In what distant deeps or skies
    Burnt the fire of thine eyes? 
    On what wings dare he aspire? 
    What the hand dare seize the fire?

    And what shoulder and what art
    Could twist the sinews of thy heart? 
    And, when thy heart began to beat,
    What dread hand forged thy dread feet?

    What the hammer? what the chain? 
    In what furnace was thy brain? 
    What the anvil?  What dread grasp
    Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

    When the stars threw down their spears,
    And watered heaven with their tears,
    Did He smile his work to see? 
    Did He who made the lamb make thee?

    Tiger, tiger, burning bright
    In the forests of the night,
    What immortal hand or eye
    Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

WILLIAM BLAKE.

* * * * *

VALUE OF ANIMALS.

Nobody doubts their general value, as nobody doubts the value of sunlight; but a more practical appreciation may be felt of their moneyed value if we look at that aspect of the question in some of its details.

We quote from a hand-book published for the South Kensington Museum:—­

“CLASS I.—­Animal Substances employed for Textile Manufactures and Clothing. Division I. Wool, Mohair, and Alpaca.  Division II.  Hair, Bristles, and Whalebone.  Division III.  Silk.  Division IV.  Furs.  Division V. Feathers, Down, and Quills.  Division VI.  Gelatin, Skins, and Leathers.

“CLASS II.—­Animal Substances used for Domestic and Ornamental Purposes. Division I. Bone and Ivory.  Division II.  Horns and Hoofs.  Division III.  Tortoise-shell.  Division IV.  Shells and Marines.  Animal Products for Manufacture, Ornaments, etc.  Division V. Animal Oils and Fats.

“CLASS III.—­Pigments and Dyes yielded by Animals."—­Division I. Cochineal and Kermes.  Division II.  Lac and its applications.  Division III.  Nutgalls, Gall Dyes, Blood, etc.  Division IV.  Sepia, Tyrian Purple, Purree, etc.

“CLASS IV.—­Animal Substances used in Pharmacy and in Perfumery." Division I. Musk, Civet, Castorem, Hyraceum, and Ambergris.  Division II.  Cantharides, Leeches, etc.

“CLASS V.—­Application of Waste Matters.  Division I. Entrails and Bladders.  Division II.  Albumen, Casein, etc.  Division III.  Prussiates of Potash and Chemical Products of Bone, etc.  Division IV.  Animal Manures—­Guano, Coprolites, Animal Carcases, Bones, Fish Manures, etc.”

From a table of the value of imports of animal origin brought into the United Kingdom in the year 1875, we take a few items:—­

“Live animals, L8,466,226.  Wool of various kinds, L23,451,887.  Silk, manufactures of all kinds, L12,264,532.  Silk, raw and thrown, L3,546,456.  Butter, L8,502,084.  Cheese, L4,709,508.  Eggs, L2,559,860.  Bacon and hams, L6,982,470.  Hair of various kinds, L1,483,984.  Hides, wet and dry, L4,203,371.  Hides, tanned or otherwise prepared, L2,814,042.  Guano, L1,293,436.  Fish, cured or salted, L1,048,546.”