UNIVALVES. 173 
every drop of water, with myriads of inhabitants, 
each of whom He has endowed with facilities for 
enjoying the gift of life. 
Such were the reflections that arose within my 
mind, and such were the beautiful variety of marine 
objects which attracted my attention, during a soli- 
tary walk on the beach at Weymouth. 
“* Whose intervening billows’ snowy foam 
Rising successively, seem’d steps of light, 
Such as on Bethel’s plain the angel’s clomb, 
When to the slumbering patriarch’s ravish’d sight 
Heaven’s glories were reveal’d in visions of the night.”’ 
The scene was indescribably pleasing. The earth, 
the air, the water, teemed with delighted existence. 
Myriads of ‘‘ insect youth were on the wing,” trying 
their early pinions, and sporting in wanton mazes 
with inconceivable rapidity. Shoals of little fishes 
darted through the sparkling waves, or bounded from 
the shallow margin of the water, as if rejoicing in 
their newly-discovered faculties ; while on the nearest 
rocks, a few Molluscz, in the shape of sea~-anemones, 
expanded their imitative petals to the sun. 
In the fore-ground, a group of dark weather-beaten 
stones was covered with Limpets (patelle); the 
conical summits of which, as the waves occasionally 
dashed them with their spray, presented a beautiful 
variety of forms and colours. They stood, like 
