of general annihilation blur our perception of the task before us;
above all, let us not count on the miraculous aid of chance.
Hitherto, the promises of our imagination notwithstanding, we have
always been left to ourselves, to our own resources. It is to our
humblest efforts that every useful, enduring achievement of this
earth is due. It is open to us, if we choose, to await the better or
worse that may follow some alien accident, but on condition that
such expectation shall not hinder our human task. Here again do the
bees, as Nature always, provide a most excellent lesson. In the hive
there has truly been prodigious intervention. The bees are in the
hands of a power capable of annihilating or modifying their race, of
transforming their destinies; the bees' thraldom is far more
definite than our own. Therefore none the less do they perform their
profound and primitive duty. And, among them, it is precisely those
whose obedience to duty is most complete who are able most fully to
profit by the supernatural intervention that to-day has raised the
destiny of their species. And indeed, to discover the unconquerable
duty of a being is less difficult than one imagines. It is ever to
be read in the distinguishing organs, whereto the others are all
subordinate. And just as it is written in the tongue, the stomach,
and mouth of the bee that it must make honey, so is it written in
our eyes, our ears, our nerves, our marrow, in every lobe of our
head, that we must make cerebral substance; nor is there need that
we should divine the purpose this substance shall serve. The bees
know not whether they will eat the honey they harvest, as we know
not who it is shall reap the profit of the cerebral substance we
shall have formed, or of the intelligent fluid that issues therefrom
and spreads over the universe, perishing when our life ceases or
persisting after our death. As they go from flower to flower
collecting more honey than themselves and their offspring can
need, let us go from reality to reality seeking food for the
incomprehensible flame, and thus, certain of having fulfilled our
organic duty, preparing ourselves for whatever befall. Let us
nourish this flame on our feelings and passions, on all that we see
and think, that we hear and touch, on its own essence, which is the
idea it derives from the discoveries, experience and observation
that result from its every movement. A time then will come when all
things will turn so naturally to good in a spirit that has given
itself to the loyal desire of this simple human duty, that the very
suspicion of the possible aimlessness of its exhausting effort will
only render the duty the clearer, will only add more purity, power,
disinterestedness, and freedom to the ardour wherewith it still
seeks.
APPENDIX
TO give a complete bibliography of the bee were outside the scope of
this book; we shall be satisfied, therefore, merely to indicate the
more interesting works:--
1. The Historical Development of Apiarian Science:
(a) The ancient writers: Aristotle, "History of Animals" (Trans.
Bart. St. Hilaire); T. Varro, "De Agricultura," L. III. xvi.; Pliny,
"Hist. Nat.," L. xi.; Columella, "De Re Rustica;" "Palladius, "De Re
Rustica," L. I. xxxvii., etc.
(b) The moderns: Swammerdam, "Biblia Naturae," 1737; Maraldi,
"Observations sur les Abeilles," 1712; Reaumur, "Memoires pour
servir a l'Histoire des Insectes," 1740; Ch. Bonnet, "OEuvres
d'Histoire Naturelle," 1779-1783; A. G. Schirach, "Physikalische
Untersuchung der bisher unbekannten aber nachher entdeckten
Erzeugung der Bienen-mutter," 1767; J. Hunter, "On Bees"
(Philosophical Transactions, 1732); J. A. Janscha, "Hinterlassene
Vollstandige Lehre von der Bienenzucht," 1773; Francois Huber,
"Nouvelles Observations sur les Abeilles," 1794, etc.
2. Practical Apiculture:
Dzierzon, "Theorie und Praxis des neuen Bienenfreundes;" Langstroth,
"The Honeybee"(translated into French by Ch. Dadant: "L'Abeille et
la Ruche," which corrects and completes the original); Georges de
Layens and Bonnier, "Cours Complet d'Apiculture;" Frank Cheshire,
"Bees and Bee-keeping" (vol. ii.--Practical); Dr. E. Bevan, "The
Honey-bee;" T. W. Cowan, "The British Bee-keeper's Guidebook;" A.
