BRITISH BUTTERFLIES 



moths is to train the eye to beauty on a scale of ex- 

 quisite, if tiny, perfection ; this is absolutely plain'to 

 every seeing, thinking man. But a study of the habits, 

 minutiae of minutiae, of such little things how can this 

 avail human beings ? it may be asked. Is not the man 

 who does it rather like Browning's grammarian, who 

 fiddled away his life on Greek enclitics and particles, 

 holding forth on them till he was dead from his feet 

 to his waist ? Would it not be wiser to aim at the mil- 

 lion and chance missing the unit ? Yes, but in these 

 units secrets of life secrets of whence, whither, why 

 are concentrated. In the end we may know ourselves 

 through a blue butterfly. Only we must watch and 

 record, utterly careless of any theory ; if this butter- 

 fly's nightdress does not mimic its surroundings, we 

 must accept the fact, careless of theory. Theory is a 

 feather-weight set in the scale against truth, a matter 

 of supreme unconcern. 



