THE SEA-SHORE. 5 



that such radiant forms might be the vehicles on 

 which denizens of some of the planetary worlds 

 might pass from place to place through the fields 

 of ether. Then far at sea on the verge of the 

 horizon there are a few ships, with only a speck 

 of snowy canvas visible, for the convex waters 

 interpose between their hulls and the spectator's 

 eye ; while only a few hundred yards off, a flock 

 of gulls are floating on the waves, screaming to 

 each other as if discussing the probabilities of a 

 contemplated attack on the next shoal of small 

 fry that make their appearance near the surface. 

 None but very ordinary observers can resist the 

 attractions which heaven, and earth, and sea 

 thus unite in presenting to the visitor of the sea- 

 shore ; and so, without any disparagement to the 

 special charms of purely rural scenes, we reiterate 

 our conviction that in this lovely month of June 

 no charms of natural scenery exceed those of our 

 sea-shores. 



Let us seat ourselves beneath the grateful 

 shadow of this rock, and no longer resist the spirit 

 of contemplation which whispers to us in these 

 whispering waves. 



What an inexhaustible fund of strange and 

 marvellous knowledge does not that sea contain ! 

 What mysteries amid its depths ! What wonders 

 in the structure and habits of its denizens ! In 

 its tides and currents how much that is interesting 

 and marvellous ! In its storms and calms how 

 much that is grand and sublime ! In all that 

 pertains to the great deep how striking and how 



B 3 



