98 RIVERSIDE LETTERS XII 



mesmeric touch of the human hand and voice 

 to keep them in health or life. On the death 

 of my youngest son, - - came to ask me if 

 he might go tell the bees ; not understanding 

 the old custom of that county I marvelled, 

 but said 'yes,' it was done and the bees 

 remained ; but on the death of my brother, 

 some time afterwards, though I counselled the 

 same, the matter was ' pooh-poohed ' and the 

 bees all died." 



This lady also gives evidence as to the fact 

 that bees will not sting those people who are 

 fond of them and who are not afraid ; that 

 such people can handle a swarm, without any 

 protection on their face and hands, without 

 getting stung, I believe to be quite true, as my 

 second son, when at Marl borough, used 

 regularly to help his master to hive his bees, 

 when they swarmed, with no protection on, 

 and he told me that the bees hardly ever 

 stung him, and that even if they did, acci- 

 dentally, the sting gave little or no pain. My 

 lady informant further writes ; 



