4 A TOUB ROUND MY GAKUEJV. 



and engrossed by the magnificent spectacle which presented 

 itself. 



High up in the heavens, towards the west, were three strips 

 of clouds : the highest was formed of a kind of foamy flakes, 

 grey and rose-coloured; the second was in long tints of a 

 darkish blue, slightly tinged with saffron yellow; the third 

 was composed of grey clouds, over which floated a clear 

 yellow vapour : beneath was a vast lake of bright, pure, and 

 limpid blue, while under this was stretched a long grey cloud, 

 with a fringe of pale fire, and lower down was another lake of 

 a rather paler blue ; when again floated a narrow cloud, of a 

 grey colour, like that of the burned ashes of a volcano, and 

 under this was a fresh lake of a somewhat greenish blue, like 

 some turquoises, but deep and limpid as the others; and 

 then, beneath all, were masses of cloud, whose upper part 

 was white, glistening with pale fires, and the under part of 

 a sombre grey, with a fringe of the most brilliant flames. 



There, in a thick orauge-coloured vapour, sank the sun, of 

 which only a blood-red point was visible. Then, when the 

 sun had totally disappeared, all that had been yellow in the 

 picture assumed corresponding shades of red ; the pale blue 

 or faint green became a more full and dark azure. And all 

 nature seemed, as I did, to admire these eternal beauties. 



The breeze had ceased to agitate the leaves of the trees; 

 the birds no longer disputed for their roosts under the thick 

 foliage; not even an insect was heard to buzz in the air; the 

 very flowers had closed their rich blossoms, and there was 

 nothing to occupy or distract the senses. 



Then I reflected that, at many miles- distance, you, in 

 your caliche, with your courier and your postilion before, 

 your valet behind, could not possibly behold a more splendid 

 spectacle than that which was spread before my eyes and 

 that, probably such a one would awaken in you less con- 

 templation, and consequently less delight. 



And I thought of all the riches which God has given to the 

 poor; of the earth, with its mossy and verdant carpets, its 

 trees, its flowers, its perfumes; of the heavens, with aspects so 

 various and so magnificent; and of all those eternal splen- 

 dours which the rich man has no power to augment and 

 which so far transcend all he is able to buy. 



