Silver bullet -- literal!

[Jonathan Lighter]

Southey's "silver bullet" allusion
seems to have been published no earlier than 1797. It says that such a
bullet will "lame" a witch, but does not specify that it cannot kill one:

"Who lamed the Miller's boy? who rais'd the wind
That blew my old barn's roof down? who d'ye think
Rides my poor horse a'nights? who mocks the hounds?
But let me catch her at that trick again,
And I've a silver bullet ready for her,
One that shall lame her, double how she will."

(I typed "Eclogue VI" on the other thread when I meant "V.")

JL

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