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shadow from behind the ray。 Only the shapeless and lifeless smoke
disobeys and defeats the summer of the eyes。
Up at the top of the seaward hill your first thought is one of some
compassion for sailors； inasmuch as they see but little of their
sea。 A child on a mere Channel cliff looks upon spaces and sizes
that they cannot see in the Pacific； on the ocean side of the world。
Never in the solitude of the blue water； never between the Cape of
Good Hope and Cape Horn； never between the Islands and the West； has
the seaman seen anything but a little circle of sea。 The Ancient
Mariner； when he was alone； did but drift through a thousand narrow
solitudes。 The sailor has nothing but his mast； indeed。 And but
for his mast he would be isolated in as small a world as that of a
traveller through the plains。
Round the plains the horizon lies with folded wings。 It keeps them
so perpetually for man； and opens them only for the bird； replying
to flight with flight。
A close circlet of waves is the sailor's famous offing。 His offing
hardly deserves the name of horizon。 To hear him you might think
something of his offing； but you do not so when you sit down in the
centre of it。
As the upspringing of all things at your going up the heights； so
steady； so swift； is the subsidence at your descent。 The further
sea lies away； hill folds down behind hill。 The whole upstanding
world； with its looks serene and alert； its distant replies； its
signals of many miles； its signs and communications of light；
gathers down and pauses。 This flock of birds which is the mobile
landscape wheels and goes to earth。 The Cardinal weighs down the
audience with his downward hands。 Farewell to the most delicate
horizon。
HABITS AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Education might do somewhat to control the personal habits for which
ungenerous observant men are inclined to dislike one another。 It
has done little。 As to literature； this has had the most curiously
diverse influence upon the human sensitiveness to habit。 Tolstoi's
perception of habits is keener than a child's； and he takes them
uneasily； as a child does not。 He holds them to be the occasion； if
not the cause； of hatred。 Anna Karenina； as she drank her coffee；
knew that her sometime lover was dreading to hear her swallow it；
and was hating the crooking of her little finger as she held her
cup。 It is impossible to live in a world of habits with such an
apprehension of habits as this。
It is no wonder that Tolstoi denies to other men unconsciousness；
and even preoccupation。 With him perception never lapses； and he
will not describe a murderer as rapt away by passion from the
details of the room and the observation of himself； nor will he
represent a theologian as failingeven while he thinks out and
decides the question of his faithto note the things that arrest
his present and unclouded eyes。 No habits would dare to live under
those glances。 They must die of dismay。
Tolstoi sees everything that is within sight。 That he sees this
multitude of things with invincible simplicity is what proves him an
artist； nevertheless； for such perception as his there is no peace。
For when it is not the trivialities of other men's habits but the
actualities of his own mind that he follows without rest； for him
there is no possible peace but sleep。 To him； more than to all
others； it has been said； 〃Watch！〃 There is no relapse； there is no
respite but sleep or death。
To such a mind every night must come with an overwhelming change； a
release too great for gratitude。 What a falling to sleep！ What a
manumission； what an absolution！ Consciousness and conscience set
free from the exacted instant replies of the unrelapsing day。 And
at the awakening all is ready yet once more； and apprehension begins
again： a perpetual presence of mind。
Dr。 Johnson was 〃absent。〃 No man of 〃absent〃 mind is without some
hourly deliverance。 It is on the present mind that presses the
burden of the present world。
SHADOWS
Another good reason that we ought to leave blank； unvexed； and
unencumbered with paper patterns the ceiling and walls of a simple
house is that the plain surface may be visited by the unique designs
of shadows。 The opportunity is so fine a thing that it ought
oftener to be offered to the light and to yonder handful of long
sedges and rushes in a vase。 Their slender grey design of shadows
upon white walls is better than a tedious； trivial； or anxious
device from the shop。
The shadow has all intricacies of perspective simply translated into
line and intersecting curve； and pictorially presented to the eyes；
not to the mind。 The shadow knows nothing except its flat designs。
It is single； it draws a decoration that was never seen before； and
will never be seen again； and that； untouched； varies with the
journey of the sun； shifts the interrelation of a score of delicate
lines at the mere passing of time； though all the room be
motionless。 Why will design insist upon its importunate
immortality？ Wiser is the drama； and wiser the dance； that do not
pause upon an attitude。 But these walk with passion or pleasure；
while the shadow walks with the earth。 It alters as the hours
wheel。
Moreover； while the habit of your sunward thoughts is still flowing
southward； after the winter and the spring； it surprises you in the
sudden gleam of a north…westering sun。 It decks a new wall； it is
shed by a late sunset through a window unvisited for a year past； it
betrays the flitting of the sun into unwonted skiesa sun that
takes the midsummer world in the rear； and shows his head at a
sally…porte； and is about to alight on an unused horizon。 So does
the grey drawing； with which you have allowed the sun and your pot
of rushes to adorn your room； play the stealthy game of the year。
You need not stint yourself of shadows； for an occasion。 It needs
but four candles to make a hanging Oriental bell play the most
buoyant jugglery overhead。 Two lamps make of one palm…branch a
symmetrical countercharge of shadows； and here two palm…branches
close with one another in shadow； their arches flowing together； and
their paler greys darkening。 It is hard to believe that there are
many to prefer a 〃repeating pattern。〃
It must be granted to them that a grey day robs of their decoration
the walls that should be sprinkled with shadows。 Let； then； a
plaque or a picture be kept for hanging on shadowless clays。 To
dress a room once for all； and to give it no more heed； is to
neglect the units of the days。
Shadows within doors are yet only messages from that world of
shadows which is the landscape of sunshine。 Facing a May sun you
see little except an infinite number of shadows。 Atoms of shadow
be the day bright enoughcompose the very air through which you see
the light。 The trees show you a shadow for every leaf； and the
poplars