A FAIRY FAUNA 71 



De Quincey craved, or pretended that he craved for, 

 were mine, I should not value it ; I should give it all 

 to be able to transform myself for the space of a 

 summer's day into one of these Httle creatures on the 

 South Downs; then to return to my own form and 

 place in nature with a clear recollection of the wonder- 

 land in which I had been. And if, in the first place, 

 I were permitted to select my own insect, I should 

 carefully consider them all, since they differ as greatly 

 from each other as bird from serpent, and fish from 

 mammal. I should pass in review the slow beetle, 

 heavily armoured, and the fantastic fly, a miracle of 

 inconsequence ; the esteemed humble-bee, and the 

 wasp, that very fine insect gentleman in his mood of 

 devilish cheerfulness ; the diligent ant, absorbed in 

 his minute business; the grasshopper, with his small 

 stringed instrument and long grave countenance ; and 

 the dragon-fly, with those two great gem-like orbs that 

 reflect a nature of an unimaginable aspect. And after 

 all I should make choice of the little blue butterfly, 

 despite his smallness and frivolity, to house myself in. 



The knowledge of that strange fairy world it inhabits 

 would be incommunicable, like the vision vouchsafed 

 to some religionist of which he has been forbidden 

 to speak; but the memory of it would be a secret 

 perennial joy. 



