PAINT. 219 



give the feet a firm hold while traversing the rocks, and this is 

 a matter of no small moment when the tide is coming in, and 

 the shore has to be regained without loss of time. 



Then we have other marine worms, known as Triquetra 

 and Serpula, which make tubes in a somewhat similar 

 manner, but of very fine materials and very strong cement, so 

 that the tube is nearly as hard as stone. 



Space would fail me if I were to enumerate these creatures 

 at greater length, but enough has been said to show that 

 man's invention of subaquatic cement has been anticipated in 

 Nature by the inhabitants both of salt and fresh water. 



WE now come to the subject of Paint and Varnish. Putting 

 aside their use as a means to increase the beauty of the object 

 to which they are applied, we will view them in the light of 

 preservatives, and acknowledge the truth of the old Dutch pro- 

 verb, that " Paint costs nothing." Certainly, when the wood 

 to which it is applied is thoroughly dry from within, it not 

 only costs nothing, but repays itself over and over again as a 

 preservative of the wood, and a defence against moisture from 

 without. 



The instances in which Paint is applied to wood are too 

 numerous to be mentioned. Perhaps some of my readers may 

 remember the case of the naval captain who, on taking com- 

 mand of his ship, was supplied, according to custom, with 

 exactly half the amount of paint required for her. The in- 

 variable etiquette had been that the captain supplied the 

 remaining half at his own cost. But the officer in question 

 was not at all disposed to be " put upon," and was a thorn in 

 the sides of the " Naval Lords." 



Finding, by actual measurement, that the paint supplied to 

 him was only half the amount which was really needed for the 

 ship, he sent his respectful compliments to the Admiralty, 

 asking whether they wished the port or the starboard side of 

 the ship to be painted, for that there was only enough paint 

 for one half of the ship, and he awaited instructions as to which 

 side of the vessel it was to be applied. He was impervious to 

 "minutes," "directions," &c., and, as far as I remember, this 

 very impracticable man got his way, and was supplied with the 

 requisite amount of paint. 



