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to plain likeness； call 〃mermaid's head；〃 （12） which we picked up
just now on Paignton Sands？ Or which； again； by its more beautiful
little congener； （13） five or six of which are adhering tightly to
the slab before us； a ball covered with delicate spines of lilac
and green； and stuck over （cunning fellows！） with stripes of dead
sea…weed to serve as improvised parasols？ One cannot say that in
him we have the first type of the human skull： for the
resemblance； quaint as it is； is only sensuous and accidental； （in
the logical use of that term；） and not homological； I。E。 a lower
manifestation of the same idea。 Yet how is one tempted to say；
that this was Nature's first and lowest attempt at that use of
hollow globes of mineral for protecting soft fleshy parts； which
she afterwards developed to such perfection in the skulls of
vertebrate animals！ But even that conceit； pretty as it sounds；
will not hold good； for though Radiates similar to these were among
the earliest tenants of the abyss； yet as early as their time；
perhaps even before them； had been conceived and actualized； in the
sharks； and in Mr。 Hugh Miller's pets the old red sandstone fishes；
that very true vertebrate skull and brain； of which this is a mere
mockery。 （14） Here the whole animal； with his extraordinary
feeding mill； （for neither teeth nor jaws is a fit word for it；） is
enclosed within an ever…growing limestone castle； to the
architecture of which the Eddystone and the Crystal Palace are
bungling heaps； without arms or legs； eyes or ears； and yet
capable； in spite of his perpetual imprisonment； of walking；
feeding； and breeding； doubt it not； merrily enough。 But this
result has been attained at the expense of a complication of
structure； which has baffled all human analysis and research into
final causes。 As much concerning this most miraculous of families
as is needful to be known； and ten times more than you are likely
to understand； may be read in Harvey's 〃Sea…Side Book；〃 pp。 142…
148； … pages from which you will probably arise with a sense of the
infinity and complexity of Nature； even in what we are pleased to
call her 〃lower〃 forms； and the simplest and； as it were； easiest
forms of life。 Conceive a Crystal Palace； （for mere difference in
size； as both the naturalist and the metaphysician know； has
nothing to do with the wonder；） whereof each separate joist；
girder； and pane grows continually without altering the shape of
the whole； and you have conceived only one of the miracles embodied
in that little sea…egg； which the Creator has； as it were； to
justify to man His own immutability； furnished with a shell capable
of enduring fossil for countless ages； that we may confess Him to
have been as great when first His Spirit brooded on the deep； as He
is now and will be through all worlds to come。
But we must make haste； for the tide is rising fast； and our stone
will be restored to its eleven hours' bath； long before we have
talked over half the wonders which it holds。 Look though； ere you
retreat； at one or two more。
What is that little brown thing whom you have just taken off the
rock to which it adhered so stoutly by his sucking…foot？ A limpet？
Not at all： he is of quite a different family and structure； but；
on the whole； a limpet…like shell would suit him well enough； so he
had one given him： nevertheless； owing to certain anatomical
peculiarities； he needed one aperture more than a limpet； so one；
if you will examine； has been given him at the top of his shell。
（15） This is one instance among a thousand of the way in which a
scientific knowledge of objects must not obey； but run counter to；
the impressions of sense； and of a custom in nature which makes
this caution so necessary； namely； the repetition of the same form；
slightly modified； in totally different animals； sometimes as if to
avoid waste； （for why should not the same conception be used in two
different cases； if it will suit in both？） and sometimes （more
marvellous by far） when an organ； fully developed and useful in one
species； appears in a cognate species but feeble； useless； and； as
it were； abortive； and gradually； in species still farther removed；
dies out altogether； placed there； it would seem； at first sight；
merely to keep up the family likeness。 I am half jesting； that
cannot be the only reason； perhaps not the reason at all； but the
fact is one of the most curious； and notorious also； in comparative
anatomy。
Look； again； at those sea…slugs。 One； some three inches long； of a
bright lemon…yellow； clouded with purple； another of a dingy grey；
（16） another exquisite little creature of a pearly French White；
（17） furred all over the back with what seem arms； but are really
gills； of ringed white and grey and black。 Put that yellow one
into water； and from his head； above the eyes； arise two serrated
horns； while from the after…part of his back springs a circular
Prince…of…Wales's…feather of gills； … they are almost exactly like
those which we saw just now in the white Cucumaria。 Yes； here is
another instance of the same custom of repetition。 The Cucumaria
is a low radiate animal … the sea…slug a far higher mollusc； and
every organ within him is formed on a different type； as indeed are
those seemingly identical gills； if you come to examine them under
the microscope； having to oxygenate fluids of a very different and
more complicated kind； and； moreover； the Cucumaria's gills were
put round his mouth； the Doris's feathers round the other
extremity； that grey Eolis's； again； are simple clubs； scattered
over his whole back； and in each of his nudibranch congeners these
same gills take some new and fantastic form； in Melibaea those
clubs are covered with warts； in Scyllaea； with tufted bouquets； in
the beautiful Antiopa they are transparent bags； and in many other
English species they take every conceivable form of leaf； tree；
flower； and branch； bedecked with every colour of the rainbow； as
you may see them depicted in Messrs。 Alder and Hancock's unrivalled
Monograph on the Nudibranch Mollusca。
And now； worshipper of final causes and the mere useful in nature；
answer but one question； … Why this prodigal variety？ All these
Nudibranchs live in much the same way： why would not the same
mould have done for them all？ And why； again； （for we must push
the argument a little further；） why have not all the butterflies；
at least all who feed on the same plant； the same markings？ Of all
unfathomable triumphs of design； （we can only express ourselves
thus； for honest induction； as Paley so well teaches； allows us to
ascribe such results only to the design of some personal will and
mind；） what surpasses that by which the scales on a butterfly's
wing are arranged to produce a certain pattern of artistic beauty
beyond all painter's skill？ What a waste of power； on any
utilitarian theory of nature！ And once more； why are those strange
microscopic atomies； the Diatomaceae and Infusoria； which fill
every stagnant pool； which fringe every branch of sea…weed； which
form banks hundreds of miles long on the Arctic sea…floor； and the
strata of whole moorlands； which pervade in millions the mass of
every iceberg； and float aloft in countless swarms amid the clouds
of the volcanic dust； … why are their tiny shells of flint as
fantastically various in their quaint mathematical symmetry； as
they are countless beyond the wildest dreams of the Poet？ Mystery
inexplicable on the conceited notion which； making man forsooth the
centre of the universe； dares to believe that this variety of forms
has existed for countless ages in abysmal sea…depths and untrodden
forests； only that some few individuals of the Western races might；
in these latter days； at last discover and admire a corner here and
there of the boundless realms of beauty。 Inexplicable； truly； if
man be the centre and the object of their existence； explicable
enough to him who believes that God has created all things for
Himself； and rejoices in His own handiwork； and that the material
universe is； as the wise man says； 〃A platform whereon His Eternal
Spirit sports and makes melody。〃 Of all the blessings which the
study of nature brings to the patient observer； let none； perhaps；
be classed higher than this： that the further he enters into those
fairy gardens of life and birth； which Spenser saw and described in
his great poem； the more he learns the awful and yet most
comfortable truth； that they do not belong to him； but to One
greater； wiser； lovelier than he； and as he stands； silent with
awe； amid the pomp of Nature's ever…busy rest； hears； as of old；
〃The Word of the Lord God walking among the trees of the garden in
the cool of the day。〃
One sight more； and we have done。 I had so