THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 153 
agility in every movement. Surely we may find an interesting 
picture here. — 
(8). Lastly, the smooth peaceful river. How it seems to take a 
rest after gathering all its tributaries into its bosom, gently bearing 
them onward to the sounding sea. 
I think you will admit that each of these pictures is com- 
plete in itself, and I can assure you that if you try to make more out of 
them or add to them, you are apt to spoil their harmony. 
Simplicity and truth touch the heart more surely than man’s 
ingenuity. 
You will see from this hasty description, that it is not my in- 
tention to enter into any theoretical discourse whatever. No, 
gentlemen, I am endeavoring to point out, or merely give, a few 
hints that I hope may awaken a desire in you to investigate the truth 
in nature under varied conditions. But thus far we have treated of 
merely every-day subjects, such as you can see in this locality in all 
their varied loveliness and beauty. 
Now we will take another step and look at what we call effects, 
for they are pictures in themselves, and appeal to you especially, for 
some of them are so fleeting that it is almost impossible for artists to 
catch them at their best. With your camera many beautiful things 
can be secured. ‘Take for instance reflection. When we contem- 
plate it, does it not seem almost phenomenal? Did you ever walk 
along the banks ofariver, on a very still evening, just after sunset, 
and look into the magic depths? Soon you lose all sense of sur- 
face, and, as you note the perfect reproduction of surrounding 
objects, you feel enchanted. As the light gradually fades, how 
unreal and mysterious these borrowed forms become. ‘These make 
excellent subjects for you, and in the quiet woodland pools some 
beautiful bits can be obtained. 
Moonlight effects are also of a most pleasing nature, especially 
when seen on the water, or if you stand on the beach and watch the 
moon’s mellow path of light stealing out of the far distance, ever widen- 
ing its quivering silvery sheen as it approaches until it leaves its liquid 
light of glory at your feet. Such entrancing scenes as these have a 
moral, pleasing and soothing tendency, and one always feels that 
nature is full of beauty that not only satisfies the eye, but also 
reaches our very souls and seems to link us to a better land. 
