a serpent speak; some

of hidden truths to his indefatigable diligence and learned labors, seldome taxed for fabulous assertions, why may we not think that itt was this kinde of serpent, whose shape Satan assumed when he spake to Eve.* For since Moses tels us that God permitted the serpent to deceive our grandmother by faigning the voyce of man, wee may reasonably acquit St. Basil of error, or offring violence to trueth, that hee tooke it as granted by a paritye of like reason, that the serpent would rather assume such a face and appearance of humane forme as might sute with a humane voyce, at least would frame a humane visage as well as a human tounge, which is but a parte in the head of man, for which the head (rather then for any other sense) seemes to have been made by God, that the spirits of men (which till they discover themselves by language cannot bee understood) might by the benefit of this admirable instrument, have mutual commerce and intelligence, and conveighe their inwarde conceptions each to other. Surely yf every such a strange serpent as this which Scaliger describes were scene in the world, we must perforce grant that they are some of that kinde which God at first created soe, and that Satan subtily choose to enter into that kinde which before the curse naturally went upright (as they say the basiliske now does) and could soe easily, soe nearly represent the appearance and show of man not only in gate but in voyce as the Scripture speakes. That they have no feete makes soe much the more for the conjecture, and that however itt seemes this kinde of serpent (which Satan used as an instrument of his fraud) did originally goe upwright, and can yet frame himselfe into that posture, yet by God's just doome is now forced to creep on his belly in the duste; where though they strike at our heele, they are liable to have their heade bruised and trampled on by the foote of man.- -Wr.

In one of the illustrations to Cadmon's Paraphrase, mentioned p. 14, I find the serpent standing "bolt upright," receiving his sentence, and another figure of him lying on the ground, do indicate his condemnation to subsequent reptility. Some critics have complained of the painters for representing him without feet in his interview with Eve, whereas, say they, his creeping on his belly was inflicted on him as a punishment. Had those critics been acquainted with Professor Mayer's assertion, that rudimental feet are found in almost all the serpent tribe, they would doubtless have regarded it as a confirmation of their opinion, and would have contended that these imperfect and unserviceable rudiments of feet were all the traces left to them of those locomotive powers which this, as well as other vertebrated animals, had originally enjoyed.

Dr. Adam Clarke gives a very long and elaborate article on the temptation of Eve. His opinion is that the tempter was an ape; he builds

* See what I noted long since on Gen. iii. 14, to this purpose in the Geneva Bible.