PSEUDO PHILANTHROPISM. 263 



that of interest, little has been hitherto advanced on 

 either side of a very preponderating nature. Under 

 the system, almost universal, of destroying the bees, 

 no deficiency of those insects, of which I have ever 

 been apprised, has occurred. On the other hand, 

 perhaps some small deterioration of the quality of 

 the honey may accrue from the fumigation by which 

 they are destroyed. 



With respect to the argument of HUMANITY, it is 

 by far too fine spun, to endure the wear and tear of 

 ratiocination. Boasting, as we bipeds do, of our 

 reason, and all that, I shall not insist on the argu- 

 ment of the lex talionis, furnished by the cruel con- 

 duct of these half-reasoning insects to their fellows. 

 Yet since drones are murdered, why not murder 

 their murderers ? Did we not suffocate them, their 

 fragile lives would naturally cease in two or three 

 little months, or many of them would perish mise- 

 rably, by the thousand accidents to which they are 

 liable. The grand argument of Mr. Secretary Isaac 

 ' the Creator has not authorized me to destroy one 

 without cause,' is thoroughly seasoned with the flum- 

 mery and blarney of modish pseudo-philanthropism. 

 We find special good cause for the slaughter of 

 lambs and calves, and of every living thing which 

 it appears to be our interest to kill ; and therein we 

 follow a primary law of universal nature. The cow- 

 ardly and irrational dread of putting a period to 

 animal life, is the constant source of protracted and 

 horrible animal misery. The most exquisite inflic- 

 tions of savage barbarity have never equalled, in 

 effect, the slow and lingering tortures conferred upon 

 unfortunate animals, by the graces of a left-handed 



