The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-12
The M osquito.

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The mosquito seems to be ubiquitous just
now, if we are to Judge from the complaints
Of our correspondents but we really don't
know what to do for those aggrieved persons.
They actually write to o newspaper about this
trouble as if it were some social or municipal
evil, like the Beecher scandal, OF the dirty
streets. or the Tammany ticket, which the
power Of the press might abolish or, at least
alleviate. But the power of the press
has not much weight with o mosquito.
If one were put in a Bullock press, for in
stance, he would SIT on the fywheel and
laugh at the engineer. If we thought edi-
torial writing could cause the blush OF shame
to rise to his cheek we should have tried 1t
long ago; but argument has no effect upon
him, nor is even abuse of value In this
hardened contempt of reason as well as IN
other qualities he resembles the average poll
tican Mosquitoes and politicians bite and
sting and steal and buzz, and are too insig-
nifcant and small to punish. You bring
down your hand heavily upon them, and
when you lift it again they are gone You
can hurt your hand, but the insect escapes
unframed.
We did not create the mosquito, nor do we
know why he was created. Butin one respect
we recognize the wisdom of Providence, and
that is that he is made so small. This is as
far as our sinful souls can 60 in the way of
gratitude in regard to the mosquito, and it
shows we think, religious disposition. The
mosquito himself does not aid us in practis-
ing the virtues, but, on the contrary, is re-
sponsible for much blasphemy, which, it is to
be hoped, the Recording Angel will blot out,
as he did Uncle Toby's oaths, with tear.
In the silence Of the night he comes and makes
his statement to the sleeping ear This little
horn is more terrible than the roar OF lion, and
when it is heard we groan Like the voice
in "Macbeth,"i it cries s'Sleep no more! to
all the house." 1t is then that the trouble be-
gins. We know that slumber is impossible.
With wild beatings Of the face and head the
dreadful conflict begins; muttered oatlls and
means Of wretchedness arise from the
wounded, and it is no consolation that blood
must wipe out the deadly wrong, for whether
you get the better of the mosquito or he gets
the better Of you, you know that it will be
your own blood. The mosquito has no
blood except what he steals, but he has inn
mensc capacity for holding it.
The Chinese children are said to 60 to sleep
with lamps burning by their beds to attract
the mosquitoes from their parents, and the
force Of flial piety could no further 60. But
this, we fear is heather fam, told to the
missionaries to induce them to go home, for
in such land religion would be superfuous.
In the United States the children have never
paid such respect to their parents, and, there
fore, we have to depend upon nets. Sancho
Panza said, BLESSED be the man
who invented Sleep" and it might be trans
lated, 'sBlessed be the man who invented mos
quito bars" for the two things are in this
climate synonymous. The only time when q
mosquito is really agreeable is when he is
outside OF the net and you are inside Of it,
and you know it. Then his buzzing is must
cal as is Apollo's Lutte, AMI in its solemn tones
are heard the thanks of millions yet to be-
| Spenser, in his ''Faerie Queene," might
have added the voice of the dis
gusted mosquito to the sounds which
lulled Morpheus in his slumberous cave
Up and down the net he hovers, with his
melancholy buzz, seeking vainly an entrance
to the banquet within. The dish in this case
defes the diner. Now it is the time of the
mosquito to swear, and his curses sound like
serenades The more mosquitoes who join in
the chorus-tenors, sopranos, barytones and
bassos-the more harmonious it seems, and
when morning comes, baffled and hungry, the
maddened crowd fly to their bloodless lairs
If there is anything mosquito hates it is q
net.
The scientific name of the mosquito is Ctter
and it is horrible name for horrible
creature. The dictionary tells US sit has a
sharp-pointed proboscis, by means Of which
it punctures the skins of animals and sucks
their blood, the minute wounds thus made
being often attended with swelling and con-
siderable degree Of pain" The dictionary is
quite right, but it is not necessary to go to it
to learn these facts. Any one can convince
himself of the accuracy of the definition by
leaving his net open at night Our cor
respondents can profit by the suggestion, and
so ca Culer.