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of praise； in the old legend of Havering…atte…bower； when he cursed
the nightingales because their songs confused him in his prayers：
but the wise man need copy neither； and fear neither the silence
nor the laughter of the mighty mother Earth； if he will be but
wise； and hear her tell him； alike in both … 〃Why call me mother？
Why ask me for knowledge which I cannot teach； peace which I cannot
give or take away？ I am only your foster…mother and your nurse …
and I have not been an unkindly one。 But you are God's children；
and not mine。 Ask Him。 I can amuse you with my songs； but they
are but a nurse's lullaby to the weary flesh。 I can awe you with
my silence； but my silence is only my just humility； and your gain。
How dare I pretend to tell you secrets which He who made me knows
alone？ I am but inanimate matter； why ask of me things which
belong to living spirit？ In God I live and move； and have my
being； I know not how； any more than you know。 Who will tell you
what life is； save He who is the Lord of life？ And if He will not
tell you； be sure it is because you need not to know。 At least；
why seek God in nature； the living among the dead？ He is not here：
He is risen。〃
He is not here： He is risen。 Good reader； you will probably agree
that to know that saying； is to know the key…note of the world to
come。 Believe me； to know it； and all it means； is to know the
keynote of this world also； from the fall of dynasties and the fate
of nations； to the sea…weed which rots upon the beach。
It may seem startling； possibly （though I hope not； for my readers'
sake； irreverent）； to go back at once after such thoughts； be they
true or false； to the weeds upon the cliff above our heads。 But He
who is not here； but is risen； yet is here； and has appointed them
their services in a wonderful order； and I wish that on some day；
or on many days； when a quiet sea and offshore breezes have
prevented any new objects from coming to land with the rising tide；
you would investigate the flowers peculiar to our sea…rocks and
sandhills。 Even if you do not find the delicate lily…like
Trichonema of the Channel Islands and Dawlish； or the almost as
beautiful Squill of the Cornish cliffs； or the sea…lavender of
North Devon； or any of those rare Mediterranean species which Mr。
Johns has so charmingly described in his 〃Week at the Lizard
Point；〃 yet an average cliff； with its carpeting of pink thrift and
of bladder catchfly； and Lady's finger； and elegant grasses； most
of them peculiar to the sea marge； is often a very lovely flower…
bed。
Not merely interesting； too； but brilliant in their vegetation are
sandhills； and the seemingly desolate dykes and banks of salt
marshes will yield many a curious plant； which you may neglect if
you will： but lay to your account the having to repent your
neglect hereafter； when； finding out too late what a pleasant study
botany is； you search in vain for curious forms over which you trod
every day in crossing flats which seemed to you utterly ugly and
uninteresting； but which the good God was watching as carefully as
He did the pleasant hills inland： perhaps even more carefully； for
the uplands He has completed； and handed over to man； that he may
dress and keep them： but the tide…flats below are still
unfinished； dry land in the process of creation； to which every
tide is adding the elements of fertility； which shall grow food；
perhaps in some future state of our planet； for generations yet
unborn。
But to return to the water…world； and to dredging； which of all
sea…side pursuits is perhaps the most pleasant； combining as it
does fine weather sailing with the discovery of new objects； to
which； after all； the waifs and strays of the beach； whether
〃flotsom jetsom； or lagand；〃 as the old Admiralty laws define them；
are few and poor。 I say particularly fine weather sailing； for a
swell； which makes the dredge leap along the bottom； instead of
scraping steadily； is as fatal to sport as it is to some people's
comfort。 But dredging； if you use a pleasure boat and the small
naturalist's dredge； is an amusement in which ladies； if they will；
may share； and which will increase； and not interfere with； the
amusements of a water…party。
The naturalist's dredge； of which Mr。 Gosse's 〃Aquarium〃 gives a
detailed account； should differ from the common oyster dredge in
being smaller； certainly not more than four feet across the mouth；
and instead of having but one iron scraping…lip like the oyster
dredge； it should have two； one above and one below； so that it
will work equally well on whichsoever side it falls； or how often
soever it may be turned over by rough ground。 The bag…net should
be of strong spunyarn； or （still better） of hide 〃such as those
hides of the wild cattle of the Pampas； which the tobacconists
receive from South America；〃 cut into thongs； and netted close。 It
should be loosely laced together with a thong at the tail edge in
order to be opened easily； when brought on board； without canting
the net over； and pouring the contents roughly out through the
mouth。 The dragging…rope should be strong； and at least three
times as long as the perpendicular depth of the water in which you
are working； if； indeed； there is much breeze； or any swell at all；
still more line should be veered out。 The inboard end should be
made fast somewhere in the stern sheets； the dredge hove to
windward； the boat put before the wind； and you may then amuse
yourself as you will for the next quarter of an hour； provided that
you have got ready various wide…mouthed bottles for the more
delicate monsters； and a couple of buckets； to receive the large
lumps of oysters and serpulae which you will probably bring to the
surface。
As for a dredging ground； one may be found； I suppose； off every
watering…place。 The most fertile spots are in rough ground； in not
less than five fathoms water。 The deeper the water； the rarer and
more interesting will the animals generally be： but a greater
depth than fifteen fathoms is not easily reached on this side of
Plymouth； and； on the whole； the beginner will find enough in seven
or eight fathoms to stock an aquarium rivalling any of those in the
〃Tank…house〃 at the Zoological Gardens。
In general； the south coast of England； to the eastward of
Portland； affords bad dredging ground。 The friable cliffs； of
comparatively recent formations； keep the sea shallow； and the
bottom smooth and bare； by the vast deposits of sand and gravel。
Yet round the Isle of Wight； especially at the back of the Needles；
there ought to be fertile spots； and Weymouth； according to Mr。
Gosse and other well…known naturalists； is a very garden of Nereus。
Torbay； as may well be supposed； is an admirable dredging spot；
perhaps its two best points are round the isolated Thatcher and