this he replaced them in a glass hive, mediately applied again to the work where they soon began to work as of making cells, and on the fourth or usual. The queen laid eggs, which, fifth day, very early in the morning, to his great surprise, were impregna- he had the pleasure to see the queen ted; for he imagined he had separated bec deposit her engs in those cclls : ha all the drones, or males, and therefore continued watching most part of the omitted watching them; at the end ensuing days, but could discover noof twenty days he found several of his thing of what he had seen before. eggs had, in the usual course of

The eggs after the fourth day, in. changes, produced bees, while some stead of changing in the manner of had withered away, and others were caterpillars, were found in the fame covered with honey. Hence he in- ftare they were the first day, except ferred, that some of the males had e. that some were covered with honey, fcaped his notice, and impregnated A fingular event happened the next part of the eggs.

To convince hiin- day, about noon; all the bees left felt of this, he took away all the brood their own hive, and are seen attempecoinb that was in the hire, in crder to ing to get into a nсighbouring hive, oblige the bees to provide a fresh

quân •

on the tool of which the queen was tity, being determined to watch nar. found dead, being no doubt flain in jowly their motions after new eggs the egagement. This event seems to should be laid in the cells. On the have arisen from the great defire of • fecond day after the eggs were pla- perpetuating their species, and so which ced in the cells, he perceived the fame end the concurrence of the males operation that was mentioned before, seems so absolutely neceffary'; it made hamely, that of the bees hanging down them defert their habitation, where in the form of a curtain, while others no males were left, in order to fix a rethrust the posterior part of the body fidence in a new one, in which there into the cells. He then introduced was a good stock of them. his hand into the hive, broke off a To be further satisfied, Mr Depiece of the comb, in which there braw took the brood-comb, which had tvere two of these infeéts; he found not been impregnated, and divided it in neither of them any sting (a cir- into two parts; one he placed under cumstance peculiar' to the drones ;) a glass bell, No. 1, with honey-comb tapon diffection, with the afliftance of for the bees food, taking care to leave a microscope; he discovered the four à qucer, but no drones, among the cylindrical bodies which contain the bees confined in it: the other piece of glutinous liquor, of a whitish colour, brood-comb be placed under another as obferved by Maraldi in the large glass bell, No. 2, with a few drones, drones. He was therefore now un- a queen, and a proportionable number der a 'neceflity of repeating his experi- of common becs. The result was, ments, in destroying the males, and that in the glafs, No. 1, there was even thofe which might be suspected no impregnation, the eggs remained in to be fuch,

the fame state they were in when put • He once more immersed the same into the glass ; and on giving the bees bees in water, and when they appear- their liberty on the serenth day, they ed in a fehseless state, he gemly pressed all few away, as was found to be the every one, in order to distingush those cafe in the former experiment; where armed with ftings from those which 'as in the glass, No. 2, the very day had none, and which of course he fup after the becs had been put into it, pored to be males of these last he the eggs were impregnated by the found fifty-seven, and replaced the 'drones, and the bees did not leave (warm in a glass hive, where they im- their hives on receiving their liberry.

The

--The editor of the Cyclopedia fays, a modern author suggests, that a small that the small drones are all dead be. number of drones are reserved, to fupfore the end of May, when the larger ply the neceslities of the ensuing year; fpecies appear, and luperfede their ufu; but that they are very little, if any, and that it is not without reason, that larger than the common bee.

Ode on the Popular Superstitions of the Highlands of Scotland. Written by

the late Mr William Collins *. T a meeting of the Literary Class leting many lines and words, and subs

of the Royal Society, held on ftituting others, which are written av Monday 19th April 1784, the Rev. bove them. In particular, the greatDr Carlyle read an ode, written by the est part of the twelfth stanza is new. Sate Mr Wm. Collins, and addrcfled modelled in that manner. Thefe vas to John Home, Elq; (author of Dou- riations I have marked in'notes on the glas, &c.) on his return to Scotland copy which is inclosed, and I think in 1749. The committee appointed they should be printed : for literary to superintend the publication of the people are not indifferent to informa Society's Transactions having judged tion of this kind, which shews the this ode to be extremely deserving of progreflive jimprovement of a thought & place in that collection, requested in the mind of a man of genius. Mr Alex. Fraser Tytler, one of their This ode is, beyond all doubt, the number, to procure from Dr Carlyle poem alluded to in the Life of Colevery degree of information which he lins' by Johnson, who, mentioning a could give concerning it. This infor- visit made by Dr Warton and his bromation, which forms a proper irro. ther to the poet in his last illness, says, duction to the poem itself, is contain- “ He shewed them, at the same time, ed in the two following letters. an ode, inscribed to Mr John Home;

s on the fuperftitions of the HighLetter from Mr Alex. Fraser Tytler * Jands, which they thought fuperior 1 Mr John Robison, General Se

to his other works, but which no cretary of the Royal Society of Edin. " search has yet found.” Collins him.. burgh.

