THE BEES.

CANTO II.

CONTENTS.

THE Bees have no King-a Queen rules the state-the rising generation springs from her-Description of the Queenshe has no sting like the rest-loyalty of her subjects-Grief occasioned by her death-The elder Princess succeeds to the throne-her subjects follow her to the wars-she has no ambition to display her valour, but still commands her army —Her guards attend her progress wherever she goes—if she is tired, they carry her to her palace-The Drones are of the male kind-they are the Queen's lovers-in the autumn they are destroyed by the working Bees, or driven from the hive-The Queen's modesty at the various times of her lying-in-she produces at each delivery ten eggs, and commits them to the care of nurses-At the end of four days a worm crawls out of the shell-care of the elders to protect the worms from the cold air-In twelve days the worm changes to a complete Bee-While the young Bees are employed in fields and gardens, the elders take care of the hive -The elder Princess prepares to found a new realm-The young Bees resolve to emigrate-they enter into plots for that purpose-The swarms sally forth, but soon return-The new Queen goes back to the hive with all her followersQuarrel between them and the old Bees.

THE BEES.

CANTO II.

BEFORE the poet's eye new wonders spring;

'Tis yours those wonders heavenly Muse, to sing. 'Tis yours to tell, amidst a virgin race

Their numerous issue from what source to trace;
Whence spring the myriads ere the year goes round,
That sally forth new colonies to found.

'Tis yours, ye Nine, a ray of light to give;
The truth you teach, to latest time shall live.
From you we learn the secret with surprise
That all their various generations rise
From one prolific Queen :(1) In Virgils's lays
A solitary king the sceptre sways;

A king, insensible of female charms,
Stranger to Venus and love's soft alarms.
But, late discover'd, truth begins to shine;
No salique law excludes the female line.

C

As o'er the Amazons on Scythian plains
In royal state Penthesilea reigns;
With Bees the same sound policy is seen;
Their monarchy is govern'd by a Queen.
Indulgent nature gives the royal fair
A form much larger, a majestic air.

Around her face black jet and streaks of white,
Emblems of dignity, their tints unite.

Bedropt with glistening gold her wings display
The purple blushes of the rising day.

And yet she boasts no military pride;

Nature no dart envenom'd has supplied,
She rules by law; no blood her counsels stains,
But mercy her prerogative maintains.

On her with ardent zeal her subjects wait,

On her depends the glory of the state.

While she in health supports her just command,

'Tis joy and Io Pean through the land.
Should sickness seize her, her approaching doom
The nation dreads; a melancholy gloom

Hangs lowering o'er the state; the anxious train
Nor mould their wax, nor seek the flowery plain.
No work perform'd, they crowd with dismal moan
To the Queen's palace, and in anguish groan.
Should Fate's stern mandate close at length her days,
With horror struck (2) their dismal notes they raise;
Around the bed extended where she lies,

Loud shrieks and lamentations rend the skies.

Thither they throng, they press, they groan, they weep,

Howl through the day, at night sad vigils keep,

Until, her cold remains convey'd away,

The last sad obsequies the mourners pay.
The rites perform'd, a gayer scene appears;
Hereditary right the Bee reveres.

The elder princess mounts the vacant throne,
And her just claim her willing subjects own.
If neighboring nations threaten fierce alarms,
Her bold brigades undaunted rush to arms.
Unfit by nature for th' embattled fray,
She ne'er attempts her valour to display,
But like a skilful general presides,
Marshals the squadrons, and the battle guides.

1

When the warm sun salutes with genial light
The teeming fields, and zephyrs bland invite
To purer air, if then she choose to rove

In flowery gardens, or the verdant grove,
The guards, to shield her through the glowing sky,
Around her majesty with ardour fly.

If on the grass(3) her weary limbs are laid,
To bear her to the town they lend their aid.
When in her palace plac'd, a faithful band
Around the portal take their silent stand.
If through the realm a journey she pursue,
The works, the cells and magazines to view,
Where'er she moves, that way their course they bend,

And in her progress on their Queen attend.