The Life of the Bee 



to contrive some form of arrangement ; 

 and, assuming that they had begun by in- 

 juring each other, they would, as each 

 one possesses the same strength as its 

 fellow, soon have ended by doing each 

 other the least possible harm, or, in other 

 words, by rendering assistance. They 

 have the appearance of understanding 

 each other, and of working for a common 

 aim ; and the observer, therefore, is apt to 

 endow them with reasons and intellect 

 that they truly are far from possessing. 

 He will pretend to account for each 

 action, show a reason behind every move- 

 ment ; and from thence the gradation is 

 easy to proclaiming them marvels, or 

 monsters, of innumerable ideas. Where- 

 as the truth is that these ten thousand 

 individuals, that have been produced sim- 

 ultaneously, that have lived together, and 

 undergone metamorphosis at more or less 

 the same time, cannot fail all to do the 

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