THE MASS 13 



shire, there is a mountain pasture where 

 one can easily get, in vision, the whole 

 mass of the majestic sweep of the Presi- 

 dential Range. No other spot is there, 

 not in the Tyrol, not even in Switzerland, 

 where I have felt such a pressure of pure 

 unmodified mountain-mass. The huge, 

 looming bulk swells out and up, in such 

 impressive cohesion, in such bulwark 

 domination, that the very foundations of 

 the world seem to be in sight. In this 

 pasture, looking at that stupendous ram- 

 part, no man could call the mountains 

 (actually said) "Vast, undigested heaps 

 of stone." 



Under Niagara Falls I was stimulated 

 into a violent curiosity, and I wanted con- 

 stantly to ask interesting questions of my 

 guide; but here, before this mighty mass, 

 I had no wish to speak, indeed, no wish 

 for anything whatever. I was smitten 

 into the silent rapture of an overwhelm- 

 ing awe. 



It is this power-mass which makes it 



