LIGHTS TO DEVOTION. 345 



feet and a lantern to their paths," by attaching one to each 

 foot when travelling by night, employing them also in the 

 lighting of their habitations. Fire-flies serve, besides, the 

 important purpose of destroying mosquitos, which are their 

 favourite prey. 



But the glimmer of our English glowworm ? that surely 

 can serve no other uses save its own ? She would be a dull 

 diamond in the maiden's tresses a dim light to read by a 

 sorry lantern on a murky night. True; but for all that, she 

 shines not for herself alone : for us, also, her light is not 

 without its uses. What these are we may best answer when 

 returning from our summer's evening walk, as the glowworms 

 and the stars are coming out together ; for then our minds must 

 be more creeping than the wingless light-bearers themselves, 

 if they rise not from them to the glorious orbs they humbly 

 imitate, and thence to the Great Source and Centre of Life and 

 Lifjht, from whom alike emanate the " stars of the earth " and 

 the suns of the universe. 



we fire tr$o irf tlw t!K0w wornt^ 



