NATURE NEAR LONDON 



bright. The structures of the bridges appear light, 

 and do not press upon their arches. The yellow 

 straw stacked on the barges is bright, the copper- 

 tinted sails bright, the white wall of the Embank- 

 ment clear, and the lions' head distinct. Every 

 trace of colour, in short, is visible. 



At another time the dome is murky, the cross 

 tarnished, the outline dim, the red brick dull, the 

 whiteness gone. In summer there is occasionally a 

 bluish haze about the distant buildings. These are 

 the same changes presented by the Downs in the 

 country, and betoken the state of the atmosphere 

 as clearly. The London atmosphere is, I should 

 fancy, quite as well adapted to the artist's uses as 

 the changeless glare of the Continent. The smoke 

 itself is not without its interest. 



Sometimes upon Westminster Bridge at night the 

 scene is very striking. Vast rugged columns of 

 vapour rise up behind and over the towers of the 

 House, hanging with threatening aspect ; westward 

 the sky is nearly clear, with some relic of the 

 sunset glow : the river itself, black or illuminated 

 with the electric light, imparting a silvery blue tint, 

 crossed again with the red lamps of the steamers. 

 The aurora of dark vapour, streamers extending 

 from the thicker masses, slowly moves and yet does 

 not go away; it is just such a sky as a painter might 

 give to some tremendous historical event, a sky big 



