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many days' fighting and the sacrifice of many millions, each party retained their former possessions, yet the wars were frequently renewed: but if perchance any little advantage was obtained by either party, no benefit whatever accrued to the indigent bees in becoming subject to another ruler.

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When the wars first commenced upon the Hills, the leaders found it convenient to bestow upon the most valiant, larger vessels of honey and additional portions of the Hills; they also dignified them with titles, and placed glittering stars upon their breasts.† Thus far the distinctions under the existing policy were attended with some general benefit. But it too frequently happened that the gifts of the large vessels of honey, the allotments on the Hills, and the

"It is to be feared that these wars, of which the poor bear the burden, and in which millions of them lose their limbs, their health, and their lives, are often entered into for the express purpose of increasing their subjection and oppression, and making them the instruments of it.

"If these conjectures are true, how are the poor to be pitied! The reflection that all the calamities of the poor originated from, and were really the work of, men's hands; that fresh calamities have been purposely brought on them, and that they themselves have been made use of as instruments to confirm their old grievances, add to, and perpetuate them, is too sad for a human heart to dwell on."-Dr. Hall's Effects of Civilization, p. 168.

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There is a district in America, where, when an Indian has gained a victory, or managed a negotiation with dexterity, they say to him in an assembly of the nation, 'thou art a man.' This eulogium is a more powerful incentive to great actions, than all the dignities proposed by civilized states, to those who render themselves illustrious by their talents." And we may

add, that if men are to be praised for their actions, this is a far more rational commendation. When Epimenides departed from Athens, after improving the laws, he refused considerable presents, and only demanded for himself a branch of the olive consecrated to Minerva, and the friendship of the Athenians for Cnossus his country,

titles and the stars, were transmitted upon the death of the meritorious bees to others, who turned out to be mere drones,* and who considered themselves, as in truth they were, an order of beings altogether distinct from the workers.†

A certain number of the bees were employed during the night imprinting upon the leaves of a plant called the papyrus, the occurrences of the preceding day; such as the accidents and contests arising from competition. It will scarcely be believed with what eagerness the little creatures sought for these leaves, and read without emotion, details of the calamities, follies, and penury, of their fellow citizens. But when the wars were raging upon the Pentland Hills, and the various successes and reverses were minutely described, the papyrus was inquired for with increased avidity; the victories achieved were emblazoned upon the leaves very conspicuously; but the wounds that were inflicted, and the privations and sufferings that were endured, were either not imprinted at all, or so glossed over as to be scarcely legible.

* Ovid in his relation of the contest for the armour' of Achilles, describes Ulysses as charging Ajax with his ignorance of the devices on the shield, "Postulat ut capiat quæ non intelliget, arma." But he could not represent him as deficient in bravery, the quality through which the deceased hero had been rewarded with his impenetrable armour.

"Il se regardoit comme étant d'une autre nature que le reste des hommes; les autres ne lui sembloient mis sur la terre par les Dieux que pour lui plaire, pour le servir, pour prévenir tous ses desirs, et pour rapporter tout à lui comme à une Divinité. Le bonheur de le servir étoit, selon lui, une assez haute récompense pour ceux qui le servoient."-Telemaque, xvi.

"By means of which it comes to pass, that daily so many voluntaries offer themselves, leaving their sweet wives, children, friends, for sixpence (if they can get it) a day, prostitute their lives and limbs, desire to enter upon breaches, lie sentinel,

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An extraordinary interest was excited by whatever happened to an affluent bee, particularly one distinguished by a star. If he passed only from one cell to another, the movement was publicly announced; but when he was indisposed, the whole hive were inquiring if the fever was abated. However laudable such benevolence, it should not have been confined to those, who, when indisposed, were surrounded by every alleviation, and received the most assiduous attention. The indigent invalid was entitled to the warmest and most general sympathy: for not only might he be destitute of medicinal aid, but his discharge from employment frequently deprived him of the common necessaries of life. But justice no longer presided in the hive; and the poor working bee would languish in an obscure and miserable cell, and die unpitied and unknown,* while the

