IN THE INSECT WORLD. 205 



again encumbrances, and worms manure the soil ; but 

 these are trite and isolated cases in the profusion of the 

 animal world ; and, left alone, as we are, in the desert 

 of mere reason and conjecture, there is no probability 

 that much satisfactory elucidation will be obtained. 

 They are not perhaps important objects of inquiry ; but 

 when we see the extraordinary care and attention that 

 has been bestowed upon this part of creation, our as- 

 tonishment is excited, and forces into action that in- 

 herent desire in our. minds to seek into hidden things. 

 In some calm summer's evening ramble, we see the 

 air filled with sportive animated beings : the leaf, the 

 branch, the bark of the tree, every mossy bank, the 

 pool, the ditch, all teeming with animated life, with a 

 profusion, an endless variety of existence ; each crea- 

 ture pursuing its own separate purpose in a settled 

 course of action, admitting of no deviation or substitu- 

 tion, to accomplish or promote some ordained object. 

 Some appear occupied in seeking for the most appro- 

 priate stations for their own necessities, and exerting 

 stratagems and wiles to secure the lives of themselves 

 or their offspring against natural or possible injuries, 

 with a forethought equivalent or superior to reason ; the 

 aim in some others we can little perceive, or, should 

 some flash of light spring up, and give us a momentary 

 glimpse of nature's hidden ways, immediate darkness 

 closes round, and renders our ignorance more manifest. 

 We see a wonderfully fabricated creature struggling 

 from the cradle of its being, just perfected by the 

 elaboration of months or years, and decorated with a 

 vest of glorious splendor ; it spreads its wings to the 

 light of heaven, and becomes the next moment, perhaps, 

 with all its marvellous construction, instinct, and splen- 

 dor, the prey of some wandering bird ! and human wis- 

 dom and conjecture are humbled to the dust. That 

 these events are ordinations of supreme intelligence, 

 for wise and good purposes, we are convinced ; but are 

 blind, beyond thought, as to secondary causes ; and ad- 

 miration, that pure source of intellectual pleasure, is 

 almost alone permitted to us. If we attempt to proceed 

 beyond this, we are generally lost in the mystery with 

 S 



