- 
a8 THE HISTORY OF BEES. 
Their Sobriety. 
THOUGH they live in the greateft plenty of the | 
moft delicious food, it, cannot tempt them to the leaft 
excefs. What they have fo painfully collected, and 
moft carefully treafured up, is fparingly and prudently 
ufed, and with the greateft moderation and frugality.’ 
They do not prodigally wafte their precious fubftance 
in riot, revelling, drunkennefs, and fuch like fenfualities, 
as the fool in the Gofpel, faying, Soul, take thine eafe, 
eat, drink, and be merry. Language more becoming a 
brute than a man. 
But though they have at all times free accefs to this 
‘fulnefs, they never take more than a moderate repaft. 
Eminent felf-denial! Never was one among them all 
feen difguifed or difordered through their moft beloved 
liquid. © | 
Their Chaftity. 
THE next endearing excellency wherein they are ex- 
amples to all, is their ftriét and inviolable chaftity. As 
they fpend not their riches in riot and drunkennefs, fo 
neither in luft and wantonnefs, or carnal concupifcence. 
As to the manner of propagating their fpecies, whatever 
pafles among them of that nature, it is entirely hid from 
the eyes of all men, and the moft ftrict, diligent, and cu- 
rious obfervers and inquifitors have not been able to dif- 
cover it. It is a fecret, and wil] remain a myftery. Dr. 
Butler 
