120 



THE FAMILY AQUARIUM. 



consultation. A new world of wisdom will be opened for 

 our private instruction. When the wind howls, and the 

 storm rudely draws the pale curtains of the vapory 

 clouds" to shut out the light ; when the frightened 

 waters leap frantically about, looking for help, and the 

 tall ships groan as they fold their weary wings, and roll 

 in their billowy beds as if in anguish ; we shall no longer 

 ignorantly presume that its only purpose is to alarm or to 

 destroy. We shall look at the Aquarium, and perceive 

 that it is but one of nature^s gigantic efforts to accom- 

 plish a duty which she owes to millions on millions of her 

 helpless dependents, down, down amid " the sombre depths 

 of the silent sea." And though, to our finite vision, the 

 orgasm may seem, at times, to sacrifice a painfully un- 

 necessary amount of life, we may confess that, to eyes 

 more infinite, that sacrifice is but an offering on the altar 

 of fate to avert the destruction of ten thousand times as 

 many existences just as important in the vast economy of 

 the universe, however to our selfish conceptions so insig- 

 nificant. When the rain-drops patter upon the sounding 

 roof ; when the windows of heaven are open," and the 

 silver bubbles caper so nimbly over the troubled pond, 

 and the big tear-trops chase each other adown the 

 casement-panes, like diamond splinters on a spree ;" 

 when the parched flowers and the thirsty road drink up 

 the shower v/ith such a look of grateful gladness ; we 

 shall turn to the Aquarium, and chide the egotism that 

 could fancy it all done to stimulate the growing crop, or 



