6 THE CRICKET, A PILFERER. 



thy pickings most esteemed, seem not, some of them, the most 

 inviting fare ; yet do these dainties, each in its kind, serve to 

 symbolize, not unaptly, the very sort of viands we would seek 

 and set before our readers. 



For " scummings of pots," suppose we say the " cream of our 

 subject/' the most light, and, withal, the richest of the agreeable 

 matter already laid up by others, to be extracted by ourselves 

 in the field of observation. For " sweepings " let us put 

 " gleanings," Gleanings in Entomology and we have the 

 very term adopted by a well-known writer for his amusing 

 anecdotes in various branches of Natural History. Then 

 " bread," with Cricket as with man, the very " staff of life," if 

 poverty forbid him not to grasp it, what substance more properly 

 symbolic of that which must form the ground-work of our 

 book, matters of solid fact, mixed with and lightened by the 

 " yeast " of illustration, discursive and pictorial. As for the 

 " flesh " and " fat," the strongest fare on which the Cricket 

 delighteth to regale, may they not serve to typify that principle 

 of mental nourishment, of all the most vital, afforded by the 

 religious contemplation of all natural objects endowed with 

 life? 



The Cricket is the thirstiest of all thirsty creatures. He is 

 not therefore 



" the blither for the drouth," 



for where no ampler supply of liquid is at hand, he is said 

 (heed it, ye careful housewives !) to gnaw holes in wet woollen 

 stockings or flannel, hung by the fire to dry. Therein, also, 

 (though in more harmless fashion), we would make him our 

 representative, as, thirsting after knowledge of our subject, we 

 strive to extract from it, even when seemingly most arid, a 

 something of refreshing moisture. 



Lastly, in all his doings, our Cricket is, confessedly, a 

 pilferer, and taking, as we largely must, from stores collected 

 by the labours and observations of others, we shall herein, also, 



