188 A TOUB, ROUND MY GAEDEN. 



'' Indeed ! well, that's very convenient ! " 



" This is not the way, besides, that bees are naturally 

 bom." 



" I can very well believe so." 



" They are not subjected to the pains of giving birth." * 



" So much the better for them." 



" They find their young upon flowers and odoriferous 

 shrubs." t 



" Which, for instance ? " 



" It is upon the Cerintha, in particular, that the Icings are 

 born." 



" What is the Cerintha 1 " 



" A substantive of the first declension." 



« Is it nothing but that ? " 



" It is probably a tree or a plant." 



" Has it never been pointed out to you ? " 



" No. How do you think it possible that plants should be 

 shown to us in class ? " 



" WeU, then, I will show it to you. The name of Cerintha, 

 or Cerinthe, is composed of two Greek words, and means 

 wax-flower. It is yonder pretty plant, with thick sea-green 

 foUage, covered with little spikes of yellow flowers ; it is called 

 in French Melinet, that is to say, honey-flowers." 



" Sir, I am exceedingly obhged to you." 



" You have reason to be so, my young friend, for it is the 

 only truth that has been taught you with respect to bees." 



" What, Sir, all that I have just told you ?— " ' 



" All that you have just now said, or rather recited, is a 

 tissue of lies, so much the more ridiculous from being far less 

 wonderful than the truth itself." 



At this moment the father entered. I informed him of 

 the error into which his son had been led, and said to him : 

 " Your son is intelligent, but he is ill-directed. It is all very 

 well to be able to speak well and fluently; but style is but 

 a vestment, there should be a body beneath it. At the same 

 time that children are taught to read the harmonious verses 

 of VirgU, the false ideas which those verses so magnificently 



* " Non foetus nixlbus edunt." 

 t " Venim ipsae foliis natos et suavibus herbi 

 Ore legunt." 