perdue, give the first onset, stand in the fore-front of the battle, marching bravely on, with a cheerful noise of drums and trumpets, such vigour and alacrity, so many banners streaming in the air, glittering armours, motions of plumes, woods of pikes and swords, variety of colours, cost and magnificence, as if they went in triumph, now victors to the Capital, and with such pomp, as when the army of Darius marched to meet Alexander at Issus. Void of all fear, they run into imminent dangers, cannon's mouth, &c., to get a name of valour, honour, and applause, which lasts not; for it is but a mere flash this fame, and like a rose, intra diem unum extinguitur, 'tis gone in an instant."-Burton's Anatomy.

"Should the poor man terminate a miserable existence with less obscurity, what is the melancholy alternative? He draws his latest breath in the parish workhouse, 'Where all that's wretched paves the way to death!'

'Here on a matted flock, with dust o'erspread,
The drooping wretch reclines his languid head.
For him no hand the cordial cup applies,
Nor wipes the tear that stagnates in his eyes;
No friends with soft discourse his pain beguile,
Nor promise hope till sickness wears a smile.''

bee who enjoyed every comfort and luxury, was the object of general solicitude to the latest period of his existence.

The accumulated evils at last became so great and alarming, that the Legislative Assembly were unwilling any longer to defer the consideration of them, more especially as the workers were sometimes driven to desperation, and even threatened to overthrow the hive. Laws out of number had been enacted for the punishment of criminals, and to arrest the progress of pauperism; but how to prevent the further increase of offenders and paupers, was a perplexing question,* resolved as they were, not to permit any material changes in the order of society. That poverty, if not the only, was at least one of the primary causes of crime, they could not deny; but their difficulty was augmented when they observed that poverty became more general in seasons of great superabundance.

An impartial observer could at once trace the cause to the injustice of their agrarian laws, to the monopoly of the large tracts of the Hills, and of the stores of honey by the few:† for it could not be

"Such," exclaims Mr. Courtenay in his perplexed and perplexing Treatise, "are the opposing difficulties of this extensive subject! They will dishearten one who has persuaded himself that it is possible or desirable to disentangle our political constitution from a system of poor laws." And such will ever remain the opposing difficulties to those who vainly endeavour to reconcile great inequality in the distribution of the products of labour with truth and justice, and more especially when the political order of society assigns to the idle the superfluity, and to the producers a bare sufficiency.

"Necessity, in vulgar life, is known to be one of the chief incitements to vice and depravity. From a state of indigence, wretchedness and despair, the transition is easy to criminal offences."

"From the degrading, the injurious influence of a state of

doubted that the workers would be able to provide far more than was sufficient for themselves, if they could have found any portion of the Hills unoccupied, when employment was not to be obtained from the affluent.

Season after season the Assembly sat in close deliberation, examined numerous witnesses, and published voluminous reports: but notwithstanding all their labours, the last list of delinquents contained a greater number than any preceding one.* Treatises were written on the subject, involving it in still greater difficulty; and one theorist had the boldness to question the right of the pauper bees to relief at all; but their forlorn condition was sufficient to excite the sympathy of the most obdurate, and the proposition, from its revolting character, was speedily dismissed.

At last they resolved upon the expedient of enlightening the minds of the workers: and accordingly great pains were taken to teach them to read,

debasement, generating a corruption of morals, spreading in every direction, how can it be expected that the inferior ranks in society can be regular, sober, frugal, or industrious?”—Colquhoun on Indigence.

"I am free to confess, that it gives me great concern, that the labours of the Grand Jury are likely to be extended to a considerable length of time; for up to the time the calendar was made up for publication, there were eighty-two prisoners charged with crimes within the City of London, which is at least one-fourth more than I ever remember in the corresponding periods, during my forty years' experience."-Vide Recorder's Charge to the Grand Jury, September 14, 1825. And again :

"In looking over the calendar, I am sure you will join with me in lamenting, that there are no fewer than seventy-three prisoners for trial on the London side, which is nearly double the number of last Sessions, and by far exceeds anything within my recollection."-Charge, April 5, 1826.

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