第8部分(第1/6 页)

tons　of　a　kind　of　little　fly；　called　an　ephemera；　whose　successive　generations；　we　were　told；　were　bred　and　expired　within　the　day。　I　happened　to　see　a　living　pany　of　them　on　a　leaf；　who　appeared　to　be　engaged　in　conversation。　You　know　I　understand　all　the　inferior　animal　tongues。　My　too　great　application　to　the　study　of　them　is　the　best　excuse　I　can　give　for　the　little　progress　I　have　made　in　your　charming　language。　I　listened　through　curiosity　to　the　discourse　of　these　little　creatures；　but　as　they；　in　their　national　vivacity；　spoke　three　or　four　together；　I　could　make　but　little　of　their　conversation。　I　found；　however；　by　some　broken　expressions　that　I　heard　now　and　then；　they　were　disputing　warmly　on　the　merit　of　two　foreign　musicians；　one　a　cousin；　the　other　a　moscheto；　in　which　dispute　they　spent　their　time；　seemingly　as　regardless　of　the　shortness　of　life　as　if　they　had　been　sure　of　living　a　month。　Happy　people！　Thought　I：　you　are　certainly　under　a　wise；　just；　and　mild　government；　since　you　have　no　public　grievances　to　plain　of；　nor　any　subject　of　contention　but　the　perfections　and　imperfections　of　foreign　music。　I　turned　my　head　from　them　to　an　old　gray…headed　one；　who　was　single　on　another　leaf；　and　talking　to　himself。　Being　amused　with　his　soliloquy；　I　put　it　down　in　writing；　in　hopes　it　will　likewise　amuse　her　to　whom　I　am　so　much　indebted　for　the　most　pleasing　of　all　amusements；　her　delicious　pany　and　heavenly　harmony。

“It　was；”　said　he；　“the　opinion　of　learned　philosophers　of　our　race；　who　lived　and　flourished　long　before　my　time；　that　this　vast　world；　the　Moulin　Joly；　could　not　itself　subsist　more　than　eighteen　hours；　and　I　think　there　was　some　foundation　for　that　opinion；　since；　by　the　apparent　motion　of　the　great　luminary　that　gives　life　to　al