Beanfy and Value of Shells » 9 



liis buildings,, and sliapes in wLicli to fUsliIon liia 

 articles of luxury or utility. 



TliG most beautiful scroll-work of marble 

 chimney-pieces, cornices of rooms, and otlier 

 enriclied portions of both public and private struc- 

 tures, are these in which the forms of shells have 

 been taken for the patterns of the artistic designs ; 

 and how tasteful and appropriate is the employment 

 of the shells themselves as ornaments for tha 

 mantel-piece, sideboard, and chiSbnnicr. Then^ 

 too— 



" The rainbow-tinted shell, wliicli lies 

 Miles deei3 at bottom of the sea, hath all 

 Colours of skies, and flowers, and gems, and plants." 



Not only has it grace and elegance of form, but 

 it has also richness, and delicacy, and variety of 

 colouring. In some species the tints are intensely 

 vivid as the shifting lights of the aurora borealis, 

 or the glowing hues of an autumnal sunset; in. 

 others pale and delicate as the first indications 

 of coming morn, or the scarcely perceptible tingo- 

 of a just-expanding flower-bud; in some th& 

 colours are arranged in patterns, regularly disposed ; 

 in others, in masses and blotches, of varying shapes 

 and degrees of intensity ; in some again they seem 

 to change and melt one into the other^ like tho 



