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science； moreover； has been more humbling to the boasted rapidity
and omnipotence of the human reason； or has more taught those who
have eyes to see； and hearts to understand； how weak and wayward；
staggering and slow； are the steps of our fallen race （rapid and
triumphant enough in that broad road of theories which leads to
intellectual destruction） whensoever they tread the narrow path of
true science； which leads （if I may be allowed to transfer our
Lord's great parable from moral to intellectual matters） to Life；
to the living and permanent knowledge of living things and of the
laws of their existence。 Humbling； truly； to one who looks back to
the summer of 1754； when good Mr。 Ellis； the wise and benevolent
West Indian merchant； read before the Royal Society his paper
proving the animal nature of corals； and followed it up the year
after by that 〃Essay toward a Natural History of the Corallines；
and other like Marine Productions of the British Coasts；〃 which
forms the groundwork of all our knowledge on the subject to this
day。 The chapter in Dr。 G。 Johnston's 〃British Zoophytes；〃 p。 407；
or the excellent little RESUME thereof in Dr。 Landsborough's book
on the same subject； is really a saddening one； as one sees how
loth were； not merely dreamers like； Marsigli or Bonnet； but sound…
headed men like Pallas and Linne； to give up the old sense…bound
fancy； that these corals were vegetables； and their polypes some
sort of living flowers。 Yet； after all； there are excuses for
them。 Without our improved microscopes； and while the sciences of
comparative anatomy and chemistry were yet infantile； it was
difficult to believe what was the truth； and for this simple
reason： that； as usual； the truth； when discovered； turned out far
more startling and prodigious than the dreams which men had hastily
substituted for it； more strange than Ovid's old story that the
coral was soft under the sea； and hardened by exposure to air； than
Marsigli's notion； that the coral…polypes were its flowers； than
Dr。 Parsons' contemptuous denial； that these complicated forms
could be 〃the operations of little； poor； helpless； jelly…like
animals； and not the work of more sure vegetation；〃 than Baker the
microscopist's detailed theory of their being produced by the
crystallization of the mineral salts in the sea…water； just as he
had seen 〃the particles of mercury and copper in aquafortis assume
tree…like forms； or curious delineations of mosses and minute
shrubs on slates and stones； owing to the shooting of salts
intermixed with mineral particles：〃 … one smiles at it now： yet
these men were no less sensible than we； and if we know better； it
is only because other men； and those few and far between； have
laboured amid disbelief； ridicule； and error； needing again and
again to retrace their steps； and to unlearn more than they learnt；
seeming to go backwards when they were really progressing most：
and now we have entered into their labours； and find them； as I
have just said； more wondrous than all the poetic dreams of a
Bonnet or a Darwin。 For who； after all； to take a few broad
instances （not to enlarge on the great root…wonder of a number of
distinct individuals connected by a common life； and forming a
seeming plant invariable in each species）； would have dreamed of
the 〃bizarreries〃 which these very zoophytes present in their
classification？
You go down to any shore after a gale of wind； and pick up a few
delicate little sea…ferns。 You have two in your hand； which
probably look to you； even under a good pocket magnifier； identical
or nearly so。 （1） But you are told to your surprise； that however
like the dead horny polypidoms which you hold may be； the two
species of animal which have formed them are at least as far apart
in the scale of creation as a quadruped is from a fish。 You see in
some Musselburgh dredger's boat the phosphorescent sea…pen （unknown
in England）； a living feather； of the look and consistency of a
cock's comb； or the still stranger sea…rush （VIRGULARIA MIRABILIS）；
a spine a foot long； with hundreds of rosy flowerets arranged in
half…rings round it from end to end； and you are told that these
are the congeners of the great stony Venus's fan which hangs in
seamen's cottages； brought home from the West Indies。 And ere you
have done wondering； you hear that all three are congeners of the
ugly； shapeless； white 〃dead man's hand；〃 which you may pick up
after a storm on any shore。 You have a beautiful madrepore or
brain…stone on your mantel…piece； brought home from some Pacific
coral…reef。 You are to believe that its first cousins are the
soft； slimy sea…anemones which you see expanding their living
flowers in every rock…pool … bags of sea…water； without a trace of
bone or stone。 You must believe it； for in science； as in higher
matters； he who will walk surely； must 〃walk by faith and not by
sight。〃
These are but a few of the wonders which the classification of
marine animals affords； and only drawn from one class of them；
though almost as common among every other family of that submarine
world whereof Spenser sang …
〃Oh； what an endless work have I in hand；
To count the sea's abundant progeny！
Whose fruitful seed far passeth those in land；
And also those which won in th' azure sky；
For much more earth to tell the stars on high；
Albe they endless seem in estimation；
Than to recount the sea's posterity；
So fertile be the flouds in generation；
So huge their numbers； and so numberless their nation。〃
But these few examples will be sufficient to account both for the
slow pace at which the knowledge of sea…animals has progressed； and
for the allurement which men of the highest attainments have found；
and still find； in it。 And when to this we add the marvels which
meet us at every step in the anatomy and the reproduction of these
creatures； and in the chemical and mechanical functions which they
fulfil in the great economy of our planet； we cannot wonder at
finding that books which treat of them carry with them a certain
charm of romance； and feed the play of fancy； and that love of the
marvellous which is inherent in man； at the same time that they
lead the reader to more solemn and lofty trains of thought； which
can find their full satisfaction only in self…forgetful worship；
and that hymn of praise which goes up ever from land and sea； as
well as from saints and martyrs and the heavenly host； 〃O all ye
works of the Lord； and ye； too； spirits and souls of the righteous；
praise Him； and magnify Him for ever！〃
I have said； that there were excuses for the old contempt of the
study of Natural History。 I have said； too； it may be hoped；
enough to show that contempt to be now ill…founded。 But still；
there are those who regard it as a mere amusement； and that as a
somewhat effeminate one； and think that it can at best help to
while away a leisure hour harmlessly； and perhaps usefully； as a
substitute for coarser sports； or for the reading of novels。
Those； however； who have followed it out； especially on the sea…
shore； know better。 They can tell from experience； that over and
above its accessory charms of pure sea…breezes； and wild rambles by
cliff and loch； the study itself has had a weighty moral effect
upon their hearts and spirits。 There are those who can well
understand how the good and wise John Ellis； amid all his
philanthropic labours for the good of the West Indies； while he was
spending his intellect and fortune in introducing into our tropic
settlements the bread…fruit； the mangosteen； and every plant and
seed which he hoped might be useful for medicine； agriculture； and
commerce； could yet feel himself justified in devoting large
portions of his ever well…spent time to the fighting the battle of
the corallines against Parsons and the rest； and even in measuring
pens with Linne； the prince of naturalists。
There are those who can sympathise with the gallant old Scotch
officer mentioned by some writer on sea…weeds； who； desperately
wounded in the breach at Badajos； and a sharer in all the toils and
triumphs of the Peninsular war； could in his old age show a rare
sea…weed with as much triumph as his well…earned medals； and talk
over a tiny spore…capsule with as much zest as the records of
sieges and battles。 Why not？ That temper which made him a good
soldier may very well have made him a good naturalist also。 The
late illustrious geologist； Sir Roderick Murchison； was also an old
Peninsular officer。 I doubt not that with him； too； the
experiences of war may have helped to fit him for the studies of
peace。 Certainly； the best naturalist； as far as logical acumen；
as well as earnest research； is concerned； whom England has ever
seen； was the Devonshire squire； Co