THE IRIS 161 



myrtle, and mastic. 1 The stones were plastered with 

 moss and starred with rosettes of a mountain saxi- 

 frage; from the mottled chestnut-leaves that strewed 

 the ground, there sprang pale crocuses, each with a 

 drop of red gold within. Far below, rounded to 

 a cup so seen, there spread great plains of olive, 

 and old grey mills dotted upon them, with tracts of 

 red earth and dark cypress spires that struck per- 

 pendicular rows and splashes upon the scene and 

 sprang dark from the pallor of the prevalent foliage. 

 On either side of the mountain rolled the Mediter- 

 ranean, and small towns clustered upon her margins, 

 like bright shells scattered along the edge of the 

 blue, while Corsica floated, like a dream island, on 

 the lofty horizon of the sea. Grand silence dwelt 

 upon those southern slopes, and through it, felt rather 

 than heard, came the whisper of bells that rang far 

 away. Beyond the misty glories of Italy outspread, 

 earth faded and a white diadem of mountains rose. 

 They ascended into huge sunny vapours that rolled 

 down upon them, until one might not separate shed 

 and unshed snows against the eternal blue that 

 reigned above both. It was a good home for Italica, 

 yet she left it with me, and in a large spirit of 

 contentment put forth rich purple blossoms in her 



1 Mastic. The lentiscus, or pistacia, is a feature of Riviera flora. Martial 

 recommends the wood for toothpicks. There is a drink made from the 

 gum, which I once tried at Tripoli, in Syria, and remember as being 

 violently nasty. The liquor was colourless, but curdled on water being 

 added to it. No doubt mastic is an acquired taste, like every intoxi- 

 cant. This gum has always been drunk or chewed in the East, and our 

 " masticate " of course comes from the same Greek word. 



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