The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-09-12
EHHSCEEIHANEIOUS as.
THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR.


in the N. Y. Observer
descending from the village towards the pre-
cipitous face ofthe mountain, you come to the
intersection of several roads, some of them lead
ing around the southern and eastern extremity,
and communicating with each other higher up
wards to the summit. The lowest of all carries
You in its branches through series Of savage
gorges, which reminded me oflhe Jagged, out.
iutting cliffs in the Notch of the White Noun
tains. They were perhaps produced by The same
convulson, which must have rent the continent
of Europe and Africa asuudcr A little farther
on, and you stand upon Point Europe, one of
the ancient pillars of Hercules Passing around
this point toward the eastern side of the noun
tain, along road constructed on Il natural shelf
and sometimes beetling over the Mediterranean,
you arrive, after some distance, at the point
where the road and the Notifications at the north
and east terminate entirely in the perpendicular
face Of the rock. Thence south ward the rough
path winds upwards 10 "a gateway hewn from
the mountain, through which you pass out upon
broad plain overlooking the whole southern
and eastern promontory, which you have been
at Il lower point encompassing.
From thence the ascent northWartls leads YOU
to strange and lonely spot, called the Jews bn'
rying- ground. Here they inter all their dead;
and surely so singular choice for Il cemetery
was never heard of; a bleak, rocky slope, almost
on the topmost ridge Of mountain, the wind
bowling wild across it, and not a shrub to relieve
its savage aspect. Ut really forms vivid, mel
uncholy emblem of this dcsolatc, outcast, wan
dcring, prosecuted, unbelieving people--'n peo-
pie scattered and peeled" The tomb stones,
which arc very numerous, are fiat slabs of stone
or marble, laid upon the sepuchrcs, close beside
each other, with long Hebrew inscriptions on
most of them. 1t seems us the world, not con-
tent with making the Jews its off-scouring in
N life, had here cast out their dead in scorn upon
its uttermost rocky limits. What scene will
such place exhibit in tie resurrection, when
breaking from their rocky ccrcmcnts, they shall
loo. Oh him whom they pierced, and every eye
shall see him!
short distance more of zigzag ascent brings
you to the highest summit of this end of The
mountain, amidst the ruins of the tower built by
Governor O'l1ara. Nothing can exceed the
Sudden subinly Of the scene that here expands
around and before. 1t is as fan unexpected
world had bust upon the view. Southwark
you have in full sight The whole northern coast
of Africa from Ceuta to the Atlantic, tracing also
its windings within the Mediterranean, till it is
completely lost in the distance. A step towards
the west, and the beautiful bay of Gibraltar is at
your feet: the ships diminished to cockboats in
the larbor, the towns ofAlgccras and San Rogue
on the opposite side dotting the waters verge,
and the mountains retiring into the horizon, clad
i'll all the splendid hues ofsunset. Past the ex-
ueme point of the Spanish coast, the eye takes
in dim and distant view Of the Atlantic. A
gain, u step to the East, and on the other side
you gaze far down the sheer abrupt pcrpcndicu-
lar ofthe mountain into the deep bosom of the
Mediterranean. A world Of water lies before
you, space of sea such rs my eye never before
commanded, and in the vasness OF its extent,
the depth ofits coloring, and its awful repose, u
symbol of eternity. All this witnessed at the
hour and amidst the hues Of sunset, and beneath
IL sky of extraordinary briancy, constituted a
scene of mingled sub!imity and beauty, which
thought must always remain portion of my
mental imagery. The hand of God was in it,
and the idea Of omnipresent love; and indeed it
was place and an hour to understand the mean
ing of the sacred historian, when he said that
The Spirit Of God brooded epon the face ofthe aoa-
ters'
Freedom OF THE MIND.-I call that mind free
which is not imprisoned in itself or in sect,
winch recognizes in all human beings the image
OF Cod and the rights of his children, which de-
lights In virtue and sympathizes with sufferings
whenever they are seen, which conqucrs pride
and sloth, and offers itself up willing victim to
the cause of mankind.
call that mind free which is not passvely formed
by outward circumstances, which is not the crea-
ture ofaccidenta impulse, but which bends events
to its own improvenent-acs upon an inward
spring. from immutablo principles which it has
deliberately espoused.
l call that mind free which protects itself
against the usurpations of society, which does
not cover to humanopinions, which feels itself
accountable to higher law than that of fashion,
which respects itself too much to be the slave of
the many OF the few.-Dr. Chanting.