rs. She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true
courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling
with the weapons with which nature favored her, she conceals them
in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted
with her, she appears most defenceless; and even when those
weapons are shown and extended for defence, they appear weak and
contemptible; but their wounds, however small, are decisive and
fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds until she has generously
given notice even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the
danger of treading on her. Was I wrong, sirs, in thinking this a
strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?

[Illustration: Fig. 9
FLAG CARRIED IN THE REVOLUTION BY PROCTOR'S WESTMORELAND (PENNA.)
BATTALION]

The poison of her teeth is the necessary means of digesting her
food, and, at the same time, is the certain destruction of her
enemies. This may be understood to intimate that those things which
are destructive to our enemies may be to us not only harmless, but
absolutely necessary to our existence. I confess I was totally at
a loss what to make of the rattles until I counted them, and found
them just thirteen--exactly the number of colonies united in
America; and I recollected, too, that this was the only part of
the snake which increased in numbers. Perhaps it may have only
been my fancy, but I conceited the painter had shown a half-formed
additional rattle, which, I suppose, may have been intended to
represent the province of Canada. 'Tis curious and amazing to
observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of
this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as
to be never separated except by breaking them to pieces. One of
these rattles singly is incapable of producing sound; but the
ringing of thirteen together is sufficient to alarm the boldest man
living. The rattlesnake is solitary, and associates with her kind
only when it is necessary for her preservation. In winter the
warmth of a number together will preserve their lives, whilst
singly they would probably perish. The power of fascination
attributed to her by a generous construction may be understood
to mean that those who consider the liberty and blessings which
America affords, and