FLUSTILE OR SEA-MATS. 419 



cheer and harmonize his soul with happiest influence, 

 recurring every now and then 



" Like pleasant thoughts, that o'er the mind 

 A minute come and go again," 



yielding perpetual and increasing knowledge. 



So now we stand upon the froth-fringed margin of 

 the sea, and at our feet the rippling waves 

 " Just kiss the shore, then sleep." 



A lady, the companion of our excursion, evidently 

 inspired by the scene, is growing poetical, and ex- 

 claims, appropriately enough 



" How various the shades of marine vegetation 

 Thrown here the rough flints and the pebbles among ! 

 The feather'd Conferva, of deepest carnation, 

 The dark purple Slake, and the olive Sea-thong." 



Yes ! here they are scattered in rich variety ; and 

 among the multifarious assemblage we may likewise 

 observe innumerable specimens of what the ladies 

 call "White Sea-weeds," and which are likewise 

 known as " Hornwrack " and " Sea-mats/ 5 the FLUS- 

 TRA FOLIACEA of scientific authors. 



The word FLUSTRA, selected by Linnaeus as the 

 designation of these " Sea-mats," is derived, as we 

 are told, from a Saxon word flustrian, which signi- 

 fies to weave ; and any one who is faniiliar with the 

 ordinary appearance of these masterpieces of Nature's 

 loom, will readily acquiesce in the appropriateness of 

 the name conferred upon them. 



Few persons would imagine, from a cursory in- 

 spection of this very common marine production, how 

 wonderful its structure really is ; still fewer would 



