SUNNY BRIGHTON 61 



They have a pulley at the end of a curved piece of 

 iron for hauling up the lantern to the top of the 

 mast when trawling ; this thin curve, with a dot at 

 the extremity surmounting the straight and rigid 

 mast, suits the artist's pencil. The gold-plate shop — 

 there is a bust of Psyche in the doorway — often 

 attracts the eye in passing; gold. and silver plate in 

 large masses is striking, and it is a very good place 

 to stand a minute and watch the passers-by. 



It is a Piccadilly crowd by the sea — exactly the same 

 style of people you meet in Piccadilly, but freer in 

 dress, and particularly in hats. All fashionable Brigh- 

 ton parades the King's Eoad twice a day, morning 

 and afternoon, always on the side of the shops. The 

 route is up and down the King's Eoad as far as 

 Preston Street, back again and up East Street. 

 Biding and driving Brighton extends its Eotten Eow 

 sometimes to Third Avenue, Hove. These well- 

 dressed and leading people never look at the sea. 

 Watching by the gold-plate shop you will not observe 

 a single glance in the direction of the sea, beautiful 

 as it is, gleaming under the sunlight. They do not 

 take the slightest interest in sea, or sun, or sky, or 

 the fresh breeze calling white horses from the deep. 

 Their pursuits are purely " social," and neither ladies 

 nor gentlemen ever go on the beach or lie where 

 the surge comes to the feet. The beach is ignored ; 

 it is almost, perhaps quite vulgar ; or rather it is 

 entirely outside the pale. No one rows, very few 

 sail ; the sea is not " the thing " in Brighton, which 

 is the least nautical of seaside places. There is more 

 talk of horses. 



