University of Virginia Library

Animal tendency

The serpentine form stands for subtlety, winding its way amidst all evil, but doing this in the name of good. Its sting is spoken of by Paul, when he refers to "spiritual wickedness in high places." It is the animal instinct in mortals, which would impel

them to devour each other and cast out devils through Beelzebub.

As of old, evil still charges the spiritual idea with error's own nature and methods. This malicious animal in- stinct, of which the dragon is the type, incites mortals to kill morally and physically even their fellow-mortals, and worse still, to charge the innocent with the crime. This last infirmity of sin will sink its perpetrator into a night without a star.