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Pawing the spray into gems； till a fiery rainfall； unharming； Sparkled and
gleamed on the limbs of the maids； and the coils of the mermen。 So they
went on in their joy； bathed round with the fiery coolness； Needing nor sun
nor moon； self…lighted； immortal： but others； Pitiful； floated in silence
apart； on their knees lay the sea…boys Whelmed by the roll of the surge；
swept down by the anger of Nereus； Hapless； whom never again upon
quay or strand shall their mothers Welcome with garlands and vows to the
temples； but； wearily pining； Gaze over island and main for the sails which
return not； they； heedless； Sleep in soft bosoms for ever； and dream of
the surge and the sea… maids。 So they passed by in their joy； like a dream；
on the murmuring ripple。〃
Such a rhapsody may be somewhat out of order； even in a popular
scientific book； and yet one cannot help at moments envying the old
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Greek imagination； which could inform the soulless sea…world with a
human life and beauty。 For； after all； star…fishes and sea… anemones are
dull substitutes for Sirens and Tritons； the lamps of the sea…nymphs；
those glorious phosphorescent medusae whose beauty Mr。 Gosse sets
forth so well with pen and pencil； are not as attractive as the sea…nymphs
themselves would be； and who would not； like Menelaus； take the grey
old man of the sea himself asleep upon the rocks； rather than one of his
seal…herd； probably too with the same result as the world…famous combat
in the Antiquary； between Hector and Phoca？ And yet … is there no
human interest in these pursuits； more humanity and more divine； than
there would be even in those Triton and Nereid dreams； if realized to
sight and sense？ Heaven forbid that those should say so； whose
wanderings among rock and pool have been mixed up with holiest
passages of friendship and of love； and the intercommunion of equal
minds and sympathetic hearts； and the laugh of children drinking in
health from every breeze and instruction at every step； running ever and
anon with proud delight to add their little treasure to their parents' stock；
and of happy friendly evenings spent over the microscope and the vase；
in examining； arranging； preserving； noting down in the diary the
wonders and the labours of the happy； busy day。 No； such short
glimpses of the water…world as our present appliances afford us are full
enough of pleasure； and we will not envy Glaucus： we will not even be
over…anxious for the success of his only modern imitator； the French
naturalist who is reported to have fitted himself with a waterproof dress
and breathing apparatus； in order to walk the bottom of the
Mediterranean； and see for himself how the world goes on at the fifty…
fathom line： we will be content with the wonders of the shore and of
the sea…floor； as far as the dredge will discover them to us。 We shall
even thus find enough to occupy （if we choose） our lifetime。 For we
must recollect that this hasty sketch has hardly touched on that vegetable
water…world； which is as wonderful and as various as the animal one。
A hint or two of the beauty of the sea… weeds has been given； but space has
allowed no more。 Yet we might have spent our time with almost as
much interest and profit； had we neglected utterly the animals which we
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have found； and devoted our attention exclusively to the flora of the
rocks。 Sea…weeds are no mere playthings for children； and to buy at a
shop some thirty pretty kinds； pasted on paper； with long names
（probably mis…spelt） written under each； is not by any means to possess a
collection of them。 Putting aside the number and the obscurity of their
species； the questions which arise in studying their growth； reproduction；
and organic chemistry are of the very deepest and most important in the
whole range of science； and it will need but a little study of such a book
as Harvey's 〃Algae；〃 to show the wise man that he who has
comprehended （which no man yet does） the mystery of a single spore or
tissue…cell； has reached depths in the great 〃Science of Life〃 at which an
Owen would still confess himself 〃blind by excess of light。〃 〃Knowest
thou how the bones grow in the womb？〃 asks the Jewish sage； sadly；
half self…reprovingly； as he discovers that man is not the measure of all
things； and that in much learning may be vanity and vexation of spirit；
and in much study a weariness of the flesh； and all our deeper physical
science only brings the same question more awfully near。 〃Vilior
alg*；〃 more worthless than the very sea…weed； says the old Roman：
and yet no torn scrap of that very sea…weed； which to…morrow may
manure the nearest garden； but says to us； 〃Proud man！ talking of spores
and vesicles； if thou darest for a moment to fancy that to have seen
spores and vesicles is to have seen me； or to know what I am； answer
this。 Knowest thou how the bones do grow in the womb？ Knowest
thou even how one of these tiny black dots； which thou callest spores；
grow on my fronds？〃 And to that question what answer shall we make？
We see tissues divide； cells develop； processes go on … but How and
Why？ These are but phenomena； but what are phenomena save effects？
Causes； it may be； of other effects； but still effects of other causes。 And
why does the cause cause that effect？ Why should it not cause
something else？ Why should it cause anything at all？ Because it
obeys a law。 But why does it obey the law？ and how does it obey the
law？ And； after all； what is a law？ A mere custom of Nature。 We
see the same phenomenon happen a great many times； and we infer from
thence that it has a custom of happening； and therefore we call it a law：
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but we have not seen the law； all we have seen is the phenomenon which
we suppose to indicate the law。 We have seen things fall： but we
never saw a little flying thing pulling them down； with 〃gravitation〃
labelled on its back； and the question； why things fall； and HOW； is just
where it was before Newton was born； and is likely to remain there。
All we can say is； that Nature has her customs； and that other customs
ensue； when those customs appear： but that as to what connects cause
and effect； as to what is the reason； the final cause； or even the
CAUSA CAUSANS； of any phenomenon； we know not more but less than
ever； for those laws or customs which seem to us simplest
（〃endosmose；〃 for instance； or 〃gravitation〃）； are just the most
inexplicable； logically unexpected； seemingly arbitrary； certainly
supernatural … miraculous； if you will； for no natural and physical cause
whatsoever can be assigned for them； while if anyone shall argue against
their being miraculous and supernatural on the ground of their being so
common； I can only answer； that of all absurd and illogical arguments；
this is the most so。 For what has the num