[208] “There is a dragon lives in the forest who has no want of poison: when he sees the sun or fire he spits venom, which flies about fearfully. No living animal can be cured of it; even the basilisk does not equal him. He who can properly kill this serpent has overcome all his danger. His colours increase in death; physic is produced from his poison, which he entirely consumes, and eats his own venomous tail. This must be accomplished by him in order to produce the noblest balm. Such great virtue as will point out herein that all the learned shall rejoice.” [209] Bossewell, Workes of Armourie, p. 61. [210] Allusions to the unicorn occur frequently in the Old Testament, and commentators inform us that these references were typical of the coming Saviour. [211] “It is reported that the unicorn’s horn sweats when it comes in the presence of poison, and that for this reason it is laid on the tables of the great, and made into knife-handles, which, when placed on the tables, show the presence of poison. But this is not sufficiently proved.”--Albertus Magnus, De Animalibus, lib. xxv. [212] Bib. Harl. 5953, vol. i., p. 403. [213] Relation of the Island of England, published by the Camden Society. [214] See Bib. Harl. 5953, vol. i., p. 407. [215] Hentzner’s Travels, p. 54. [216] Henry Peacham’s Compleat Gentleman. [217] Fuller’s Worthies, _voce_ Middlesex. [218] “It is rather peculiar that the same superstitious notions should be found in India in connexion with the horn of the rhinoceros, whom some consider as the fabled unicorn divested of his romantic garb. His horn, too, was thought useful in diseases, and for the purpose of discovering poisons.”--_Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible._ “The fine shavings were supposed to cure convulsions and spasms in children. Goblets made of these would discover a poisonous draught that was poured into them, by making the liquor ferment till it ran quite out of the goblet.”--_Thunberg’s Journey to Caffraria._ [219] _Daily Courant_, February 2, 1711. [220] “This is the Civet, as you may see; but enter. Perfumes sold here for men and women.” [221] The reason why the hedgehog was generally represented with apples stuck on his quills, appears from the following words in Bossewell, (p. 61,)--“He clymeth upon a vine or an apple-tree and biteth off their braunches and twigges, and when they [the apples] be fallen downe, he waloweth on them, and so they sticke on his prickes, and he beareth them unto a hollow tree or some other hole.” The early naturalists also said that if, when he was so loaded, one of the apples happened to drop off, he would throw all the others down in anger and return to the tree for a new load. [222] Harl. MSS. 353, fol. 145. [223] _London Gazette_, No. 368. [224] _London Gazette_, Sept. 18-21, 1682. I am confident the newspapers made a misprint, and that the man’s name was Haase, Dutch or German, for the Hare he represented on his sign.