CHAPTER IX 

 Diatoms 



'T AM intensely desirous that you should tell me 

 A something of the most wonderful object you 

 have ever seen with the aid of a powerful microscope. 

 And if the most wonderful should happen to be the 

 most beautiful, so much the better, for the treat will 

 be intensified.' 



These words were spoken with an earnestness which 

 was unmistakable, and which did me good to witness. 

 The speaker was a lady, rich both as regards informa- 

 tion and worldly possessions two kinds of riches 

 which do not always go together. My microscope 

 was ready for the purpose of giving ocular demon- 

 stration and support to any replies I might make. 

 The question was important, but only part of the 

 response can be recorded here ; because the micro- 

 scrope supplied nine-tenths of the answers. 



As well as I can recall, the following was my share 

 of the reply : 



' All Nature so abounds in wonderful objects full of 

 beauty, that it would be impossible to say which 

 deserves to be called the most beautiful. Com- 



