The Sacred Beetle and Others 



Sacred Beetle is born maimed; his mutilation 

 dates from the beginning. 



" Very well," our popular theorists will 

 reply, " the Sacred Beetle is mutilated from 

 birth; but his remote ancestors were not. 

 Formed according to the general rule, they 

 were correct in structure down to this tiny 

 digital detail. There were some who, in 

 their rough work as navvies and carters, 

 wore out that fragile, useless member which 

 was always in the way; and, finding them- 

 selves all the better-equipped for their work 

 by this accidental amputation, they be- 

 queathed it to their successors, to the great 

 benefit of their race. The present insect 

 profits by the improvement obtained by a 

 long array of ancestors and, acting under 

 the stimulus of the struggle for life, gives 

 more and mc ; durability to a favourable 

 condition due o chance." 



O ingenu<^ s theorists, so triumphant on 

 paper, so In ::)otent in the face of facts, just 

 listen to me for a moment! If the loss of 

 the front fingers is a fortunate circumstance 

 for the Sacred Beetle, who faithfully trans- 

 mits the leg of olden time fortuitously 

 - iaimed, why should It not be so with the 

 other limbs. If they too chanced to lose their 

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