The _Chromatick Genus_[335], with its greater and lesser _Semi-Tones_, either ascending or descending, is very proper for the Pathetick in Musick; as is also an artful Management of Discords, with a Variety of Motions; now brisk, now languishing; now swift, now slow. The _Venetian_ Musician before-mentioned, excell’d in the _Pathetick_ to that degree, that he was able to play any of his Auditors into _Distraction_.... The great Means he made use of, was the _Variety of Motions_.—— Footnote 335: _Chroma_ in Musick, is the graceful way of Singing. Even little Children, when crying, are charm’d and quieted by a jingling Sound, a Shadow of Musick. In short, Musick attends the Man to his Grave, where Elegies were formerly sung in Honour of the Deceased: Thus the _Phenicians_ added _Flutes_ to their _Mournings_, and the _Romans_ had their _Siticines_, that is, those who sung to a Pipe, or blow’d the Trumpet at their Funerals, a Custom not yet entirely abolish’d among the antient _Britons_ and some Parts of _England_, who, when they take up the Corps, sing Psalms before it all the way to Church; a common Practice about seventy Years ago: So far I can charge my Memory. We are not without modern Instances of Persons extraordinarily affected by the Powers of Musick, as appears from our Opera’s, and the very particular Devotion paid to the _Farinello’s_ of the Age, and to _Italian_ Musick, display’d in Temples as well as on the Stage, the first Erection of which was intended for the Honour and Defence of Virtue. The _Laconians_ were wont at the Death of their King to tinkle a Caldron, instead of a Bell: Yea, the _Jews_ had their Minstrels at Funerals; for, at the raising to Life the Daughter of _Jairus_, ’tis said, the _Musicians_ were commanded to troop off, _Matth._ ix. Before the _Roman_ Funerals, a Trumpeter went, follow’d by the _Præficæ_, _i. e._ old Women, singing Songs in Praise of the Deceased. Thus we have had a general View of Serpents, their Poison and Cure; and a particular Account of Persons wounded by the _Tarantula_, and cured by Musick; the Effects of which musical Operation, have past for Miracles; for, by means of it, dangerous Distempers have been cured, Insurrections quelled, Passions calm’d and raised, even to Distraction and Madness. Antiently all Laws, Exhortations to Knowledge and Virtue, and Lives of illustrious Men, were written in Verse, and publickly sung by a _Chorus_ to the Sound of musical Instruments, which was found a most effectual way to impress Morality. So much for Serpents in particular. _N. B._ In the Description of some Serpents by different Authors, ’tis difficult to know whether they mean the same, or another; some having the same Description with different Names, and some different Description with the same Name. Another Mistake may arise from some Difference in the same Serpent, in different Climates, as in Situation (_N._ or _S._) and Size. [Illustration]