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Of course not。 Let everybody try to do everything they fancy。 Even if
they fail； they will have learnt at least that they cannot do it。
But nowand this is a secret which you would never find out for
yourself； at least without the help of a microscopethe greater part of this
lump of chalk is made up of things which neither Analysis can perfectly
take to pieces； nor Synthesis put together again。 It is made of dead
organisms； that is； things which have been made by living creatures。 If
you washed and brushed that chalk into powder； you would find it full of
little things like the Dentalina in this drawing； and many other curious
forms。 I will show you some under the microscope one day。
They are the shells of animals called Foraminifera； because the shells
of some of them are full of holes； through which they put out tiny arms。
So small they are and so many； that there may be； it is said； forty thousand
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of them in a bit of chalk an inch every way。 In numbers past counting；
some whole； some broken； some ground to the finest powder； they make
up vast masses of England； which are now chalk downs； and in some
foreign countries they make up whole mountains。 Part of the building
stone of the Great Pyramid in Egypt is composed； I am told； entirely of
them。
And how did they get into the chalk？
Ah！ How indeed？ Let us think。 The chalk must have been laid
down at the bottom of a sea； because there are sea…shells in it。 Besides； we
find little atomies exactly like these alive now in many seas； and therefore
it is fair to suppose these lived in the sea also。
Besides； they were not washed into the chalk by any sudden flood。 The
water in which they settled must have been quite still； or these little
delicate creatures would have been ground into powderor rather into
paste。 Therefore learned men soon made up their minds that these things
were laid down at the bottom of a deep sea； so deep that neither wind； nor
tide； nor currents could stir the everlasting calm。
Ah！ it is worth thinking over； for it shows how shrewd a giant Analysis
is； and how fast he works in these days； now that he has got free and well
fed；worth thinking over； I say； how our notions about these little atomies
have changed during the last forty years。
We used to find them sometimes washed up among the sea…sand on the
wild Atlantic coast； and we were taught； in the days when old Dr。 Turton
was writing his book on British shells at Bideford； to call them Nautili；
because their shells were like Nautilus shells。 Men did not know then
that the animal which lives in them is no more like a Nautilus animal than
it is like a cow。
For a Nautilus； you must know； is made like a cuttlefish； with eyes；
and strong jaws for biting； and arms round them； and has a heart； and gills；
and a stomach； and is altogether a very well… made beast； and； I suspect； a
terrible tyrant to little fish and sea…slugs； just as the cuttlefish is。 But the
creatures which live in these little shells are about the least finished of
Madam How's works。 They have neither mouth nor stomach； eyes nor
limbs。 They are mere live bags full of jelly； which can take almost any
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
shape they like； and thrust out armsor what serve for arms through the
holes in their shells； and then contract them into themselves again； as this
Globigerina does。 What they feed on； how they grow； how they make
their exquisitely…formed shells； whether； indeed； they are； strictly speaking；
animals or vegetables； Analysis has not yet found out。 But when you
come to read about them； you will find that they； in their own way； are just
as wonderful and mysterious as a butterfly or a rose； and just as necessary；
likewise； to Madam How's work； for out of them； as I told you； she makes
whole sheets of down； whole ranges of hills。
No one knew anything； I believe； about them； save that two or three
kinds of them were found in chalk； till a famous Frenchman； called
D'Orbigny； just thirty years ago； told the world how he had found many
beautiful fresh kinds； and； more strange still； that some of these kinds were
still alive at the bottom of the Adriatic； and of the harbour of Alexandria；
in Egypt。
Then in 1841 a gentleman named Edward Forbes；now with God
whose name will be for ever dear to all who love science； and honour
genius and virtue； found in the AEgean Sea 〃a bed of chalk；〃 he said；
〃full of Foraminifera； and shells of Pteropods；〃 forming at the bottom of
the sea。
And what are Pteropods？
What you might call sea…moths （though they are not really moths）；
which swim about on the surface of the water； while the right… whales suck
them in tens of thousands into the great whalebone net which fringes their
jaws。 Here are drawings of them。 1。 Limacina （on which the whales
feed）； and 2。 Hyalea； a lovely little thing in a glass shell； which lives in the
Mediterranean。
But since then strange discoveries have been made； especially by the
naval officers who surveyed the bottom of the great Atlantic Ocean before
laying down the electric cable between Ireland and America。 And this is
what they found：
That at the bottom of the Atlantic were vast plains of soft mud； in
some places 2500 fathoms （15；000 feet） deep； that is； as deep as the Alps
are high。 And more： they found out； to their surprise； that the oozy
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mud of the Atlantic floor was made up almost entirely of just the same
atomies as make up our chalk； especially globigerinas； that； in fact； a vast
bed of chalk was now forming at the bottom of the Atlantic； with living
shells and sea…animals of the most brilliant colours crawling about on it in
black darkness； and beds of sponges growing out of it； just as the sponges
grew at the bottom of the old chalk ocean； and were all； generation after
generation； turned into flints。
And； for reasons whi