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the other side of the lake； as a glacier of the second order； which
ends in an ice…cliff hanging high up on the mountain side； and kept
from further progress by daily melting。 If you have ever gone up
the Mer de Glace to the Tacul； you saw a magnificent specimen of
this sort on your right hand； just opposite the Tacul； in the
Glacier de Trelaporte； which comes down from the Aiguille de
Charmoz。
This explains our pebble…ridge。 The stones which the glacier
rubbed off the cliff beneath it it carried forward； slowly but
surely； till they saw the light again in the face of the ice…cliff；
and dropped out of it under the melting of the summer sun； to form
a huge dam across the ravine； till； the 〃Ice age〃 past； a more
genial climate succeeded； and neve and glacier melted away： but
the 〃moraine〃 of stones did not； and remains to this day； as the
dam which keeps up the waters of the lake。
There is my explanation。 If you can find a better； do： but
remember always that it must include an answer to … 〃How did the
stones get across the lake？〃
Now； reader； we have had no abstruse science here； no long words；
not even a microscope or a book： and yet we； as two plain
sportsmen； have gone back； or been led back by fact and common
sense； into the most awful and sublime depths； into an epos of the
destruction and re…creation of a former world。
This is but a single instance； I might give hundreds。 This one；
nevertheless； may have some effect in awakening you to the
boundless world of wonders which is all around you； and make you
ask yourself seriously； 〃What branch of Natural History shall I
begin to investigate； if it be but for a few weeks； this summer？〃
To which I answer； Try 〃the Wonders of the Shore。〃 There are along
every sea…beach more strange things to be seen； and those to be
seen easily； than in any other field of observation which you will
find in these islands。 And on the shore only will you have the
enjoyment of finding new species； of adding your mite to the
treasures of science。
For not only the English ferns； but the natural history of all our
land species； are now well…nigh exhausted。 Our home botanists and
ornithologists are spending their time now； perforce； in verifying
a few obscure species； and bemoaning themselves； like Alexander；
that there are no more worlds left to conquer。 For the geologist；
indeed； and the entomologist； especially in the remoter districts；
much remains to be done； but only at a heavy outlay of time；
labour； and study； and the dilettante （and it is for dilettanti；
like myself； that I principally write） must be content to tread in
the tracks of greater men who have preceded him； and accept at
second or third hand their foregone conclusions。
But this is most unsatisfactory； for in giving up discovery； one
gives up one of the highest enjoyments of Natural History。 There
is a mysterious delight in the discovery of a new species； akin to
that of seeing for the first time； in their native haunts； plants
or animals of which one has till then only read。 Some； surely； who
read these pages have experienced that latter delight； and； though
they might find it hard to define whence the pleasure arose； know
well that it was a solid pleasure； the memory of which they would
not give up for hard cash。 Some； surely； can recollect； at their
first sight of the Alpine Soldanella； the Rhododendron； or the
black Orchis； growing upon the edge of the eternal snow； a thrill
of emotion not unmixed with awe； a sense that they were； as it
were； brought face to face with the creatures of another world；
that Nature was independent of them； not merely they of her； that
trees were not merely made to build their houses； or herbs to feed
their cattle； as they looked on those wild gardens amid the wreaths
of the untrodden snow； which had lifted their gay flowers to the
sun year after year since the foundation of the world； taking no
heed of man； and all the coil which he keeps in the valleys far
below。
And even； to take a simpler instance； there are those who will
excuse； or even approve of； a writer for saying that； among the
memories of a month's eventful tour； those which stand out as
beacon…points； those round which all the others group themselves；
are the first wolf…track by the road…side in the Kyllwald； the
first sight of the blue and green Roller…birds； walking behind the
plough like rooks in the tobacco…fields of Wittlich； the first ball
of Olivine scraped out of the volcanic slag…heaps of the Dreisser…
Weiher； the first pair of the Lesser Bustard flushed upon the downs
of the Mosel…kopf； the first sight of the cloud of white Ephemerae；
fluttering in the dusk like a summer snowstorm between us and the
black cliffs of the Rheinstein； while the broad Rhine beneath
flashed blood…red in the blaze of the lightning and the fires of
the Mausenthurm … a lurid Acheron above which seemed to hover ten
thousand unburied ghosts； and last； but not least； on the lip of
the vast Mosel…kopf crater … just above the point where the weight
of the fiery lake has burst the side of the great slag…cup； and
rushed forth between two cliffs of clink…stone across the downs； in
a clanging stream of fire； damming up rivulets； and blasting its
path through forests； far away toward the valley of the Moselle …
the sight of an object for which was forgotten for the moment that
battle…field of the Titans at our feet； and the glorious panorama；
Hundsruck and Taunus； Siebengebirge and Ardennes； and all the
crater peaks around； and which was … smile not； reader … our first
yellow foxglove。
But what is even this to the delight of finding a new species？ … of
rescuing （as it seems to you） one more thought of the Divine mind
from Hela； and the realms of the unknown； unclassified；
uncomprehended？ As it seems to you： though in reality it only
seems so； in a world wherein not a sparrow falls to the ground
unnoticed by our Father who is in heaven。
The truth is； the pleasure of finding new species is too great； it
is morally dangerous； for it brings with it the temptation to look
on the thing found as your own possession； all but your own
creation； to pride yourself on it； as if God had not known it for
ages since； even to squabble jealously for the right of having it
named after you； and of being recorded in the Transactions of I…
know…not…what Society as its first discoverer：… as if all the
angels in heaven had not been admiring it； long before you were
born or thought of。
But to be forewarned is to be forearmed； and I seriously counsel
you to try if you cannot find something new this summer along the
coast to which you are going。 There is no reason why you should
not be so successful as a friend of mine who； with a very slight
smattering of science； and very desultory research； obtained in one
winter from the Torbay shores three entirely new species； beside
several rare animals which had escaped all naturalists since the
lynx…eye of Colonel Montagu discerned them forty years ago。
And do not despise the creatures because they are minute。 No doubt
we should most of us prefer discovering monstrous apes in the
tropical forests of Borneo； or stumbling upon herds of gigantic
Ammon sheep amid the rhododendron thickets of the Himalaya： but it
cannot be； and 〃he is a fool；〃 says old Hesiod； 〃who knows not how
much better half is than the whole。〃 Let us be content with what
is within our reach。 And doubt not that in these tiny creatures
are mysteries more than we shall ever fathom。
The zoophytes and microscopic animalcules which people every shore
and every drop of water； have been now raised to a rank in the
human mind more important； perhaps； than even those gigantic
monsters whose models fill the lake at the Crystal Palace。 The
research which has been bestowed； for the last century； upon these
once unnoticed atomies has well repaid itself； for from no branch
of physical science has more been learnt of the SCIENTIA
SCIENTIARUM； the priceless art of learning； no branch of science
has more utterly confounded a wisdom of the wise； shattered to
pieces systems and theories； and the idolatry of arbitrary names；
and taught man to be silent while his Maker speaks； than this
apparent pedantry of zoophytology； in which our old distinctions of
〃animal；〃 〃vegetable；〃 and 〃mineral〃 are trembling in the balance；
seemingly ready to vanish like their fellows … 〃the four elements〃
of fire； earth； air； and water。 No branch of science has helped so
much to sweep away that sensuous idolatry of mere size； which
tempts man to admire and respect objects in proportion to the
number of feet or inches which they occupy in space。 No branch of
science； moreover； has been more humbling to the boasted rapidity