14 CONCHOLOGIA CESTRICA. 



physical, ; science V^ke; watchword is Onward. The 

 form, trie sculpture, the painting, of the shells have not 

 : changed;: but Jihe inquiry, has gone forth Who are 

 the 1 artistic builders of those beautiful forms ? and what 

 is their organic, and life history ? To answer these in- 

 quiries, they have been interrogated in every sea, on 

 every shore, on the land, and in the water, and sub- 

 jected to the severest microscopic scrutiny. The stores 

 of information, thus brought back, whether in its vast- 

 ness, or its minuteness, of detail, has been applied to 

 extend, and to improve, what was already known re- 

 specting the shells. This knowledge now constitutes 



CONCHOLOGY. 



But the end is not yet. The heaven-aspiring mind 

 of man will not rest here, satisfied. Having thus traced 

 the creature, so far as his finite powers can go, he will 

 be irresistibly led, by the spiritual aspirations of his 

 being, 



" To look through nature, up to nature's God," 



and to worship, and adore, that great, and good, Being 

 whose wisdom planned, and whose power created, all 

 those evidences of His omnipotence. To his mind, 



" Each moss, each shell, 

 Each crawling insect, holds a rank, 

 Important in the plans of Him 

 Who fram'd their being." Stilling/bet. 



