290 REFLECTIONS. 



which all besides encouraged, and we rose from our willow chair 

 almost wishing that we had known nothing of Entomology. 



Yet that was a foolish wish, sprung of a foolish feeling, 

 such as all feelings are which have the slightest tendency to 

 make us dissatisfied with the regulations of Divine Wisdom, 

 however they may seem to jar upon what we are pleased to 

 consider our finer sensibilities. It is certainly no pleasant 

 reflection that innumerable tribes of earth, and sea, and air 

 (ourselves included) live by the death of others ; the less, 

 therefore, we dwell upon it the better, especially with any view 

 to explanation of a fact which stands in intimate connection 

 with the origin of evil, that dark mystery which we are never 

 likely to penetrate, except in the light of heaven. When, 

 however, the subject of mutual destruction does by accident 

 come across our mind, or our path, a few reconciling thoughts 

 on it may be safely sought for, and readily found. 



To apply them only to our proper subject, the Insect Carni- 

 vori of the waters, as Destroyers, we may subdue our repug- 

 nance to them by the thought that there is no guilt in their 

 destructiveness ; as Destroyed, we may keep our pity for 

 them in wholesome check by believing that there is little 

 suffering in their destruction ; that with the tenants of our 

 little deep beneath the willow, it may be as a pious and en- 

 lightened writer* has supposed it with the inhabitants of the 

 great deep of ocean. "Pain," says our author, speaking of 



* Sharon Turner. 



