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Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
Glaucus/or The Wonders
of the Shore
By Chas Kingsley
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Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
You are going down； perhaps； by railway； to pass your usual six
weeks at some watering…place along the coast； and as you roll along
think more than once； and that not over…cheerfully； of what you shall do
when you get there。 You are half…tired； half…ashamed； of making one
more in the ignoble army of idlers； who saunter about the cliffs； and
sands； and quays； to whom every wharf is but a 〃wharf of Lethe；〃 by
which they rot 〃dull as the oozy weed。〃 You foreknow your doom by
sad experience。 A great deal of dressing； a lounge in the club…room； a
stare out of the window with the telescope； an attempt to take a bad
sketch； a walk up one parade and down another； interminable reading of
the silliest of novels； over which you fall asleep on a bench in the sun；
and probably have your umbrella stolen； a purposeless fine…weather sail
in a yacht； accompanied by many ineffectual attempts to catch a
mackerel； and the consumption of many cigars； while your boys deafen
your ears； and endanger your personal safety； by blazing away at
innocent gulls and willocks； who go off to die slowly； a sport which you
feel to be wanton； and cowardly； and cruel； and yet cannot find in your
heart to stop； because 〃the lads have nothing else to do； and at all events
it keeps them out of the billiard…room；〃 and after all； and worst of all； at
night a soulless RECHAUFFE of third…rate London frivolity： this is
the life…in…death in which thousands spend the golden weeks of summer；
and in which you confess with a sigh that you are going to spend them。
Now I will not be so rude as to apply to you the old hymn…distich
about one who
〃 … finds some mischief still For idle hands to do：〃
but does it not seem to you； that there must surely be many a thing
worth looking at earnestly； and thinking over earnestly； in a world like
this； about the making of the least part whereof God has employed ages
and ages； further back than wisdom can guess or imagination picture；
and upholds that least part every moment by laws and forces so complex
and so wonderful； that science； when it tries to fathom them； can only
learn how little it can learn？ And does it not seem to you that six
weeks' rest； free from the cares of town business and the whirlwind of
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Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
town pleasure； could not be better spent than in examining those
wonders a little； instead of wandering up and down like the many； still
wrapt up each in his little world of vanity and self…interest； unconscious
of what and where they really are； as they gaze lazily around at earth and
sea and sky； and have
〃No speculation in those eyes Which they do glare withal〃？
Why not； then； try to discover a few of the Wonders of the Shore？
For wonders there are there around you at every step； stranger than ever
opium…eater dreamed； and yet to be seen at no greater expense than a
very little time and trouble。
Perhaps you smile； in answer； at the notion of becoming a
〃Naturalist：〃 and yet you cannot deny that there must be a fascination in
the study of Natural History； though what it is is as yet unknown to you。
Your daughters； perhaps； have been seized with the prevailing
〃Pteridomania；〃 and are collecting and buying ferns； with Ward's cases
wherein to keep them （for which you have to pay）； and wrangling over
unpronounceable names of species （which seem to he different in each
new Fern…book that they buy）； till the Pteridomania seems to you
somewhat of a bore： and yet you cannot deny that they find an
enjoyment in it； and are more active； more cheerful； more self…forgetful
over it； than they would have been over novels and gossip； crochet and
Berlin…wool。 At least you will confess that the abomination of 〃Fancy…
work〃 … that standing cloak for dreamy idleness （not to mention the
injury which it does to poor starving needlewomen） … has all but
vanished from your drawing…room since the 〃Lady…ferns〃 and 〃Venus's
hair〃 appeared； and that you could not help yourself looking now and
then at the said 〃Venus's hair；〃 and agreeing that Nature's real beauties
were somewhat superior to the ghastly woollen caricatures which they
had superseded。
You cannot deny； I say； that there is a fascination in this same
Natural History。 For do not you； the London merchant； recollect how
but last summer your douce and portly head…clerk was seized by two
keepers in the act of wandering in Epping Forest at dead of night； with a
dark lantern； a jar of strange sweet compound； and innumerable
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Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
pocketfuls of pill…boxes； and found it very difficult to make either his
captors or you believe that he was neither going to burn wheat…ricks； nor
poison pheasants； but was simply 〃sugaring the trees for moths；〃 as a
blameless entomologist？ And when； in self…justification； he took you
to his house in Islington； and showed you the glazed and corked drawers
full of delicate insects； which had evidently cost him in the collecting the
spare hours of many busy years； and many a pound； too； out of his small
salary； were you not a little puzzled to make out what spell there could
be in those 〃useless〃 moths； to draw out of his warm bed； twenty miles
down the Eastern Counties Railway； and into the damp forest like a deer…
stealer； a sober white…headed Tim Linkinwater like him； your very best
man of business； given to the reading of Scotch political economy； and
gifted with peculiarly clear notions on the currency question？
It is puzzling； truly。 I shall be very glad if these pages help you
somewhat toward solving the puzzle。
We shall agree at least that the study of Natural History has become
now…a…days an honourable one。 A Cromarty stonemason was till lately
… God rest his noble soul！ … the most important man in the City of
Edinburgh； by dint of a work on fossil fishes； and the successful
investigator of the minutest animals takes place unquestioned among
men of genius； and； like the philosopher of old Greece； is considered； by
virtue of his science； fit company for dukes and princes。 Nay； the study
is now more than honourable； it is （what to many readers will be a far
higher recommendation） even fashionable。 Every well…educated
person is eager to know something at least of the wonderful organic
forms which surround him in every sunbeam and every pebble； and
books of Natural History are finding their way more and more into
drawing…rooms and school…rooms； and exciting greater thirst for a
knowledge which； even twenty years ago； was considered superfluous
for all but the professional student。
What a change from the temper of two generations since； when the
natura