THE SPELL BROKEN. 31 



sorcerer. Fortunately, M. Nollet had in his mu- 

 seum some rolls of leaves formed with equal art 

 by beetles; he produced them, and showed them 

 to the affrighted man, assuring him, that, without 

 doubt, they had been formed by insects, and that 

 it was therefore highly probable that the rolls in 

 question were the productions of some other insects 

 of a different species. The gardener looked incre- 

 dulous, being apparently unwilling to give up his 

 alarm, until M. Nollet, greatly to his horror, took 

 up one of those little leaf-rolls which had caused 

 him so much uneasiness, and carefully unfolding 

 it, drew from thence a fat little larva. The 

 moment the gardener saw the little creature, his 

 fears and troubled aspect vanished, and an air of 

 cheerfulness spread over his face, such as one 

 might imagine as the result of deliverance from 

 some fearful peril. The only reward M. Nollet 

 would receive from the poor man for thus dissi- 

 pating his cares and fears was, that he should leave 

 the leaf-rolls with him, and, collecting more of 

 them, should send them to M. Reaumur's address, 

 for him to examine. This little anecdote affords 

 us a good illustration of the connexion of super- 

 stitious fears with ignorance on points of natural 



