Page images
PDF
EPUB

conclusive; but owing to some trifling informality in the proceedings they contrived to escape.

It was late in the day before the young worker who had picked the wax-pocket of Orpheus was brought out. He was of a delicate frame, and there was a degree of interest in his appearance, which together with his extreme youth, excited the sympathy of the whole court. "Surely," exclaimed Emilius, "you would not think of visiting with punishment one so young?" "The younger," replied Orpheus, "the more necessary the punishment, to arrest his progress in evil courses."

The charge was fully substantiated; and after the Judicator had condemned him to imprisonment, he admonished him to pursue a more virtuous course on his liberation.

The youthful prisoner was about to be led from the bar, when in feeble accents he begged permission to address the court. The application was altogether so new, and the occasion so interesting, that he was listened to with mute attention, while he thus expressed himself.

"I feel so poignantly the ignominy of my present situation, that I hope I shall be excused in detailing a few particulars of my past life, not as affording any justification of the deed for which I stand convicted, but as some extenuation of my general character. I was born in a loathsome part of the hive, and scarcely had I emerged from the pupa state, when I found myself surrounded by vicious bees, who taught me to practise deceit, to pass my time in idleness, and to live by plunder. Once upon a time, when I was hardly capable of reflection, I do remember that the lamentable condition of our portion of the hive attracted the notice of some humane bees; and their opinions and advice, although new

to me, were still so consolatory, that my mind was exhilarated by some glimmering hopes of better days. They told me that if I would follow their instructions I should soon learn to take delight in beholding the lilies of the valley, and in collecting the sweetest honey from the rose of Sharon. My mind was deriving some amendment from their benevolent efforts; but too often these benefits were rendered ineffectual by the contagion of bad example: and as it was not in the power of my humane friends to improve the circumstances surrounding me, while they imparted the most useful truths, I became the victim of the demoralizing influence of vicious associates. The Judicator advises me henceforward to pursue a different course. Most gladly would I tricate myself from the thraldom of vice and misery; but woful experience has proved that the affluent bees will not employ those who have once appeared as culprits at the bar of justice."

ex

The Judicator remarked, that it was his duty solely to judge according to the laws, and that it was not for him to regulate the circumstances or to frame the institutions of the hive. That task devolved upon the learned civilians, aided by the still more learned apiarian economists. He acknowledged that the young worker had made a powerful appeal, and humanely promised that his case should be taken into consideration.

The court broke up, and through the intercession of Emilius, a pardon was obtained for the culprit. Emilius took him into his own service, and by kind and judicious treatment and instruction he became one of the most industrious and faithful of bees.

Often would Emilius remind his friend Orpheus, that besides precept, example and other circum

stances strongly impressed the mind, and that a combination of their best influences was essential to the formation of superior characters.*

A few years after the revolution, and towards the close of summer, a war broke out on the Pentland Hills, in which all the bees were engaged either actively or as spectators, and it was carried on with a ferocious obstinacy unexampled in the annals of apiarian warfare. After much desultory fighting, a general engagement took place, which lasted two days, when upwards of three millions were left dead upon the field of battle: the victory was still doubtful, although one of the contending parties retired. On the third day the army that had quitted the field, returned, when the contest was renewed with redoubled vigour, and deeds of heroism were performed, which, if they had not inflicted misery upon others, might have been worthy of imitation, and esteemed glorious. As the sun went down, the raging of the battle ceased, but the stillness of the night was disturbed by the cries and the shrieks of the wounded. Soon after midnight, when those who had escaped without wounds, were reposing after their toils and dangers, they were suddenly awoke by a tremulous motion of the hills; a light mist was seen arise between the two armies; and in the midst there appeared a human form of majestic and graceful stature, with a countenance indicating

to

*The benevolent advocates for universal instruction should consider, that by investigating and adopting plans for improving the circumstances of the working classes, they would disarm their opponents of one of their most powerful arguments. How often has it been reiterated, that since education has become so general, crime, and more especially juvenile delinquency, have alarmingly increased. As if vice were the offspring of intelligence!

some concern, but beaming with mildness and intelligence.

"You behold," said the figure, "the spirit of Allan Ramsay: ever and anon I haunt my favourite streams and verdant hills, chosen by me when sojourning on earth, as the suitable abode of innocence; but of late these peaceful scenes have been disturbed by tumults before unheard-of, and this night I walk the hills to learn the ominous cause. But alas! that cause is too apparent in this melancholy spectacle of the dying and the dead. Was it for this that your praises were sung by the bard of Mantua?— has not the economy of the hive been held up to the world as the model of a perfect commonwealth? Whence then this direful change? and where, in the whole range of animated nature, can you discover a single instance of beings of the same species destroying each other?"

The bees were much agitated by the appearance of this unexpected mediator, and more so by his animated and pointed address. They ran to and fro in great consternation. At length there was a general cry for Orpheus to stand forth and vindicate their policy. The ranks opened, and permitted him to pass, with the same respect and attention as they were wont to pay to the queen bees.

"You have demanded, most illustrious and gentle spirit," said Orpheus, " in what order of the creation we can observe an example of individuals destroying others of the same species. It will, we presume, be deemed sufficient if we adduce one only, since that example will be found in a class of beings claiming the highest pre-eminence, and holding all others in subjection. You will perceive that we refer to that order of which you were a distinguished ornament, and exempt from the general failing, when

your lyre was sweetly strung in the vale of Pentland."*

The spirit, gracefully extending his arm, spoke as follows: "Attend, Orpheus, and you misguided bees, to what I shall unfold.-As far back as the records of time allow us to trace, we discover a marked difference between man and the rest of the animal creation: each species of bird builds its nest in a peculiar manner, and one generation following another, displays the same undeviating instinct; nor have they scarcely any variation in their food, except from accidental necessity. The beaver and the tiger have for thousands of years preserved the same distinctive character, equally well instructed in the earliest period of their history as in the present day. Not so with man :-born in a more helpless condition, he would have soon fallen a prey to other animals, had he not been endowed with a superior faculty, amply compensating for his

* Allan Ramsay had certainly forgotten some of the occurrences on the surface of the globe; for spiders will sometimes destroy each other, and rats also have evinced the same propensity; so that we know of three instances at least: namely, spiders, rats, and men! He is, however, not singular in this opinion; for the amiable Fenelon has remarked, "Les hommes sont tous frères, et ils s'entre déchirent: les bêtes farouches sont moins cruelles. Les lions ne font point la guerre aux lions, ni les tigres aux tigres; ils n'attaquent que les animaux d'espèce différente: l'homme seul, malgré sa raison, fait ce que les animaux sans raison ne firent jamais.”—Telemaque livre xvii.

"There are, moreover, some actions of the beasts so ordered and directed, as plainly discover them to be the effects of some small degree of reason; as is most manifest in ants and bees, and also in some others, which before they have experienced them, will avoid things hurtful, and seek those that are profitable to them. That this power of searching out and distinguishing is not properly in themselves, is apparent from hence, because they act always alike."-Grotius book i. section 2.

« PreviousContinue »