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were more beautiful than even in midday sunshine, what would we not 
give ? Rambles with an object go far to bring back the spring of early 
life. 
In conclusion, I will quote the words of Sidney Hibbard, in an 
Article on the subject of this evening. He says : 
"The Aquarium introduces us to new scenes, hitherto hidden from 
our view, and makes us acquainted with the economy of creatures of 
whose very existence, many of us, not altogether unlearned in the his- 
tory of the world, were previously ignorant. Their habits of feeding, 
moving, and burrowing, their battles, their change of form, the display 
of even a strange intelligence working its way by wonderful means to 
wonderful ends, impress the observer with the idea of the boundlessness, 
the variety, the adaptations and resources of a world brimming with life, 
in all manner of strange forms and developments. Here we see them 
equipped and armed for battle against each other, the strong destroying 
the weak, yet each contributing its part to the preservation of the whole, 
just as in all other departments of Nature, the great balance of perfection 
is sustained by incessant and intestine war ; the struggles of opposing 
elements and powers and beings, all working mysteriously in a manner 
independent of isolated circumstances, Nature, the prodigal mother, 
setting no value upon individuals, but regarding tribes and races as 
paramount, the whole seeming confusion tending to one end ; the revo- 
lution of the mighty wheel on which the creatures are painted as signs 
and in which ages are but minutes in a revolution which itself is eternity. 
In the midst of all, everlasting Wisdom watching, loving and sustaining; 
happy we to get some glimpses of His method of working through the 
medium of the strange creatures which leave the mysterious deep to 
throw a new radiance on our homes." 
#C*0\ 
