She looked up at columns of crimson and saffron and burning brown, up at the matronly falls, up at lone pines clinging to jutting rocks that must be already crashing toward her, and in the splendor she knew the Panic fear that is the deepest reaction to beauty.
In the passage, the character gazes at a breathtaking landscape filled with vibrant colors like crimson, saffron, and brown. She observes the powerful waterfalls and solitary pine trees desperately holding onto steep cliffs. The scene is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, evoking a profound emotional response within her.
This overwhelming beauty leads her to experience what Sinclair Lewis describes as a "Panic fear," signifying a deep and instinctual reaction to the magnificence of nature. The juxtaposition of beauty and fear captures the complexity of human emotions in face of the sublime.
