86 RANID.E. 



lopement 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 ge- 

 neral. 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 beginning of the 

 eighteenth century. I owe the knowledge of this passage to 

 my friend AV. Ogilby, Esq. who communicated it to me in 

 the following letter : — 



" 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, ' Consi- 

 derations about Maintaining the Poor,' which, though with- 

 out 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 com- 

 mon in Ireland. 'A third," [absurdity] says he, 'is the In- 

 surance Office against fire, by which ' several thousand 

 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, ' The Lord 

 have mercy upon us,') spread faster and farther than a 

 colony of Frogs.'' To this passage, one of Swift'*s editors, 

 I believe Sheridan, adds the following note : — ' This simili- 

 tude, which is certainly the finest that could possibly have 

 been used upon the occasion, seems to require a short ex- 



