showing themselves in graceful curves for half-an-hour or so, till they went out farther to sea off Fairlight.  Some fishing-boats were becalmed just in front of us.  Their shadows slept, or almost slept, upon the water, a gentle quivering alone showing that it was not complete sleep, or if sleep, that it was sleep with dreams.  The intensity of the sunlight sharpened the outlines of every little piece of rock, and of the pebbles, in a manner which seemed supernatural to us Londoners.  In London we get the heat of the sun, but not his light, and the separation of individual parts into such vivid isolation was so surprising that even Marie noticed it, and said it “all seemed as if she were looking through a glass.”  It was perfect—­perfect in its beauty—­and perfect because, from the sun in the heavens down to the fly with burnished wings on the hot rock, there was nothing out of harmony.  Everything breathed one spirit.  Marie played near us; Ellen and I sat still, doing nothing.  We wanted nothing, we had nothing to achieve; there were no curiosities to be seen, there was no particular place to be reached, no “plan of operations,” and London was forgotten for the time.  It lay behind us in the north-west, and the cliff was at the back of us shutting out all thought of it.  No reminiscences and no anticipations disturbed us; the present was sufficient, and occupied us totally.

I should like, if I could, to write an essay upon the art of enjoying a holiday.  It is sad to think how few people know how to enjoy one, although they are so precious.  We do not sufficiently consider that enjoyment of every kind is an art carefully to be learnt, and specially the art of making the most of a brief space set apart for pleasure.  It is foolish, for example, if a man, city bred, has but twelve hours before him, to spend more of it in eating and drinking than is necessary.  Eating and drinking produce stupidity, at least in some degree, which may just as well be reserved for town.  It is foolish also to load the twelve hours with a task—­so much to be done.  The sick person may perhaps want exercise, but to the tolerably healthy the best of all recreation is the freedom from fetters even when they are self-imposed.

Our train homewards was due at Bexhill a little after seven.  By five o’clock a change gradual but swift was observed.  The clouds which had charmed us all through the morning and afternoon were in reality thunder-clouds, which woke up like a surprised army under perfect discipline, and moved magnificently towards us.  Already afar off we heard the softened echoing roll of the thunder.  Every now and then we saw a sharp thrust of lightning down into the water, and shuddered when we thought that perhaps underneath that stab there might be a ship with living men.  The battle at first was at such a distance that we watched it with intense and solemn delight.  As yet not a breath of air stirred, but presently, over