ALONG SHORE 
149 
ing the distribution of light, and tingeing the 
whole coloring of the shore. And the shore is 
so very easily tinged. The pebbles, shells, and 
mica sands that go to make the beach, whether 
wet or dry, respond in coloring to the light. 
Even the rocks are mellowed by it. Close 
at hand they may look yellow, brown, or gray, 
according to their mineral composition. Along 
the New England coast they are dull yellow, 
stained with iron-rust, and if one of the little 
pools lying in a hollow of a rock be examined 
it will disclose a background of bright orange ; 
but this local color is not apparent when a jut- 
ting headland is seen from a distance. A gray 
light may blend into sobriety the colors of 
the cliff, the white beach, the dark pines, or a 
warm-yellow sunlight may enliven them all 
with a new hue. At twilight pink and rose 
may spread from sky to water, and from water 
to sand and rock, until the whole vision is a 
rosy one. At other times the scene may show 
a golden, a greenish, or a bluish tinge, depend- 
ent always on the light. 
Beautiful by day the shore is perhaps even 
more beautiful, certainly more impressive, by 
night. The moonlight silvers the tall cliffs 
until they look like vast fortresses of marble, 
Light upon 
the shore. 
Twilight 
colorings. 
