按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
never know。
And do not forget； lastly； to ask； whether at Liverpool or at the
British Museum； for the Holtenias and their congeners； … hollow sponges
built up of glassy spicules； and rooted in the mud by glass hairs； in some
cases between two and three feet long； as flexible and graceful as tresses
of snow…white silk。
Look at these； and a hundred kindred forms； and then see how nature
is not only 〃maxima in minimis〃 … greatest in her least； but often
〃pulcherrima in abditis〃 … fairest in her most hidden works； and how the
Creative Spirit has lavished； as it were； unspeakable artistic skill on
lowly…organized creature； never till now beheld by man； and buried； not
only in foul mud； but in their own unsightly heap of living jelly。
But so it was from the beginning； … and this planet was not made for
man alone。 Countless ages before we appeared on earth the depths of
the old chalk…ocean teemed with forms as beautiful and perfect as those；
their lineal descendants； which the dredge now brings up from the
Atlantic sea…floor； and if there were … as my reason tells me that there
must have been … final moral causes for their existence； the only ones
which we have a right to imagine are these … that all； down to the lowest
Rhizopod； might delight themselves； however dimly； in existing； and
that the Lord might delight Himself in them。
Thus； much … alas！ how little … about the wonders of the deep。 We；
who are no deep…sea dredgers； must return humbly to the wonders of the
shore。 And first； as after descending the gap in the sea…wall we walk
along the ribbed floor of hard yellow sand； let me ask you to give a
sharp look…out for a round grey disc； about as big as a penny…piece；
peeping out on the surface。 No； that is not it； that little lump： open it；
40
… Page 41…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
and you will find within one of the common little Venus gallina。 … The
closet collectors have given it some new name now； and no thanks to
them： they are always changing the names； instead of studying the live
animals where Nature has put them； in which case they would have no
time for word…inventing。 Nay； I verify suspect that the names grow； like
other things； at least； they get longer and longer and more jaw…breaking
every year。 The little bivalve； however； finding itself left by the tide；
has wisely shut up its siphons； and； by means of its foot and its edges；
buried itself in a comfortable bath of cool wet sand； till the sea shall
come back； and make it safe to crawl and lounge about on the surface；
smoking the sea…water instead of tobacco。 Neither is that depression
what we seek。 Touch it； and out poke a pair of astonished and inquiring
horns： it is a long…armed crab； who saw us coming； and wisely
shovelled himself into the sand by means of his nether…end。 Corystes
Cassivelaunus is his name； which he is said to have acquired from the
marks on his back； which are somewhat like a human face。 〃Those
long antennae；〃 says my friend； Mr。 Lloyd （6） … I have not verified the
fact； but believe it； as he knows a great deal about crabs； and I know
next to nothing … 〃form a tube through which a current of water passes
into the crab's gills； free from the surrounding sand。〃 Moreover； it is
only the male who has those strangely long fore…arms and claws； the
female contenting herself with limbs of a more moderate length。
Neither is that； though it might be； the hole down which what we seek
has vanished： but that burrow contains one of the long white razors
which you saw cast on shore at Paignton。 The boys close by are boring
for them with iron rods armed with a screw； and taking them in to sell in
Torquay market； as excellent food。 But there is one； at last … a grey disc
pouting up through the sand。 Touch it； and it is gone down； quick as
light。 We must dig it out； and carefully； for it is a delicate monster。 At
last； after ten minutes' careful work； we have brought up； from a foot
depth or more … what？ A thick； dirty； slimy worm； without head or tail；
form or colour。 A slug has more artistic beauty about him。 Be it so。
At home in the aquarium （where； alas！ he will live but for a day or two；
under the new irritation of light） he will make a very different figure。
41
… Page 42…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
That is one of the rarest of British sea… animals； Peachia hastata （Pl。 XII。
Fig。 1）； which differs from most other British Actiniae in this； that
instead of having like them a walking disc； it has a free open lower end；
with which （I know not how） it buries itself upright in the sand； with its
mouth just above the surface。 The figure on the left of the plate
represents a curious cluster of papillae which project from one side of
the mouth； and are the opening of the oviduct。 But his value consists；
not merely in his beauty （though that； really； is not small）； but in his
belonging to what the long word…makers call an 〃interosculant〃 group； …
a party of genera and species which connect families scientifically far
apart； filling up a fresh link in the great chain； or rather the great
network； of zoological classification。 For here we have a simple； and；
as it were； crude form； of which； if we dared to indulge in reveries； we
might say that the Creative Mind realized it before either Actiniae or
Holothurians； and then went on to perfect the idea contained in it in two
different directions； dividing it into two different families； and making
on its model； by adding new organs； and taking away old ones； in one
direction the whole family of Actiniae （sea… anemones）； and in a quite
opposite one the Holothuriae； those strange sea…cucumbers； with their
mouth…fringe of feathery gills； of which you shall see some anon。 Thus
there has been； in the Creative Mind； as it gave life to new species； a
development of the idea on which older species were created； in order …
we may fancy … that every mesh of the great net might gradually be
supplied； and there should be no gaps in the perfect variety of Nature's
forms。 This development is one which we must believe to be at least
possible； if we allow that a Mind presides over t