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from the sun and always full of water； keep up in a higher zone the
vegetation of a lower one； and afford in nature an analogy to those
deep 〃barrancos〃 which split the high table…land of Mexico； down
whose awful cliffs； swept by cool sea…breezes； the traveller looks
from among the plants and animals of the temperate zone； and sees
far below； dim through their everlasting vapour…bath of rank hot
steam； the mighty forms and gorgeous colours of a tropic forest。
〃I do not wonder；〃 says Mr。 Gosse； in his charming 〃Naturalist's
Rambles on the Devonshire Coast〃 （p。 187）； 〃that when Southey had
an opportunity of seeing some of those beautiful quiet basins
hollowed in the living rock； and stocked with elegant plants and
animals； having all the charm of novelty to his eye； they should
have moved his poetic fancy； and found more than one place in the
gorgeous imagery of his Oriental romances。 Just listen to him
〃It was a garden still beyond all price；
Even yet it was a place of paradise；
And here were coral bowers；
And grots of madrepores；
And banks of sponge； as soft and fair to eye
As e'er was mossy bed
Whereon the wood…nymphs lie
With languid limbs in summer's sultry hours。
Here； too； were living flowers；
Which； like a bud compacted；
Their purple cups contracted；
And now in open blossom spread；
Stretch'd； like green anthers； many a seeking head。
And arborets of jointed stone were there；
And plants of fibres fine as silkworm's thread；
Yea； beautiful as mermaid's golden hair
Upon the waves dispread。
Others that； like the broad banana growing；
Raised their long wrinkled leaves of purple hue；
Like streamers wide outflowing。' … KEHAMA； xvi。 5。
〃A hundred times you might fancy you saw the type； the very
original of this description； tracing； line by line； and image by
image； the details of the picture； and acknowledging； as you
proceed； the minute truthfulness with which it has been drawn。 For
such is the loveliness of nature in these secluded reservoirs； that
the accomplished poet； when depicting the gorgeous scenes of
Eastern mythology … scenes the wildest and most extravagant that
imagination could paint … drew not upon the resources of his
prolific fancy for imagery here； but was well content to jot down
the simple lineaments of Nature as he saw her in plain； homely
England。
〃It is a beautiful and fascinating sight for those who have never
seen it before； to see the little shrubberies of pink coralline …
'the arborets of jointed stone' … that fringe those pretty pools。
It is a charming sight to see the crimson banana…like leaves of the
Delesseria waving in their darkest corners； and the purple fibrous
tufts of Polysiphonia and Ceramia； 'fine as silkworm's thread。'
But there are many others which give variety and impart beauty to
these tide…pools。 The broad leaves of the Ulva； finer than the
finest cambric； and of the brightest emerald…green； adorn the
hollows at the highest level； while； at the lowest； wave tiny
forests of the feathery Ptilota and Dasya； and large leaves； cut
into fringes and furbelows； of rosy Rhodymeniae。 All these are
lovely to behold； but I think I admire as much as any of them； one
of the commonest of our marine plants； Chondrus crispus。 It occurs
in the greatest profusion on this coast； in every pool between
tide…marks； and everywhere … except in those of the highest level；
where constant exposure to light dwarfs the plant； and turns it of
a dull umber…brown tint … it is elegant in form and brilliant in
colour。 The expanding fan…shaped fronds； cut into segments； cut；
and cut again； make fine bushy tufts in a deep pool； and every
segment of every frond reflects a flush of the most lustrous azure；
like that of a tempered sword…blade。〃 … GOSSE'S DEVONSHIRE COAST；
pp。 187…189。
And the sea…bottom； also； has its zones； at different depths； and
its peculiar forms in peculiar spots； affected by the currents and
the nature of the ground； the riches of which have to be seen；
alas！ rather by the imagination than the eye； for such spoonfuls of
the treasure as the dredge brings up to us； come too often rolled
and battered； torn from their sites and contracted by fear； mere
hints to us of what the populous reality below is like。 Often；
standing on the shore at low tide； has one longed to walk on and in
