glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第24章
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bestowed on him and on his forefathers； as general health inspectors；
those very summary powers of entrance and removal in the watery
realms for which common sense； public opinion； and private
philanthropy are still entreating vainly in the terrestrial realms； so
finding a hole； in he went； and began to remove the nuisance； without
〃waiting twenty…four hours；〃 〃laying an information；〃 〃serving a notice；〃
or any other vain delay。 The evil was there； … and there it should not
stay； so having neither cart nor barrow； he just began putting it into his
stomach； and in the meanwhile set his assistants to work likewise。 For
suppose not； gentle reader； that Squinado went alone； in his train were
more than a hundred thousand as good as he； each in his office； and as
cheaply paid； who needed no cumbrous baggage train of force…pumps；
hose； chloride of lime packets； whitewash； pails or brushes； but were
every man his own instrument； and； to save expense of transit； just grew
on Squinado's back。 Do you doubt the assertion？ Then lift him up
hither； and putting him gently into that shallow jar of salt water； look at
him through the hand…magnifier； and see how Nature is maxima in
minimis。
There he sits； twiddling his feelers （a substitute； it seems； with
crustacea for biting their nails when they are puzzled）； and by no means
lovely to look on in vulgar eyes； … about the bigness of a man's fist； a
round…bodied； spindle…shanked； crusty； prickly； dirty fellow； with a
villanous squint； too； in those little bony eyes； which never look for a
moment both the same way。 Never mind： many a man of genius is
ungainly enough； and Nature； if you will observe； as if to make up to
him for his uncomeliness； has arrayed him as Solomon in all his glory
never was arrayed； and so fulfilled one of the proposals of old Fourier …
that scavengers； chimney… sweeps； and other workers in disgusting
employments； should be rewarded for their self…sacrifice in behalf of the
public weal by some peculiar badge of honour； or laurel crown。 Not
that his crown； like those of the old Greek games； is a mere useless
badge； on the contrary； his robe of state is composed of his fellow…
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servants。 His whole back is covered with a little grey forest of
branching hairs； fine as a spider's web； each branchlet carrying its little
pearly ringed club； each club its rose…coloured polype； like （to quote Mr。
Gosse's comparison） the unexpanded birds of the acacia。 （28）
On that leg grows； amid another copse of the grey polypes； a delicate
straw…coloured Sertularia； branch on branch of tiny double combs； each
tooth of the comb being a tube containing a living flower； on another leg
another Sertularia； coarser； but still beautiful； and round it again has
trained itself； parasitic on the parasite； plant upon plant of glass ivy；
bearing crystal bells； （29） each of which； too； protrudes its living flower；
on another leg is a fresh species； like a little heather…bush of whitest
ivory； （30） and every needle leaf a polype cell … let us stop before the
imagination grows dizzy with the contemplation of those myriads of
beautiful atomies。 And what is their use？ Each living flower； each
polype mouth is feeding fast； sweeping into itself； by the perpetual
currents caused by the delicate fringes upon its rays （so minute these last；
that their motion only betrays their presence）； each tiniest atom of
decaying matter in the surrounding water； to convert it； by some
wondrous alchemy； into fresh cells and buds； and either build up a fresh
branch in their thousand… tenanted tree； or form an egg…cell； from whence
when ripe may issue； not a fixed zoophyte； but a free swimming animal。
And in the meanwhile； among this animal forest grows a vegetable
one of delicatest sea…weeds； green and brown and crimson； whose office
is； by their everlasting breath； to reoxygenate the impure water； and
render it fit once more to be breathed by the higher animals who swim or
creep around。
Mystery of mysteries！ Let us jest no more； … Heaven forgive us if
we have jested too much on so simple a matter as that poor spider… crab；
taken out of the lobster…pots； and left to die at the bottom of the boat；
because his more aristocratic cousins of the blue and purple armour will
not enter the trap while he is within。
I am not aware whether the surmise； that these tiny zoophytes help to
purify the water by exhaling oxygen gas； has yet been verified。 The
infusorial animalcules do so； reversing the functions of animal life； and
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instead of evolving carbonic acid gas； as other animals do； evolve pure
oxygen。 So； at least； says Liebig； who states that he found a small
piece of matchwood； just extinguished； burst out again into a flame on
being immersed in the bubbles given out by these living atomies。
I myself should be inclined to doubt that this is the case with
zoophytes； having found water in which they were growing （unless； of
course； sea…weeds were present） to be peculiarly ready to become foul；
but it is difficult to say whether this is owing to their deoxygenating the
water while alive； like other animals； or to the fact that it is very rare to
get a specimen of zoophyte in which a large number of the polypes have
not been killed in the transit home； or at least so far knocked about； that
（in the Anthozoa； which are far the most abundant） the polype … or rather
living mouth； for it is little more … is thrown off to decay； pending the
growth of a fresh one in the same cell。
But all the sea…weeds； in common with other vegetables； perform
this function continually； and thus maintain the water in which they
grow in a state fit to support animal life。
This fact … first advanced by Priestley and Ingenhousz； and though
doubted by the great Ellis； satisfactorily ascertained by Professor
Daubeny； Mr。 Ward； Dr。 Johnston； and Mr。 Warrington … gives an answer
to the question； which I hope has ere now arisen in the minds of some of
my readers； …
How is it possible to see these wonders at home？ Beautiful and
instructive as they may be； can they be meant for any but dwellers by the
sea…side？ Nay more； even to them； must not the glories of the water…
world be always more momentary than those of the rainbow； a mere Fata
Morgana which breaks up and vanishes before the eyes？ If there were
but some method of making a miniature sea…world for a few days； much
more of keeping one with us when far inland。 …
This desideratum has at last been filled up； and science has shown；
as usual； that by simply obeying Nature； we may conquer her； even so
far as to have our miniature sea； of artificial salt…water； filled with living
plants and sea…weeds； maintaining each other in perfect health； and each
following； as far as is possible in a confined space； its natural habits。
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To Dr。 Johnston is due； as far as is known； the honour of the first
accomplishment of this as of a hundred other zoological triumphs。 As
early as 1842； he proved to himself the vegetable nature of the common
pink Coralline； which fringes every rock…pool； by keeping it for eight
weeks in unchanged salt…water； without any putrefaction ensuing。 The
ground； of course； on which the proof rested in this case was； that if the
coralline were； as had often been thought； a zoophyte； the water would
become corrupt； and poisonous to the life of the small animals in the
same jar； and that its remaining fresh argued that the coralline had re…
oxygenated it from time to time； and was therefore a vegetable。
In 1850； Mr。 Robert Warrington communicated to the Chemical
Society the results of a year's experiments； 〃On the Adjustment of the
Relations between the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms； by which the
Vital Functions of both are permanently maintained。〃 The law which
his experiments verified was the same as that on which Mr。 Ward； in
1842； founded his invaluable proposal for increasing the purity of the air
in large towns； by planting trees and cultivating flowers in rooms； THAT
THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE RESPIRATIONS MIGHT
COUNTERBALANCE EACH OTHER； the animal's blood being purified
by the oxygen given off by the plants；
