The Crioceres 



little grub be. In less than a day, piece by 

 piece, it will have made itself a suit. 



The artist is a master from the first at- 

 tempt. If its baby-flannel is so good to start 

 with, what will the future ulster be, when 

 the stuff, brought to perfection, is of much 

 better quality? Let us proceed; we know 

 what we want to know concerning the talents 

 of this manufacturer of excremental broad- 

 cloth. 



What is the purpose of this nasty great- 

 coat? Does the grub employ it to keep it- 

 self cool, to protect itself against the attacks 

 of the sun ? It is possible : a tender skin need 

 not be afraid of blistering under such a sooth- 

 ing poultice. Is it the grub's object to dis- 

 gust its enemies? This again is possible: 

 who would venture to set tooth to such a heap 

 of filth? Or can it be simply a caprice of 

 fashion, an outlandish fancy? I will not 

 say no. We have had the crinoline, that 

 senseless bulwark of steel hoops ; we still have 

 the extravagant stove-pipe hat, which tries 

 to mould our heads in its stiff sheath. Let 

 us be indulgent to the evacuator nor dis- 

 parage his eccentric wardrobe. We have 

 eccentricities of our own. 



To feel our way a little in this delicate 

 question, we will question the near kinsmen 

 417 



