The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
But these Toadstones, at least very many thereof, which are esteemed
among us, are at last found to be taken not out of Toads heads, but out
of a Fishes mouth, being handsomely contrived out of the teeth of the
_Lupus Marinus_, a Fish often taken in our Northern Seas, as was
publickly declared by an eminent and learned Physitian. [SN: Sir _George
Ent_.] But because men are unwilling to conceive so low of their
Toadstones which they so highly value, they may make some trial thereof
by a candentorned hot Iron applied unto the hollow and unpolished part
thereof, whereupon if they be true stones they will not be apt to burn
or afford a burnt odour, which they may be apt to do, if contrived out
of animal parts or the teeth of fishes.
Concerning the generation of Frogs, we shall briefly deliver that
account which observation hath taught us. By Frogs I understand not such
as arising from putrefaction, are bred without copulation, and because
they subsist not long, are called _Temporariæ_; nor do I mean the little
Frog of an excellent Parrat green, that usually sits on Trees and
Bushes, and is therefore called _Ranunculus viridis_, or _arboreus_; but
hereby I understand the aquatile or Water-Frog, whereof in ditches and
standing plashes we may behold many millions every Spring in _England_.
Now these do not as _Pliny_ conceiveth, exclude black pieces of flesh,
which after become Frogs; but they let fall their spawn in the water, of
excellent use in Physick, and scarce unknown unto any. In this spawn of
a lentous and transparent body, are to be discerned many specks, or
little conglobulations, which in a small time become of deep black, a
substance more compacted and terrestrious then the other; for it riseth
not in distillation, and affords a powder when the white and aqueous
part is exhaled. Now of this black or dusky substance is the Frog at
last formed; as we have beheld, including the spawn with water in a
glass, and exposing it unto the Sun. For that black and round substance,
in a few days began to dilate and grow longer, after a while the head,
the eyes, the tail to be discernable, and at last to become that which
the Ancients called _Gyrinus_, we a _Porwigle_ or Tadpole. This in some
weeks after becomes a perfect Frog, the legs growing out before, and the
tail wearing away, to supply the other behind; as may be observed in
some which have newly forsaken the water; for in such, some part of the
tail will be seen, but curtailed and short, not long and finny as
before. A part provided them a while to swim and move in the water, that
is, untill such time as Nature excluded legs, whereby they might be
provided not only to swim in the water, but move upon the land,
according to the amphibious [SN: _Amphibious Animals, such as live in
both elements of land and water._] and mixt intention of Nature, that
is, to live in both. So that whoever observeth the first progression of
the seed before motion, or shall take notice of the strange
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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