There is, as the City says, a "brisk inquiry" just
now for the heroes of Physical and Natural Science, and Oxford, at present the most modern of modern institutions, is not slow to reeoinise their merits. She conferred on Wednesday the honorary degree of D.C.L. on three great men in this department,--Sir John Lubbock, Sir George Grove, and Mr. E. B. Tyler. But the exponent of the University was not quite up to The mark in his doge upon Sir John Lubbock, whom he appears to have described as "et de apibus et de hominibus optime meritum." For " apibus " read " formicis," or even " vespis." Sir John has certainly not deserved well of the bees. He has exposed their weakness of intellect, their greediness of sweetmeats, their dis- loyalty to their queen, and their perfect inarticulateness even when they have a clear idea to express, as a glance at a paper elsewhere noticed to-day in these columns will suf- ficiently show. To ants he has been gracious, to wasps he has been conciliatory, but to bees he has been, we will not say a detractor, but at least, what is the next worst thing, a very candid friend. No, the bees have deserved well of Sir John, for they have given him the opportunity for some very amusing papers, but Sir John has not deserved well of the bees.
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