the other mountains, plains, islands, and gulfs of
Greece; but especially surveys the broad bosom of Cithaeron,
Helicon, and Hymettus. Thence, roaming into the depths and over
all the heights of Euboea and Peloponnesus, he has their inmost
recesses again submitted to his contemplation. Next, resting upon
Hymettus, he examines, even in the minutest detail, the whole of
Attica, to the Sunian promontory; for he sees it all--and all the
shores of Argos, Sicyon, Corinth, Megara, Eleusis, and Athens.
Thus, although not in all the freshness of its living colours, yet
in all its grandeur, doth GREECE actually present itself to the
mind's eye--and may the impression never be obliterated! In the
eve of bidding it farewell for ever, as the hope of visiting this
delightful country constituted the earliest and warmest wish of
his youth, the author found it to be some alleviation of his
regret excited by a consciousness of never returning, that he
could thus summon to his recollection the scenes over which he had
passed."--(_Clarke's Travels_, Vol. vii. pp. 476-478.)
So far Clarke--the accomplished and famed traveller of Cambridge. We
now give a favourable specimen of Bishop Heber--his companion in
traversing Russia--the celebrated author, in early life at Oxford, of
_Palestine_, the amiable and upright Bishop of Calcutta, whose life,
if ever that could be said of mortal, was literally spent in doing
good. This accomplished and excellent prelate thus describes the first
view of the Himalaya range and the summits of Nundidevi, the highest
mountain in the world, neatly 5000 feet above the loftiest peak of
Chimborazo.
"After coasting the lake for a mile, we ascended for thirteen more
by a most steep and rugged road over the neck of Mount Gaughur,
through a succession of glens, forests, and views of the most
sublime and beautiful description. I never saw such prospects
before, and had formed no adequate idea of such. My attention was
completely strained, and my eyes filled with tears; every thing
around was so wild and magnificent that man appeared as nothing,
and I felt myself as if climbing the steps of the altar of the
great temple of God. The trees, as we advanced, were in a large
proportion fir and cedar; but many were ilex, and to my surprise I
still saw, even in these wild Alpine tracts, many venerable Peepul
trees,
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