Beautiful Butterflies. 31 



Yet wert thou once a worm, a thing that crept 

 On the bare earth, then wrought a tomb, and slept ; 

 And such is man ! soon from his cell of clay, 

 To burst a seraph in the blaze of day." 



And now let me read to you a lesson of moral in- 

 struction, which the natural history of this insect is 

 calculated to enforce ; I will do it in the words of a 

 German fabulist, or writer of fables ; this story is called 

 an Allegory: — A humming-bird met a Butterfly, and 

 being pleased with the beauty of its person and glory 

 of its wings, made an offer of perpetual friendship, 

 " I cannot think of it," was the reply, " as you once 

 spurned me, and called me a drawling dolt." " Impos- 

 sible," exclaimed the humming-bird, " I always enter- 

 tained the highest respect for such beautiful creatures 

 as you." " Perhaps you do now," said the other, 

 " but when you insulted me, I was a caterpillar. So 

 let me give you this piece of advice : never insult the 

 humble, as they may one day become your superiors." 

 No, never insult the humble, nor despise that which is 

 mean-looking, merely because it is so. The smallest 

 and lowliest creatures have in them much that is 

 worthy of admiration, aye, even of respect, for they are 

 all the works of one Great Creator, and you know not 

 what they may be destined to. 



" Look round creation, and survey 

 Life springing forth from life's decay : 



