Opposite, across the
King's Road, the mastheads of the fishing boats on the beach just rise
above the rails of the cliff, tipped with fluttering pennants, or
fish-shaped vanes changing to the wind. They have a pulley at the end of
a curved piece of iron for hauling up the lantern to the top of the mast
when trawling; this thin curve, with a dot at the extremity surmounting
the straight and rigid mast, suits the artist's pencil. The gold-plate
shop--there is a bust of Psyche in the doorway--often attracts the eye in
passing; gold and silver plate in large masses is striking, and it is a
very good place to stand a minute and watch the passers-by.
It is a Piccadilly crowd by the sea-exactly the same style of people you
meet in Piccadilly, but freer in dress, and particularly in hats. All
fashionable Brighton parades the King's Road twice a day, morning and
afternoon, always on the side of the shops. The route is up and down the
King's Road as far as Preston Street, back again and up East Street.
Riding and driving Brighton extends its Rotten Row sometimes to Third
Avenue, Hove. These well-dressed and leading people never look at the
sea. Watching by the gold-plate shop you will not observe a single glance
in the direction of the sea, beautiful as it is, gleaming under the
sunlight.
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