COLLOQUIA ENTOMOLOGICA. 3 



Ent. Born ! Pedigree has nothing to do with it. 



Erro. Verbatim. The malignum vulgus requires that. 

 I never could string two lines of rhyme together. 



Amb. What ! Yes, Osteology was only a kind of prop to 

 Sphinx Vespiformis, a buttress to support it a little longer — 

 it must fall. I agree with double D, in thinking we are too 

 fond of theory ; what he says is very good. 



Erro. Yes, Doctor Dichotomy 's right enough ; it 's all true. 



Ven. What unmerciful fellows ; I 'm right glad you have 

 not me to quiz. Why, you have offended half the publishing 

 entomologists in England, without a quarter of the lashing 

 you give one another. 



Amb. Oh ! no, not offended. We have never ventured 

 beyond fair criticism. No one would lower himself by taking 

 offence at fair criticism. 



Erro. We hold up our Fire-fly to enlighten them; it's 

 all intended kindly ; they can't have any reason to be enraged. 



Amb. Neither had the jailers of poor Mary ; yet, who was 

 so ill-treated ? the light of her lovely countenance, turned on 

 them, seemed to demonize them. 



Ent. Why not give that in verse. 



Languidly over the water, 



Each echoing bugle-note 

 Gave warning, to Scotia's daughter, 



Of cruel oppressor's boat. 



And so with our lovely rover, 



The voice of each favoured sage 

 She illumined in passing over 



Repays for her light with rage. 



Amb. Pretty. 



Ent. Venator, we wait. 



Erro. He 's glad enough to quit the subject of theory — 

 you 



Ent. Theory, theory ! by constant bandying from mouth 

 to mouth, the gloss of the originality, of the outcry against 

 it, begins to wear off; — down with theory, down with 

 theory ! Give us facts, we want facts ! poor fools ! — Come, 

 Venator, begin, " Unaccustomed as I am" — 



Ven. Gentlemen, our loyalty being unquestionable, we 

 need not waste words in displaying it. With your leave, let 

 us begin with " Success to the Fire-fly, and good-will to her 



