64 WATER-EFT. 



so as to be characteristic of this genus ; the tail fin 

 is broad, and square at the end. From the breadth 

 and muscular strength of the tail, it appears to be 

 an active nimble fish." 



In my visit I was not very far from Hungerford, 

 and did not forget to make some inquiries con- 

 cerning the wonderful method of curing cancers 

 by means of toads. Several intelligent persons, 

 both gentry and clergy, I find, give a great 

 deal of credit to what was asserted in the papers ; 

 and I myself dined with a clergyman who seemed 

 to be persuaded that what is related is matter of 

 fact ; but, when I came to attend to his account, 

 I thought I discerned circumstances which not a 

 little invalidated the woman's story of the manner 

 in which she came by her skill. She says of herself, 

 " that, labouring under a virulent cancer, she went 

 to some church where there was a vast crowd : on 

 going into a pew, she was accosted by a strange 

 clergyman, who, after expressing compassion for 

 her situation, told her, that if she would make such 

 an application of living toads as is mentioned, 

 she would be well." Now, is it likely that this 

 unknown gentleman should express so much ten- 

 derness for this single sufferer, and not feel any for 

 the many thousands that daily languish under this 

 terrible disorder ? Would he not have rn^de use 

 of this invaluable nostrum for his own emolument ; 

 or, at least, by some means of publication or other, 

 have found a method of making it public for the 

 good of mankind ? In short, this woman (as it 

 appears to me) having set up for a cancer doctress, 

 finds it expedient to amuse the country with this 

 dark and mysterious relation. 



The water-eft has not, that I can discern, the 

 least appearance of any gills ; for want of which 

 it is continually rising to the surface of the water 



