THE naturalists' CLUB. 15 



At thai inomeiit, Pagan fished up a fine beetle floating by on a chip, 

 and impaled it with a villainous long pin, while the poor animal strug- 

 gled for liberty. 



Urban with a grave countenance said — "Hem ! listen to Shakspeare : 



" The poor beetle that we tread upon 



In corporal sufferance feels a pang as great 

 As when a giant dies." " 



Encyc. took him up. "Do you quote Shakspeare to prove the sensi- 

 bility of insects ? What authority is he on that subject, even if you in- 

 terpret him in that sense ? But 1 believe that these words have been en- 

 tirely wrested from their original purpose." 



" Gentlemen ! listen to a lecture on Shakspeare. Urban vest on your 

 oars," ordered old Nestor. 



" As I was saying" — resumed Encyc, after bowing his acknowledg- 

 ments to Ento. for the command of silence — "I believe the bard has 

 been misunderstood ; what was his purpose ? — it was to show how little 

 a man feels in dying; that the sense of death is most in apprehension, 

 not in the act, and that even a beetle, which feels so little, feels as much 

 as a giant does. The less, therefore, the beetle is supposed to feel, the 

 more force we give to the sentiment of Shakspeare." 



" Admirable commentary ! I shall feel less compunction hereafter," 

 replied Pagan. 



"But still I cannot help thinking it cruel to impale insects," observed 

 Ornith. 



"You, Ornith., to speak thus who every day kill warm-blooded and 

 vertebrate animals which we know have sensibility ; look at that heron, 

 he's kicking yet," remarked Ento. 



Ornith. was mum and whistled " Oh, no ! Til never mention it." 



The rest roared, but our faces had not assumed their wonted gravity 

 before hang', hang! went both barrels of his gun, and two king-fishers 

 fell wounded into the water, screaming most dolorously. 



"Yes, yes," continued Ento. archly, "it is cruel to kill insects, when 

 birds seem to feel so UttlcP'' Ornith. was silent, but he gave the rest a 

 sly wink. 



"There, now, fast on a rock !" cried Pagan. 



It was true ; the boat had struck with terrible violence, (for Urban 

 was rowing.) '■'■Infamcs scojmlosP'' muttered the latter, who had lately 

 been reading Horace's Odes. 



"How shall we get oft'?" was the general cry. 



"JV"// morialihus arduum p'' said Urban, and was in the river up to 

 his waist in a moment. 



