The Life of the Bee 



perfect and rational, combined with a sub. 

 mission more logical and more complete. 

 And nowhere, surely, should we discover 

 more painful and absolute sacrifice. Let 

 it not be imagined that I admire this 

 sacrifice to the extent that I admire its 

 results. It were evidently to be desired 

 that these results might be obtained at 

 the cost of less renouncement and suf- 

 fering. But, the principle once accepted, 

 and this is needful, perhaps, in the 

 scheme of our globe, its organisation 

 compels our wonder. Whatever the 

 human truth on this point may be, life, 

 in the hive, is not looked on as a 

 series of more or less pleasant hours, 

 whereof it is wise that those moments 

 only should be soured and embittered 

 that are essential for maintaining exist- 

 ence. The bees regard it as a great 

 common duty, impartially distributed 

 amongst them all, and tending towards 



