■WHAT AKE STAES? 77 



at least not similar ones to the proprietorsiiip of this domicile. 

 Some occupy the gall by right of birth; it was their mother 

 who formed it by a punctvu-e, and who deposited the egg in 

 it, from which proceeds the worm which they have been 

 before they were flies. These are little big-bellied, hump- 

 backed flies ; the male is quite black, the female has a black 

 corslet, and a chestnut-coloured abdomen. These are the 

 legitimate possessors ; the others to a quasi birthright, add the 

 right of conquest. This is the manner in which the thing 

 falls out : two roundish eggs are deposited in the hairy gall of 

 the rose-tree ; a black and chestnut fly, the cynips of the rose, 

 has in the first place laid its egg, and by its puncture causes 

 the gall to grow ; an ichneumon has laid the second ; these 

 two eggs remain for some time together, are hatched, and 

 become two worms. The first eats the interior of the gall, 

 which grows and enlarges in proportion; the second sucks 

 the first, which is renewed as fast as the other eats it, like 

 Prometheus under the vulture, which consumed his liver, 

 " immortale jecur." In fact, a carnivorous worm would soon 

 die with hunger if he took it into his head to devour the 

 worm which is shut up with him at once. A man would not 

 live long if he had only one sheep to eat. 



But there is the sun declining ; day departs. Absorbed in a 

 sweet reverie, which is increased by the sound of the church 

 clock, announcing the evening hour, I had forgotten to look 

 at objects, or looked vacantly. The first stars appear through 

 the foliage; what are these stars? The most learned astro- 

 nomers tell us at what distance the planets are from our earth ; 

 they know which move, and what route they pursue; but 

 that is the boundary of their science. Suppose we should be 

 told, England is situated under such a degree of latitude, it is 

 an island, we believe we can distinguish the mountains of it. 

 We should not believe we were very well acquainted with 

 England ; but that, nevertheless, is the point to which our 

 astronomical knowledge extends ; and what labours, cares, 

 inventions, watchings, calculations have been necessary in 

 order to attain that. 



These globes of fire, are they worlds like ours? Oh! then, 

 my friend, what a joke is travelling! what does it signify to 

 journey more of less miles in one of the globes, more nume- 



