REAUMUR'S MISTAKE. 265 



pared to the inactive pupa state of insects ; and 

 consequently all reasoning founded on what may 

 take place in such a state under the particular 

 circumstances described, is without foundation. 

 Besides all this, God has himself fixed a limit to 

 human life ; and we are expressly assured by his 

 word of truth, that "it is appointed unto man 

 once to die ;" and though by reason of strength we 

 may reach far into a long life, yet the hour comes 

 at last, and the green earth closes over the only 

 mortal portion of a man. Undoubtedly had 

 Reaumur prolonged his experiments, he would 

 have found that death, or the transformation of 

 the pupa, would ultimately have taken place. 



As yet, we are not aware that any practical 

 results on a large scale have followed from 

 Reaumur's interesting experiments. It has been 

 already remarked, that in countries where the silk- 

 worm is reared, it is the custom to hasten the 

 hatching of the eggs by women carrying little 

 packets of them about their person. But this is 

 only to bring forward the development of the 

 larva state. Perhaps the time anticipated by 

 Reaumur may arrive, when insects may be hatched 

 under hens ! or in hatching machines, so as to 



