THE WONDERS OF THE SHORE. 103 



(whether rightly or wrongly, we can hardly tell) 

 from attributincT a sense of the ludicrous to the 

 Creator of these forms. It may be a weakness 

 on our part ; at least we will hope it is a reverent 

 one ^ but till we can find something corresponding 

 to what we conceive of the Divine Mind in any 

 class of phenomena, it is perhaps better not 

 to talk aljout them at all, but observe a stoic 

 " epoche," waiting for more light, and yet confess- 

 ing that our own laughter is uncontrollable, and 

 therefore we hope not unworthy of us, at many a 

 strange creature and strange doing which we 

 meet, from the highest ape to the lowest polype. 



But, in the mean while, there are animals in 

 which results so strange, fantastic, even seemingly 

 horrible, arc produced, that fallen man may be 

 jiardoncd, if he shrinks from them in disgust. 

 That, at least, must be a consequence of our own 

 wrong fitatc; for everything is beautiful and 

 perfect in its place. It may be answered, " Yes, 

 in its place ; but its place is not yours. You 

 had no business to look at it, and must pay 

 the penalty for intermfdilling." I doubt that 

 nn.Mwer ; for surely, if m:ui have liberty to do 

 anything, he Jian liberty to Bonrch out freely his 

 Heavenly Fatlier's works; and yet every one 



