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Himself without witness；〃 in nature itself； that He is the God of grace。
Why speak of the God of nature and the God of grace as two antithetical
terms？ The Bible never； in a single instance； makes the distinction； and
surely； if God be （as He is） the Eternal and Unchangeable One； and if （as
we all confess） the universe bears the impress of His signet； we have no
right； in the present infantile state of science； to put arbitrary limits of
our own to the revelation which He may have thought good to make of
Himself in nature。 Nay； rather； let us believe that； if our eyes were
opened； we should fulfil the requirement of Genius； to 〃see the universal
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in the particular；〃 by seeing God's whole likeness； His whole glory；
reflected as in a mirror even in the meanest flower； and that nothing but
the dulness of our own souls prevents them from seeing day and night in
all things； however small or trivial to human eclecticism； the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself fulfilling His own saying； 〃My Father worketh hitherto；
and I work。〃
To me it seems （to sum up； in a few words； what I have tried to say）
that such development and progress as have as yet been actually
discovered in nature； bear every trace of having been produced by
successive acts of thought and will in some personal mind； which；
however boundlessly rich and powerful； is still the Archetype of the
human mind； and therefore （for to this I confess I have been all along
tending） probably capable； without violence to its properties； of
becoming； like the human mind； incarnate。
But to descend from these perhaps too daring speculations； there is
another； and more human； source of interest about the animal who is
writhing feebly in the glass jar of salt water； for he is one of the many
curiosities which have been added to our fauna by that humble hero Mr。
Charles Peach； the self…taught naturalist； of whom； as we walk on toward
the rocks； something should be said； or rather read； for Mr。 Chambers； in
an often…quoted passage from his Edinburgh Journal； which I must have
the pleasure of quoting once again； has told the story better than we can
tell it：…
〃But who is that little intelligent…looking man in a faded naval
uniform； who is so invariably to be seen in a particular central seat in
this section？ That； gentle reader； is perhaps one of the most interesting
men who attend the British Association。 He is only a private in the
mounted guard （preventive service） at an obscure part of the Cornwall
coast； with four shillings a day； and a wife and nine children； most of
whose education he has himself to conduct。 He never tastes the
luxuries which are so common in the middle ranks of life； and even
amongst a large portion of the working classes。 He has to mend with
his own hands every sort of thing that can break or wear in his house。
Yet Mr。 Peach is a votary of Natural History； not a student of the science
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in books； for he cannot afford books； but an investigator by sea and
shore； a collector of Zoophytes and Echinodermata … strange creatures；
many of which are as yet hardly known to man。 These he collects；
preserves； and describes； and every year does he come up to the British
Association with a few novelties of this kind； accompanied by
illustrative papers and drawings： thus； under circumstances the very
opposite of those of such men as Lord Enniskillen； adding； in like
manner； to the general stock of knowledge。 On the present occasion he
is unusually elated； for he has made the discovery of a Holothuria with
twenty tentacula； a species of the Echinodermata which Professor Forbes；
in his book on Star…Fishes； has said was never yet observed in the British
seas。 It may be of small moment to you； who； mayhap； know nothing
of Holothurias： but it is a considerable thing to the Fauna of Britain；
and a vast matter to a poor private of the Cornwall mounted guard。
And accordingly he will go home in a few days； full of the glory of his
exhibition； and strong anew by the kind notice taken of him by the
masters of the science； to similar inquiries； difficult as it may be to
prosecute them； under such a complication of duties； professional and
domestic。 Honest Peach！ humble as is thy home； and simple thy
bearing； thou art an honour even to this assemblage of nobles and
doctors： nay； more； when we consider everything； thou art an honour
to human nature itself； for where is the heroism like that of virtuous；
intelligent； independent poverty？ And such heroism is thine！〃 …
CHAMBERS' EDIN。 JOURN。； Nov。 23； 1844。
Mr。 Peach has been since rewarded in part for his long labours in the
cause of science； by having been removed to a more lucrative post on
the north coast of Scotland； the earnest； it is to be hoped； of still further
promotion。
I mentioned just now Synapta； or； as Montagu called it； Chirodota：
a much better name； and； I think； very uselessly changed； for Chirodota
expresses the peculiarity of the beast； which consists in … start not； reader
… twelve hands； like human hands； while Synapta expresses merely its
power of clinging to the fingers； which it possesses in common with
many other animals。 It is； at least； a beast worth talking about； as for
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finding one； I fear that we have no chance of such good fortune。
Colonel Montagu found them here some forty years ago； and after
him； Mr。 Alder； in 1845。 I found hundreds of them； but only once； in
1854 after a heavy south…eastern gale； washed up among the great
Lutrariae in a cove near Goodrington； but all my dredging outside failed
to procure a specimen … Mr。 Alder； however； and Mr。 Cocks （who find
everything； and will at last certainly catch Midgard； the great sea…serpent；
as Thor did； by baiting for him with a bull's head）； have dredged them in
great numbers； the former； at Helford in Cornwall； the latter on the west
coast of Scotland。 It seems； however； to be a southern monster；
probably a remnant； like the great cockle； of the Mediterranean fauna；
for Mr。 MacAndrew finds them plentifully in Vigo Bay； and J。 M 乴 ler
in the Adriatic； off Trieste。
But what is it like？ Conceive a very fat short earth…worm； not
ringed； though； like the earth…worm； but smooth and glossy； dappled
with darker spots； especially on one side； which may be the upper one。
Put round its mouth twelve little arms； on each a hand with four ragged
fingers； and on the back of the hand a stump of a thumb； and you have
Synapta Digitata （Plates IV。 and V。； from my drawings of the live
animal）。 These hands it puts down to its mouth； generally in alternate
pairs； but how it obtains its food by them is yet a mystery； for it