Lucifers and the Poets. 2 6 1 



The beetle forgot to wind his horn, 



The crickets were still in the meadow and hill ; 



Like a flock of rooks at a farmer's gun, 



Night's dreams and terrors, every one, 



Fled." 



Without much industry the poets discover that (like the 

 glow-worm) the firefly is only luminous in the dark : 



' ' This morning when the earth and sky 



Were burning with the blush of spring, 

 I saw thee not, thou humble fly, 1 



Nor thought upon thy glowing wing." 



So, again, Rogers, who, to do that poet justice, had 

 evidently (from the last two lines) really noticed a firefly : 



" There is an insect, that, when evening comes, 

 Small though he be, and scarce distinguishable, 

 Like evening clad in soberest livery, 

 Unsheaths his wings, and through the woods and glades 

 Scatters a marvellous splendour. On he wheels, 

 Blazing by fits as from excess of joy, 

 Each gush of light a gush of ecstasy." 



But perhaps it is worth noting as the experience of one 

 who has travelled that the firefly does not show the traveller 

 the way. Of course in imagination it seems obvious that it 

 must ; but this is just one of those occasions when imagina- 

 tion is useless. For the sober fact is very much to the con- 

 trary. 



To the traveller the firefly is an unmitigated nuisance. 

 Seen at first, it pleases; the spectacle is engaging. But 

 when the myriads break from their resting-places as night 



1 Moore's moral is this 



' ' But now the skies have lost their hue, 



And sunny lights no longer play, 

 I see thee, and I bless thee too 



For sparkling o'er the dreary way. 

 Oh ! let me hope that thus for me, 



When life and love shall lose their bloom, 

 Some milder joys may come like thee, 

 To light, if not to warm, the gloom." 



