Insects. 



6465 



TopselVs "History of the Wasp." By Frederick Smith, Esq. 



A few pages might, we think, be occupied with far less amusing 

 matter than a few extracts from the " History of the Wasp," as given 

 in " The History of Serpents ; or, the second Book of living Creatures : 

 wherein is contained their Divine, Natural and moral descriptions, 

 with their lively Figures, Names, Conditions, Kindes and Natures of 

 all venomous Beasts : with their several Poysons and Antidotes ; their 

 deep hatred to Mankind, and the wonderful work of God in their 

 Creation and Destruction. London, 1608. By Edward Topsell." 



In the first place, our author describes a wasp as " a kinde of insect, 

 that is swift, living in routs and companies together, having somewhat 

 a long body encircled, with four membranous wings, without bloud, 

 stinged inwardly, having also six feet, and a yellow colour ; the body 

 seemeth to be fastened and tyed together in the midst of the breast 

 with a certain fine thread or line, so that they seem very feeble in their 

 loins, or rather to have none at all." 



After this very graphic description, it will be most orderly if we 

 turn to our author's opinion as to their origin, for we have no intention 

 of following the order of things as given in this delectable history, but 

 just to pick out such morsels as shall give the reader a tolerable idea 

 of the history of the wasp, as recorded two hundred and fifty years 

 ago. 



H They differ also in their first breeding, stock, sex, place, feeding, 

 and manner of labour: some say wasps do first proceed from the 

 rotten carkases of dead asses ; but I am rather moved to think they 

 were first bred from the dead body of some warlike and fierce horse. 

 And surely their incredible swiftnesse in their flight, their ardent and 

 burning desire they have to fighting, are sufficient inducements to 

 move me to think that they took their first beginning from some 

 gallant horse. And I rather lean to this side because else I do not 

 know what sense I should give to that Aristotelian proverb, ' All hail, 

 ye daughters of swift-footed horses;' for, besides the truth that lieth 

 in the bare words, I take the morall of it to be uttered as a witty check, 

 or a figurative flout, conceitedly to rebuke and hit in the teeth those 

 shrewd women, curst and scolding wives, which are so peevish that 

 they will not be pacinied, who are like unto wasps in their sullen, dis- 

 pleasant humours, tempestuous madness and pelting chafe." 



Their nests, says worthy Topsell, are " light, slender and thin, like 

 paper, dry, transparent, gummy not thin, and all made of one fashion, 

 but very different, some of them representing a harp, some made much 

 XVII. X 



