SUNSHINE AT THE LAND'S END. 83 



on the outlying rocks; and then the leaping surf subsides 

 into floating foam-flecks, the silvery streams pour back from 

 the jutting peaks, and a wild scene of whirling, confused, and 

 terrified billows succeeds, till once more the agitation gives 

 place to the glow of tide and currents, and once more the open 

 sea beyond sleeps with gently heaving bosom, like 



"The prophetic soul 

 Of the wide world, dreaming on things to come." 



And then evening floats up from the east, and creeps over the 

 vast expanse; the bright tints fade from the sky, and amongst 

 the conflicting hues of purple and gold and grey, the ceaseless 

 murmur of the waves, the long sunny day dies from our coasts. 

 There are many more points which ought to have been 

 touched upon, had we been writing a history of this district 

 Instead of lightly sketching its summer beauties. The curious 

 similarity many Cornish remains and customs bear to the 

 legends, superstitions, and antiquities of Brittany should par- 

 ticularly be noticed, in connection with which may be re- 

 membered the wild story given by Procopius of the burial of 

 Bretons in Cornwall. The ecclesiastical history of the county, 

 indelibly stamped on its topography and church architecture, 

 is also extremely interesting. Like Lincolnshire, the preval- 

 ence of dissent in Cornwall illustrates, for the thoughtful mind, 

 Tnany problems in modern religious thought. According to 

 his experience of the natives, the visitor may settle for himself 

 whether there are still more saints in Cornwall than in heaven, 

 -as the old proverb declares. Nor have we entered upon the 

 unique botanical treasures to be found in this corner of 

 England its mineralogy, economical resources, archaeology. 

 These are worthily handled elsewhere. Though sorely tempted 

 to speak of Arthur, the glory of the district, "that valiant 

 warrior and true Christian," and to enter into the fables which 

 have crystallised round the now exploded Druids, we forbear. 



