THE BREEZE ON BEACHY HEAD. 241 



The sun searches out every crevice amongst the 

 grass, nor is there the smallest fragment of surface 

 which is not sweetened by air and light. Under- 

 neath, the chalk itself is pure, and the turf thus 

 washed by wind and rain, sun-dried and dew-scented, 

 is a couch prepared with thyme to rest on. Dis- 

 cover some excuse to be up there always, to search for 

 stray mushrooms they will be stray, for the crop is 

 gathered extremely early in the morning or to make 

 a list of flowers and grasses ; to do anything, and, if 

 not, go always without any pretext. Lands of gold 

 have been found, and lands of spices and precious 

 nierchandise ; but this is the land of health. 



There is the sea below to bathe in, the air of the 

 sky up hither to breathe, the sun to infuse the in- 

 visible magnetism of his beams. These are the three 

 potent medicines of nature, and they are medicines 

 that by degrees strengthen not only the body but the 

 unquiet mind. It is not necessary to always look out 

 over the sea. By strolling along the slopes of the 

 ridge a little way inland there is another scene where 

 hills roll on after hills till the last and largest hides 

 those that succeed behind it. 



Vast cloud-shadows darken one, and lift their veil 

 from another ; like the sea, their tint varies with the 

 hue of the sky over them. Deep narrow valleys 

 lanes in the hills draw the footsteps downwards into 

 their solitude, but there is always the delicious air, 

 turn whither you will, and there is always the grass, 

 the touch of which refreshes. Though not in sight, it 

 is pleasant to know that the sea is close at hand, and 

 that you have only to mount to the ridge to view it. 



8 



