Ene] AND SYMBOLS. 103 



classes of victims which have been specially allotted to them, 

 by Nature. The moral mules and moral pigs may escape their ^ 

 Tsetse fly. But the more highly organised, and the most 

 useful specimens of humanity, are as certain to be attacked 

 by their tormentor on their journey through the " barren land " 

 as are the valuable animals in the centre of Africa. I. 



No one is too Contemptible to have an Enemy. 



Life is strangely beset with enemies. No man is too con- 

 temptible to have one. Even humble creatures like caterpillars 

 have enemies. For example, the ichneumon fly deposits its eggs 

 upon caterpillars, boring holes in their skin with its pointed ovi- 

 positor, and inserting its eggs in the perforations. Minute as 

 is the insect when compared to the caterpillar, bearing about 

 the same relationship that a rabbit bears to an elephant, the 

 legs are so long that they can include a considerable portion of 

 the skin in their embrace, and so strong that they can retain 

 their hold in spite of the contortions with which the poor 

 caterpillar tries to rid itself of its persecutor. H. 



The Unexpected Enemy. 



How often the enemy is found to be the person who appeared 

 to be ignorant of even our existence one fully occupied with 

 objects far away, and totally engrossed in nobler things. Now 

 behold his emblem in yonder kite. Notice the bird. Its 

 flight is singularly graceful and easy. The extended wings 

 seem to have the power of supporting their owner in the air 

 almost without the least exertion : it glides smoothly along 

 without effort, now rising gently, now descending, to use the 

 words of Bufifon, " as if sliding upon an inclined plane," now 

 wheeling round in graceful circles, and all with scarcely a 

 perceptible movement of the wings, but simply by the action 

 of the rudder-like tail. It seems all occupied with the sky. 

 During his graceful evolutions, however, the kite has his eyes 

 steadily fixed upon the ground beneath him, with which he 

 seems to have so little to do ; and the moment his prey makes 

 its appearance in the shape of a mole, a mouse, a young rabbit, 



