THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



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where the waving trees, the wild flight of the birds, the 

 dark shadows and bright lights, the rushing of the torrents 

 all proclaim the strife of the unloosed elements. At sea 

 the albatross and little petrel fly as if the storm were their 

 proper sphere, the water rises and sinks as if fulfilling its 

 usual task, the ship alone and its inhabitants seem the objects 

 of wrath. On a forlorn and weather-beaten coast, the scene 

 is indeed different, but the feelings partake more of horror 

 than of wild delight. 



Let us now look at the brighter side of the past time. The 

 pleasure derived from beholding the scenery and the general 

 aspect of the various countries we have visited, has decidedly 

 been the most constant and highest source of enjoyment. It 

 is probable that the picturesque beauty of many parts of Eu- 

 rope exceeds anything which we beheld. But there is a 

 growing pleasure in comparing the character of the scenery 

 in different countries, which to a certain degree is distinct 

 from merely admiring its beauty. It depends chiefly on an 

 acquaintance with the individual parts of each view. I am 

 strongly induced to believe that as in music, the person who 

 understands every note will, if he also possesses a proper 

 taste, more thoroughly enjoy the whole, so he who examines 

 each part of a fine view, may also thoroughly comprehend 

 the full and combined effect. Hence, a traveller should be 

 a botanist, for in all views plants form the chief embellish- 

 ment. Group masses of naked rock, even in the wildest 

 forms, and they may for a time afford a sublime spectacle, 

 but they will soon grow monotonous. Paint them with bright 

 and varied colours, as in Northern Chile, they will become 

 fantastic; clothe them with vegetation, they must form a 

 decent, if not a beautiful picture. 



When I say that the scenery of parts of Europe is probably 

 superior to anything which we beheld, I except, as a class by 

 itself, that of the intertropical zones. The two classes cannot 

 be compared together; but I have already often enlarged on 

 the grandeur of those regions. As the force of impressions 

 generally depends on preconceived ideas, I may add, that 

 mine were taken from the vivid descriptions in the Personal 

 Narrative of Humboldt, which far exceed in merit anything 

 else which I have read. Yet with these high-wrought ideas, 



