66 ITORSE AND MAN. 



present at the lecture, wrote a letter to a local 

 journal, saying that I was entirely mistaken in stating 

 that the frog ought to rest on the ground, and assert- 

 ing, moreover, that thrush was produced by neglect- 

 ing to pare the frog and cut away the flaps that hang 

 from it. 



Anonymous attacks I never answer, but as this 

 man did have the honesty to append his name to his 

 letter, and did not employ personal abuse in lieu of 

 argument, I sent an answer. In it I asked him 

 where wild horses kept the knives wherewith they 

 pared their frogs. Next, I told him that if he could 

 produce a thrushy hoof of a horse which had never 

 been shod, I would first eat my words, and then the 

 hoof, thrush and all. 



This event occurred in England, but I have un- 

 dergone a very similar experience in America, the 

 opponent having lacked the courage to attack me 

 on the platform though he was present at the lec- 

 ture, and having written letters against me in the 

 local journals, and publicly spoken against me after 

 I had left the country and could not answer. 



As we are on the subject of the frog, we may as 

 well continue it. 



I have already mentioned that the frog was made 

 for the express purpose of resting upon the ground, 

 so as to perform a threefold office. 



