COMMON FROG. 91 



development of the young, is not so for the existence and 

 health of the perfect animal. 



Of the existence of the Frog in Ireland very erroneous 

 opinions have been entertained. I need not again allude to 

 the legend of St. Patrick's extirpatory malediction against 

 the whole race of reptiles ; but it is worthy of observation, 

 that even of late years, the belief that Frogs, in common 

 with Snakes, could not live in that favoured island was 

 very general. The truth, however, is> that this species is 

 not only now an inhabitant of that place, but, as will appear 

 by the following extract, has been so since the very begin- 

 ning of the eighteenth century. I owe the knowledge of 

 this passage to my friend W. Ogilby, Esq., who communi- 

 cated it to me in the following letter ; — 



66 The following is the extract from Swift's work of 

 which I some time since spoke to you, concerning the 

 introduction of Frogs into Ireland. It occurs in a tract 

 styled, i Considerations about Maintaining the Poor," 1 which, 

 though without date, I fancy from the context, and other 

 collateral evidence, must have been written about the year 

 1726. Among the public grievances of which he complains, 

 he rather singularly mentions the practice of insuring houses 

 in English offices ; which, it appears, was then becoming 

 common in Ireland. ' A third,"' [absurdity] says he, ' is 

 the Insurance Office against fire, by which several thou- 

 sand pounds are yearly remitted to England (a trifle, it 

 seems, we can easily spare), and will gradually increase till 

 it comes to a good national tax ; for, the society-marks 

 upon our houses (under which might be properly written, 

 1 The Lord have mercy upon us'), spread faster and farther 

 than the colony of Frogs? To this passage, one of Swift's 

 editors, I believe Sheridan, adds the following note : — 

 c This similitude, which is certainly the finest that could 



