ASTEROPHYTON. 187 



CHAPTER XIX. 



ASTEROPHYTON THE SHETLAND ARGUS. 



" The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament 

 sheweth his handy-work." 



WHO is there that can read these words of the Psalmist 

 without joining in the glorious psean ? Who is there 

 that does not appreciate, to some extent at least, their 

 solemn import? To acknowledge, however, the ge- 

 neral truth of such a proposition, and adequately to 

 feel its import, are two very different things ; and the 

 appreciation of the sublimity of expression used by 

 the inspired writer must always be in exact proportion 

 with our ability to trace the scope of his meaning. 

 It is an easy matter for a child to sing about 



" The spacious firmament on high, 

 And all the blue ethereal sky," 



without having much conception of the real nature of 



" Those argent fields above," 



among which the genius of a Herschel is lost in 

 wonder and admiration. It is the astronomer only, 

 whose powerful telescope, and still more far-seeing 

 calculations, enable him to fathom the blue profound, 

 and there to contemplate the amazing spectacle ; 



