Fenton, writing in 1569, says: “There is found in heads of old and great toads a stone which they call borax or stelon: it is most commonly found in the head of a he-toad.” They were not only considered specifics against poison when taken internally, but “being used in rings, gave forewarning against venom.” This stone has often been sought for, but nothing has been found except accidental or perhaps morbid indurations of the skull. Lupton says,[191] “You shall know whether the _tode-stone_ be the right and perfect stone or not. Hold the stone before a tode, so that he may see it, and if it be a right and true stone, the tode will leap toward it and make as though he would snatch it. He envieth so much that man should have that stone.” Nicols, in his Lapidary, observes:[192] “Some say this stone is found in the head of an old toad; others say that the old toad must be laid upon the cloth that is red, and it will belch it up, or otherwise not; you may give a like credit to both these reports, for as little truth is to be found in them as may possibly be. Witnesse Anselmus Boetius in _Lib._ 2, in the chapter of this stone; who saith that to try this experiment in his youth, he took an old toad and laid it upon a red cloth, and watched it a whole night to see it belch up its stone, but after his long and tedious watchful expectation, he found the old toad in the same posture to gratifie the great pangs of his whole night’s restlessness. “Some of the toads that carry this precious jewel must be very large, for Boetius says the stone is found of the bigness of an egg, sometimes brownish, sometimes reddish, sometimes yellowish, sometimes greenish.” It is reported that if poison be present, the alleged stone will go into a perspiration. In connection with this sensitiveness, it may be observed that precious stones are said to sweat at the presence of poison. We are told that the jewels which King John wore did so in his last sickness. There is no doubt, however, although Shakspeare makes him cry out, “Poison’d--ill fare,” that John got his death from unripe pears and new cider. His living about three days from his attack, is a reasonable proof of not dying by poison.[193] In a strange old book, and from which an interesting article appears in “Household Words,” it is said, the use of a ring, that has lain for a certain time in a sparrow’s nest, will procure love. § 3. That kind of fortune-telling, called Divination, has held an empire over the mind of man from the earliest period. It was practised by the Jews, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks and Romans, and is known to all modern nations.[194] The species of divination by rings is called Dactylomancy.[195]