CHAPTER VII 

 ILLUSIONS 



IN our studies of landscape we are very fre- 

 quently made the victims of either illusion or 

 delusion. The eye or the mind deceives us, 

 and sometimes the two may join forces to our 

 complete confusion. We are not willing to 

 admit different reports of an appearance. The 

 Anglo-Saxon in us insists that there can be 

 only one truth, and everything else must be 

 error. It is known, for instance, that Castle 

 Dome, which looks down on the Colorado River 

 from "Western Arizona, is a turret of granite 

 gray, red, brown, rock-colored, whatever color 

 you please. With that antecedent knowledge 

 in mind how difficult it is for us to believe the 

 report of our eyes which says that at sunset the 

 dome is amethystine, golden, crimson, or per- 

 haps lively purple. The reality is one thing, 

 the appearance quite another thing ; but why 

 are not both of them truthful ? 



And how very shy people are about accepting 

 109 



Reality and 

 appearance. 



