enclosing
some large insect magnified thereby into the semblance of a toad.
Lupton (Thomas, 1583,) gave instructions how to procure the toadstone.
" You shall knowe whether the tode-stone be the righte, or perfect
stone or not. Holde the stone, before a tode so that he may see it; and
if it be a ryght, and true stone, the tode will leape towarde it, and
make as though he would snatch it. He envieth so much that none should
have that stone."
" The toad," as Magus conjectured (Occult Philosophy, 1801),
" is an animal ordained of God, which, at the sight of man, from a
natural quality seated in him called antipathy, conceives a great
terror, or astonishment ; hence it happens that a poison ariseth in
the toad which kills the poison of terror in man."
Again,
" so great is the fear of the toad, that if he is placed directly
before thee, and thou dost behold him with an intent furious look, (so
that he cannot avoid thee), for a quarter of an hour, he dies, being
fascinated with terror, and astonishment." The author adds in a
footnote, " I have tried this experiment upon the toad, and other
reptiles of his nature, and was satisfied of the truth of this
affirmation."
Even
M. Pomet, chief druggist to the French King, 1712, has told, with some
measure of credence, about the Toadstone—" Buffonites"—" It has been
believed," says he, " that this stone was bred in the head of an old
toad, whence it was voided by the mouth of that creature when put upon
red cloth " ; " but those who have made exact enquiries after it affirm
that this stone is formed in the earth commonly of two sorts, the
round, and the long. Men do set them, especially the round sort, in
rings ; but that is more for ornament than any virtue
