Pro] AND SYMBOLS. 283 



Constant Preparedness. 



Some of the dragon-flies have wings always expanded ever 

 when the creatures are resting, so that they can on being dis 

 turbed take flight in an instant, there being no necessity for 

 them to unfold their wings. These insects can fly in al 

 directions without turning backwards and forwards, and to the 

 right or left, so that to those inexperienced in their habits they 

 are very difficult of capture. "Semper paratus" is a gooc 

 motto. MU. 



Disappointing Pretensions. 



When a man causes a fuss and make-believe about doing 

 something which we well know he cannot do, he reminds us of 

 the ostrich in its pretensions to fly. That great bird when he 

 starts spreads his big wings and expands his splendid plumage, 

 as though, at least, he were about to soar to the clouds. But no : 

 however swift his movements, his immense pinions never raise 

 him above the ground to even the height of a mudlark. How 

 many poets, authors, statesmen, set out on their several per- 

 formances with a manner which seemed to say that they were 

 certain to show at last what a flight genius could take ; and in 

 the result, only taught the world that their course was simply 

 of the usual prosaic kind, and that their big pretensions were 

 impotent to raise them at all out of the everyday dust of life ! 



N. E. 



Prodigal Endowment. 



We are sometimes amazed at the prodigal way in which 

 Nature has lavished her gifts upon mean things. Some con- 

 temptible royalties enjoy a profusion of endowments which- 

 positively staggers the senses. Burns seems to have reached a 

 white heat of indignation when he described all the advantages 

 bestowed upon the " coof " who was " called a lord," who 

 " struts and stares and all that." It is wise, however, to 

 realise as a fact that Nature does in some cases appear extrava- 

 gant in her endowments. But, on the other hand, it should be 

 remembered that she only is so in the case of organisations of a 

 low type. As a compensation for the meanness of their intelli- 



