INTRODUCTION 
never have suggested in “ Pilgrim’s Progress ” that ‘a 
pearl may in a Toad’s head dwell,” even if the supposed 
jewel that it carries, or wears, there zs its bright and beauti- 
ful eye. Shakespeare falls into grave disfavour when he 
refers to the Toad as being “‘ ugly and venomous,” and 
he perpetrates another blunder when he accuses it of 
““ wearing a precious jewel in his head,” unless he had the 
animal’s eye in mind when writing thus in ‘“‘ As You 
Like It.”” The Bard of Avon, not content with jewels, 
ugliness, and venom, talks of this harmless creature’s 
“poison” in “ Richard III,” and emphasises the 
venom reference again in “ King Henry VI.” Pope 
goes one better for he describes a Toad as “ spitting 
venom,” and Chatterton prefers to say: ‘‘ Ye Toads, 
your venom in my footpath spread.” 
Gifford hangs, draws, and quarters our warty old 
friend without mercy, for in referring to one Weston, 
he accuses him (the said Weston) of swelling ‘“‘ like a 
filthy ‘Toad with secret spite,’ and “‘ envying the fame 
he cannot hope, spits his black venom at the dust of 
Pope. Reptile accursed.” It is all very interesting, and 
savours in these more enlightened days of a fund of 
humour. Browning certainly ought to have known 
better for he has an unmerited reference to four crea- 
tures, of which only one is harmful, in his ‘‘ Pied Piper,” 
thus :— 
“Creatures that do people harm— 
The Mole, and Toad, and Newt, and Viper.” 
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