623 Page – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

Here is the translated text as follows:

ALEXANDER WHISTELO. 591

As for whether it was a dancing master, I would not undertake to say: it was, however, a merry-begotten devil, and probably a dancing one; and it is not impossible that it might have been one of those that tempted Saint Anthony. It is said that twenty thousand of these devils could dance a saraband upon the point of a cambric needle without incommoding each other.

That the learned sometimes account for things quite differently from the rest of mankind will appear from the sequel of the story of the lady of Milan and her seven sons. There was a tale when I was at Milan, but as those who believed it had not read Simon Pontius de Coloribus Oculorum, it may be entitled to small credit. They said that in those days, a young Scottish laird, blue-eyed and red-haired, made the tour of Italy to see pictures and statues and kiss the Pope's toe. However, his devotion was principally warmed by the image of this cis-alpine saint. He came at different times to worship at her shrine, and finally, it was he who recommended the milk that turned the children's hair red.

So much for maternal affection with humankind. But as there is a comparative anatomy, why not comparative zoology? Unfortunately for the pride of man, in the act on which our philosophers and doctors have delivered their opinion, the similarity is entire. Poets have viewed it in the same light; and the prince of poets defines it to be making the beast with two backs. He, too, by the bye, was for the maternal affection, for he makes Iago alarm Brabantio, lest Desdemona should "be got with child of a Barbary horse," and he should have "coursers for cousins and genets for germans." It was conformable to that idea that I asked Dr. Mitchill whether the farmers on Long Island could reasonably expect to have a bay foal when they plowed the black mare with the bay horse. He saw no more wonder than that a black hen should have a white egg. Then would have been the time, but for the fear of lengthening out the trial too far, to have discussed the great problem of the eternity of the world, which many venerable philosophers have pondered.