SUNNY BRIGHTON. 61 



The bright light of Brighton brings all things into 

 clear relief, giving them an edge and outline ; as steel 

 burns with a flame like wood in oxygen, so the minute 

 particles of iron in the atmosphere seem to burn and 

 glow in the sunbeams, and a twofold illumination fills 

 the air. Coming back to the place after a journey 

 this brilliant light is very striking, and most new 

 visitors notice it. Even a room with a northern 

 aspect is full of light, too strong for some eyes, till 

 accustomed to it. I am a great believer in light 

 sunlight and of my free will never let it be shut out 

 with curtains. Light is essential to life, like air; 

 life is thought ; light is as fresh air to the mind. 

 Brilliant sunshine is reflected from the houses and 

 fills the streets. The walls of the houses are clean 

 and less discoloured by the deposit of carbon than 

 usual in most towns, so that the reflection is stronger 

 from these white surfaces. Shadow there is none in 

 summer, for the shadows are lit up by diffusion. 

 Something in the atmosphere throws light down into 

 shaded places as if from a mirror. Waves beat 

 ceaselessly on the beach, and the undulations of light 

 flow continuously forwards into the remotest corners. 

 Pure air, free from suspended matter, lets the light 

 pass freely, and perhaps this absence of suspended 

 material is the reason that the heat is not so oppres- 

 sive as would be supposed considering the glare. 

 Certainly it is not so hot as London ; on going up to 

 town on a July or August day it seems much hotter 

 there, so much so that one pants for air. Conversely 

 in winter, London appears much colder, the thick 

 dark atmosphere seems to increase the bitterness of 



