64 THE OPEN AIJR. 



common things of daily life — else a great deal of 

 colour might be effectively used in Brighton in 

 decorating houses and woodwork. Much more colour 

 might be put in the windows, brighter flowers and 

 curtains; more, too, inside the rooms; the sober 

 hues of London furniture and carpets are not in 

 accord with Brighton light. Gold and ruby and 

 blue, the blue of transparent glass, or purple, might 

 be introduced, and the romance of colour freely 

 indulged. At high tide of summer Spanish mantillas, 

 Spanish fans, would not be out of place in the open 

 air. No tint is too bright — scarlet, cardinal, anything 

 the imagination fancies ; the brightest parasol is a 

 matter of course. Stand, for instance, by the West 

 Pier, on the Esplanade, looking east on a full-ht 

 August day. The sea is blue, streaked with green, 

 and is stilled with heat ; the low undulations can 

 scarcely rise and fall for somnolence. The distant 

 cliffs are white ; the houses yellowish-white ; the sky 

 blue, more blue than fabled Italy. Light pours down, 

 and the bitter salt sea wets the pebbles ; to look at 

 them makes the mouth dry, in the unconscious 

 recollection of the saltness and bitterness. The flags 

 droop, the sails of the fishing-boats hang idle ; the 

 land and the sea are conquered by the great light of 

 the sun. 



Some people become famous by being always in 

 one attitude. Meet them when you will, they have 

 invariably got an arm — the same arm — crossed over 

 the breast, and the hand thrust in between the buttons 

 of the coat to support it. Morning, noon, or evening, 

 in the street, the carriage, sitting, reading the paper. 