felf, it appears from this paffage, had Dear Sir,

kept a copy of the poem, which, conto T the desire of the Committee dering the unhappy circumstances that

for publishing the Royal Socie, attended his last illness, it is no won ty's Transactions, I wrote to Dr Car- der was millaid or loft; and, but for lyle, requesting of him an account of that fortunate hint given by Johnson, all such particulars regarding Mr Col. it appears from DrCarlyle's letter, that lins's poem as were known to him, the original manuscript would, in all and which were, in his opinion, pro- probability, bare undergone the fame per to be communicated to the public. fate. I received from him the inclosed an- Struck with the fingular beauty of swer, and he transmitted to me, at the this poem, of which, I believe no same time, the original manuscript in map of taste will say that Dr Warton Mr Collins's handwriting. It is evi- and his brother have over-sated the dently the prima cura of the poem, merit, I could not help regrutting the as you will perceive from the altera- mutilated forin in which it appeared ; tions made in the manuscript, by de- and, in talking on that fubject to my

friend Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

AT

friend Yr Henry Mackenzie of the That it was hastily compofed and inExchequer (a gentleman well known correct ; but that he would one day to the literary world by many ingenious find leisure to look it over with care. productions) I proposed to him the talk Mr Collins and Mr Home had been of supplying the fifth stanza, and the made acquainted by Mr John Barrow half of the sixth, which were entirely (the cordial youth mentioned in the loft. How well he has executed that first stanza,) who had been for some task, the public will judge ; who, un- time at the University of Edinburgh, less warned by the inverted commas had been a volunteer along with Mr that distinguish the supplemental verses, Home in the year 1746, had been would probably never have discovered taken prisoner with him at the battle the charm. Several hemistichs, and of Falkirk, and had escaped, together words left blank by Mr Collins, had with him and five or fix other gentlebefore been very happily supplied by men, from the castle of Down. Mr Dr Carlyle. These are likewise mark- Barrow resided in 1749 at Winchesed by inverted commas. They are a ter, where Mr Collins and Mr Home proof that this poem, as Dr Carlyle were, for a week or two, together on has remarked, was hastily composed ; a visit. Mr Barrow was paymaster in but this circumstance evinces, at the America in the war that commenced same time, the vigour of the author's in 1756, and died in that country. imagination, and the ready command I thought no more of the

poem

till he pofseffed of harmonious numbers. a few years ago, when, on reading I am, dear Sir,

Dr Johnson's life of Collins, I conjectuYours, &c. red that it might be the very copy of

verses which he mentions, which he To Alex. Fraser Tytler, Esq. says was much prized by some of his SIR,

friends, and for the loss of which he SEND you inclosed the original expreffes regret. I fought for it as

manuscript of Mr Collins's poem, mong my papers; and perceiving that that, by comparing with it the copya itanza and a half were wanting, I which I read to the Society, you may made the most diligent search I could be able to answer moft of the queries for them, but in vain. Whether or put to me by the Committee of the not this great chasm was in the poem Royal Society

when it first came into my hands, is The manuscript is in Mr Collins's more than I can remember at this dife handwriting, and fell into my hands tance of time. among the papers of a friend of mine As a curious and valuable fragment, and Mr John Home's, who died as I thought it could not appear with long ago as the year 1754. Soon after more advantage than in the Collection I found the poem, I shewed it to Mr of the Royal Society, Home, who told me that it had been I am, Sir, addressed to him by Mr Collins, on Your most obedient servant, his leaving London in the year 1749:

ALEX. CARLYLE
O DE
thou return'st from Thames, whose Naiads long

Have seen thee ling'ring, with a fond delay,
Mid those soft friends, whose hearts, some future day,

Shall melt, perhaps, to hear thy tragic song.
Go, not unmindful of that cordial youth *,
Whom, long endear’d, thou leav'it by Lavanı's fide;

Together
See the preceding letter from Dr Carlyle.

