THE SWARM 



And \et it is none the less true that the 

 queen is essentially merely a sort of liv- 

 ing SNTiibol, standing, as all symbols must, 

 for a vaster although less perceptible 

 principle; and this principle the apiarist 

 will do well to take into account, if he 

 would not expose himself to more than 

 one unexpected reverse. For the bees are 

 by no means deluded. The presence of 

 the que^ does not blind them to the 

 existence of their ^eritable sovereign, 

 immaterial and everlasting:, which is no 

 other than their fixed idea. WTiy inquire 

 as to whether this ide^ be conscious or 

 not? Such speculation can have value 

 only if our anxiet\" be to detennine 

 whether we should more rightly admire 

 the bee5 that have the idea, or nature 



5 [65] 



