42 VIEW FROM THE PONT ^T. EOUIS. 



rises in terraces smotliered witli flowers. Pink and red 

 Pelargoniums crowded together: rounded bushes of 

 "Marguerites" ( Chrvsaiithcmum fnitcsccns) studded witli 

 thousands of white starhke flowers: fier\' Streptosolen : a 

 Judas tree in blossom bending its pink branches over the 

 white "Marguerites": a briglit ^•ellow rose entwined about 

 the Judas tree ; feathery tufts of slender Bamboo : Fan 

 Palms: dark C}'press spires: succulent Agaves: a "Pepper 

 tree" with light-green, finely pinnate leaves and "weeping" 

 brandies : dazzling red Bougainvilleas on the terrace 

 walls — truh" a part\'-coloured mosaic ! Tall Date-palms 

 rise from the ravine, framing the view of Mentone, while 

 lantastic Opuntias near the bridge form the foreground: 

 and this whole richly coloured picture is girt by the 

 deep blue waters of the sea. A fresh breeze blows from 

 the sea, and flowcr\- Spring smiles on us from the gorge 

 below. This sublime scene inspires us with feelings of 

 harmony- and jo^-, and we would willingh' forget that yonder, 

 above Mentone, where white stones %nd dark Cvpresses 

 rise within gre\' walls, is a place of mourning. Formerh" 

 a castle of the Grimaldis stood on this hill, then, be- 

 tween the ruins and the encircling wall, a cemetery- was 

 formed. This now overlooks the sunn^' coast as once 

 the mi2'ht\- stroncxhold dominated it, and is a landmark 

 to the Mentone of today. In vain I seek to withdraw 

 my thoughts from this place, but ince"ssantly they return 

 to it. Never before has a cemetery seemed sadder to 

 me than ^-onder one with its graves covered with llowers, 

 nor has the deep contradiction between the sunn\' 

 io\"Ousness of Nature and the suddenness of death ever 