I

H

prompt the

Together let us wish him lasting truth,

And joy untainted with his destin'd bride. Go! nor regardless, while these numbers boalt

My short-liv'd bliss, forget my focial name; But think far off how, on the fouthern coast,

I met thy friendship with an equal flame ! Fresh to that soil thou curr'it, whose ev'ry vale Shall

poet, and his song demand : To thee thy copious subjects ne'er thall fail;

Thou need it but take the pencil to thy hand,
And paint what all believe who own thy genial land.

II.
There must thou wake perforce thy Doric quill,

'Tis Fancy's land to which thou seti'lt thy feet ; Where still, 'tis faid, the fairy people meet

Beneath cach birken shade on mead or hill. There each trim fafs that fkims the milky store

To the swart tribes their creamy bowl allots ; By night they fip it round the cottage-door,

While airy minstrels warble jocund notes. There every herd, by fad experience, knows

How, wing'd with fate, their elf-thot arrows fly ; When the fick ewe her Summer food foregoes,

Or, stretch'd on carth, the heart-smit heifers lie. Such airy beings awe the uncutor'd swain :

Nor thou, though learn'd, his homelier thoughts neglect;
Let thy sweet muse the rural faith sustain :

These are the themes of fimple, fure effect,
That add new conquests to her boundless reign,
And fill, with double force, her heart-commanding strain

III.
Ev'n yet presery'd, how often may'st thou hear,

Where to the pole the Boreal mountains run,
Taught by the father to his list’ning fon

Strange lays, whofe power had charm'd a Spencer's ear, At et'ry pause, before thy mind poffeft,

Old Runic bards shall seem to rise around, With uncouth lyres, in many-coloured velt,

Their matted hair with boughs fantastic crown'd: Whether thou bid'It the well-caught hind repeat

The choral dirge that mourns some chieftain brave When ev'ry thricking maid her bosom beat,

And strew'd with choicest herbs his scented grave; Or whether, fitting in the Shepherd's shielt,

Thou hear'lt some founding tale of war's alarms ; When, at the bugle's call, with fire and steel,

The sturdy clans pour'd forth their bony twarms, And hostile brothers met to prove each other's arms.

IV, First written, relate. † A kind of hut, built for a Summer habitation to the herdsmen, when the cats are sent to graze in disant pastures,

IV.
Tis thine to fing, how framing hideous fpells

In Sky's long ifle the gifted wizzard « fits *,"
" Waiting in" wiatry cave “his wayward tits +;"

Or in the depth of Uist's dark forests dwells :
How they, whose light such dreary dreams engross,

With their own visions of astonish'd s drool,
When o'er the wat'ry strath or qua, gy mofs

They see the gliding ghosts unbodied troop.
Or if in sports, or on the feitive green,

Their « piercing #” glance fome fated youth defcry,
Who, now perhaps in lusty vigour seen

And rofy health, shall loon lamented die.
For them the viewless forms of air obey

Their bidding heed **, and at their beck repair .
They know what spirit brews the stormful day,

And heartless, oft like moody madocis ftare
To see the phantom train their secret work prepare.

V.
ft " Or on some bellying rock that shades the deep,

They view the lurid signs that cross the sky,
4 Where, in the West, the brooding tcmpeits lie,

« And hear their first, faint, ruftling pennons sweep. " Or in the arched cave, where deep and dark

“ The broad, unbroken billows heave and (well, « In horrid musings rapt, they fit to mark

“ The labouring moon; or lift the nightly yell
« Of that dread spirit, whose gigantic form

“ The feer’s entranced eye can well survey,
* Through the dim air who guides the driving storm,

“ And points the wretched bark its destin'd prey.
Or him who hovers, on his flagging wing,

“ O'er the dire whirlpool, that, in ocean's waste,
* Draws in tant down whate'er devoted thing

“ The failing breeze within its reach hath placdm
« The distant feaman hears, and fies with trembling hafte,

VI.
« Or, if on land the fiend exerts his sway,

“ Silent he broods o'er quickfand, bog, or fen,
☆ Far from the thel'ring 'roof and haunts of men,

“ Wher witched darknefs shuts the eye of day,
« And shrouds each star that wont to cheer the night ;
“ Or, if the drifted snow perplex the way,

( With * Collins had written, feer.

+ Collins had written, Lodg'd in the wintry cave avitband had left the line iin perfect : Altered and the chafm fupplied by Dr Carlyle. I First written, gloon.

Firft written, aflifted. A blank in the inanufcript. The word piercing supplied by Dr Carlyle.. * First written, mark, Ft A leaf of the manufcript, containing the fifth stanza, and one half of the fixth, is here loft. The chalm is supplied by Mr Mackenzie.*