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flower； and that nothing but the dulness of our own souls prevents
them from seeing day and night in all things； however small or
trivial to human eclecticism； the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
fulfilling His own saying； 〃My Father worketh hitherto； and I
work。〃
To me it seems （to sum up； in a few words； what I have tried to
say） that such development and progress as have as yet been
actually discovered in nature； bear every trace of having been
produced by successive acts of thought and will in some personal
mind； which； however boundlessly rich and powerful； is still the
Archetype of the human mind； and therefore （for to this I confess I
have been all along tending） probably capable； without violence to
its properties； of becoming； like the human mind； incarnate。
But to descend from these perhaps too daring speculations； there is
another； and more human； source of interest about the animal who is
writhing feebly in the glass jar of salt water； for he is one of
the many curiosities which have been added to our fauna by that
humble hero Mr。 Charles Peach； the self…taught naturalist； of whom；
as we walk on toward the rocks； something should be said； or rather
read； for Mr。 Chambers； in an often…quoted passage from his
Edinburgh Journal； which I must have the pleasure of quoting once
again； has told the story better than we can tell it：…
〃But who is that little intelligent…looking man in a faded naval
uniform； who is so invariably to be seen in a particular central
seat in this section？ That； gentle reader； is perhaps one of the
most interesting men who attend the British Association。 He is
only a private in the mounted guard （preventive service） at an
obscure part of the Cornwall coast； with four shillings a day； and
a wife and nine children； most of whose education he has himself to
conduct。 He never tastes the luxuries which are so common in the
middle ranks of life； and even amongst a large portion of the
working classes。 He has to mend with his own hands every sort of
thing that can break or wear in his house。 Yet Mr。 Peach is a
votary of Natural History； not a student of the science in books；
for he cannot afford books； but an investigator by sea and shore； a
collector of Zoophytes and Echinodermata … strange creatures； many
of which are as yet hardly known to man。 These he collects；
preserves； and describes； and every year does he come up to the
British Association with a few novelties of this kind； accompanied
by illustrative papers and drawings： thus； under circumstances the
very opposite of those of such men as Lord Enniskillen； adding； in
like manner； to the general stock of knowledge。 On the present
occasion he is unusually elated； for he has made the discovery of a
Holothuria with twenty tentacula； a species of the Echinodermata
which Professor Forbes； in his book on Star…Fishes； has said was
never yet observed in the British seas。 It may be of small moment
to you； who； mayhap； know nothing of Holothurias： but it is a
considerable thing to the Fauna of Britain； and a vast matter to a
poor private of the Cornwall mounted guard。 And accordingly he
will go home in a few days； full of the glory of his exhibition；
and strong anew by the kind notice taken of him by the masters of
the science； to similar inquiries； difficult as it may be to
prosecute them； under such a complication of duties； professional
and domestic。 Honest Peach！ humble as is thy home； and simple thy
bearing； thou art an honour even to this assemblage of nobles and
doctors： nay； more； when we consider everything； thou art an
honour to human nature itself； for where is the heroism like that
of virtuous； intelligent； independent poverty？ And such heroism is
thine！〃 … CHAMBERS' EDIN。 JOURN。； Nov。 23； 1844。
Mr。 Peach has been since rewarded in part for his long labours in
the cause of science； by having been removed to a more lucrative
post on the north coast of Scotland； the earnest； it is to be
hoped； of still further promotion。
I mentioned just now Synapta； or； as Montagu called it； Chirodota：
a much better name； and； I think； very uselessly changed； for
Chirodota expresses the peculiarity of the beast； which consists in
… start not； reader … twelve hands； like human hands； while Synapta
expresses merely its power of clinging to the fingers； which it
possesses in common with many other animals。 It is； at least； a
beast worth talking about； as for finding one； I fear that we have
no chance of such good fortune。
Colonel Montagu found them here some forty years ago； and after
him； Mr。 Alder； in 1845。 I found hundreds of them； but only once；
in 1854 after a heavy south…eastern gale； washed up among the great
Lutrariae in a cove near Goodrington； but all my dredging outside
failed to procure a specimen … Mr。 Alder； however； and Mr。 Cocks
（who find everything； and will at last certainly catch Midgard； the
great sea…serpent； as Thor did； by baiting for him with a bull's
head）； have dredged them in great numbers； the former； at Helford
in Cornwall； the latter on the west coast of Scotland。 It seems；
however； to be a southern monster； probably a remnant； like the
great cockle； of the Mediterranean fauna； for Mr。 MacAndrew finds
them plentifully in Vigo Bay； and J。 M乴ler in the Adriatic； off
Trieste。
But what is it like？ Conceive a very fat short earth…worm； not
ringed； though； like the earth…worm； but smooth and glossy； dappled
with darker spots； especially on one side； which may be the upper
one。 Put round its mouth twelve little arms； on each a hand with
four ragged fingers； and on the back of the hand a stump of a
thumb； and you have Synapta Digitata （Plates IV。 and V。； from my
drawings of the live animal）。 These hands it puts down to its
mouth； generally in alternate pairs； but how it obtains its food by
them is yet a mystery； for its intestines are filled； like an
earth…worm's； with the mud in which it lives； and from which it
probably extracts （as does the earth…worm） all organic matters。
You will find it stick to your fingers by the whole skin； causing；
if your hand be delicate； a tingling sensation； and if you examine
the skin under the microscope； you will find the cause。 The whole
skin is studded with minute glass anchors； some hanging freely from
the surface； but most imbedded in the skin。 Each of these anchors
is jointed at its root into one end of a curious cribriform plate；
… in plain English； one pierced like a sieve； which lies under the
skin； and reminds one of the similar plates in the skin of the
White Cucumaria； which I will show you presently； and both of these
we must regard as the first rudiments of an Echinoderm's outside
skeleton； such as in the Sea…urchins covers the whole body of the
animal。 （See on Echinus Millaris； p。 89。） （7） Somewhat similar
anchor…plates； from a Red