Ube 3ulg Stars 169 



apparently about to plunge into the western ocean, as 

 I sat one lovely May night, a year or two ago, on the 

 Digue Sainte-Beuve, at Boulogne. The hour was ten ; 

 the sky was brilliant with stars after the fierce rain- 

 squalls which had passed across the Channel from the 

 English coast ; and out on the quiet sea were many 

 lights of vessels twinkling for all the world like the 

 brighter lights above. 



THE JULY STARS 



After the stars of May, what of those of July ? But 

 perhaps our thoughts on summer eves are more in- 

 clined to dwell upon 



The grateful sweetness of the new-mown hay. 



Perhaps our enthusiasm is not roused at the know- 

 ledge of the red star Antares being visible the full 

 round of the month, with Arcturus as well. Perhaps 

 we are worse than indifferent to Ophiuchus and 

 Hercules filling the centre of the southern sky at about 

 ten o'clock when July opens, or to Aquila and Delphinus 

 and Equuleus combining to assist in the completion of 

 a very imposing celestial picture. In strolling through 

 the fragrance-breathing lanes and fields perhaps we 

 neglect to bestow a single glance upon blue -eyed 

 Spica flashing in the south-west, or the familiar Bear 

 gliding down head first westward of the Pole. I say 

 perhaps. It may be, of course, that we still turn in 

 silent admiration to the lambent beauties of the 

 heavens. So let me not indulge in teasing doubts. 



