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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
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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；
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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 …
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〃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