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Literary
April 17, 1840
Burlington Free Press
Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont
What is this article about?
In this moral dialogue, a man accuses a serpent of poisoning him with its bite, but the serpent counters by likening its harm to the greater damage caused by backbiters who ruin reputations through whispers and calumny, affecting one from Rome to Syria.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
THE SERPENT.
"What is thy purpose," said the man to the serpent, "that thou woundest our race, when thou so well knowest the pernicious consequences of thy teeth? Thou piercest my heel; and suddenly the poison burns through all my veins."
"Askest thou that of me?" answered the serpent. "Ask the back-biter—the base calumniator of thy race, what he has for his reward? Though they wound but the smallest member of thy good name, thy whole happiness suffers. They whisper and wag the tongue at Rome, and in Syria thou art tormented."
"What is thy purpose," said the man to the serpent, "that thou woundest our race, when thou so well knowest the pernicious consequences of thy teeth? Thou piercest my heel; and suddenly the poison burns through all my veins."
"Askest thou that of me?" answered the serpent. "Ask the back-biter—the base calumniator of thy race, what he has for his reward? Though they wound but the smallest member of thy good name, thy whole happiness suffers. They whisper and wag the tongue at Rome, and in Syria thou art tormented."
What sub-type of article is it?
Fable
Dialogue
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Serpent
Backbiting
Calumny
Moral Dialogue
Reputation
Literary Details
Title
The Serpent.
Key Lines
"What Is Thy Purpose," Said The Man To The Serpent, "That Thou Woundest Our Race, When Thou So Well Knowest The Pernicious Consequences Of Thy Teeth? Thou Piercest My Heel; And Suddenly The Poison Burns Through All My Veins."
"Askest Thou That Of Me?" Answered The Serpent. "Ask The Back Biter—The Base Calumniator Of Thy Race, What He Has For His Reward? Though They Wound But The Smallest Member Of Thy Good Name, Thy Whole Happiness Suffers."