The Life of the Bee 
wraps almost all that exists in an eternal 
unconsciousness. 
Were we sole possessors of the particle 
of matter that, when maintained in a 
special condition of flower or incandes- 
cence, we term the intellect, we should to 
some extent be entitled to look on our- 
selves as privileged beings, and’ to imagine 
that in us nature achieved some kind of 
aim ; but here we discover, in the hymen- 
optera, an entire category of beings in 
whom a more or less identical aim is 
achieved. And this fact, though it decide 
nothing perhaps, still holds an honour- 
able place in the mass of tiny facts that 
help to throw light on our position in 
this world. It affords even, if considered 
from a certain point of view, a fresh proof 
of the most enigmatic part of our being ; 
for the superpositions of destinies that we 
find in the hive are surveyed’ by us from 
an eminence loftier than any we can attain 
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