at the mountains of the moon, and the spots
on the sun, until we have rendered our eyes, for all practical purposes,
useless for a month, and yet not bring to light one secret worth knowing,
one fact that, as inhabitants of the earth, we care to be acquainted with.
Not so with one microscopic peep at a particle of water or an atom of
cheese. Here we arrive at once at the disclosure of what modern
philosophers call "a beautiful law"--a law affecting the entirety of
animal creation--invisible and visible; a law which proclaims that the
inferior as well as the superior animals, the lowest as well as the
highest, the smallest as well as the largest, live upon one another,
derive their strength and substance from attacking and devouring those of
their neighbours. Shakspeare, whom few things escaped, has not failed to
tell us, that "there be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land
thieves;" he knew not, however, that there be likewise water devils as
well as land devils--water lawyers as well as land lawyers--water
swindlers as well as land swindlers. In one small liquid drop you shall
behold them all--indeed a commonwealth of Christians but for their forms,
and for the atmosphere in which they live and fight. I have often found
great instruction in noting the hypocritical antics of a certain watery
rascal, whose trick it is to lie in one snug corner of the globule,
feigning repose, indifference, or sleep. Nothing disturbs him, until some
weak, innocent animalcule ventures unsuspiciously within his reach, and
then with one muscular exertion, the monster darts, gripes, gulps him
down--goes to his sleep or prayers again, and waits a fresh arrival. The
creature has no joy but in the pangs of others--no life but in their
sufferings and death. Even worse than this thing is the worm, its earthly
prototype, with whom, rather than with himself, this chapter has to deal.
Whilst the last most precious drops of Mildred's breath were leaving him,
whilst his cleansed soul prepared itself for solemn flight, whilst all
around his bed were still and silent as the grave already digging for
him--one human eye, secreted from the world and unobserved, peered into
the lonely chamber, watching for the dissolution, impatient at delay, and
greedy for the sight. I speak of an old, grey-headed man, a small, thin
creature of skin and bone, sordid and avaricious in spirit--one who had
never known Mildred, had not once spoken to or seen him, but w