ON THE SEA STEEP 



But on the steep there is no distance in little, no 

 compression of multitudinous farm, cottage, and 

 tree into tiny spaces, dolls'-houses of the eye. Here 

 the sight never need strain to catch the utmost 

 rim. It takes in all with such an easy span the 

 long, clean, uninterrupted horizon the vast, open 

 space of the sea. There is nothing to cramp the 

 eye or mind. "Feel my soul becoming vast like 

 you," wrote Arnold of the sea, and this finely 

 expresses the emotion which the English seascape 

 in perfect May weather wakes in those who lie on 

 the steep under the spiring larks. 



The crumbling cliffs and chines are glorious 

 with the hot-scented blossom of gorse now nearing 

 its prime, and among these bushes and the ling 

 the nesting stonechats flit, like some large day- 

 flying moths, in the sun. The cluster pines line 

 the edge of the cliff, where they are rocked to the 

 roots by the sea breezes and twisted into uncouth 

 forms, although so thriving. Among them the 

 blackbirds flute all day. 



Every group of trees and brake has its black- 

 bird, and here by the shore there is no sound 

 but that of wind and water to break in upon the 

 blackbird's lay. Browning writes of the wise thrush 

 that sings his songs thrice over lest he should fail " to 

 recapture the first fine careless rapture." Perhaps 

 he was thinking of the familiar three-note repetition 

 of the song thrush ; the " peebur, peebur, peebur " 

 (always three " peeburs" but why three ? ), or the 

 "pretty-bird, pretty-bird, pretty-bird" both after 



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