sbeforehim,andagainsurveyedthemalternately.

    Whileheissooccupied,Iwilltellyou,reader,whattheyare:andfirst,Imustpremisethattheyarenothingwonderful.Thesubjectshad,indeed,risenvividlyonmymind.AsIsawthemwiththespiritualeye,beforeIattemptedtoembodythem,theywerestriking;butmyhandwouldnotseyfandineachcaseithadwroughtoutbutapaleportraitofthethingIhadceived.

    Thesepictureswereinwater-colours.Thefirstrepresentedcloudslowandlivid,rollingoveraswollensea:allthedistancewasineclipse;so,too,wasthefround;orrather,thebillows,fortherewasnoland.Onegleamoflightliftedintoreliefahalf-submergedmast,onwhichsataorant,darkandlarge,withwingsfleckedwithfoam;itsbeakheldagoldbraceletsetwithgems,thatIhadtouchedwithasbrillianttintsasmypalettecouldyield,andasglitteringdistinessasmypencilcouldimpart.Sinkihebirdandmast,adrownedclahroughthegreenwater;afairarmwastheonlylimbclearlyvisible,whehebracelethadbeenwashedortorn.

    Thesedpicturetainedfroundonlythedimpeakofahill,withgrassandsomeleavesslantingasifbyabreeze.Beyondandabovespreadanexpanseofsky,darkblueasattwilight:risingintotheskywasawoman’sshapetothebust,portrayedintintsasduskandsoftasIcouldbihedimforeheadwasedwithastar;thelisbelowwereseenasthroughthesuffusionofvapour;theeyesshonedarkandwild;thehairstreamedshadowy,likeabeamlesscloudtornbystormorbyelectrictravail.Onthenecklayapalereflelikemoonlight;thesamefaintlustretouchedthetrainofthincloudsfromwhichroseandbowedthisvisionoftheEveningStar.

    Thethirdshowedthepinnacleofanicebergpiergapola