THE SEAL. 
467 
of such pursuits,” replied Miss Winston; 
“ and it is plainly to be seen both in the 
works and actions of the greatest naturalists. 
It is impossible to study the beauty and in¬ 
tricacy of the machinery of living creatures, 
and observe the pains—if we may reverently 
so speak—which has been bestowed upon 
their formation, without feeling a repug¬ 
nance to wantonly destroying these wonder¬ 
ful organizations. Above all must we learn 
to reverence the wonderful and mysterious 
principle of life, which no man can give, 
which defies the closest research of the wisest 
sages, and which forms the grand distinction 
between organized and unorganized bodies.” 
“You must have taken a great deal of 
pains, Aunt Louisa, to get so many facts 
and anecdotes together,” said Matilda, as if 
struck by a new thought. “I am sure you 
never found them all in one book.” 
“Hot in one, nor in twenty,” replied Miss 
Winston. “It has, indeed, cost me many 
hours of labour to bring together and ar¬ 
range the materials of these simple lectures 
to which you have been listening through 
the last few weeks. I have, after all, given 
you but a glimpse of the rich and varied 
