An essay towards a natural history of serpents. In two parts. I. The first exhibits a general view of serpents, in their various aspects...The second gives a view of most serpents known in the several parts of the world... III. To which is added a third part; containing six dissertations upon the following articles. 1. Upon the primeval serpent in paradise. 2. The fiery serpents that infested the camp of Israel. 3. The brazen serpent erected by Moses. 4. The divine worship given to serpents by the nations. 5. The origin and reason of that monstrous worship. 6. Upon the adoration of different kinds of beasts by the Egyptians ... The whole intermix'd with variety of entertaining digressions, philosophical and historical / By Charles Owen, D. D.

  • Charles Owen
Date:
1742
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay towards a natural history of serpents. In two parts. I. The first exhibits a general view of serpents, in their various aspects...The second gives a view of most serpents known in the several parts of the world... III. To which is added a third part; containing six dissertations upon the following articles. 1. Upon the primeval serpent in paradise. 2. The fiery serpents that infested the camp of Israel. 3. The brazen serpent erected by Moses. 4. The divine worship given to serpents by the nations. 5. The origin and reason of that monstrous worship. 6. Upon the adoration of different kinds of beasts by the Egyptians ... The whole intermix'd with variety of entertaining digressions, philosophical and historical / By Charles Owen, D. D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    GENERAL HISTORIES of thefe Kinds we have been furnifhed with in the Writings of the Learned : Here 1 apply tnyfelf to the Dijcuffton of one particular Species, viz. the Serpent: in which I don't pretend to new Difcoveries, but only to collect, and bring into one View, what has been faid by different Perfons, which is not to be found by any without many Books, and much Time; and which, without the prefent Englifh Drejs, would not be underfood by others at all. 1N accounting for fotne things relative to the SubjeX, I have al¬ ways chofen the Words of the Learned in the Phyfical Profejflon. THE SubjeX being like Duft, 'the Food of the Serpent, very dry, I have endeavoured to give it JoTne Agrveablenefs, by a Variety of Paffages from Hi/lory, and Reflexions of ' many kinds; which, though they may not always naturally arife from the SubjeX, yet being in¬ tended for the Reader's Entertainment and InftruXion {as he goes along in the principal Deflgn of the Book) 1 hope they will find a fa¬ vourable Judgment. G IV E me leave, upon this oceafion, to adopt Sir William Temple’i Words, viz. <c It is not perhaps amifs, fays he, to relieve “ or enliven a bufy Scene fometimes with fuch Digreflions, whe- <( ther to the Purpofe or no/1* I SHALL only add, that in cultivating this SubjeX, I have attempted to give a Jhort Dijplay of the Divine P erfeXions, which, as they appear eminent in the Syftem of the Creation in general, Jo in the Serpent they may be Jeen in particular j and if it produces in the Reader a more exquifite Perception of God in all his Worksy I have my End; who am Your Humble Servant. * Temple's Memoirs from 1672 to 1679. Second Edit] f. 57,5?, 59,