654 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



in a book or newspaper were not as valuable as though de- 

 clared by the tongue. To be consistent, the scoffer at book- 

 farming' should reject many of the best practices of the farmer 

 now, because Virgil wrote of them ; or Cato, or Columnella, 

 or Jethro Tell, commended them. 



The insect race has its part to fill in the great plan, and that 

 part is undoubtedly an important one. We accuse them of 

 encroachments when they select, as their favorite food, the 

 plants we are cultivating for our own pleasure or profit. It 

 may be, that in their deliberations and conventions, if they hold 

 any, they look upon ws as the aggressors. They feed on the 

 common bounty as well as ourselves, enjoy their brief existence 

 and die. Our domestic animals do the same ; but we make 

 them subserve our purposes, and we are content. We have 

 not yoked the insect race to our implements for practical pur- 

 poses, but having this decided advantage of them, the posses- 

 sion of reason, it is the part of wisdom to study their habits 

 with patient care, until we become as well convinced of their 

 usefulness, as we are of that of the ox and cow, and that an 

 intelligent Being placed them here for our good. 



Many of the beetles live on plants not only of little use to 

 man, but some of them poisonous, and in a state of decay 

 often offensive ; they are therefore to be reckoned among our 

 friends. Some live on the juices of animals, and by this 

 means destroy a great number of noxious insects. Others are 

 of service in the arts, affording us the costly cochineal, scarlet 

 grain, lac and manna. Dragon flies and some others subsist 

 upon plant lice, and thus become our active protectors. 



The more intimate is our knowledge of the organism about 

 us, the trees, plants, flowers, insects and animals, the less labor 

 shall we be required to perform, and the more shall we adore 

 that wisdom which has formed them all. 



I will dwell for a moment on another species of this lowly 

 life, the common house spider. Place one no larger than the 

 head of a pin under the microscope, and his clear black eye, 

 set in a field of delicate blue, becomes distinctly visible. • The 

 top of his head is studded with brilliant gems, varying in hues 

 as he changes position under the glass ; while along his back 

 are plumes of exquisite color and softness. Each front foot 

 terminates in a club or ball of hair, and this varies in form in 



