lfactive　sense。　Without　the　shy；　fugitive；

often　unobserved　sensations　and　the　certainties　which　taste；　smell；　and

touch　give　me；　I　should　be　obliged　to　take　my　conception　of　the　universe

wholly　from　others。　I　should　lack　the　alchemy　by　which　I　now　infuse　into

my　world　light；　colour；　and　the　Protean　spark。　The　sensuous　reality

which　interthreads　and　supports　all　the　gropings　of　my　imagination　would

be　shattered。　The　solid　earth　would　melt　from　under　my　feet　and　disperse

itself　in　space。　The　objects　dear　to　my　hands　would　bee　formless；

dead　things；　and　I　should　walk　among　them　as　among　invisible　ghosts。

RELATIVE　VALUES　OF　THE　SENSES

VII

RELATIVE　VALUES　OF　THE　SENSES

I　WAS　once　without　the　sense　of　smell　and　taste　for　several　days。　It

seemed　incredible；　this　utter　detachment　from　odours；　to　breathe　the　air

in　and　observe　never　a　single　scent。　The　feeling　was　probably　similar；

though　less　in　degree；　to　that　of　one　who　first　loses　sight　and　cannot

but　expect　to　see　the　light　again　any　day；　any　minute。　I　knew　I　should

smell　again　some　time。　Still；　after　the　wonder　had　passed　off；　a

loneliness　crept　over　me　as　vast　as　the　air　whose　myriad　odours　I

missed。　The　multitudinous　subtle　delights　that　smell　makes　mine　became

for　a　time　wistful　memories。　When　I　recovered　the　lost　sense；　my　heart

bounded　with　gladness。　It　is　a　fine　dramatic　touch　that　Hans　Andersen

gives　to　the　story　of　Kay　and　Gerda　in　the　passage　about　flowers。　Kay；

whom　the　wicked　magician's　glass　has　blinded　to　human　love；　rushes　away

fiercely　from　home　when　he　discovers　that　the　roses　have　lost　their

sweetness。

The　loss　of　smell　for　a