Tiie Rambles of an Idler 



the very suggestion of caution. If the high- 

 mightiness of the average man were not shocked 

 occasionally, sanity would become as rare as 

 visible comets. 



Certainly in some and possibly in all locali- 

 ties, there is one danger in darkness; that of 

 meeting a man. It is an indisputable fact that 

 man, the highest order of animal, is sometimes 

 the lowest, and a blot upon Creation's face. 

 Escaping, then, the machinations of some man 

 gone wrong, these woods — all woods, indeed — 

 though the night be dark as Erebus, are not 

 without their charm. 



The toad has been accounted a philosopher 

 and it is much more that than a noodle. It is 

 neither ugly nor venomous, as has been writ, 

 and the precious jewel in its head is wit. When 

 men have the patience to study the despised 

 things on earth they lose a goodly portion of 

 their self-conceit. If this poor batrachiau had 

 been better understood in other days it would 

 not now have to bear the unjust burden of orig- 

 inating the despicable word "toady." The 

 toad itself toadies to nothing. It is as inde- 

 pendent as a black snake, and if not as swift, as 



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