Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 25 September 1916The serpentine stones which form the shingle on the Lizard peninsula are very tempting to gather,and we possess had the happy idea of using them in bowls this winter, to grow narcissi in and Roman hyacinths. A child is the pure artist in collection. He needs no apology. The mere contemplating of his hoards, or laying them out in array,counting and sorting, is amply enough joy for him. But we grown-ups are compelled to seek a plea of use, and,having found it, we may indulge our childishness. It is lucky that the use we possess hit upon allows, and since we cannot learn to polish the stones,of the next best way of bringing out the colours – by wetting them. They are very varied, these pebbles; veined or mottled, and netted,or broadly banded; colours laid one over the other or side by side. The greys sometimes salvage very near blue, mostly lilac or indigo blue. The greens are mostly yellowish or mossy, or but there is a very handsome laurel green,not often found. The reds are mostly a wealthy and deep Indian red, but there are found occasional delicate pink shades. I possess in my hand one pebble made up of broad bands of Indian red alternating with iron grey, or a sombre combination; another murky one has a background of lavender with a fine network of the same red; more elegant is the same lavender veined with purple.
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Source: theguardian.com