118 THE MICROSCOPE AND ITS LESSONS 



" Never give, up ; it is wiser and better 



Always to hope than once to despair ; 

 Fling off the load of doubt's heavy fetter 

 And break the dark spell of tyrannical care. 



" Never give up, or the burden may sink you ; 



Providence kindly has mingled the cup : 

 And, in all trials and troubles, bethink yon, 

 The watchword of life must be ' Never give up. 9 



" Never give up ; there are chances and changes 



Helping the hopeful, a hundred to one ; 

 And, through the chaos, High Wisdom arranges, 

 Certain success if you'll only hope on. 



" Never give up ; for the "wisest is boldest, 



Knowing that Providence mixes the cup ; 

 And, of all maxims, the best, as the oldest, 

 Is the true watchword of 



'NEVEE GIVE UP!'" 



How many very striking instances of wisdom have 

 been registered connected with such a very ordinary 

 thing as a spider's web ! Some years ago, one had built 

 her beautiful nest just outside our sitting-room window, 

 thus affording me a capital opportunity for observation. 

 Presently a fine specimen of what is commonly known as 

 " daddy-long-legs," or crane-fly scientifically, Tipula 

 dashed into the snare, poor thing ! I knew she had taken 

 her last flight. Down rushed the spider, and the first 

 thing it did was to bind its rope round the large wings 

 so that escape would be impossible ; and the next to bind 

 the legs so that the net should not be broken. Then 

 began the meal, and, in a very short time, nothing but 

 the skeleton of the victim was to be seen a warning 

 to those who do not keep a distance from all who are 

 watching whom they shall devour. 



The following incident was witnessed by a corre- 

 spondent of the Times newspaper, and communicated to 



