THE LATE SALMO SALAB, ESQ. 5 



happy existence, without care, or thought, or 

 trouble, and, as the sense of life quickened 

 within me, it brought with it only a deeper 

 sense of enjoyment. ' Where ignorance is bliss, 

 'tis folly to be wise,' and I may be thankful 

 now that I remained so long in blissful igno- 

 rance of the dangers which surrounded me. 

 The power of reflection was not given to me, 

 and, although I saw numbers of my brothers 

 and sisters daily destroyed before my eyes, it 

 never occurred to me as possible that a similar 

 fate might await me. My ignorance, however, 

 was my protection ; careless of what was pass- 

 ing around me, I lay under my stone, motion- 

 less and fearless, and thus escaped danger until 

 Nature had given me the means of avoiding it. 

 " When I look back on the number of our 

 enemies, I can only wonder that even one out 

 of our numerous progeny is left to tell the tale. 

 Even the insect tribe was in arms against us ; 

 I have seen a huge water-beetle seize an embryo 

 samlet by the throat, and carry it off to devour 

 at his leisure. And the larva3 of sundry insects 

 fed upon us whilst we were in the egg, or 

 newly hatched. More especially that of the 

 dragon-fly goggle-eyed, mis-shapen, repulsive, 



