Nature and the Sublime

Where it surfaces

• On the Sambre Canalised: To Landrecies

  The narrator extols the forest of Mormal as a living, majestic entity, contrasting its beauty and permanence with human transience.

• The Oise in Flood

  The river is portrayed as both beautiful and terrifying, with the reeds shivering in fear and the current described as a 'Centaur carrying off a nymph,' highlighting nature's power and indifference.

• Down the Oise: Through the Golden Valley

  The description of the Golden Valley, the thunderstorm, and the river's relentless flow evoke the power and beauty of nature.

• Down the Oise: To Compiègne

  The clearing weather, grand clouds, and tranquil river evoke a sense of natural beauty and the sublime.

• Edinburgh

  The chapter emphasizes Edinburgh's dramatic natural setting, with its hills, crags, and vistas, evoking a sense of the sublime.

• New Town—Town and Country

  Stevenson emphasizes the surprising views of hills, sea, and countryside from within the city, and the ameliorating influence of nature on urban life.

• VIII: The Calton Hill

  The panoramic views from the hill, the sea, and the night sky evoke the sublime beauty of the natural landscape.

• X: To the Pentland Hills

  The chapter vividly describes the Pentland Hills, the expansive view from the summit, and the interplay of natural elements like wind, birds, and landscape, evoking a sense of the sublime.

• Velay

  Descriptions of the clear stream, the resting country, and the mountainous landscape of Velay and Gévaudan.

• I Have a Goad

  Descriptions of the bleak, wintry morning, the purplish shadows over the mountains, and the legend of the Beast evoke the sublime power of nature.

• Upper Gévaudan

  The wild, stormy weather and rugged terrain evoke a sense of the sublime, as the narrator experiences both hardship and awe.

• A Camp in the Dark

  Vivid descriptions of the wild, cold weather, the wind huddling trees, and the eerie dance of children in the marsh at nightfall, evoking both beauty and terror.

• Cheylard and Luc

  The landscape is described as cold, naked, and ignoble, with a focus on the harsh, unyielding environment and the wind's rudeness.

• Our Lady of the Snows

  The wild, rugged landscape of the Vivarais hills is described with awe, emphasizing the sublime beauty and desolation of the natural world.

• Upper Gévaudan (Continued)

  The narrator's night in the pines is a profound encounter with the natural world, emphasizing the beauty and restorative power of sleeping outdoors.

• Across the Goulet

  The landscape—from the dawn-lit plateau to the mountain summit—evokes awe, with springy turf, larks, and panoramic views.

• A Night Among the Pines

  The narrator experiences the sublime beauty of the night sky, the forest, and the dawn, feeling a deep connection to the natural world.

• The Country of the Camisards

  The narrator's ascent of the Lozère and the panoramic view from the Pic de Finiels evoke a sense of awe and discovery, with the landscape described in vivid, almost transcendent terms.

• Across the Lozère

  The ascent of the Lozère and the panoramic view evoke a sense of awe and possession of a new world.

• In the Valley of the Tarn

  The valley of the Tarn is described with towering cliffs, chestnut trees like 'herded elephants,' and a landscape that inspires higher thoughts of Nature's powers.

• In the Valley of the Mimente

  The narrator's night under the stars and his reflections on the serene influence of the cosmos highlight the sublime power of nature.

• The Heart of the Country

  The wild, mountainous landscape is described with awe, from the 'monstrous ribs and gullies' to the moonlit shadows dancing in tune.

• The Last Day

  The narrator deeply enjoys the chestnut groves and the moonlit view from St. Pierre, feeling light and content in the natural landscape.

• The Plains of Nebraska

  The vast, empty plains evoke a sense of the sublime, with the horizon and sky dominating the landscape, both exhilarating and oppressive.

• The Desert of Wyoming

  The landscape is depicted as bleak, monotonous, and overwhelming, evoking a sense of the sublime in its desolation.

• To the Golden Gates

  The dramatic shift from barren alkali deserts to the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains and the breathtaking dawn over San Francisco Bay evokes a profound emotional and spiritual response.

• Monterey

  Stevenson vividly describes the forest fires, the pitch-pine trees, and the climate of Monterey, emphasizing the power and fragility of the natural landscape.

• The Woods and the Pacific

  The overwhelming presence of the Pacific Ocean and the forest fires evoke a sense of awe and the sublime power of nature.

