COLLOQUIA ENTOMOLOGICA. 



443 



mostly owes one half its lustre to the mental eye of him 

 who gazes. 



Lep. Stomentomologus, the princes show, the kings, the 

 emperors, where is there abode ? 



Sto. Alas, my friend, they hold no sceptres here ! if any 

 come (the fact I never heard), they all must mingle with the 

 countless throng. 



Sto. Come, shall we mount on these gigantic elks (see 

 how they winny and invite the hand), and gallop to the soft 

 and perfumed shade of yonder distant wood, awhile to hide 

 from our unclouded sun's too warm embrace ; thither at noon- 

 tide myriads repair. 



Lep. 'Tis not my wont to ride. 



Sto. Linnaeus, ho ! ecce discipulus ! 



Lep. Is that Linneeus with a butterfly ? surely we may not 

 capture insects here ! 



Sto. Indeed we may : we do whate'er we chose — the will 

 to err is now extinct within ; we capture and admire, but do 

 not kill. 



Lep. I wish that I had brought my emperor net. 



Scene IL — An open Plain in Elysium. 

 Galileo and Newton. 



Galileo. It were not well to wish, or I could fain desire 

 the instrument I had of yore to mark the passage of that beau- 

 teous orb across the solar disk. 



Newton. It seems on fire. We cannot here judge of 

 degrees of heat. Oft have I fondly dwelt upon the heat of this 

 bright planet where we dwell in ease — ease, ay, in luxury the 

 most profound ; 'tis not for man to venture on too far with idle 

 speculation. 



Gal. That I know. Experience schooled me pretty 

 thoroughly : my freedom was the forfeit that I paid for too 

 great daring. 



Newton. Superstition's veil had darkened your maligner's 

 powers of sight ; my land, somewhat emancipate, conferred her 

 honours for the very thoughts that led you to a jail. 



{Manent.) 



