The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-01 00:00:00

THE NEW., MONTHLY

Still keeps up its peculiar title to original commu-
nications and interesting variety. The present Number
is more choice in prose than verse, as will be seen by
our extracts, and more so by reference to the number,
which opens with a very sensible article on the real
state of Ireland, divested of false colouring or romance.
An article on London Improvements is playful and qUaint.
Old Parr is cooked zip again with more originality than on
his first appearance, and serves to read varied but curious
associations; and the Anecdotical Recollections are just in
the same strain, but more serious. The visit to Mont
Blanc is not only interesting, but fiill of fearful anxiety.—
The following description of the-splendid Caverns of Ice
in Mont Blanc is really beautiful :

The elegance and beauty which nature has given to these re-
gions no pen, no pencil can pourtray ; nor can the mind easily
imagine them. In real truth, how is it possible to describe ob-
jects which have no resemblance to any thing else we see in the
daily course of life? It is not possible to convey to you a just
idea of the sensations I experienced on viewing beauties and hor-
rors thus closely combined. The contrast of the spotless white
of the snows, for nothing exists in these regions to soil them.
with the dark and sombre colour of the surrounding peaks and
pinnacles, hes no equal; the mutant rushing of the waters in
hidden channels beneath our feet, the purity of the air, the cloud-
every object an extraordinary vivacity,---all these lent their aid to
less sky and brilliant sun which favoured us, and gave to
heighten the magnificent.* of the scene. It would be a, very
great pleasure to me if I could give you t just description of the
caverns of ice, many of which we passed in our second day's
journey over the Glacier des &monk Their entrance is adorned
with the largest and strongest icicles I ever saw, some twenty,
some thirty feet long, and thick in proportion, with smaller ones
projecting from their sides; .they are pure as the brightest crystal.
Thole icicles hang from the tap and arched entrance of the ca-
verns; and.when the sun has sufficient power to melt. a small
quantity of the finer snow, it drips from theiNi stalactites, and,
falling on'the foot of the entrance, again freezes, and forms itself
intopilvarcd like a doubleeersedicicleii,row of
with their points upwards; and thus they
see. ipikeg,
prevent the traveller
from entering into these abodes of death. I was very anxious to
penetrate one of these wonderful caverns ; but, as such an under-
taking would have cost us more time than we could give'without
the risk of being
ton late in the evening among the dangers and
difficulties we bad yet before us, the guides dissuaded me, Whig,
they had never explored them. Danger there can be none, for
the solidity of the arches would probably be sufficient for any
weight overthem and there can be no chance of their falling
but by an imperceptible movement of the glacier. How brilliant
would these diamond caves be by torch-light! how magnificently
has Nature dressed these her nerd closets ! In some cases the ice
assumes the form of the moat elegant drapery, and hangs over the
arch in festoons of a transparent beauty not to be imagined ; in
others it is fringed, and resembles the light and airy form of
feathers, without being attached apparently to the solid ice ; but