THE RIVAL SEASONS 5 



his main and necessary elements of sustenance is 

 colour, pronounced and varied. Whatever his 

 spirit may yearn for in snow, ' the body's coloured 

 pride ' will not be gainsaid ; its clamour is loud 

 arid imperative. Steely-blue has been the pre- 

 vailing colour throughout the winter a colour 

 which, whatever the fascination of its appeal, can 

 never be the same full, intimate appeal of the 

 blue-blue of the Gentian. It is, therefore, with 

 very real and reasonable enthusiasm that men 

 wait upon the reawakening of their goddess ; and 

 it is with enthusiasm equally real and reasonable 

 that they should give to Alpine flowers their due 

 a prominent place among the popularity-compelling 

 beauties of the Alps. 



Now, many observers affect to believe that this 

 popularity is waning, and that the Swiss Alps have 

 seen their best days as an attraction to the student 

 and lover of Nature. I find it difficult to subscribe 

 to this. It does not seem to me to be true even 

 for the seeker after 'new sensations.' Quite the 

 contrary : I find considerably more justification for 

 believing that the popularity of the Alps has as yet 

 by no means reached its zenith. Compared with 

 the vast army of tourists and others annually 

 visiting Switzerland, it is but the few who know 



