II. THE SWALLOW. 47 



made only to be food for the more graceful 

 fly-eatcher, — whose finer grace you will 

 discover- upon reflection, to be owing to 

 the very moderation and simplicity of its 

 structure, and to the subduing of that in- 

 finitude of joints, claws, tissues, veins, and 

 fibres which inconceivably vibrate in the 

 microscopic * creature's motion, to a quite 

 intelligible and simple balance of rounded 

 body upon edged plume, maintained not 

 without visible, and sometimes fatigued, 

 exertion, and raising the lower creature into 

 fellowship with the voUtion and the virtue of 

 humanity. 



43. With the virtue, I say, in an exceedingly 

 qualified sense ; meaning rather the strength 

 and art displayed in overcoming difficulties, 

 than any distinct morality of disposition. The 

 bird has kindly and homely qualities ; but its 

 principal ** virtue" for us^ is its being an in- 

 carnate voracity, and that it moves as a con- 

 suming and cleansing power. You sometimes 

 hear it said of a humane person that they 

 would not kill a fly : from 700 to lOOO flies 



* I call it so because the members and action of it cannot 

 be seen with the unaided eye. 



