442 COLLOQUIA ENTOMOLOGICA. 



across the plain my fellow mortals ride, immortal now : are 

 then the animals of yonder earth admitted here? It is most 

 strange ! 



Sto. Why strange? here each pursues unchecked his 

 favourite theme. Wouldst thou exclude the beast, the bird, 

 the fish ? the hum of insect life ? Wouldst thou hew down 

 those groups of graceful and most lovely palms, waving in 

 measure to the tuneful breeze? or these delicious shrubs, 

 oppressed with fruit, or clad in beauteous bloom? Wouldst 

 thou destroy the mossy turf on which we now recline? wouldst 

 still this breeze? wouldst dissipate the balmy perfume that 

 around exhales from thousand fruits and flowers ? Or wouldst 

 thou evaporate these limpid streams, that flow like molten silver? 

 Wouldst thou exhaust the delicate air we breathe? Or wouldst 

 thou hide that glorious sun, a sea of life and light, because 

 such things are shadowed forth on earth ? 



Lep. Ah, no ! and yet on earth we fondly paint our wished- 

 for heaven a scene of clouds alone. 



Sto. Yes ; and they represent immortal man as dwindled 

 to a sprite, a head with wings ! of angels such is their sublime 

 idea ! How far below the truth exemplified in yonder God-like, 

 mammoth-mounted forms. 



Lep. Hah ! they salute thee ! see ! their noble beasts, 



proud of their riders, scarce indent the turf! How do they 

 guide them? 



Sto. Solely by the will ! The riders are inseparable friends : 

 Aristoteles, with the coal black beard ; Raius, a Briton, on the 

 further side ; Cuvier, the noted Gaul, on this. 



Lep. And all so young ! 



Sto. Observe that perfect form, irradiate with light: mark 

 well her mien, and the rich glories of her golden hair : she 

 plucks the tempting fruit with timid hand from the o'erladen 

 branches of yon tree, and gives it to that melancholy man. 

 These have transgressed ; and yet their only doom is, that I 

 through all this wilderness of bliss the memory of their error 

 yet remains. 



Lep. How very beautiful, and yet how sad ! 



Sto. Most bright indeed are they, yet pure as bright, and 

 pure, without offence we here admire the vision of such match- 

 less excellence : here beauty is in mind; the child of mind; a 

 bodied emanation of the thought; itself enchanting, but it 



