Mondayafternoonthestormwhichhadbeenbeatingupagainstthesoutheasterlywindnearlyalldaythickened，folduponfold，inthenorthwest。Thegaleincreased，andblackenedtheharborandwhitenedtheopenseabeyond，wheresailaftersailappearedroundthereefofWhalebackLight，andraninawildscamperforthesafeanchorageswithin。
Sincenooncautiouscoastersofallsortshadbeendroppinginwithacasualair；thecoalschoonersandbargeshadrockedandnoddedknowinglytooneanother，withtheirtaperandtruncatedmasts，onthebreastoftheinvisibleswell；andtheflockoflittleyachtsandpleasure-boatswhichalwaysfleckthebayhuddledtogetherinthesafewaters。ThecraftthatcamescurryinginjustbeforenightfallweremackerelseinersfromGloucester。Theywereallofonegracefulshapeandonesize；theycamewithallsailset，takingthewaninglightlikesunshineontheirflying-jibs，andtrailingeachtwodoriesbehindthem，withtheirseinespiledinblackheapsbetweenthethwarts。Assoonastheycameinsidetheirjibsweakenedandfell，andtheanchor-chainsrattledfromtheirbows。Beforethedarkhidthemwecouldhavecountedsixtyorseventyshipsintheharbor，andasthenightfelltheyimprovisedalittleVeniceunderthehillwiththeirlights，whichtwinkledrhythmically，likethelampsinthebasinofSt。Mark，betweentheMaineandNewHampshirecoasts。
Therewasadashofrain，andwethoughtthestormhadbegun；butthatendedit，assomanytimesthissummeradashofrainhasendedastorm。
Themorningcameveiledinafogthatkepttheshippingatanchorthroughtheday；butthenextnighttheweathercleared。Wewoketothecluckingoftackle，andsawthewholefleetstandingdreamilyouttosea。Whentheywerefairlygone，thesummer，whichhadheldaloofindismayofthesuddencold，seemedtoreturnandpossessthelandagain；andthesuccessionofsilverdaysandcrystalnightsresumedthetranquilroundwhichwethoughthadceased。
I。
Onesaysofeverysummer，whenitisdrawingnearitsend，\"Thereneverwassuchasummer\"；butifthesummerisoneofthosewhichslipfromthefeebleholdofelderlyhands，whenthedaysoftheyearsmaybereckonedwiththescientificlogicoftheinsurancetablesandthesadconvictionofthepsalmist，oneseesitgowithapassionateprescienceofneverseeingitslikeagainsuchastheyoungerwitnesscannotknow。Eachnewsummerofthefewleftmustbeshorterandswifterthanthelast：itsJuneswillbethirtydayslong，anditsJulysandAuguststhirty-one，incompliancewiththealmanac；butthedayswillbeofsosmallacompassthatfourteenofthemwillrattleroundinaweekoftheoldsizelikeshrivelledpeasinapod。
Tobesuretheyswellsomewhatintheretrospect，likethesamepeasputtosoak；andIamawarenowofsomeJunedaysofthosewhichwefirstspentatKitteryPointthisyear，whichwerenearlytwenty-fourhourslong。Eventhedaysofdecliningyearslingeralittlehere，wherethereisnothingtohurrythem，andwhereitispleasanttoloiter，andmusebesidetheseaandshore，whicharesonettedtogetheratKitteryPointthattheyhardlyknowthemselvesapart。Thedays，whatevertheirlength，aredivided，notintohours，butintomails。Theybegin，withoutregardtothesun，ateighto\'clock，whenthefirstmailcomeswithafewlettersandpaperswhichhadforgottenthemselvesthenightbefore。Athalf-pasteleventhegreatmid-daymailarrives；atfouro\'clockthereisanotherindifferentandscatteringpost，muchlikethatateightinthemorning；andatseventhelastmailarriveswiththeBostoneveningpapersandtheNewYorkmorningpapers，tomakeyouforgetanylettersyouwerelookingfor。Theopeningofthemid-daymailisthatwhichmostthrongswithsummerfolksthelittlepostofficeundertheelms，oppositetheweather-beatenmansionofSirWilliamPepperrell；buttheeveningmailattractsalargeandmainlydisinterestedcircleofnatives。Theday\'sworkonlandandseaisthenover，andthevillageleisure，percheduponfencesandstayedagainsthousewalls，isofapicturesquenesswhichweshouldprizeifwesawitabroad，andwhichIamnotwillingtoslightonourownground。