The Swarm 
Lge] 
But enough on this point; were I to 
cite every instance I should never have 
done. To return to the queen, whose 
position in the hive, and the part that 
she plays therein, we shall most fitly 
describe by declaring her to be the cap- 
tive heart of the city, and the centre 
around which its intelligence revolves. 
Unique sovereign though she be, she 
is also the royal servant, the responsible 
‘delegate of love, and its captive custo- 
dian. Her people serve her and vener- 
ate her; but they never forget that it 
is not to her person that their homage 
is given, but to the mission that she ful- 
fils, and the destiny she represents. It 
would not be easy for us to find a human 
republic whose scheme comprised more 
of the desires of our planet ; or a democ- 
racy that offered an independence more 
115 
