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an hour。 Look at the Crinoids； or stalked star…fishes； the 〃Lilies
of living stone；〃 which swarmed in the ancient seas； in vast
variety； and in such numbers that whole beds of limestone are
composed of their disjointed fragments； but which have vanished out
of our modern seas； we know not why； till； a few years since；
almost the only known living species was the exquisite and rare
Pentacrinus asteria； from deep water off the Windward Isles of the
West Indies。
Of this you will see a specimen or two both at Liverpool and in the
British Museum； and near them； probably； specimens of the new…old
Crinoids； discovered of late years by Professor Sars； Mr。 Gwyn
Jeffreys； Dr。 Carpenter； Dr。 Wyville Thomson； and the other deep…
sea disciples of the mythic Glaucus； the fisherman； who； enamoured
of the wonders of the sea； plunged into the blue abyss once and for
all； and became himself 〃the blue old man of the sea。〃
Next look at the corals； and Gorgonias； and all the sea…fern tribe
of branching polypidoms； and last； but not least； at the glass
sponges； first at the Euplectella； or Venus's flower…basket； which
lives embedded in the mud of the seas of the Philippines； supported
by a glass frill 〃standing up round it like an Elizabethan ruff。〃
Twenty years ago there was but one specimen in Europe： now you may
buy one for a pound in any curiosity shop。 I advise you to do so；
and to keep … as I have seen done … under a glass case； as a
delight to your eyes； one of the most exquisite； both for form and
texture； of natural objects。
Then look at the Hyalonemas； or glass…rope ocean floor by a twisted
wisp of strong flexible flint needles； somewhat on the principle of
a screw…pile。 So strange and complicated is their structure； that
naturalists for a long while could literally make neither head nor
tail of them； as long as they had only Japanese specimens to study；
some of which the Japanese dealers had； of malice prepense； stuck
upside down into Pholas…borings in stones。 Which was top and which
bottom； which the thing itself； and which special parasites growing
on it； whether it was a sponge； or a zoophyte； or something else；
at one time even whether it was natural； or artificial and a make…
up； … could not be settled； even till a year or two since。 But the
discovery of the same； or a similar； species in abundance from the
Butt of the Lows down to Setubal on the Portuguese coast； where the
deep…water shark fishers call it 〃sea…whip；〃 has given our savants
specimens enough to make up their minds … that they really know
little or nothing about it； and probably will 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； 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。 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 the universe； and
not a mere brute necessity； a Law （absurd misnomer） without a
Lawgiver； and to it （strangely enough coincidi