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him who has eyes to see； are strange enough。
I speak from experience； for it was not so very long ago that； in the
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north of Devon； I found sermons； not indeed in stones； but in a creature
reputed among the most worthless of sea…vermin。 I had been lounging
about all the morning on the little pier； waiting； with the rest of the
village； for a trawling breeze which would not come。 Two o'clock was
past； and still the red mainsails of the skiffs hung motionless； and their
images quivered head downwards in the glassy swell；
〃As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean。〃
It was neap…tide； too； and therefore nothing could be done among
the rocks。 So； in despair； finding an old coast…guard friend starting for
his lobster…pots； I determined to save the old man's arms； by rowing him
up the shore； and then paddled homeward again； under the high green
northern wall； five hundred feet of cliff furred to the water's edge with
rich oak woods； against whose base the smooth Atlantic swell died
whispering； as if curling itself up to sleep at last within that sheltered
nook； tired with its weary wanderings。 The sun sank lower and lower
behind the deer…park point； the white stair of houses up the glen was
wrapped every moment deeper and deeper in hazy smoke and shade； as
the light faded； the evening fires were lighted one by one； the soft
murmur of the waterfall； and the pleasant laugh of children； and the
splash of homeward oars； came clearer and clearer to the ear at every
stroke： and as we rowed on； arose the recollection of many a brave and
wise friend； whose lot was cast in no such western paradise； but rather in
the infernos of this sinful earth； toiling even then amid the festering
alleys of Bermondsey and Bethnal Green； to palliate death and misery
which they had vainly laboured to prevent； watching the strides of that
very cholera which they had been striving for years to ward off； now re…
admitted in spite of all their warnings； by the carelessness； and laziness；
and greed of sinful man。 And as I thought over the whole hapless
question of sanitary reform； proved long since a moral duty to God and
man； possible； easy； even pecuniarily profitable； and yet left undone；
there seemed a sublime irony； most humbling to man； in some of
Nature's processes； and in the silent and unobtrusive perfection with
which she has been taught to anticipate； since the foundation of the
world； some of the loftiest discoveries of modern science； of which we
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are too apt to boast as if we had created the method by discovering its
possibility。 Created it？ Alas for the pride of human genius； and the
autotheism which would make man the measure of all things； and the
centre of the universe！ All the invaluable laws and methods of sanitary
reform at best are but clumsy imitations of the unseen wonders which
every animalcule and leaf have been working since the world's
foundation； with this slight difference between them and us； that they
fulfil their appointed task； and we do not。
The sickly geranium which spreads its blanched leaves against the
cellar panes； and peers up； as if imploringly； to the narrow slip of
sunlight at the top of the narrow alley； had it a voice； could tell more
truly than ever a doctor in the town； why little Bessy sickened of the
scarlatina； and little Johnny of the hooping…cough； till the toddling wee
things who used to pet and water it were carried off each and all of them
one by one to the churchyard sleep； while the father and mother sat at
home； trying to supply by gin that very vital energy which fresh air and
pure water； and the balmy breath of woods and heaths； were made by
God to give； and how the little geranium did its best； like a heaven…sent
angel； to right the wrong which man's ignorance had begotten； and drank
in； day by day； the poisoned atmosphere； and formed it into fair green
leaves； and breathed into the children's faces from every pore； whenever
they bent over it； the life…giving oxygen for which their dulled blood and
festered lungs were craving in vain； fulfilling God's will itself； though
man would not； too careless or too covetous to see； after thousands of
years of boasted progress； why God had covered the earth with grass；
herb； and tree； a living and life…giving garment of perpetual health and
youth。
It is too sad to think long about； lest we become very Heraclituses。
Let us take the other side of the matter with Democritus； try to laugh
man out of a little of his boastful ignorance and self…satisfied clumsiness；
and tell him； that if the House of Commons would but summon one of
the little Paramecia from any Thames' sewer…mouth； to give his evidence
before their next Cholera Committee； sanitary blue…books； invaluable as
they are； would be superseded for ever and a day； and sanitary reformers
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would no longer have to confess； that they know of no means of
stopping the smells which in past hot summers drove the members out of
the House； and the judges out of Westminster Hall。
Nay； in the boat at the minute of which I have been speaking； silent
and neglected； sat a fellow…passenger； who was a greater adept at
removing nuisances than the whole Board of Health put together； and
who had done his work； too； with a cheapness unparalleled； for all his
good deeds had not as yet cost the State one penny。 True； he lived by
his business； so do other inspectors of nuisances： but Nature； instead of
paying Maia Squinado； Esquire； some five hundred pounds sterling per
annum for his labour； had contrived； with a sublime simplicity of
economy which Mr。 Hume might have envied and admired afar off； to
make him do his work gratis； by giving him the nuisances as his
perquisites； and teaching him how to eat them。 Certainly （without
going the length of the Caribs； who upheld cannibalism because； they
said； it made war cheap； and precluded entirely the need of a
commissariat）； this cardinal virtue of cheapness ought to make Squinado
an interesting object in the eyes of the present generation； especially as
he was at that moment a true sanitary martyr； having； like many of his
human fellow…workers； got into a fearful scrape by meddling with those
existing interests； and 〃vested rights which are but vested wrongs；〃
which have proved fatal already to more than one Board of Health。 For
last night； as he was sitting quietly under a stone in four fathoms water；
he became aware （whether by sight； smell； or that mysterious sixth sense；
to us unknown； which seems to reside in his delicate feelers） of a
palpable nuisance somewhere in the neighbourhood； and； like a trusty
servant of the public； turned out of his bed instantly and went