320 president's addkess. 



To landward, all ricliuess, softness and peace ; to sea- 

 ward, a waste and liowling- wilderness of rock and roller, 

 barren to tlie fishermen and hopeless to the shipwrecked 

 mariner." 



Under skilful gardening many of these "combes," or rather 

 the softer valleys that take their place, in the neighbourhood 

 of Falmouth, support magnificent palm trees and vast quantities 

 of almost every species of sub-tropical vegetation, w^hich 

 elsewhere cannot be successfully cultivated out of doors. But I 

 must now pass on to the most popular portion of the scenery of 

 (Jornwall, its matchless coasts, for we must remember it has a 

 north and south, and I might almost say an east and a west sea 

 coast. It is these coasts, of Avhich every bay possesses a special 

 charm of its own, that now prove so attractive to the tourists and 

 travellers Avho are gradually "discovering" the county. 



In the calmest weather the mighty rollers of the Atlantic 

 Ocean strike fiercely against the barren rocks of the Land's End 

 and the Lizard, and in anything approaching to a storm their 

 force is so great that it almost seems as if nothing could resist 

 their power. In Cornwall, the artist can be certain of finding- 

 seas of nearly every colour and every mood. In the south, every 

 ripple reflects the rays of the sun and every " wliite horse" is 

 glorified by his beams, while on the north coast the deep, sombre 

 blue of the water possesses a peculiar charm of its own which is 

 very atti'active when cleverly put upon canvas. 



I reserve for a later stage all mention of the deceased 

 native-born Cornishmen that I have been able to discover who, 

 prior to the foundation of the Newl^'n School, devoted their 

 talents to art. I must state, however, that few, if any, of the 

 more distinguished of these turned their attention to portraying 

 the bearrties of their own county. But I must speak of the 

 artists not of native birth, commencing with Turner, who, at the 

 beginning of the last ceutiiry, painted in his matchless manner 

 Saltash, St. Mawes, Fowey Harbour, St. Michael's Mount and 

 The Land's End, which were widely disseminated by engravings 

 published in the " Picturesque Views of England and Wales." 

 In addition to these. Turner made a large number of other 

 pictures of Cornwall, but I mention these as specially familiar to 

 all through poj)ular engravings. 



