The Author of the Description of _Cato_’s marching the Remains of _Pompey_’s Army through the _Lybian Deserts_, observes, how the Army being almost choak’d with Thirst, and coming to a Brook full of Serpents, durst not drink for fear of being poisoned, till convinced by their Superiors, that their being in the Water, did by no means infect it: Upon which they refreshed themselves with Water from the Serpentine River[62]. Footnote 62: _Redi_, 178. Lucan_’s_ Pharsal.—_Pocula morte carent_—lib. 9. Add to this, the Example of Queen _Cleopatra_, who, to prevent her being carried to _Rome_ in Triumph, ’tis said, poisoned herself, by holding a Serpent to her own Breast. _Galen_ mentioning this Story, relates from Authors, that she killed herself, by pouring the Poison of an Asp into a Wound made in her Arm by her own Teeth; as if under Conviction, that the Poison would not effectually answer the End, without touching the Blood. _Ibid._ Of which more in the _Second Part_ of this Discourse. III. _In Serpents is an inexhaustible Store of Poison._ If they discharge all their Artillery to-day, their Arsenal will be full to-morrow. ’Tis true, by a speedy repeated Emission of Poison at one time, the Viper loses its force, probably by a Diminution in Quantity; but is recruited in a Short space. Thus, one Viper cannot poison six Creatures, one immediately after another; the Truth of which is confirmed by uncontestable Facts.——An Experiment was made by Dr. _Areskine_, when he was at _Paris_.—Having got a large female Viper, he made it bite six Pigeons, one immediately after another. The first and second that were bit, died within half an Hour; one a little before the other; the third lived about two Hours; the fourth seem’d to be very sick for a while, but recover’d; the fifth and sixth that were bitten, were no more hurt than if prick’d with a Pin. _Ibid._ The learned _Italian_, Seignior _Redi_, says, that having, at the Entrance of Winter, a Scorpion sent him to _Rome_ from _Tunis_ in _Africa_, he irritated it to sting Pigeons and Pullets, without any bad Effects; but upon the approach of warm Weather, after eight Months fasting it was provoked to sting two Pigeons successively, which soon died; but the third and fourth received no hurt from its Wound. The Author of the _Natural History of Carolina_, speaking of the _Rattle-Snakes_, says, they can’t renew their Poison as oft as they will; for he had seen a Person bit by one of them, who never rightly recovered, and very hardly escaped with Life; and another Person immediately after being bit by the same Snake, received no more Hurt than if bit by a Rat. _p._ 129.[63] Footnote 63: New Collection of Voyages, printed A. D. 1711. _N. B._ Poison in different Countries, is more or less dangerous according as it is exalted and heighten’d by various Degrees of Heat; for by Increase of Heat, that venemous Quality is increased. OBJECTION.