330 PRÆTERITA-II

that, thus seen (the aiguille) Blaitière, though still 3000 feet above us, looked a mere rock, ascendable in a quarter of an hour. Of course, after being used to the higher rocks, one begins to measure them in their own way; but where there is nothing to test scale-where the air is perfectly mistless, and the mountain masses are divided into sheets whose edges are the height of Dover cliffs, it is impossible effectually to estimate their magnitude but by trying them.”

This bit of moonlight is perhaps worth keeping:-

“28th June, half-past ten.-I never was dazzled by moonlight until now; but as it rose from behind the Mont Blanc du Tacul, the full moon almost blinded me: it burst forth into the sky like a vast star. For an hour before, the aiguilles had appeared as dark masses against a sky looking as transparent as clear sea, edged at their summits with fleeces of cloud breaking into glorious spray and foam of white fire. A meteor fell over the Dôme as the moon rose: now it is so intensely bright that I cannot see the Mont Blanc underneath it; the form is lost in its light.”

Many and many an hour of precious time and perfect sight was spent, during these years, in thus watching skies; much was written which would be useful¹-if I took a year to put it together,-to myself; but, in the present smoky world, to no other creature: and much was learned, which is of no use now to anybody; for to me it is only sorrowful memory, and to others, an old man’s fantasy.

95. We left Chamouni on 4th July; on the 8th I find this entry at St. Gingolph:-

“We dined late, which kept me later from my walk than I like, and it was wet with recent rain; but the glades of greensward under groves of Spanish chestnut

¹ [For extracts from his diary giving descriptions of skies, see, e.g., Vol. VII. pp. xxvi., lx.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]