glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第28章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
common； I can only answer； that of all absurd and illogical arguments；
this is the most so。 For what has the number of times which the
miracle occurs to do with the question； save to increase the wonder？
Which is more strange； that an inexplicable and unfathomable thing
should occur once and for all； or that it should occur a million times
every day all the world over？
Let those； however； who are too proud to wonder； do as seems good
to them。 Their want of wonder will not help them toward the required
explanation： and to them； as to us； as soon as we begin asking；
〃HOW？〃 and 〃WHY？〃 the mighty Mother will only reply with that
magnificent smile of hers； most genial； but most silent； which she has
worn since the foundation of all worlds； that silent smile which has
tempted many a man to suspect her of irony； even of deceit and hatred of
the human race； the silent smile which Solomon felt； and answered in
〃Ecclesiastes；〃 which Goethe felt； and did not answer in his 〃Faust；〃
which Pascal felt； and tried to answer in his 〃Thoughts；〃 and fled from
into self…torture and superstition； terrified beyond his powers of
endurance； as he found out the true meaning of St。 John's vision； and felt
himself really standing on that fragile and slippery 〃sea of glass；〃 and
70
… Page 71…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
close beneath him the bottomless abyss of doubt； and the nether fires of
moral retribution。 He fled from Nature's silent smile； as that poor old
King Edward （mis…called the Confessor） fled from her hymns of praise；
in the old legend of Havering…atte…bower； when he cursed the
nightingales because their songs confused him in his prayers： but the
wise man need copy neither； and fear neither the silence nor the laughter
of the mighty mother Earth； if he will be but wise； and hear her tell him；
alike in both … 〃Why call me mother？ Why ask me for knowledge
which I cannot teach； peace which I cannot give or take away？ I am
only your foster…mother and your nurse … and I have not been an
unkindly one。 But you are God's children； and not mine。 Ask Him。
I can amuse you with my songs； but they are but a nurse's lullaby to the
weary flesh。 I can awe you with my silence； but my silence is only my
just humility； and your gain。 How dare I pretend to tell you secrets
which He who made me knows alone？ I am but inanimate matter； why
ask of me things which belong to living spirit？ In God I live and move；
and have my being； I know not how； any more than you know。 Who
will tell you what life is； save He who is the Lord of life？ And if He
will not tell you； be sure it is because you need not to know。 At least；
why seek God in nature； the living among the dead？ He is not here：
He is risen。〃
He is not here： He is risen。 Good reader； you will probably agree
that to know that saying； is to know the key…note of the world to come。
Believe me； to know it； and all it means； is to know the keynote of this
world also； from the fall of dynasties and the fate of nations； to the sea…
weed which rots upon the beach。
It may seem startling； possibly （though I hope not； for my readers'
sake； irreverent）； to go back at once after such thoughts； be they true or
false； to the weeds upon the cliff above our heads。 But He who is not
here； but is risen； yet is here； and has appointed them their services in a
wonderful order； and I wish that on some day； or on many days； when a
quiet sea and offshore breezes have prevented any new objects from
coming to land with the rising tide； you would investigate the flowers
peculiar to our sea…rocks and sandhills。 Even if you do not find the
71
… Page 72…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
delicate lily…like Trichonema of the Channel Islands and Dawlish； or the
almost as beautiful Squill of the Cornish cliffs； or the sea…lavender of
North Devon； or any of those rare Mediterranean species which Mr。
Johns has so charmingly described in his 〃Week at the Lizard Point；〃 yet
an average cliff； with its carpeting of pink thrift and of bladder catchfly；
and Lady's finger； and elegant grasses； most of them peculiar to the sea
marge； is often a very lovely flower… bed。
Not merely interesting； too； but brilliant in their vegetation are
sandhills； and the seemingly desolate dykes and banks of salt marshes
will yield many a curious plant； which you may neglect if you will： but
lay to your account the having to repent your neglect hereafter； when；
finding out too late what a pleasant study botany is； you search in vain
for curious forms over which you trod every day in crossing flats which
seemed to you utterly ugly and uninteresting； but which the good God
was watching as carefully as He did the pleasant hills inland： perhaps
even more carefully； for the uplands He has completed； and handed over
to man； that he may dress and keep them： but the tide…flats below are
still unfinished； dry land in the process of creation； to which every tide
is adding the elements of fertility； which shall grow food； perhaps in
some future state of our planet； for generations yet unborn。
But to return to the water…world； and to dredging； which of all sea…
side pursuits is perhaps the most pleasant； combining as it does fine
weather sailing with the discovery of new objects； to which； after all； the
waifs and strays of the beach； whether 〃flotsom jetsom； or lagand；〃 as
the old Admiralty laws define them； are few and poor。 I say
particularly fine weather sailing； for a swell； which makes the dredge
leap along the bottom； instead of scraping steadily； is as fatal to sport as
it is to some people's comfort。 But dredging； if you use a pleasure boat
and the small naturalist's dredge； is an amusement in which ladies； if
they will； may share； and which will increase； and not interfere with； the
amusements of a water…party。
The naturalist's dredge； of which Mr。 Gosse's 〃Aquarium〃 gives a
detailed account； should differ from the common oyster dredge in being
smaller； certainly not more than four feet across the mouth； and instead
