Governess.

As the eggs, which are defti

ned to become drones, are to produce larger infects than thofe of the common bees, so they are laid in cells of more extenfive dimensions, and their coverings are raised convex, like a fmall dome, whilft the others are flat roofed. Thofe cells, which are intended for the reception of the royal maggots, are built upon a véry different model to any of the reft; they are of a longifh oblong form, having one end bigger than the other, with their outward furface full of little cavities. They are fometimes fixed in the middle, and at other times in the fide of a comb. Several common cells are facrificed to form a foundation and fupport to it, As foon as the young queen comes out of her cell, it is deftroyed, and the vacancy filled up with common cells; but, as the base remains, the comb is found thicker in that part than in any other. There are apartments prepared in every hive for the rearing of feveral queens, left by any accident, they fhould ived of their fovereign miftrefs, and

be don

have none to SE

lace her. When the members

of the commonwealte

are become too nume

rous for the extent of their city, by the additi on of the young brood, a part of them, conducted by one of the young queens, leaves the parent state, and feeks a more convenient fituation elfewhere. A new fwarm is always compofed of a queen, several thousand work ing bees, among which there is a mixture of old and young, and fome hundreds of drones. The moment the colony has chosen a new refidence, the labourers begin to work with the utmoft diligence, to procure materials for food and building. Apparently confcious that their queen is ready to lay her eggs, they are more anxious to provide cells for her progeny, than for ftoring of honey. Such is their industry, that they will form combs twenty inches in length, and proportionably wide, in the space of a night and a day. If the weather is favourable, they make more wax during the first fortnight, than in all the reft of the feafon.

Charles. The community of bees does not excel in the arts of peace only, it is skilled in the deftructive fcience of war. I have feen whole hives engaged in a pitched battle, when one ftate has been, by fome circumstance, plun

dered of its honied ftore, hunger and neceffity have compelled its members to feek a fresh supply in a neighbouring hive, from which they have been vigorously driven away by its owners. Great skill is obfervable in these contefts, in the manner of pointing the fting between the fcaly rings of their adverfaries bodies; but it often happens that the conqueror gains the victory at the price of his life, for if he leave the fting in the wound, part of his bowels follows it, and certain death is the confequence.

HONESTY AND GENEROSITY.

A POOR man, who was door-keeper to a houfe in Milan, found a purfe which contained two hundred crowns. The man who had loft it, informed by a public advertisement, came to the house, and giving fufficient proof that the purfe belonged to him, the door-keeper reftored it. Full of joy and gratitude, the owner offered his benefactor twenty crowns,

which he abfolutely refufed. Ten were then propofed, and afterwards five; but the doorkeeper ftill continuing inexorable, the man threw his purfe upon the ground, and in angry tone, cried, " I have loft nothing, nothing at all, if you thus refuse to accept of a gratuity." The door-keeper then confented to receive five crowns, which he immediately distributed amongst the poor.

PASSION.

TWO Gentleman were riding together, one of whom, who was very choleric, happened to be mounted on a high-mettled horse. The horfe grew a little troublesome, at which the rider became very angry, and whipped and fpurred him with great fury. The horse, almoft as wrong headed as his master, returned his treatment by kicking and plunging. The companion, concerned for the danger, and afhamed of the folly of his friend, faid to him coolly, "Be quiet, be quiet, and shew yourself the wiser of the two."

A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

JOHN HENDERSON, A. B.

THIS wonderful genius was born near Limerick, in Ireland, 1757, and died in 1788, at Oxford. He was buried in St. George's church, Kingfwood, near Briftol. It is faid of him, that "His very infancy denoted fomething extraordinary and great. He was born, as it were, a thinking being, and was never known to cry or to exprefs any infantine peevishnefs.-Thofe years which are spent in weaknefs, ignorance, and. the misconceptions of the groffeft fenfes, were marked by him with strong intelligence. The queftions he asked, as foon as he was able to fpeak, aftonished all who heard him, and fhewed that he came into the world rather to teach others than to be taught by them."

Self-knowledge enabled him wonderfully to penetrate into the characters and motives of