under the waves； as the water…ousel does in the pools of the
mountain burn； and see it all but for a moment； and a solemn beauty
and meaning has invested the old Greek fable of Glaucus the
fisherman： how eating of the herb which gave his fish strength to
leap back into their native element； he was seized on the spot with
a strange longing to follow them under the waves； and became for
ever a companion of the fair semi…human forms with which the
Hellenic poets peopled their sunny bays and firths； feeding 〃silent
flocks〃 far below on the green Zostera beds； or basking with them
on the sunny ledges in the summer noon； or wandering in the still
bays on sultry nights amid the choir of Amphitrite and her sea…
nymphs：…
〃Joining the bliss of the gods； as they waken the coves with their
laughter；〃
in nightly revels； whereof one has sung； …
〃So they came up in their joy； and before them the roll of the
surges
Sank； as the breezes sank dead； into smooth green foam…flecked
marble
Awed； and the crags of the cliffs； and the pines of the mountains；
were silent。
So they came up in their joy； and around them the lamps of the sea…
nymphs；
Myriad fiery globes； swam heaving and panting； and rainbows；
Crimson； and azure； and emerald； were broken in star…showers；
lighting；
Far in the wine…dark depths of the crystal； the gardens of Nereus；
Coral； and sea…fan； and tangle； the blooms and the palms of the
ocean。
So they went on in their joy； more white than the foam which they
scattered；
Laughing and singing and tossing and twining； while； eager； the
Tritons
Blinded with kisses their eyes； unreproved； and above them in
worship
Fluttered the terns； and the sea…gulls swept past them on silvery
pinions；
Echoing softly their laughter； around them the wantoning dolphins
Sighed as they plunged； full of love； and the great sea…horses
which bore them
Curved up their crests in their pride to the delicate arms of their
riders；
Pawing the spray into gems； till a fiery rainfall； unharming；
Sparkled and gleamed on the limbs of the maids； and the coils of
the mermen。
So they went on in their joy； bathed round with the fiery coolness；
Needing nor sun nor moon； self…lighted； immortal： but others；
Pitiful； floated in silence apart； on their knees lay the sea…boys
Whelmed by the roll of the surge； swept down by the anger of
Nereus；
Hapless； whom never again upon quay or strand shall their mothers
Welcome with garlands and vows to the temples； but； wearily pining；
Gaze over island and main for the sails which return not； they；
heedless；
Sleep in soft bosoms for ever； and dream of the surge and the sea…
maids。
So they passed by in their joy； like a dream； on the murmuring
ripple。〃
Such a rhapsody may be somewhat out of order； even in a popular
scientific book； and yet one cannot help at moments envying the old
Greek imagination； which could inform the soulless sea…world with a
human life and beauty。 For； after all； star…fishes and sea…
anemones are dull substitutes for Sirens and Tritons； the lamps of
the sea…nymphs； those glorious phosphorescent medusae whose beauty
Mr。 Gosse sets forth so well with pen and pencil； are not as
attractive as the sea…nymphs themselves would be； and who would
not； like Menelaus； take the grey old man of the sea himself asleep
upon the rocks； rather than one of his seal…herd； probably too with
the same result as the world…famous combat in the Antiquary；
between Hector and Phoca？ And yet … is there no human interest in
these pursuits； more humanity and more divine； than there would be
even in those Triton and Nereid dreams； if realized to sight and
sense？ Heaven forbid that those should say so； whose wanderings
among rock and pool have been mixed up with holiest passages of
friendship and of love； and the intercommunion of equal minds and
sympathetic hearts； and the laugh of children drinking in health
from every breeze and instruction at every step； running ever and
anon with proud delight to add their little treasure to their
parents' stock； and of happy friendly evenings spent over the
microscope and the vase； in examining； arranging； preserving；
noting down in the diary the wonders and the labours of the happy；
busy day。 No； such short glimpses of the water…world as our
present appliances afford us are full enough of pleasure； and we
will not envy Glaucus： we will not even be over…anxious for the
success