70 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



others more adapted to the wants of the times. 

 I do not believe these sweeping assertions as 

 to the barbarous state of our ancestors, The 

 more I study the matter the more absurd and un- 

 founded appear the notions popularly received." 



" The spiders have been more disturbed in 

 the last few days than for twelve months past. 

 I detest this cruelty to spiders. I admire 

 these ingenious insects. One individual has 

 taken possession of a box of mine. This fellow 

 I call Caesar Borgia, because he has such an 

 affection for blood. You will call him a 

 monster, which is praise, since his size shows 

 the number of flies he has destroyed. Why 

 not keep a spider as well as a cat ? They are 

 both useful in their way, and a spider has this 

 advantage, that he will spin you a web which 

 will do instead of tapestry." 



Between July 21st and September 2nd 

 of this year he writes of a bad illness which 

 sent him to bed and kept him there, until he 

 became as thin as a skeleton. As soon as he 

 was able to get out of bed he wrote to his 

 aunt ; his eyes were weak, and he could read 



