110 COLD PHILOSOPHY. 



downwards, and its shell upon its back, much after the manner 

 of the common snail. Most terribly true, therefore, is it here, 



that 



" All charms fly 



At the mere touch of cold philosophy." 



Once we had a little voyageur all elegance and grace 

 " The ocean Mab, the fairy of the sea ;" 



but " cold philosophy " comes and touches it ; and, lo ! the 

 favourite of the poets becomes a mere commonplace crawler at 

 the sea-bottom. 



But let us be consoled. Philosophy has revealed more 

 wonders than it has marred ; and, with all deference to the 

 author of " Lamia," prosaic truths are far better than poetic 

 fictions. 



