Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-12-25
The Art OF Insects.


The lord ofcrealion pumes himself upon his
powers of invention, and is proud TO enumerale
the various useful arts anc machInes to which ne
has given birth no, aware that lie who teaches
men knowledge has instructed the despised IN
secs 10 anticipate him in many Of these. Inc
builders of Babel doubtless thought their Invention
OF turning earth into artificial stone. very happy
discovery YET little bee has practsed this art,
using indeed, different process ON small scale,
and The white ants On large one, ever sirce the
world began Man thinks that he stands rnrIyal-
led as an architect, and that his buildings are
without parallel amung The works OF the inferior
order of animals He would De OF different
opinion did he attend toihe history oflnsecis; he
would find that many of them have been archl.
tecls from time immemorial that they have had
their houses divided inrrvarious apartments, and
containing sercases, gigantic arches, dolnes, col
onades, and the like nay, that even tunnels are
excavated by them So immense compared with
their own size as TO be twelve zines bigger than
that projected by Mr.. Dodd ODE carried under
the nnes at Gravesend. The modern fine
ladyS kIes herselfon the lustre aud beauty
of The SeAlel haneings which adorn the stately.
walls of her drawing room, or the carpets that
cover its floor. fancyi1g that nothing 50 rich and
splendid was ever seen before, and plying her
vplpar ancestors, who were doomed to unsighuy
wtiIewash and PUSHES, is gneraht all the "
that before she 0rnef aac si0ls "eser irf~s,4@\
tence, and even beiure the hoasied 1ynan dye
was discovered, li.ile insect had known how to
hang the wal! Of lis cells with tapestry ofa scar
let more brilliant than any her rooms can exhibit
and that others daily weave silken carpets both in
tissue and texture infinitely superior to those she
50 much admires No taGiale ornament Is more
prized and costly than lace, the invention aud
fabrication of which seems the exclusive claim OF
the softer sex. Bat even here they have been
anticipated by these little industrious creatures,
who often defend their helpless chrysalis Dy a
most singular covering and as beautiful as SIN
uular-of lace. Other arts have been equally
forestalled by these creatures. What vast lmpor-
tance is attached TO the invention of paper! For
near six thousand years one of our commonest ln-
sects has known how to make and apply it TO its
purposes and even pas,eboard, superior in sub
stance and polish to any we can pruduce,ls manu-
factured by another We can imagine that no
thing short of human intellect can be equal 10 the
construction of diving bell or air pump-yet
spider is in the daily habit of using the one, and
what is more, one exactly similar IN principle To
ours. bu, more ingenousy contrived; by means
of which she resides unwetted in the bosom OF
the water, and procures the necessary supplies OF
air by much more simple process than our alter
mating buckets-and the caterpillar OF little
moth knows how to initiate the other, producing
vacuum, when necessary, for lis purposes, with
out any piston besides lis own body.
we think with wonder Of the popnlous cities
which have employed the labors of man for many
aqes to bring them to their full extent, what shall
we say to the white ants which require only
few months to build metropolis capable OF con-
tanning an infinitely greater number oflnhabltapts
than even the imperial Nineveh, Babylon, or Pe-
kin. in all their glory
That Insects should thus have forestalled US IN
our inventions, ought to urge US 10 pay closer
attention 10 them and their ways than we nave
hitherto done since it is not at all improbable mar
the result would be many useful hints tor the In
movement OF our arts and manufactures, and per-
hans for some beneficial discoveries. The painter
might thus probably be furnished with more bril-.
liant pigments the dyer with more delicate tints,
and the ariizan with new and improved set oi
tools. In this last respect insects deserve partl-
cular notice. AL their operations are performed
with admirable precision and dextery and tho
they do not usually vary the mode, yet that mode
is the best that can be conceived Tor attaining Inc
end in view The instruments also with which
tbev are prayided are no less wonderful aud varl-
Gus than the operations themselves. They have
their saws and files and augurs and ginilets, and
knives and lanceis and scissors and torceps, with
many other similar implements; several OF which
act more than one capacity and with complex
and alternate motion to which we have not yet
attained in the use of our tools. Nor IS the fact
so extraordinary as it may seem as first, since
He who is wise in heart and wonderful in work
iuG., is the inventor and fahrcatcr Of the aPpara-
tus Of insects which may be considered as set
Of miniature patterns drawn for our use By
divine hand Scientific american.