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Glaucus； or The Wonders of the Shore
by Charles Kingsley
Dedication。
MY DEAR MISS GRENFELL；
I CANNOT forego the pleasure of dedicating this little book to you；
excepting of course the opening exhortation （needless enough in
your case） to those who have not yet discovered the value of
Natural History。 Accept it as a memorial of pleasant hours spent
by us already； and as an earnest； I trust； of pleasant hours to be
spent hereafter （perhaps； too； beyond this life in the nobler world
to come）； in examining together the works of our Father in heaven。
Your grateful and faithful brother…in…law；
C。 KINGSLEY。
BIDEFORD；
APRIL 24。 1855。
GLAUCUS； OR； THE WONDERS OF THE SHORE。
You are going down； perhaps； by railway； to pass your usual six
weeks at some watering…place along the coast； and as you roll along
think more than once； and that not over…cheerfully； of what you
shall do when you get there。 You are half…tired； half…ashamed； of
making one more in the ignoble army of idlers； who saunter about
the cliffs； and sands； and quays； to whom every wharf is but a
〃wharf of Lethe；〃 by which they rot 〃dull as the oozy weed。〃 You
foreknow your doom by sad experience。 A great deal of dressing； a
lounge in the club…room； a stare out of the window with the
telescope； an attempt to take a bad sketch； a walk up one parade
and down another； interminable reading of the silliest of novels；
over which you fall asleep on a bench in the sun； and probably have
your umbrella stolen； a purposeless fine…weather sail in a yacht；
accompanied by many ineffectual attempts to catch a mackerel； and
the consumption of many cigars； while your boys deafen your ears；
and endanger your personal safety； by blazing away at innocent
gulls and willocks； who go off to die slowly； a sport which you
feel to be wanton； and cowardly； and cruel； and yet cannot find in
your heart to stop； because 〃the lads have nothing else to do； and
at all events it keeps them out of the billiard…room；〃 and after
all； and worst of all； at night a soulless RECHAUFFE of third…rate
London frivolity： this is the life…in…death in which thousands
spend the golden weeks of summer； and in which you confess with a
sigh that you are going to spend them。
Now I will not be so rude as to apply to you the old hymn…distich
about one who
〃 … finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do：〃
but does it not seem to you； that there must surely be many a thing
worth looking at earnestly； and thinking over earnestly； in a world
like this； about the making of the least part whereof God has
employed ages and ages； further back than wisdom can guess or
imagination picture； and upholds that least part every moment by
laws and forces so complex and so wonderful； that science； when it
tries to fathom them； can only learn how little it can learn？ And
does it not seem to you that six weeks' rest； free from the cares
of town business and the whirlwind of town pleasure； could not be
better spent than in examining those wonders a little； instead of
wandering up and down like the many； still wrapt up each in his
little world of vanity and self…interest； unconscious of what and
where they really are； as they gaze lazily around at earth and sea
and sky； and have
〃No speculation in those eyes
Which they do glare withal〃？
Why not； then； try to discover a few of the Wonders of the Shore？
For wonders there are there around you at every step； stranger than
ever opium…eater dreamed； and yet to be seen at no greater expense
than a very little time and trouble。
Perhaps you smile； in answer； at the notion of becoming a
〃Naturalist：〃 and yet you cannot deny that there must be a
fascination in the study of Natural History； though what it is is
as yet unknown to you。 Your daughters； perhaps； have been seized
with the prevailing 〃Pteridomania；〃 and are collecting and buying
ferns； with Ward's cases wherein to keep them （for which you have
to pay）； and wrangling over unpronounceable names of species （which
seem to he different in each new Fern…book that they buy）； till the
Pteridomania seems to you somewhat of a bore： and yet you cannot
deny that they find an enjoyment in it； and are more active； more
cheerful； more self…forgetful over it； than they would have been
over novels and gossip； crochet and Berlin…wool。 At least you will
confess that the abomination of 〃Fancy…work〃 … that standing cloak
for dreamy idleness （not to mention the injury which it does to
poor starving needlewomen） … has all but vanished from your
drawing…room since the 〃Lady…ferns〃 and 〃Venus's hair〃 appeared；
and that you could not help yourself looking now and then at the
said 〃Venus's hair；〃 and agreeing that Nature's real beauties were
somewhat superior to the ghastly woollen caricatures which they had
superseded。
You cannot deny； I say； that there is a fascination in this same
Natural History。 For do not you； the London merchant； recollect
how but last summer your douce and portly head…clerk was seized by
two keepers in the act of wandering in Epping Forest at dead of
night； with a dark lantern； a jar of strange sweet compound； and
innumerable pocketfuls of pill…boxes； and found it very difficult
to make either his captors or you believe that he was neither going
to burn wheat…ricks； nor poison pheasants； but was simply 〃sugaring
the trees for moths；〃 as a blameless entomologist？ And when； in
self…justification； he took you to his house in Islington； and
showed you the glazed and corked drawers full of delicate insects；
which had evidently cost him in the collecting the spare hours of
many busy years； and many a pound； too； out of his small salary；
were you not a little puzzled to make out what spell there could be
in those 〃useless〃 moths； to draw out of his warm bed； twenty miles
down the Eastern Counties Railway； and into the damp forest like a
deer…stealer； a sober white…headed Tim Linkinwater like him； your
very best man of business； given to the reading of Scotch political
economy； and gifted with peculiarly clear notions on the currency
question？
It is puzzling； truly。 I shall be very glad if these pages help
you somewhat toward solving the puzzle。
We shall agree at least that the study of Natural History has
become now…a…days an honourable one。 A Cromarty stonemason was
till lately … God rest his noble soul！ … the most important man in
the City of Edinburgh； by dint of a work on fossil fishes； and the
successful investigator of the minutest animals takes place
unquestioned among men of genius； and； like the philosopher of old
Greece； is considered； by virtue of his science； fit company for
dukes and princes。 Nay； the study is now more than honourable； it
is （what to many readers will be a far higher recommendation） even
fashionable。 Every well…educated person is eager to know something
at least of the wonderful organic forms which surround him in every
sunbeam and every pebble； and books of Natural History are finding
their way more and more into drawing…rooms and school…rooms； and
exciting greater thirst for a knowledge which； even twenty years
ago； was considered superfluous for all but the professional
student。
What a change from the temper of two generations since； when the
naturalist was looked on as a harmless enthusiast； who went 〃bug…
hunting；〃 simply because he had not spirit to follow a fox！ There
are those alive who can recollect an amiable man being literally
bullied out of the New Forest； because he dared to make a
collection （at this moment； we believe； in some unknown abyss of
that great Avernus； the British Museum） of fossil shells from those
very Hordwell Cliffs； for exploring which there is now established
a society of subscribers and correspondents。 They can remember；
too； when； on the first appearance of Bewick's 〃British Birds；〃 the
excellent sportsman who brought it down to the Forest was asked；
Why on earth he had bought a book about 〃cock sparrows〃？ and had to
justify himself again and again； simply by lending the book to his
brother sportsmen； to convince them that there were rather more
than a dozen sorts of birds （as they then held） indigenous to
Hampshire。 But the book； perhaps； which turned the tide in favour
of Natural History； among the higher classes at least； in the south
of England； was White's 〃History of Selborne。〃 A Hampshire
gentleman and sportsman； whom everybody knew； had taken the trouble
to write a book about the birds and the weeds in his own parish；
and the every…day things which went on under his eyes； and everyone
else's。 And all gentlemen； from the Weald of Kent to the Vale of
Blackmore； shrugged their shoulders mysteriously； and