112 BEKS. 



dress has been already described. Thus attired, the apiaiian 

 may perform in entire peace of mind the most delicate ope- 

 rations, and be freed from all danger of becoming* the actor 

 in some new scene as interesting and dramatic, but also as 

 alarming and dangerous, as that described by Thorley, which 

 we transcribe for the reader's edification, and with which we 

 tonclude. 



" In or about the year 1717, one of my swarms settling 

 among the close-twisted branches of some codling-trees, and 

 not to be got into an hive without more help, my maid- 

 servant, hired into the family the Michaelmas before, being 

 in the garden, very officiously offered her assistance, so far 

 as to hold the hive while I dislodged the bees, she being 

 little apprehensive of what followed. 



" Having* never been acquainted with bees, and likewise 

 afraid, she put a linen cloth over her head and shoulders, 

 concluding that would be a sufficient guard, and secure her 

 from their swords. A few of the bees fell into the hive ; 

 some upon the ground ; but the main body of them upon the 

 cloth which covered her upper garments. 



" No sooner had I taken the hive out of her hands, but, 

 in a terrible fright and surprise, she cried out the bees were 

 got under the covering, crowding up towards her breast and 

 face, which immediately put her into a trembling posture. 

 When I perceived the veil was of no further service, she at 

 last gave me leave to remove it. This done, a most affect- 

 ing spectacle presented itself to the view of all the company, 

 filling me with the deepest distress and concern, as I thought 

 myself the unhappy instrument of drawing her into so great 

 and imminent hazard of her life, which now so manifestly 

 lay at stake. 



^' It is not in my power to tell the confusion and distress 

 of mind I was in, from the awful apprehensions it raised ; 

 and her dread and terror in such circumstances may reason- 

 ably be supposed to be much more. Every moment she 

 was at the point of retiring with all the bees about her. 

 Vain thought! to escape by flight. She might have left 

 the place indeed, but could not the company, and the 

 remedy would have been much worse than the disease. 

 Had she enraged them, all resistance had been vain, and 

 nothing less than her life would have atoned for the offence. 