Root, "The A B C of Bee-Culture;" Henry Alien, "The Bee-keeper's
Handy-book;" L'Abbe Collin, "Guide du Proprietaire des Abeilles;"
Ch. Dadant, "Petit Cours d'Apiculture Pratique;" Ed. Bertrand,
"Conduite du Rucher;" Weber, "Manuel pratique d'Apiulture;" Hamet,
"Cours Complet d'Api-culture;" De Bauvoys, "Guide de l'Apiculteur;"
Pollmann, "Die Biene und ihre Zucht;" Jeker, Kramer, and Theiler,
"Der Schweizerische Bienenvater;" S. Simmins, "A Modern Bee Farm;"
F. W. Vogel, "Die Honigbiene und die Vermehrung der Bienvolker;"
Baron A. Von Berlepsch, "Die Biene und ihre Frucht," etc.
3. General Monographs:
F. Cheshire, "Bees and Bee-keeping" (vol. i.--Scientific); T. W.
Cowan, "The Honey-bee;" J. Perez, "Les Abeilles;" Girard, "Manuel
d'Apiculture" (Les Abeilles, Organes et Fonctions); Schuckard,
"British Bees;" Kirby and Spence, "Introduction to Entomology;"
Girdwoyn, "Anatomie et Physiologic de l'Abeille;" F. Cheshire,
"Diagrams on the Anatomy of the Honeybee;" Gunderach, "Die
Naturgeschichte der Honigbiene;" L. Buchner, "Geistes-leben der
Thiere;" O. Butschli, "Zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Biene;" J. D.
Haviland, "The Social Instincts of Bees, their Origin and Natural
Selection."
4. Special Monographs (Organs, Functions, Undertakings, etc.):
F. Dujardin, "Memoires sur le Systeme nerveux des Insectes;" Dumas
and Milne Edwards, "Sur la Production de la Cire des Abeilles;" E.
Blanchard, "Recherches anatomiques sur le Systeme nerveux des
Insectes;" L. R. D. Brougham, "Observations, Demonstrations, and
Experiences upon the Structure of the Cells of Bees;" P. Cameron,
"On Parthenogenesis in the Hymenoptera" (Transactions Natural
Society of Glasgow, 1888); Erichson, "De Fabrica et Usu Antennarum
in Insectis;" B. T. Lowne, "On the Simple and Compound Eyes of
Insects "(Philosophical Transactions, 1879); G. K. Waterhouse, "On
the Formation of the Cells of Bees and Wasps;" Dr. C. T. E. von
Siebold, "On a True Parthenogenesis in Moths and Bees;" F. Leydig,
"Das Auge der Gliederthiere;" Pastor Schonfeld, "Bienen-Zeitung,"
1854--1883; "Illustrierte Bienen-Zeitung," 1885-1890; Assmuss, "Die
Parasiten der Honig-biene."
5. Notes on Melliferous Hymenoptera:
E. Blanchard, "Metamorphoses, Moeurs et Instincts des Insectes;"
Vid: "Histoire des Insectes;" Darwin, "Origin of Species;" Fabre,
"Souvenirs Entomologiques" (3d series); Romanes, "Mental Evolution
in Animals;" id., "Animal Intelligence;" Lepeletier et Fargeau,
"Histoire Naturelle des Hymenopteres;" V. Mayet, "Memoire sur les
Moeurs et sur les Metamorphoses d'une Nouvelle Espece de la Famille
des Vesicants" (Ann. Soc. Entom. de France, 1875); H. Muller, "Ein
Beitrag zur Lebensgeschichte der Dasypoda Hirtipes;" E. Hoffer,
"Biologische Beobachtungen an Hummeln und Schmarotzerhummeln;"
Jesse, "Gleanings in Natural History;" Sir John Lubbock, "Ants,
Bees, and Wasps;" id., "The Senses, Instincts, and Intelligence of
Animals;" Walkenaer, "Les Haclites;" Westwood, "Introduction to the
Study of Insects;" V. Rendu, "De l'Intelligence des Betes;" Espinas,
"Animal Communities," etc.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Life of the Bee, by Maurice Maeterlinck