IN THE INSECT WORLD. 205 
again encumbrances, and worms manure the soil ; but 
these are trite and isolated cases in the profusion of the 
animal world ; and, left alone, as we are, in the desert 
of mere reason and conjecture, there is no probability 
that much satisfactory elucidation will be obtained. 
They are not perhaps important objects of inquiry ; but 
when we see the extraordinary care and attention that 
has been bestowed upon this part of creation, our as- 
tonishment is excited, and forces into action that in- 
herent desire in our minds to seek into hidden things. 
In some calm summer’s evening ramble, we see the 
air filled with sportive animated beings : the leaf, the 
branch, the bark of the tree, every mossy bank, the 
pool, the ditch, all teeming with animated life, with a 
profusion, an endless variety of existence ; each crea- 
ture pursuing its own separate purpose in a settled 
course of action, admitting of no deviation or substitu- 
tion, to accomplish or promote some ordained object. 
Some appear occupied in seeking for the most appro- 
priate stations for their own necessities, and exerting 
stratagems and wiles to secure the lives of themselves 
or their offspring against natural or possible injuries, 
with a forethought equivalent or superior to reason ; the 
aim in some others we can little perceive, or, should 
some flash of light spring up, and give us a momentary 
glimpse of nature’s hidden ways, immediate darkness 
closes round, arid renders our ignorance more manifest. 
We see a wonderfully fabricated creature struggling 
from the cradle of its being, just perfected by the 
elaboration of months or years, and decorated with a 
vest of glorious splendor; it spreads its wings to the 
light of heaven, and becomes the next moment, perhaps, 
with all its marvellous construction, instinct, and splen- 
dor, the prey of some wandering bird ! and human wis- 
dom and conjecture are humbled to the dust. That 
these events are ordinations of supreme intelligence, 
for wise and good purposes, we are convinced ; but are 
blind, beyond thought, as to secondary causes ; and ad- 
miration, that pure source of intellectual pleasure, is 
almost alone permitted to us. If we attempt to proceed 
beyond this, we are generally lost in the mystery with 
S 
