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man's fist； a round…bodied； spindle…shanked； crusty； prickly； dirty
fellow； with a villanous squint； too； in those little bony eyes；
which never look for a moment both the same way。 Never mind： many
a man of genius is ungainly enough； and Nature； if you will
observe； as if to make up to him for his uncomeliness； has arrayed
him as Solomon in all his glory never was arrayed； and so fulfilled
one of the proposals of old Fourier … that scavengers； chimney…
sweeps； and other workers in disgusting employments； should be
rewarded for their self…sacrifice in behalf of the public weal by
some peculiar badge of honour； or laurel crown。 Not that his
crown； like those of the old Greek games； is a mere useless badge；
on the contrary； his robe of state is composed of his fellow…
servants。 His whole back is covered with a little grey forest of
branching hairs； fine as a spider's web； each branchlet carrying
its little pearly ringed club； each club its rose…coloured polype；
like （to quote Mr。 Gosse's comparison） the unexpanded birds of the
acacia。 （28）
On that leg grows； amid another copse of the grey polypes； a
delicate straw…coloured Sertularia； branch on branch of tiny double
combs； each tooth of the comb being a tube containing a living
flower； on another leg another Sertularia； coarser； but still
beautiful； and round it again has trained itself； parasitic on the
parasite； plant upon plant of glass ivy； bearing crystal bells；
（29） each of which； too； protrudes its living flower； on another
leg is a fresh species； like a little heather…bush of whitest
ivory； （30） and every needle leaf a polype cell … let us stop
before the imagination grows dizzy with the contemplation of those
myriads of beautiful atomies。 And what is their use？ Each living
flower； each polype mouth is feeding fast； sweeping into itself； by
the perpetual currents caused by the delicate fringes upon its rays
（so minute these last； that their motion only betrays their
presence）； each tiniest atom of decaying matter in the surrounding
water； to convert it； by some wondrous alchemy； into fresh cells
and buds； and either build up a fresh branch in their thousand…
tenanted tree； or form an egg…cell； from whence when ripe may
issue； not a fixed zoophyte； but a free swimming animal。
And in the meanwhile； among this animal forest grows a vegetable
one of delicatest sea…weeds； green and brown and crimson； whose
office is； by their everlasting breath； to reoxygenate the impure
water； and render it fit once more to be breathed by the higher
animals who swim or creep around。
Mystery of mysteries！ Let us jest no more； … Heaven forgive us if
we have jested too much on so simple a matter as that poor spider…
crab； taken out of the lobster…pots； and left to die at the bottom
of the boat； because his more aristocratic cousins of the blue and
purple armour will not enter the trap while he is within。
I am not aware whether the surmise； that these tiny zoophytes help
to purify the water by exhaling oxygen gas； has yet been verified。
The infusorial animalcules do so； reversing the functions of animal
life； and instead of evolving carbonic acid gas； as other animals
do； evolve pure oxygen。 So； at least； says Liebig； who states that
he found a small piece of matchwood； just extinguished； burst out
again into a flame on being immersed in the bubbles given out by
these living atomies。
I myself should be inclined to doubt that this is the case with
zoophytes； having found water in which they were growing （unless；
of course； sea…weeds were present） to be peculiarly ready to become
foul； but it is difficult to say whether this is owing to their
deoxygenating the water while alive； like other animals； or to the
fact that it is very rare to get a specimen of zoophyte in which a
large number of the polypes have not been killed in the transit
home； or at least so far knocked about； that （in the Anthozoa；
which are far the most abundant） the polype … or rather living
mouth； for it is little more … is thrown off to decay； pending the
growth of a fresh one in the same cell。
But all the sea…weeds； in common with other vegetables； perform
this function continually； and thus maintain the water in which
they grow in a state fit to support animal life。
This fact … first advanced by Priestley and Ingenhousz； and though
doubted by the great Ellis； satisfactorily ascertained by Professor
Daubeny； Mr。 Ward； Dr。 Johnston； and Mr。 Warrington … gives an
answer to the question； which I hope has ere now arisen in the
minds of some of my readers； …
How is it possible to see these wonders at home？ Beautiful and
instructive as they may be； can they be meant for any but dwellers
by the sea…side？ Nay more； even to them； must not the glories of
the water…world be always more momentary than those of the rainbow；
a mere Fata Morgana which breaks up and vanishes before the eyes？
If there were but some method of making a miniature sea…world for a
few days； much more of keeping one with us when far inland。 …
This desideratum has at last been filled up； and science has shown；
as usual； that by simply obeying Nature； we may conquer her； even
so far as to have our miniature sea； of artificial salt…water；
filled with living plants and sea…weeds； maintaining each other in
perfect health； and each following； as far as is possible in a
confined space； its natural habits。
To Dr。 Johnston is due； as far as is known； the honour of the first
accomplishment of this as of a hundred other zoological triumphs。
As early as 1842； he proved to himself the vegetable nature of the
common pink Coralline； which fringes every rock…pool； by keeping it
for eight weeks in unchanged salt…water； without any putrefaction
ensuing。 The ground； of course； on which the proof rested in this
case was； that if the coralline were； as had often been thought； a
zoophyte； the water would become corrupt； and poisonous to the life
of the small animals in the same jar； and that its remaining fresh
argued that the coralline had re…oxygenated it from time to time；
and was therefore a vegetable。
In 1850； Mr。 Robert Warrington communicated to the Chemical Society
the results of a year's experiments； 〃On the Adjustment of the
Relations between the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms； by which the
Vital Functions of both are permanently maintained。〃 The law which
his experiments verified was the same as that on which Mr。 Ward； in
1842； founded his invaluable proposal for increasing the purity of
the air in large towns； by planting trees and cultivating flowers
in rooms； THAT THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE RESPIRATIONS MIGHT
COUNTERBALANCE EACH OTHER； the animal's blood being purified by the
oxygen given off by the plants； the plants fed by the carbonic acid
breathed out by the animals。
On the same principle； Mr。 Warrington