• San Francisco

  The description of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate, Tamalpais, and the geological instability of the peninsula evokes the sublime power of nature.

• The Silverado Squatters

  Mount Saint Helena is portrayed as a majestic, dominant natural feature, with vivid descriptions of its height, forests, and the surrounding wilderness.

• In the Valley

  The chapter vividly describes the beauty of Mount Saint Helena, the valleys, streams, and the petrified forest, emphasizing the awe-inspiring power of nature.

• Calistoga

  The overwhelming presence of Mount Saint Helena and the volcanic heat of the valley evoke the sublime power of nature.

• II: The Petrified Forest

  The chapter vividly describes the beauty of the California landscape, including Mount Saint Helena, streams, and forests, evoking a sense of wonder and the sublime.

• II: First Impressions of Silverado

  The ascent up Mount Saint Helena is depicted with vivid descriptions of the wind, pines, and mountain air, evoking a sense of awe and exhilaration.

• The Hunter's Family

  Rufe Hanson's connection to nature as a hunter and his artistic eye reflect a deep engagement with the natural world, while Irvine remains oblivious to it.

• The Sea Fogs

  The fog is depicted as a powerful, awe-inspiring natural force that transforms the landscape, evoking both terror and beauty.

• A Starry Drive

  The chapter vividly describes the awe-inspiring night sky, with stars appearing in 'innumerable millions' and a 'chaos of contesting luminaries,' evoking a sense of the sublime and the transformative power of nature.

• Toils and Pleasures

  The chapter extensively describes the natural surroundings, the silence of the hills, the beauty of the morning and evening, and the contrast between human order and nature's passivity.

• I

  Fontainebleau's forest is described as sanative and classically graceful, providing inspiration and a harmonious setting for artistic work.

• II

  The forest is described with rich sensory detail, emphasizing its beauty, variety, and the rejuvenating power of nature.

• VII

  The forest is portrayed as a teacher and inspirer, its 'incommunicable thrill' serving as a tuning-fork for art, emphasizing nature's power to elevate and humble the artist.

• Last of Smethurst

  The moonlit lake, gusty wind, and wild chase of shadows evoke the sublime beauty and power of nature.

• An Autumn Effect

  Vivid descriptions of autumn scenery, peacocks, and the changing light evoke the beauty and transience of nature.

• A Winter’s Walk in Carrick and Galloway

  The winter landscape is vividly described, with snow-covered fields, cliffs, and the sea, evoking both beauty and desolation.

• Forest Notes

  The forest is depicted as a place of awe and spiritual reflection, emphasizing the sublime power of the natural world.

• On the Plain

  The vast, solemn plain and the forest are depicted as both beautiful and oppressive, serving as a backdrop to human history and struggle.

• In the Season

  The moonlit woods, the cavern picnic, and the solitary walker's experience of silence and beauty evoke the sublime aspects of nature.

• Idle Hours

  The chapter explores the uncanny and sublime qualities of the forest at night and the vivid, almost overwhelming beauty of the woods by day, emphasizing the contrast and the sensory immersion.

• A Pleasure-Party

  Vivid descriptions of the forest, river, water-lilies, and the changing weather evoke the beauty and power of nature, from the sunny morning to the rainy aftermath.

• The Woods in Spring

  The forest in spring is depicted as a place of stark, cold beauty that inspires both pleasure and a sense of awe verging on fear, emphasizing the sublime power of nature.

• Morality

  The forest is depicted as a sublime, transformative space that offers peace, renewal, and a sense of timelessness, contrasting with the industrial world.

• Davos in Winter

  The chapter contrasts the dull, monochrome snowscape with rare, transcendent moments when sun and storm reveal startling rearrangements and transfigurations of mountain summits.

• Health and Mountains

  The chapter vividly describes the overwhelming, almost chaotic beauty of Alpine winter landscapes, emphasizing the sublime power of nature to both invigorate and unsettle the observer.

• The Stimulation of the Alps

  The Alps are depicted as a sublime landscape that overwhelms the senses, producing a 'delicate exhilaration' and a sense of being 'stingingly alive'.

• Roads

  Contrasts overwhelming sublime landscapes with the quieter, more intimate beauty of English countryside, advocating for patient observation over awe-struck admiration.

• On the Enjoyment of Unpleasant Places

  The essay emphasizes finding beauty and peace in nature, even in harsh or bleak settings, and describes the sea and sky as sources of eternal calm and sublime tranquility.