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monsters whose models fill the lake at the Crystal Palace。 The
research which has been bestowed； for the last century； upon these
once unnoticed atomies has well repaid itself； for from no branch
of physical science has more been learnt of the SCIENTIA
SCIENTIARUM； the priceless art of learning； no branch of science
has more utterly confounded a wisdom of the wise； shattered to
pieces systems and theories； and the idolatry of arbitrary names；
and taught man to be silent while his Maker speaks； than this
apparent pedantry of zoophytology； in which our old distinctions of
〃animal；〃 〃vegetable；〃 and 〃mineral〃 are trembling in the balance；
seemingly ready to vanish like their fellows … 〃the four elements〃
of fire； earth； air； and water。 No branch of science has helped so
much to sweep away that sensuous idolatry of mere size； which
tempts man to admire and respect objects in proportion to the
number of feet or inches which they occupy in space。 No branch of
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
creatur