People were satisfied with themselves and with one another.
When one lives in the great sea, one is as good as a fish oneself.
One worm would call another "Tench," "Pike;" "Crocodile" and "Leviathan" would be engraved on tombstones.
"Roach" was the greatest insult, and "Haddock" not to be forgiven, even on the Day of Atonement.
Meanwhile, astronomy, poetry, and philosophy blossomed like the rose!
The bits of egg-shell were counted over and over again, till everyone was convinced of the absurdity of the attempt.
Romantic poets harped on the Heavenly Academy in a thousand different keys.
Patriots were likened to the stars, stars to ladies' eyes, and the ladies themselves to Paradise—or else to Purgatory! Philosophy transferred the souls of the pious to the rotten pumpkin.
In short, nothing was wanting!
Life had all the colors of the rainbow. In due time a code of law was framed with hundreds of commentaries, they introduced a thousand rules and regulations, and if a worm had the slightest desire to make a change, he had but to remember what the world would think, blush, regret, and do penance!