
The Sovereign, or Dueen-Bee defcribed. 59 
eceding in length thofe of the commons; and fhe flies 
with as much celerity, ftrength and vigour, as they do.. 
It is the fame as to her fpear or fting. | 
“Mr. Purchas tells us her fting is little, not half the’ 
length of a common Bee.* Mr. Rufden affirms it is not’ 
fo large, nor fo long as the fting of a common Bee; + 
after Pliny’s Penne breviores. But both thofe gentlemen. 
wete miftaken; her fing in reality being longer than o-, 
thers, ea 
Others are of opinion fhe has no fting at all,t becaufe 
they never faw it. And for the fame reafon there are 
men in the world, who fay there is neither God nor 
devil, angels or fpirits. 
It is very true that this {word is wore by the Sove- 
reign, rather for ftate, than fervice, having feldom ob- 
ferved the royal infect to put it forth, tho’ highly provo- 
ked thereto. In O@cber 1743, 1 made the experiment 
upon feveral, and found every one of them determined 
rather to loofe her deareft life, than ufe the {word in her 
own defence, fo contrary to the principle of felf-prefer- 
yation implanted in nature, 8 
Her tongue is fhorter than that of the Honey-Bees ; 
nature having defign’d them only for foreign labours, 
but not the Queen, who is to live, as do other fovereign 
princes, that are maintained and protected by their fube 
jects. ; 
| Mr, 
soar tains Piimulo caret, Lays ae to ber wharmed So- 
wereignty. Memorable to this Purpofe was the Praétice of a certain King of 
France, who entering a conquered City, expreffed his Clemency by this 
Symbol, wiz, a Coat full of Images and Pictures of Bees, with this Motto 
pon it, Rex Mucrone caret, ‘Tee King does wot wear, neither does be-ufe bia 
jing. —Purchas, | | oe 
