12 
A PREFACE AND AN APOLOGY . 
“ 'There , that will do ; you may flop ! ” And the fly again 
fettled upon the table within the glafs. I now looked at 
the creature as fcrutinizingly as poflible. In the motion 
of its wings while flying I had been unable to difcover 
anything. I now felt curious to have a look at them in 
repofe, and were I to live a thoufand years I could never 
forget my fenfations, when, faying to it (but without 
really believing it would be done), “ Now let me fee your 
wings! Spread them out!” and inftantly the four little 
goffamer wings ^ tre?nbled andfpread themfelves out on the 
table vifibly before my eyes!! But ftill I could fee nothing 
to give me a Angle hint in the direction of my thought. 
I ftill alked myfelf as vainly as before, what is the fecret 
of flying ? And, if poflible, I felt more difcouraged than 
ever, for here, with this flying creature before me, near to 
my very eyes where I could fee it, obedient feemingly to 
my will, and offering the mechanifm of its wings for my 
infpedtion, ftill I did not get the clue to a Angle thing. 
I again told it to fly, and it did precifely as before—flying 
while I wifhed it to, and ceaflng to fly at my command, 
and yet all remained as dark to me as ever. The purfuit 
feeming fruitlefs, I put an end to the experiments by 
raiflng the bell-glafs and faying to the obedient creature, 
“ There, you may go now, my little fellow; I cannot really 
underftand what it all means, but I won’t keep you a 
prifoner any longer. Go ! ” And, at the word, he darted 
out of the window. But although I felt difcouraged at 
