2.8 COUNTRY ESSAYS. 



prolonged sojourn at the seaside, if a visitor analyses his im- 

 pressions he will find that much of his affection for the place 

 arises from the familiar yet half-unconscious manner in which 

 his eye is daily soothed by the harmonies of colour it sees on 

 the rock-walls. A seaside place without rocks, in the same 

 manner, is insufferable after a few days ; as well be set down in 

 the desert or prisoned within four whitewashed walls. The 

 sea, of course, can never lose its interest ; its charm is always 

 there ; but landwards, to be met with nothing but sand and bents 

 is depressing in the extreme. A novelist might well send a 

 troublesome character, who is to be carried off the scene by 

 insanity, to Skegness for a fortnight, which is described as con- 

 sisting of "a streak of sea, a streak of sand, and a streak of 

 land." Perhaps Cleethorpes might answer the same purpose 

 in a week. 



Let us take the sea-bird's wing to the frowning trap head- 

 lands of Cornwall, or rock in the fisherman's boat off the 

 majestic sandstone cliffs north of Berwick, while the sun 

 brightens out from the slanting grey curtain of rain-clouds on 

 the horizon. The dark-grey rocks, through their crown of 

 mist, one moment watch sullenly the silver showers that stream 

 over their feet, and listen unmoved to the dull roar of the 

 breakers ; next minute the sunlight falls on their wrinkled faces, 

 and, hey presto ! what a change ! A thousand unexpected 

 points twinkle into prominence, and behind them a thousand 

 cavities retire into deeper gloom, as the wave of light sweeps 

 over the 'craggy barrier to touch its grimness with a myriad 

 delicate tints, and soften its savagery into beauty. But a poet's 

 eye could alone do justice to the glorious spectacle 



" Till now you dreamed not what could be done 

 With a bit of rock and a ray of sun ; 



But, look ! how fade the lights and shades 

 Of keen bare edge and crevice deep ! 

 How doubtfully it fades and fades, 

 And glows again, yon craggy steep, 



