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jury to remain in ignorance of its wonders. Summer rest ought 
not to mean complete idleness, for the best rest is usually a change 
of occupation. Hence it is that society wisely provides places of 
amusement. Now what pleasant places of profitable resort have 
we in Newport? There are libraries, but even they may not be 
at all times the proper recreation for those needing distraction 
which would be profitable without labored effort, for others in 
search of beneficial novelty, and for children grown tired of books 
and winter study. Perhaps an aquarium is not the only thing 
needed in Newport, but it is the only need which we are now 
considering. Let any one read Kingsley’s “ Glaucus, or the 
Wonders of the Shore,” and he will regret that there are now no 
means of gathering in one place the interesting forms of life of 
which he lazily reads. Read to a child Mangin’s “Mysteries of 
the Ocean ” or Hartwig’s “ The Sea and its living Wonders,” and 
you will be sorry that you cannot show him more than a cheap 
woodcut, which, however good, is, relatively to living forms, 
always unsatisfactory. But what neither young nor mature minds 
are willing to read about, however pleasantly written, is looked at 
without cfiort and with glowing pleasure. A public aquarium is 
the only means of showing what all may pleasantly and profitably 
know of marine life ; and it will undoubtedly contain what will 
most astonish those who have been longest in unconscious igno¬ 
rance. It would require no preparatory education, for all who 
have eyes might have pleasure. It seems strange that all the 
wondrous and beautifid sea life should be neglected. Neglected 
it must be without an aquarium, for how many are there who 
ever examine any of the strange forms found upon the beaches ? 
or who, at low tide, overturn stones in search of strange animals? 
or who take advantage of the neap tides to collect specimens not 
at other times easily found? Sea-weeds cover much, our horses’ 
hoofs and our carriage wheels crush more, and our bright inquis¬ 
itive children are taught to shun what would honorably inflame 
their eagerness for knowledge. 
The word aquarium has been a matter of contention, and to 
philologists it is still objectionable. A few years ago there was 
an earnest and angry discussion as to the correct name for keeping 
alive in tanks the various forms of fresh and salt water life. A 
