ON THE ROCK-POOLS OP JOPPA. 167 



genuity in pleasing his mistress was never idle. He 

 appeared to be continually scampering along the 

 sands and bringing back pebbles in his mouth, 

 which, after dropping on the coverlet, he would shew 

 by his barking, he expected as plainly as a dumb 

 creature could ask his mistress to throw the stone 

 into the sea, in order that he might paddle in and 

 fetch it out. She, alas ! could only hang down her 

 slender fingers for him to kiss. 



The reader will easily understand how natural it 

 was in me to wish that I might have been able to 

 direct the attention of this poor lady to the objects 

 of the sea-shore. 



At the risk of being considered impertinent, as 

 some may think, I should offer to have done some- 

 thing of the sort, had she not suddenly ceased to 

 visit her accustomed spot. 



I am sure I need not attempt to impress the ob- 

 vious fact, that to such as are blessed with health 

 and strength, it is much better to occupy their time 

 with zoological research, however humble, than, as 

 many thousands at the sea-side do, saunter listlessly 

 about upon the beach, or yawn over silly novels, or 

 " dip into the sugared slough of sentimental poetry, 

 in comparison with which the old fairy tales were 

 manful and rational," or spend their time in flimsy 

 chit-chat on the trivial topics of the hour. 



