64 
chapman’s handy-book. 
copy: “Not slothful in business.” There is no getting 
on in this world of ours without hard work. It is not 
work and plenty of it that kills people, but worry. 
2. Bees teach a lesson of loyalty. They are monarchi¬ 
cal by conviction and in practice. They love a queen, 
whose sovereignty is motherhood, and whose service is 
perfect freedom. They detest your republics, and de¬ 
mocracies, and radicalism in all its phases. 
3. Bees are immensely attached to their homes. They 
are “keepers at home.” No mother of a family gets on 
by gadding about and gossiping from house to house.. 
4. Bees are models of cleanliness. The care with 
which they remove filth of all kinds is something remark¬ 
able. They plainly believe what many Christians say, 
“ cleanliness is nearest to godliness.” The cottager 
cannot in this matter do better than follow the example 
of these admirable sanitary philosophers. 
5. Bees set a beautiful example of Christian sympathy. 
I have seen a wounded bee, accidently hurt, carried out 
from the hive and laid tenderly on the bee-board in the 
warm sunshine. One bee would lick the sufferer with 
his tongue from head to foot; another would roll him 
over and over in the sunshine; and at sunset they would 
carry him into his sick bed. I do not complain of want 
of such sympathy among the poor. I have seen much 
of it in the homes of the most destitute, and witnessed 
personal attentions and sacrifices and services which 
have never been exceeded, if equalled, in the houses of 
the great. 
6. Bees are very fond of fresh air. A hive is one of 
the best ventilated homes; and I have some doubt about 
the wisdom or success of the various arrangements made 
by some bee-masters for increasing the ventilation of 
their hives. In a hot and sultry day I have seen succes¬ 
sive lines of bees take up their position at the mouth of 
the hive, and, joining the tips of their wings, work these 
fanners for ten minutes, and then retire and let the 
second parallel line come to the front and continue the 
same process. This example is not efficiently followed 
in city or cottage. People who are most careful about 
what they eat and drink and put into their stomachs. 
