APOLOGY FOR THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 89 



charge of cruelty is equally applicable to both. But let us 

 go farther : the common destroyer has heard of some won- 

 derful mischief done by the worm, the wasp, and spider ; 

 he therefore kills as many as possible. The entomolo- 

 gist knows their history ; he knows they do much more 

 good than harm ; he therefore kills as few as possible. 

 The animosity against these tribes originates in a want of 

 knowledge of Entomology. As to causing pain. To sup- 

 port this charge it is insisted, that were we treated as we 

 treat insects, we should suffer intense agony. This is very 

 true, but very poor argument ; because, before we can rea- 

 son from ourselves, we must prove a similarity of circum- 

 stances. If a man could walk about for days without his 

 head, and if his head continued eating and drinking for 

 days without a body, then it would be fair to judge of the 

 sensations of an insect by those of a man ; for the heads 

 and bodies of insects freely perform these feats. Then as 

 regards hardening the heart. Entomologists, with con- 

 stantly regarding the beautiful structure of insects, acquire 

 such a kind feeling for them that they seldom or never un- 

 necessarily kill the objects of their study, and almost inva- 

 riably take much more care than indifferent persons to avoid 

 doing them any injury. And the various schemes which 

 have been invented for killing insects in the most expedi- 

 tious manner, prove, at least, that the entomologist is not 

 willing to occasion them suffering. 



Thus can the entomologist readily answer the charges 

 brought against his pursuits, as either frivolous or cruel : 

 but something more than this is needful. It is no merit 

 in reasoning creatures to spend their time on subjects 

 which possess merely the negative recommendation of be- 

 ing harmless. Before we give up any great portion of our 

 time to Entomology, we should believe it to be a useful 

 study ; we should convince ourselves that the just classifi- 



