126 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS (Tor 



They are furnished with a faculty for foreseeing future events 

 and describing future processes. These men are prophets, and 

 are amongst the most valuable of the human race. T. B. 



Foresight. 



The "hand-to-mouth" people are a sad nuisance. As long 

 as they have anything which they can consume they will con- 

 sume it, no matter whether they can do as well without it or 

 not, and when they are in distress through their prodigality 

 they beg. Utterly improvident, wasteful, and self-indulgent, 

 destitute of all foresight, they act like apes. For the ape will 

 indulge himself very completely and recklessly. Covetous of 

 and appropriating everything, he not only lays by no store, in 

 consequence of the abundance of food with which he is sur- 

 rounded, but even throws away the food he is eating to 

 possess himself of the next object which attracts him. But 

 the " hand-to-mouth " people need not imitate such antics as 

 these when they know the penalty they always bring. Crea- 

 tures less like themselves than the ape can teach them a wiser 

 method. For some animals during hybernation always lay up 

 provisions ; nor is this precautionary economy confined to that 

 period alone. The satiated spider secures its new captives in 

 its web ; and the shrike spits beetles on thorns as a reserve for 

 a future meal. Owls, ravens, magpies, and nuthatches hide 

 their superfluous food ; the wolf, the fox, the lynx, and the 

 wild dog bury portions of their food against the next calls of 

 hunger. Even here we have foresight. p. 



Forethought. 



The leopard every day, before going in search of its prey, 

 sharpens its claws on a tree, against which it stretches all its 

 length. Learn from him to prepare yourself for the work you 

 mean to do. Good work needs forethought and preparation quite 

 as much as bad. M. 



