the colour of life(生命之色)-第3章
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as they catch it and reflect it grotesquely from their importunate gloss。
This is to be well seen on a sunny evening in Regent Street。
Even here the cloud is not so victorious as when it towers above some
little landscape of rather paltry interest … a conventional river heavy with
water； gardens with their little evergreens； walks； and shrubberies； and
thick trees impervious to the light； touched； as the novelists always have it；
with 〃autumn tints。〃 High over these rises； in the enormous scale of the
scenery of clouds； what no man expected … an heroic sky。 Few of the
things that were ever done upon earth are great enough to be done under
such a heaven。 It was surely designed for other days。 It is for an epic
world。 Your eyes sweep a thousand miles of cloud。 What are the
distances of earth to these； and what are the distances of the clear and
cloudless sky？ The very horizons of the landscape are near； for the round
world dips so soon； and the distances of the mere clear sky are
unmeasured … you rest upon nothing until you come to a star； and the star
itself is immeasurable。
But in the sky of 〃sunny Alps〃 of clouds the sight goes farther； with
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conscious flight； than it could ever have journeyed otherwise。 Man would
not have known distance veritably without the clouds。 There are
mountains indeed； precipices and deeps； to which those of the earth are
pigmy。 Yet the sky…heights； being so far off； are not overpowering by
disproportion； like some futile building fatuously made too big for the
human measure。 The cloud in its majestic place composes with a little
Perugino tree。 For you stand or stray in the futile building； while the
cloud is no mansion for man； and out of reach of his limitations。
The cloud； moreover； controls the sun； not merely by keeping the
custody of his rays； but by becoming the counsellor of his temper。 The
cloud veils an angry sun； or； more terribly； lets fly an angry ray； suddenly
bright upon tree and tower； with iron…grey storm for a background。 Or
when anger had but threatened； the cloud reveals him； gentle beyond hope。
It makes peace； constantly； just before sunset。
It is in the confidence of the winds； and wears their colours。 There is a
heavenly game； on south…west wind days； when the clouds are bowled by
a breeze from behind the evening。 They are round and brilliant； and
come leaping up from the horizon for hours。 This is a frolic and
haphazard sky。
All unlike this is the sky that has a centre； and stands composed about
it。 As the clouds marshalled the earthly mountains； so the clouds in turn
are now ranged。 The tops of all the celestial Andes aloft are swept at
once by a single ray； warmed with a single colour。 Promontory after
league…long promontory of a stiller Mediterranean in the sky is called out
of mist and grey by the same finger。 The cloudland is very great； but a
sunbeam makes all its nations and continents sudden with light。
All this is for the untravelled。 All the winds bring him this scenery。
It is only in London； for part of the autumn and part of the winter； that the
unnatural smoke…fog comes between。 And for many and many a day no
London eye can see the horizon； or the first threat of the cloud like a man's
hand。 There never was a great painter who had not exquisite horizons；
and if Corot and Crome were right； the Londoner loses a great thing。
He loses the coming of the cloud； and when it is high in air he loses its
shape。 A cloud…lover is not content to see a snowy and rosy head piling
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into the top of the heavens； he wants to see the base and the altitude。 The
perspective of a cloud is a great part of its design … whether it lies so that
you can look along the immense horizontal distances of its floor； or
whether it rears so upright a pillar that you look up its mountain steeps in
the sky as you look at the rising heights of a mountain that stands； with
you； on the earth。
The cloud has a name suggesting darkness； nevertheless； it is not
merely the guardian of the sun's rays and their director。 It is the sun's
treasurer； it holds the light that the world has lost。 We talk of sunshine
and moonshine； but not of cloud…shine； which is yet one of the
illuminations of our skies。 A shining cloud is one of the most majestic of
all secondary lights。 If the reflecting moon is the bride； this is the friend
of the bridegroom。
Needless to say； the cloud of a thunderous summer is the most
beautiful of all。 It has spaces of a grey for which there is no name； and
