The Poets and Nature; Reptiles, Fishes, and Insects (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 edition. Excerpt: ... From the mute shell-fish to man," touches the extreme poles, and Pope in conchology finds the lowest deeps of dulness: --" Yet by some object every brain is stirr'd, The dell may waken to a humming-bird; The most recluse, discreetly open'd, find Congenial matter in the cockle-kind." In contrast is Somerville's admiration, albeit tempered by a pitiful " poor" and a qualifying " even: "--" The curious sage Ranks in classes all the fishy race, From those enormous monsters of the main, Who in their world like other tyrants reign, To the poor cockle-tribe, that humble band, Who cleave to rocks, or loiter on the strand. Yet ev'n their shells the forming hand divine Has, with distinguish'd lustre, taught to shine. What bright enamel, and what various dyes, What lively tints delight our wond'ring eyes." What reckless adventurer first dared to swallow an oyster? Was it some miserable pearl-diving slave who desperately hoped to steal the accompanying gem, and thus arrive at the price of his ransom? " For them the Ceylon diver held his breath, And went all naked to the hungry shark, For them his ears gushed blood."--Keats. Or was it some poor shipwrecked wretch, groping about among the rocks of his barren island, who, to save dear life, first bolted the unlovely bivalve? Surely nothing less than a last despairing effort to regain liberty or preserve life could have nerved the primitive oyster-eater to the shocking act. The poet Gay attributes the discovery to the jaded appetite of luxury. ' The man had sure a palate covered o'er With brass or steel that on the rocky shore First broke the oozy oyster's pearly coat, And risk'd the living morsel down his throat." "What will not luxury taste?" he asks. It does not follow from this that Gay did not like oysters;...