8 MT OSD: Clafs II, 
fwageing, and fwelling out; the legs fhort, and its 
pace labored and ee its retreat gloomy and 
filthy: in fhort, its general appearance is fuch as to 
ftrike one with difguft and horror, yet we have been 
told by thofe who have refolution to view it with at- 
tention, that its eyes are fine: to this it feems that 
Shakefpear alludes, when he makes his Fuliet remark, 
Some fay the lark and loathed toad change eyes. 
As if they would have been better beftowed on fo 
charming a fongfter than on this raucous reptile. 
But the hideous appearance of the toad is fuch as~ 
to make this one advantageous feature overlooked, 
and to have rendered it in all ages an object of hor- 
ror, and the origin of moft tremendous inventions. 
J lan* makes its venom fo potent, that Bafili/k-like 
it conveyed death by its very look and breath; but 
Fuvenal is content with making the Reman ladies, 
who were weary of their hufbands, form a potion 
from its entrails**, in order to get rid of the good 
man. 
Occurrit Matrona porns que molle calenum 
Porrectura yiro mifcet fitiente rubetam. Sat. I; 68. 
To quench the hufband’s parching thirft, is brought 
By the great Dame, a moft deceitful draught 5 
In rich calenian wine fhe does infufe, 
(To eafe his pains) the toad’s envenom’d juice. 
This opinion begat others of a more dreadful na- 
ture ; for in after-times fuperftition gave it preterna- 
* Fifi. an. lib. ix. c. 11. 
S* Sat. vi. 658. Vide Elian Hif. an. lib. xvii, co 42 and 15. 
tural 
