448 THE BIOLOGY OF INSECTS 



explanation of the facts which they observe. The insects 

 present to us an immense multitude of various forms, 

 differing among themselves in structure, Hfe-history, modes 

 of behaviour ; to attain an imperfect knowledge of one 

 group demands the careful labour of years, and the worker 

 realises with each advance how much more remains to him 

 unknown. Yet he doubts not that knowledge is possible, 

 not only a knowledge of facts that can be seen and set out 

 in orderly sequence, but an increasing understanding of the 

 processes by which these millions of small living creatures 

 work out their life-relations, and how through the long 

 ages of the earth's history they have come to be as they 

 are. The scientific worker does well to be humble in face 

 of the vast unknown, while he trusts continually that the 

 scheme of nature is reasonable and intelligible. The 

 rational justification for scientific inquiry is really a faith 

 that the Eternal Mind working through nature is akin to 

 our minds and, ev^en through the study of insect life, man 

 may be called anew to worship as well as to wonder and 

 admire. 



