THE BLUE SKY 



51 



of coloring, which at sea dulls the vision in- 

 stead of clearing it. 



It is on the land, and from the mountain-top, 

 that we gain the best idea of the round reach 

 of the sky. From such an elevation we not 

 only see hills and valleys stretching away and 

 down the sweeping world-circle, but if the sky 

 be spattered with the white cirro-cumulus 

 clouds, driving along in flocks before the wind, 

 these, too, will seem to slope outward and down- 

 ward like the earth. The result is that the im- 

 pression of expanse in sky and earth is prodig- 

 iously enhanced. The view is awe-inspiring ; 

 and it is not necessarily so because it belittles 

 the objects directly below us, but because it 

 gives us a larger idea of distance, space, and 

 sweep. The world seems a greater globe, the 

 sky becomes enormous, and the imagination 

 rises to meet the new presentation. 



There is no feature of the earth that can be 

 regarded as more fixed, more permanent, than 

 the blue sky overhead. And yet it seems as 

 though a strong wind might blow it away. 

 Winds, however, have small effect upon it. 

 Clouds and storms pass across it, altering and 

 obscuring it to our eyes, but beyond the local 

 disturbance we know the sky is as serene and 



