PETER PILGRIM.
Jr the merit of writing censited in diffusing the smallest stock of
facts and ideas over the greatest possible space, these volumes would dc-serve the highest praise ; for die most expert operative of authacraft, who lives by weaving the web of verbiage for maga- zines and newspapers, cannot surpass the skill of the American litOrateur Dr. Bum in making much out of nothing. " Peter Pilgrim" is the cognomen assumed by an author who frankly tells his readers he has never strayed from home, and amuses them with amplifications of adventures, that, however amusing or ex- citing they might be if simply told, loose their point by the process of expansion. ills descriptions are spread out like the kaleidoseo- pleat conflision of colours in the pattern of a carpet, or like the dissolvent pictures that are expanded till the hues fade and the
. outline melts into air.
For ey.ample, " The Legend of Merry the Miner" tells of one
who, after long hunting for gold, discovers a cavern filled with pe- trified human beings, the treasures of which he plunders, but is himself petrified before he can escape : this allegory of' the fruitless- ness of amassing wealth loses all its three by the tedious length to which it is spun out, the one idea being repeated in every poTsible variety of sameness in the most mechanical manner. Again, a description of a " Mammoth Cave" fills half a volume, though its conclusion in the tenth chapter—" the beginning of the end"— tell, us tlwre is nothing extraordinary in it but its extent. The satire on American litibles, conveyed in the similitude of a visit to a inalloat:e, is not forcible in proportion to its justness ; the ma- cliinery of fiction is too apparent, and the sarcasm is deficient in humour mid en:lic.tc.c. The most interesting paper is on " the Fascinating. Power of Reptiles" over the human species as well as animals. We quote two curious instances ; premising that they arc extracted from a work by Dr. SAMUEL Wir.t.Lists, of the State of Vermont. The heroes of both adventures are boys: but other cas:'s are recorded where men were equally affected; one in parti- , colas. given by LE V AI LIANT, of a British of tvlio wits " suddenly seized Nvith a convulsive and involuntary trembling, followed by a cold sweat," and discovered, but not till then, that an enormous ser- pent had fixed its gaze on hint.
FASCINATING POWER or THE BLACK SNAKE.
• The first is a story, authenticated bv Samuel Beach, a natmalist, of two the N....Ls: .00.;
hays in New .Ter-..y. ■vlio, being in I '‘ I I ing for cattle, lighted by !lance uivol bblek hual:e; upon which, nue of thou, immisitive immediately resolved to ascertain by experiment whether the snake, SO dale- Intel hr it ptil% er,, could charm or flu:ciliate him ; he requested his com- panion to take up a stick, and keep a good eye upon the snake. to prevent evil cease,,uances, t; Idle he made trial of its powers. " This," says Mr. Beach, " the other agreed to do ; when the first advanced it few steps nearer the snake, and tnade a stand, looking steadily on hint. When the snake ohserved hint in that situation, be raised his head with a quick motion ; and the lad says that at tha'; instant there appeared something to dash in his eyes, which he could cont- lie to nothing more similar than the rays of light thrown feom a glass or mirror when turned in the sunshine: he said it dazzled his eyes; at the same time the colours appeared very beautiful, and were in large rings, circles, or rolls, and it seemed to be dark to him everywhere else, and his head began to he he dizzy, much like being over swift running water. He then says, thought lie would go from the snake; and, as it was dark everywhere but the eireles, lie was fearful of treading anywhere else; and as they still grew m lass circumference, he could not see where to step; but as the dizziness in his head still increased, and he tried to call his comrade for help, but could not speak, it then appeared to him as though be Was in a vortex or whirlpool, and that every turn brought him nearer the centre. His comrade, who had impati- ently waited, observing him move forward to the right and left, amid at every turn approach nearer the snake, making a strange groaning noise, not unlike a per- son in a fit of the nightmare, he said he could stand still no longer, but nu- mediatelv mn and killed the snake, which was of the largest size. The lad that had. been charmed was much terrified, and in a tremor ; his shirt was in a few moments wet with sweat; he complained much of a dizziness in his head, attended with pain, and appeared to be iu a melancholy stupid situation for some days.
FASCINATION OF THE RATTLESNAKE.
" When I was a boy about thirteen years old," says Mr. Willard, " my father sent me into a field to mow sonic briers. I had not been long. employed when I discovered a large rattlesnake, and looked round for something to mu him; but not readily discovering a weapon, my curiosity led me to view him. Ho lay coiled up, with his tail erect, and making the usual singing noise with los rattles. I had viewed him but a short time, when the most vivid and lively colours that imagination can paint, and far beyond the powers of the pencil to imitate, amoug which yellow was the most predominant, and the whole drawn into a bewitching variety of gay and pleasing forms, were pre- sented to my eyes; at the same time my ears were enchanted with the most rapturous sirains of music', wild, lively, complicated, and harmonious, in the highest degree melodious, captivating, and enchanting, far beyond anything .I ever heard before or since, and indeed far exceeding what my imagination in any other situation could have conceived. I felt myself irresistibly drawn to- ward the hated reptile; mid as I had been often used to seeing and killing rattlesnakes, and my senses were so absorbed by the gay vision and rapturous music, I was not for sonic time apprehensive of much danger: but suddenly recollecting what 1 limb heard the Indians relate (but what 1 had never before believed) Of the fascinating power of these serpents, I turned with horror from the dangerous scene ; but it was not without the most violent efforts that I was able to extricate myself. All the exertions I could make with my whole strength were hardly sufficient to carry me from the scene of horrid yet pleas- ing enclumtment ; and while I forcibly dragged off my body, toy head. seemed to be irresistibly drawn to the enchanter by an invisible power. And I fully believe that itt ti few moments longer it would have been wholly out of my power to make an exertion sufficient to get away."
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