THE
DESCRIPTION
OF
A
Salamander
.
Out
of
Pliny
Nat.
Hist.
L.
10.
C.
67
and
L.
29
C.
4.
Anno.
1705.
As
Mastive
Dogs
in
Modern
Phrase
are
Call'd
Pompey
,
Scipio
and
Cæsar
;
As
Pies
and
Daws
are
often
stil'd
With
Christian
Nick-names
like
a
Child
;
As
we
say
,
Monsieur
,
to
an
Ape
Without
offence
to
Human
Shape
:
So
men
have
got
from
Bird
and
Brute
Names
that
would
best
their
Natures
suit
:
The
Lyon
,
Eagle
,
Fox
and
Bear
Were
Hero's
Titles
heretofore
,
Bestow'd
as
Hi'roglyphicks
fit
T'express
their
Valor
,
Strength
or
Wit
.
For
,
what
is
understood
by
Fame
Beside
the
getting
of
a
Name
?
But
e're
since
Men
invented
Guns
,
A
different
way
their
Fancy
runs
;
To
paint
a
Hero
,
we
enquire
For
something
that
will
conquer
Fire
,
Would
you
describe
Turenne
or
Trump
Think
of
a
Bucket
or
a
Pump
.
Are
these
too
low
?
—
then
find
out
grander
,
Call
my
Lord
C—
a
Salamander
.
'Tis
well
.
—
But
since
we
live
among
Detractors
with
an
evil
Tongue
,
Who
may
object
against
the
Term
,
Pliny
shall
prove
what
we
affirm
:
Pliny
shall
prove
,
and
we'll
apply
,
And
I'll
be
judg'd
by
standers-by
.
FIRST
then
,
our
Author
has
defin'd
This
Reptil
,
of
the
Serpent
kind
,
With
gawdy
Coat
,
and
shining
Train
,
But
loathsom
Spots
his
Body
stain
:
Out
from
some
Hole
obscure
he
flies
When
Rains
descend
,
and
Tempests
rise
,
Till
the
Sun
clears
the
Air
;
and
then
Crawls
back
neglected
to
his
Den
.
SO
when
the
War
has
rais'd
a
Storm
I've
seen
a
Snake
in
human
Form
,
All
stain'd
with
Infamy
and
Vice
,
Leap
from
the
Dunghill
in
a
trice
,
Burnish
and
make
a
gaudy
show
,
Become
a
General
,
Peer
and
Beau
,
Till
Peace
hath
made
the
Sky
serene
,
Then
shrink
into
it's
Hole
again
.
All
this
we
grant
—
why
,
then
look
yonder
Sure
that
must
be
a
Salamander
!
FARTHER
,
we
are
by
Pliny
told
This
Serpent
is
extreamly
cold
,
So
cold
,
that
put
it
in
the
Fire
,
'Twill
make
the
very
Flames
expire
,
Beside
,
it
Spues
a
filthy
Froth
,
(
Whether
thro'
Rage
or
Love
,
or
both
)
Of
Matter
Purulent
and
white
Which
happ'ning
on
the
Skin
to
light
,
And
there
corrupting
to
a
Wound
Spreads
Leprosy
and
Baldness
round
.
SO
have
I
seen
a
batter'd
Beau
By
Age
and
Claps
grown
cold
as
Snow
,
Whose
Breath
or
Touch
,
where
e'er
he
came
,
Blew
out
Love's
Torch
or
chill'd
the
Flame
:
And
should
some
Nymph
who
ne'er
was
cruel
,
Like
Carleton
cheap
,
or
fam'd
Duruel
,
Receive
the
Filth
which
he
ejects
,
She
soon
would
find
,
the
same
Effects
,
Her
tainted
Carcase
to
pursue
,
As
from
the
Salamander's
Spue
;
A
dismal
shedding
of
her
Locks
And
,
if
no
Leprosy
,
a
Pox
.
Then
I'll
appeal
to
each
By-stander
,
Whether
this
ben't
a
Salamander
.