1839-4- A WALK BY THE SEA. IOI 



weeds, and now and then a strange stone, with which I 

 loaded my hat and pockets. . There, among strange crab- 

 fish, and cuttle-fish, and creeping things, what should I find 

 thrown by the waves at my feet, but a little round leather 

 play-ball. The question arises, whence came it? It was 

 small enough to suit the delicate fingers of the most fragile 

 mermaid or sea-nymph, who may have tossed it in excess 

 of glee too far, so that it came to the surface of the great 

 water. I had been amusing myself skimming oyster- shells 

 in duck-and-drake fashion over the surface of the water 

 this being a great occupation of mine at the sea-side. 

 Mayhap this pleased the sea ladies, and they responded by 

 sending me the ball. Who knows 1 The voice of the waters 

 spoke in full diapason tone, some stout hand being at the 

 bellows. And doth not St. Paul say, ' That every voice 

 in nature has a significance ? ' Doubtless, but our closed 

 ears understand it as little as the music of the spheres. It 

 may have been that some too frolicsome nymph broke one 

 of the mother-of-pearl panes of Neptune's sitting-room with 

 the misdirected ball, whereupon the angry god, snatching 

 the offending missile, hurled it with his mighty arm sheer 

 through the opposing waters, to perpetuate its future as- 

 saults on brother Pluto's round earth (as Jove tossed grim 

 Mulciber over the crystal battlement). Whether or no, it 

 has led me, in vain attempt to trace its parabolic and alto- 

 gether hyperbolic course over earth and sea, far away from 

 my object in snatching my pen to write gravely to my grave 

 brother. Wait a bit, the gravity is coming. 



" James has got a prize from Sir W. Hamilton for transla- 

 tion, but otherwise has not done much this winter. I am as 

 before ; but now done with classes. Dr. Kombst, who has 

 highly eulogized my progress in German, especially my 

 quickness in learning to speak (after a fashion) ! has sent 



