The Nuptial Flight 
In the meanwhile they exhaust the sup- 
plies of the city ; each one of the parasites 
requiring the unceasing labour of five or 
six workers to maintain it in its abound- 
ing and voracious idleness, its activity 
being indeed solely confined to its jaws. 
But nature is always magnificent when 
dealing with the privileges and preroga- 
tives of love. She becomes miserly only 
when doling out the organs and instru- 
ments of labour. She is especially severe 
on what men have termed virtue, whereas 
she strews the path of the most unin- 
teresting lovers with innumerable jewels 
and favours. “Unite and multiply ; 
there is no other law, or aim, than love,” 
would seem to be her constant cry on 
all sides, while she mutters to herself, 
perhaps: “and: exist afterwards if you 
can; that is no concern of mine.” Do 
or desire what else we may, we find, 
everywhere on our road, this morality 
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