216 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 
seems constantly to actuate them, and the sacrifices, even 
sometimes of themselves, that they make to promote and 
ensure it, into individual self-love? “We would not set 
them up as rivals to man in intelligence, foresight, and 
the affections; but they have that degree of each that is 
necessary for their purposes. On account of the diffi- 
culties attending all theories that give them some degree 
of these qualities, to resolve all into mere sensation, is re- 
moving one difficulty by a greater. 
That these creatures from mere selfishness build their 
combs, replenish them with the fruit of their unwearied 
labours, attend so assiduously to the nurture of the young 
brood, lavish their caresses upon their queen, prevent all 
her wants, give a portion of the honey they have collect- 
ed to those that remain in the hives, assist each other, 
defend their common dwelling, and are ready to sacri- 
fice themselves for the public good—is an anomaly 7x 
rerum natura that ought never to be admitted, unless es- 
tablished by the most irrefragable demonstration ;—and I 
think you will not be disposed without full proof to yield 
yourself to a mere theory, so contradictory of all the facts 
we know relative to this subject. 
After all, there are mysteries, as to the primum mobile, 
amongst these social tribes, that with all our boasted rea- 
son we cannot fathom ; nor develop satisfactorily the mo- 
tives that urge them to fulfill in so remarkable though di- 
versified a way their different destinies. One thing is 
clear to demonstration, that by these creatures and their 
instincts, the power, wisdom and goodness of the Great 
YaTHer of the universe are loudly proclaimed ; the 
atheist and infidel confuted; the believer confirmed in 
