Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-09-19
sssCUALAA YQ&.
TIE ENUE OE SCIO
r@t. de mt.

TIE EN'LE OF SCIO.
Tho sun was slowly sinking behind
the range Of iymcttus and the hills Of
Attica, as we weighed anchor from Cape
ColOnna, and stoCred for the narrow
strait between Toa and Cynthos. The
morning VIC had passed IN wandering
through the groves Of laurel and mastic.
which cover the promontory Of Sunium,
and IN lingering among the fast-dc caying
ruins Of the temple Of Minerva. Around
lis base the debris Of its fallen fragments
have almost obitcyated tho outline of
the platform on which it was erected on
tho very verge the cliff, and the over
throw Of a number Of its columns short
time previous TO our visit, not only ad-
dcd TO the heap Of decay, but must soon
weaken the toitering foundation of the
remainder. The destructive effects of
Tho Srocco wind were here most singu-
larly displayed the sides Of tho columns
fronting the southeast were eaten away
and corroded from base TO capital for
tho depth Of two or three inches, whilst
on tho other portions Of the shaft the
iluting was rs sharp and perfect as at
Tho first hour of its erection.
The town and temple Of Sunium were
built during the brightest days of Greece
tho ago of Pcriclcs: of the one not n
vcstige is left, and all that remains ofthe
other arc a few shattered columns sup
porting aIrcze which fronts the " Island
gcmmedEgear."
/ had seen nearly all the temples now
remaining in Greece, but none, not even
Athens itself, is calculated to produce
such vivid emotions as that Of Sunium
The greater number Of them are seated
in lrequented spots, and surrounded by
the hustle Of tho crowd, Sunium stands
alone, its heavy columns look but on tho
blue hills Of Attica, or the azure billows
Of tho Egean; all is solitude around it,
save the whirl of the sca-bird round its
summit, or the waving oflhc olivc-groves
at its base, and the only sound that
awakcs its silence is the sigh Of the sum-
mcr wind, or the murmcr Of the waves
that roll into the tin:c-worn caves beneath
1t. Far removed ircm every human hab-
itation, il is seldom visited, except by the
caiGuc Of the Mrnotc corsair, tho pass
ing traveller, or tho fowler in search of
the Wild doves which frequent it. Its
prospects arc the most extensive and in,
tcrce,ing in Greece; from its brow the
eye wandcrs over the mountains of Ar
goiis, and The hills that circle Athens;
To the cast, the purple plains of Helena
and EubGa; and to the south, the end
less mazes of the CyclGdes, separated
| by narrow channels, whose glittcring and
intricate passages form the labyrinths of
the Archipelago, the navigation Of which
! is known almost exclusively TO the pilots
of Milo and Argcniicra. 1t is seldom
the view Of the Egoan presents any but
a picture Of calm reposc, its blue unruf-
/ fled waters sleeping undisturbed beneath
tho equally UNMARRIED sky, or gently curl
ing thcr ripping surface to catch the
dancing sunbcams, and fash them back
IN mimic splendour. Sometimes a group
Of the white sails Of the Levani arc seen
gliding from isle to isle, "likc wild
swans in their flight" or tagging lazily
on the breatbless tide to await the breeze
Of evening; earth, air and sky, are all in
unison, and their calm still repose be-
longs alone to the climc of the East.
We descended the cliff, and rcgainod
our vessel as the line Of the ruined tenn
pic was thrown into fine relief against a
sky now crimsoned with the dyes of sun
set. There was no filmy cloud to break
the soitness of the west, where the sun
sank like n globe of molten gold, his
rays spreading gently over the heavens,
not flashed and caught from cloud to
cloud, but blending in one massy sheet
over the vast and glowing concave.
The dawn Of morning at sea is per-
haps the most sublime sight in nature:
sunset on land is moro reposing and
lovely, but sunrise on the ocean is grand
eur itself. At evening, he sinks languish-
ing behind the distant hills, blushing in