Oldal 82 [82]
46 LIGHT AND WATER
in painting without close observation of the actual
scene. Nature seems at first sight somewhat partial
in her decision as to which object shall cause a streak,
and which, though conspicuous enough on the hill
side, shall have no visible counterpart in the water.
We shall find on looking more intently that objects
low down close to the waters edge are not reflected
at all, and the same may be said of those above a
certain height, whilst between these limits a promi¬
nent piece of colour is represented by a well-marked
streak starting from the very edge of the water. But
sometimes a bright patch on the rocks occurs just
above or below an equally dark patch, so that the
one kills the other, and no trace of either appears in
the water. On the other hand, two or more scarcely
noticeable spots or patches, which happen to lie in
the same vertical, combine unexpectedly to yield a
definite streak.” Any upright crack or stain on the
rocks is of course exaggerated in the reflexion whilst
the horizontal ones are lost. Should a breeze spring
up, ruffling the surface at first gently, the reflexion of
the rocks gradually dissolves away, until the origin of
the broader and less distinct streaks that now remain
may be traced to the outline of the cliffs against the
sky." Wherever the cliff is highest the water beneath
‘ With the very gentlest tremble of the water the phenomenon
is reproduced on a small scale, every stone at the water’s edge then
giving a streak.
" ‘Thus it sometimes happens that in the reflexion of a featureless
hillside we get a series of very evident streaks, the origin of which
is by no means so evident.
" The reflexion of a headland standing out to sea often terminates