no other cloud looks over at a vanishing sun from such heights of blue air。
The shower…cloud； too； with its thin edges； comes across the sky with so
influential a flight that no ship going out to sea can be better worth
watching。 The dullest thing perhaps in the London streets is that people
take their rain there without knowing anything of the cloud that drops it。
It is merely rain； and means wetness。 The shower…cloud there has limits
of time； but no limits of form； and no history whatever。 It has not come
from the clear edge of the plain to the south； and will not shoulder anon
the hill to the north。 The rain； for this city； hardly comes or goes； it does
but begin and stop。 No one looks after it on the path of its retreat。
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WINDS OF THE WORLD
Every wind is； or ought to be； a poet； but one is classic and converts
everything in his day co…unity； another is a modern man； whose words
clothe his thoughts； as the modern critics used to say prettily in the early
sixties； and therefore are separable。 This wind； again； has a style； and
that wind a mere manner。 Nay； there are breezes from the east…south…east；
for example； that have hardly even a manner。 You can hardly name them
unless you look at the weather vane。 So they do not convince you by
voice or colour of breath； you place their origin and assign them a history
according as the hesitating arrow points on the top of yonder ill…designed
London spire。
The most certain and most conquering of all is the south…west wind。
You do not look to the weather…vane to decide what shall be the style of
your greeting to his morning。 There is no arbitrary rule of courtesy
between you and him； and you need no arrow to point to his distinctions；
and to indicate to you the right manner of treating such a visitant。
He prepares the dawn。 While it is still dark the air is warned of his
presence； and before the window was opened he was already in the room。
His sun … for the sun is his … rises in a south…west mood； with a bloom on
the blue； the grey； or the gold。 When the south… west is cold； the cold is
his own cold … round； blunt； full； and gradual in its very strength。 It is a
fresh cold； that comes with an approach； and does not challenge you in the
manner of an unauthorised stranger； but instantly gets your leave； and even
a welcome to your house of life。 He follows your breath in at your throat；
and your eyes are open to let him in； even when he is cold。 Your blood
cools； but does not hide from him。
He has a splendid way with his sky。 In his flight； which is that； not of
a bird； but of a flock of birds； he flies high and low at once： high with his
higher clouds； that keep long in the sight of man； seeming to move slowly；
and low with the coloured clouds that breast the hills and are near to the
tree…tops。 These the south… west wind tosses up from his soft horizon；
round and successive。 They are tinted somewhat like ripe clover…fields； or
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like hay…fields just before the cutting； when all the grass is in flower； and
they are； oftener than all other clouds； in shadow。 These low…lying flocks
are swift and brief； the wind casts them before him； from the western
verge to the eastern。
Corot has painted so many south…west winds that one might question
whether he ever painted； in his later manner at least； any others。 His skies
are thus in the act of flight； with lower clouds outrunning the higher； the
farther vapours moving like a fleet out at sea； and the nearer like dolphins。
In his 〃Classical Landscape： Italy；〃 the master has indeed for once a sky
that seems at anchor； or at least that moves with 〃no pace perceived。〃
The vibrating wings are folded； and Corot's wind； that flew through so
many springs； summers； and Septembers for him （he was seldom a painter
of very late autumn）； that was mingled with so many aspen…leaves； that
strewed his forests with wood for the gatherer； and blew the broken lights
into the glades； is charmed into stillness； and the sky into another kind of
immortality。 Nor are the trees in this antique landscape the trees so long
intimate with Corot's south…west wind； so often entangled with his
uncertain twilights。 They are as quiet as the cloud； and such as the long
and wild breezes of Romance have never shaken or enlaced。
Upon all our islands this south…west wind is the sea wind。 But
elsewhere there are sea winds that are not from the south…west。 They； too；
none the less； are conquerors。 They； too； are always strong； compelling
winds that take possession of the light； the shadow； the sun； moon； and
stars； and co
