xxvin RIVERSIDE LETTERS 221 



tree. The foliage, especially when the fruit 

 begins to show, is beautiful from any point of 

 view, but as seen against a deep blue sky, 

 with a white cloud or two on it, the effect is 

 perfectly glorious ; both Titian and Paul 

 Veronese often so introduced it into their 

 pictures. The foliage of this tree will not 

 stand any scamping or sketchy treatment, it 

 demands great mastery of drawing and 

 vigorous colouring, or the effect of its gran- 

 deur is lost. One seldom sees it represented 

 in the works of the modern impressionist 

 school of landscape painters, who prefer trees 

 such as the willow or poplar, that can be 

 fairly well suggested by smudges of tone with 

 dabs of light behind them. The Spanish 

 chestnut cannot be suggested, it can only be 

 rendered in its massive dignity by the patience 

 of true genius. 



I noticed one day last week a number of 

 sand-martins hawking over the sea, some 

 distance from the shore, just as they do over 

 our river. I was puzzled to know what they 



