98 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



creatures topics of devout contemplation, fitted to fill them 

 with wonder, and to lead them to show forth His glory and 

 praise, we doubt not that the luminosity of these marine 

 '' minims'^ was intended to be one of those topics of con- 

 templation. " Praise him, ye dragons and all deeps," says 

 the Psalmist, — or, '' all inhabitants of the deeps." The ele- 

 gant zoophytes, and the jelly-like MeduscBj which abound so 

 much in the deep, are well calculated to show forth His 

 praise during the day ; and should not our pious admiration 

 be increased, when the former, on being handled during the 

 night, become more brilliant than rubies ; and when the lat- 

 ter, though often, from their pellucidity, invisible through 

 the day, render, in the darkness, every troubled portion 

 of the deep a splendid whirlpool of innocuous fire ? 



But shoidd not we still more adore his wonder-working 

 hand, if Ave find that what is beautiful in our eyes is highly 

 beneficial to the floating torch-bearers themselves ? May 

 not tliis garment of fire be their armour of defence, — their 

 panoply of protection? They have their enemies amidst 

 the waves ; and may not this sudden flash of fire in the dark- 

 ness of the deep be intended to alarm the foes by wdiich they 

 are assailed? The Lord was to his people of old a pillar 

 of fire by night, and a pillar of cloud by day. By fire and 



