TUNICATA. ASCIDIANS. 443 



CHAPTER XL VIII. 



TUNICATA. ASCIDIANS. 



" I find thee apt ; 



And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed 

 That roots itself in ease on Lethe's wharf." 



THE scene is altered ! Who that saw the sun go down 

 last evening would have dreamed of such a change as 



this? 



" Shapes rose from the ocean to greet him ; 



They curtain'd his bed : 

 Gold- tinged, like the eye of the topaz j 



Blush-colour' d, blood-red j 

 Such blue as the amethyst hides 

 In the depths of her breast : 

 And thus in the bosom of beauty 

 He sank to his rest ! " 



Then, all was calm and cheerful, and the peaceful sea, 

 extended like a mirror, only served to multiply the 

 glories of the parting day ; but now, the hardy fisher- 

 man, with sail half-hoisted, hastens back to port to 

 seek a shelter from the coming storm. The wind 

 is up, and the dark heaving swell rolls heavily upon 

 the beach, curling in sheets of foam, which, as they 

 hurry onwards, seem to try to shun the maddening 



