HYPOTHESIS OF HUBEH. 383 



hypothesis on the origin of wax, from the principle that no 

 affinity exists between pollen and wax, and that upon an 

 analysis, the constituents are found to be essentially dif- 

 ferent, ergo, pollen cannot be the element of wax. We 

 most willingly give to our opponents the full force of their 

 observation, and it is highly complimentary to us to reflect, 

 that they have no other weapons with which to combat us. 

 Let us in return inquire of them what affinity exists between 

 the silk of the silk-worm, and the mulberry leaf by which 

 it is produced ; or what is perhaps more relevant to the 

 point, what affinity can be traced between the papery sub- 

 stance of which the nest of a wasp is made, and the materials 

 which the insect collects for the purpose ? What affinity 

 exists between the attenuated thread of a spider and the 

 fly on which it feeds ? All these substances are the direct 

 effect of elaboration. The utmost power of chemical analysis 

 would not detect the slightest presence of silk in the mul- 

 berry leaf, and, analogically reasoning, it is equally true, that 

 no analysis of pollen will produce any affinity with wax. But 

 are we thence entitled to draw the conclusion, that the ela- 

 boratory power of the bee, of the extent and principle of 

 which we are ignorant, is incompetent to alter the original 

 character of pollen, and to produce a substance differing 

 from the material of which it is made ? Independently of 

 which it is so easy for us to retort upon the Huberians, and 

 call upon them to explain to us, what degree of affinity 

 exists between honey and wax ; the former of which, ac- 

 cording to the dictum of their master and leader, is the 

 element of the latter. It must be also considered, that the 

 experiments which Huber pretends to have instituted, in 

 order to establish his hypothesis of honey being the con- 

 stituent of wax, are by no means conclusive nor confirma- 

 tory of it ; on the contrary, some of them tend to a positive 

 refutation of the fact altogether, for Huber loses himself in 

 a labyrinth of contradictions and paradoxes, in which he is 



