194 NOTES BY THE WAY. 



fisherman's hook. It, perhaps, causes a grasshopper 

 less pain to detach one of its legs than it does a 

 man to remove a single hair from his beard. Nerves 

 alone feel pain, and the nervous system of a beetle is 

 a very rudimentary affair. 



In " Coriolanus " there is a comparison which im- 

 plies that a man can tread upon his own shadow 

 a dift*cult feat in northern countries at all times ex- 

 cept ,*t midday ; Shakespeare is particular to mention 



the t <ue of day : 



u Such a nature, 



Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow 

 Which he treads on at noon " 



