The Life of the Bee 
perfect and rational, combined with a sub- 
mission more logical and more complete. 
And nowhere, surely, should we discover 
more painful and absolute sacrifice. Let 
it not be imagined that I admire this 
sacrifice to the extent that I admire its 
results. It were evidently to be desired 
that these results might be obtained at 
the cost of less renouncement and suf- 
fering. But, the principle once accepted, 
—and this is needful, perhaps, in the 
scheme of our globe, — its organisation 
compels our wonder. Whatever the 
human truth on this point may be, life, 
in the hive, is not looked on as a 
series of more or less pleasant hours, 
whereof it is wise that those moments 
only should be soured and embittered 
that are essential for maintaining exist- 
ence. The bees regard it as a great 
common duty, impartially distributed 
amongst them all, and tending towards 
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