268 
The Natural Hiftory of the Book IX: 
What can be more delightful to the Imagination, than a Grotto com- 
pletely embellifhed with this Kind of Imagery? With what truly roman- 
tic Ideas muft it infpire one, to fit in a Room furnifhed with the Riches 
of the moft diftant Shores and Oceans! And thefe not confufedly thrown 
together, but judicioufly difpofed into regular Reprefentations of natural 
Objedts! We are ftruck with Aftonifhment! Nor can we determine, 
whether we fhould moft admire the Sun, which gave to each particular 
Shell its delicate Hue, or the Hand of the fair Artift, which ranged 
them with fo much Skill. 
It will be needlefs perhaps to add in this Place, that one of Mr. 4a. 
difon’s Sources of the Pleafures of Imagination may be found in a 
Work of this Sort, in its higheft Perfection ; namely, The Beautiful. 
Thus I have obviated the Obje@tion, that this Amufement (or rather 
Art) is ufelefs and trifling. And here it will be proper to take Notice, 
that the Genius of Women is much better fitted for this Employment, 
than that of Men. For as Shell-work confifts in forming pleafant Pic- 
tures, and agreeable Reprefentations, and as thefe are effected by the 
means of Shape and Colour artificially put together, a certain Facility 
and Fancifulnefs is required, which our Sex is an intire Stranger to. 
But, allowing this Diverfion to be trifling and ufelefs, the mof ill- 
natured Caviller cannot deny, but that it is innocent. How many La- 
dies do we {ee fafhionably murdering their Time in Gaming | A Diverfion 
attended with fome of the moft abje& Vices, and fhocking Confequences : 
‘Vices; which one would think inconfiftent with the Softnefs of the Sex, 
and Confequences, which, I am fure, that SoftnefS can but ill fuftain. 
A Praétice this, which ruins their Honour, their F amilies, and Fortunes ; 
and (what one would think the Ladies would take more to Heart)---their 
Faces. Whereas the Joys of this our Purfuit are pure, and intirely 
founded on a contemplative Turn of Mind; efpecially, if we fuppofe, 
that one of our modern Calyp/a’s, after having thus adorned her Grot, 
would no doubt chufe to reap the Fruit of her Labours, by making it a 
Place to cultivate her Mind in by Mufing, 
Some Diverfions muft indifputably be indulged the Fair Sex; and this, 
I think, is not only as becoming, but as proper, as any. We cannot 
fuppofe, that our Cynthia’s and Flavia’s can leap a five-barr’d Gate, or 
walk half a Day with a Gun in queft of a Wood-cock; Sports, which 
are better fuited to the Strength and Roughnefs of the oppofite Sex. 
But it may be objected, that there are other Diverfions equally adapted 
to the Delicacy of Women ; for Inftance, the Cultivation of Flowers: 
In the firft Place, I hall remark, that the Study of the Florift is not fo 
pleafing ; whofe chief Pride confifts in a Variety and Beauty of Colours, 
Now I appeal to the moft experienced Naturalift, Whether the moft 
choice Colle&ion of Tulips, can vie in beautiful Colours with the Pa- 
mana, or Sun-fhell, the Ear-thell, and the Murex, which affords the 
genuine Zyrian Purple? And now I am particularly infifting on the 
Beauty 
