Ert] AXD SYMBOLS. 113 



active vital manifestations, after these have been completely in 

 abeyance for five, ten, fifteen, or even twenty years. During 

 the suspension of their functions they can no more be looked 

 upon as living things than can the dormant seeds in the Egyp- 

 tian catacombs. Though not living, they, like these seeds, possess 

 the potentiality of manifesting life ; and for each alike, in order 

 that this potentiality may pass into an actuality, the first re- 

 quisite is water, without which life in any real sense is impos- 

 sible. B. L. 



Exteriority Secondary to Utility. 



The swallow caught in the morning and closely examined is 

 seen to be a strange and ugly bird ; but this fact perfectly well 

 agrees with what is, par excellence, the bird the being among 

 all beings born for flight. To this object Nature has sacrificed 

 everything; she has laughed at mere form, thinking only of 

 movement, and has succeeded so well that this bird, ugly in 

 repose, is, when flying, the most beautiful of all Scythe-like 

 wings, projecting eyes, no neck (in order to treble her strength), 

 feet scarcely any or none ; all is wing. These are her great 

 general features. And a very large beak always open, which in 

 flight snaps at its prey without stopping, closes, and again re- 

 opens. Thus she feeds while flying; she drinks, she bathes 

 while flying ; while flying she feeds her young. Her exteriority 

 having been made in all respects entirely subservient to her 

 efficient performance of her movements, she does all these things 

 easily and well. It would be a good thing if some of our 

 fashionable ladies and gentlemen would learn the lesson which 

 Nature teaches by means of the swallow. Why cannot they so 

 arrange their externals as to make them helpful instead of 

 retardatory in the work of life 1 ? Why must they put the 

 proper discharge of duties in the second place, and showy 

 exteriority in the first ? T. fc. 



External Change without Radical Alteration. 



It is of paramount importance to discriminate between a mere 

 change of form of a thing and a radical alteration in its nature. 

 Here is the test question for solution : " Is the change in 



H 



