THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S 
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
No. 18.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1856. [Price Id. 
PETTY VANITIES. 
Man is a curious animal ; and nothing is 
so petty hut what he will be pettier still 
by being vain about it. 
Who first discovered a planet, or who 
• • a 
first invented the steam-engine we can- 
not think of much consequence. So- that 
the existence of the planet be made 
known we cannot see fh'at . it is of vast 
importance who caused it to be known: 
bjat if the discoverqr plumes Jiimself 
complacently upon the benefit he has 
rendered to the humanTace and engages 
in controversy with every one whom, in 
his opinion, is npt' disposed to accord 
him the honour his due, can we con- 
ceive anything more contemptible? yet 
is any feeling more general? 
We feel we are at variance with nine- 
tenths of our race. Each perhaps sees 
and regrets the follies of others, but pro- 
bably each is disposed himself to act in a 
similar way. 
As discoveries are more frequent in 
entomology, so amongst entomologists, 
as might have been expected, such 
rivalries are of very constant occurrence. 
“ I found the larva first,” say A. “No 
you didn’t, for I first found the pupa,” 
replies B. Can anything be conceived 
more intensely childish? 
We have frequently had opportunities 
of noticing that a species or a larva is 
simultaneously discovered in several dis- 
tant and very different localities. Natu- 
rally some one first meets with it; but 
as without communication it is in a few 
days discovered elsewhere, the first dis- 
coverer is not the cause of the discovery : 
the discovery would still have been made 
had he not existed : for him to claim 
extraordinary merit for his first falling in 
with it is absurd. 
If people thought less of what they 
had clone and more of what was still left 
for them to do it would be better for the 
progress of science, and better for them- 
selves in every respect. 
We feel we could speak even move 
strongly on this subject than we have 
done, but we hope we have said quite 
enough to show that we are the very last 
that should be applied to to “ set a mat- 
ter right” by explaining that though B 
had first found the pupa, A had found 
the larva before him. 
We have no wish to undervalue the 
services rendered by any individual ; but 
those who feel their scientific reputation 
is filched from them may rest assured 
that they will gain nothing by setting up 
an outcry in order to have it restored to 
them : if they are really good for any 
thing they can grow a fresh one. 
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