Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-08-20

Rs,v work. Tharsdsy, August ae' ls4o.
NIX. pnS.Err's LETTERS.
No. XII.

Gui5ilei-Guibilei a bad Composer but capital
Singer-Netc arripals-Niagara Falls in Moon
Eght-A Brilliant Scene.
We are more crowded than ever Yesterday and
the day before, we have had a large accession OF
arrivals from New York and Philadelphia. Among
others may Stephen Whitney, Esq and
family, Alderman Zebra and family, and many others
from New York Both houses are again crowded
and the surplus going over TO the Clifton House, on
the Canadian side, hotel which has excellent
apartments, and is well kept. Last night Signor
Guibile aad Miss Poole, with King to play the
piana forte, gave their first and only concert. IL
was well attended, the room being nearly full.
Some of the pieces were well executed by these
artists, others, however, rather trashy and flat
Signor Guibilei introduced two songs of his own
composition-but would advise him to lay aside
these vanities in future His original music (com-
posed by hmelf) is fat, tame, tasteless sPirtless,
and insipid. The one he calls 90 Maiden weep nat,
the words by Miss Vandenhof-the other Love
by George p. Morris-but the poetry is ON par
with the music, insipd enough. Guibilei himself
has very rich voice-fexible and powerful, ac-
companed with graceful action and lively express
sion, but his genius for musical composition is
hardly beyond the A. b. c. Miss Poole sings very
well and very naturally. She is rather handsomer
in her concert dress than the drapery to go under
the great sheet to the Gothic dome OF nature.
King is a clear and distinct Pianist, somewhat harsh
but possessing good execution
So much for the amusements of Niagara.
Now is one of the most splendid times TO see the
Falls in moonlight. Accordingly, the other after
noon, went to the Canada side, to remain
there for the night, and the scenery under the
bright moonlight. 1t was the most beautiful, SPLEEN
did and sublime sight l ever witnessed in natural
scenery.
About nine o'clock in the evening, we proceeded
up the bark along the path that leads to the Table
Rock. At every instant the bright sheet of water,
breaking through the interstces Of the trees, asto-
nished us with its beauty. We passed the museum,
then the head Of the staircase then found ourselves
on Table Rock about half past nine. Here the most
splendid view broke upon our eyes. Before US to
the left, we had the American falls-then Goat
Island-then the great falls-then the rapids, all
bathed in the moonlight with the lunar bow rising
out of the deep gulf below, and spanning an arc h
in the heavens. The moon hung the western
heavens, shining upon the whele the light
is let in upon splendid picture. 1t formed angle
of about - degrees or less. The sky perfectly
clear and covering all things below with a slvery
brightness.
Above the western horizon, there was long ban k
streak of dark clouds that half encrcled the hea-
ven, and seemed to be resting the thick woods
that swept the banks of the river. Then below that
line the rapids begun, sparkling rustlng, roaring,
each fragment like polished steel in brightness,
der the moonlight. The ever varying brightness of
this portion Of the scene, was most remarkable and
striking II came tumbng down to our feet, like
torrent Of liquid silver. Then the extraordinary
sheet precipitl,ed itself over the vast rocks, and
half again in the form Of pillar of brightness
that rose up like incense to the vault OF heaven
This the spray, and its appearance in the
light most novel and beautiful. Its color con-
trted with the brillapcy Of the rapids, that Of
encaased silver, or like thin, feecy, white cloud
OF vast dimensions and motion.
saw the bottom Of the great falls; the clouds Of
heecy spray shot up in mighty torrents, something
like the smoke on the discharge Of a cannon. Half
up the falls, they met, condensed, and formed the
great silvery closd, pillar Of spray, that reached
heaven. Below the fall the broken water flowed
away in tumult and agitation, appearing like bur-
nishsd silver again in motion, and ornamented with
sparkling diamonds, that came and went like fairy
dreams. A little further down, the splendid lunar
rainbow up from the surface Of the bright wa
ter, and described arch that reached the tops Of
high trees, on the upper bank the Canada shore.
The colors Of this rainbow not vivid those
caused by the sun, but their mingled distinctness,
anu '"S"0"'sS sse"su =" anu the
moonlight did on the rapids. Beneath and beyond
the lunar bow we could see the dark outlines OF
Goat Island, and the American Falls, from which
rose clsud of thin heecy spray, that shone with
equal brightness in the soft moonlight. Looking
further down, the rivers brightness lost in the
everlasting cliffs.
Altogether, this was Of the most brilliant and
beautiful Developments in natural scenery, that
have ever yet seen. The briaht moon-the clear
white sky-the long ledge Of dark clouds above the
western horizon-the dark, deep, but warm outline
of trees AMI hiils-the bright and sparkling rapids,
covered with diamonds and rubies, coming down,
Il we're, from heaven, to your feet-the great and
majestic sheet slowly rushing on in thunder-the
shooting us Of the spray from the rocks beow-the
vast pillar Of spray, shaped like bright silvery
cloud, rising mp to heaven-the broad and brok en-
water flowing from the Falls below-the bright
ness Of the moon again reflected in gold and silver
from its suriace-tbe extraordinary lunar rainbow
rising from the deep gulf below and spanning the
bright heaven above-the white sheet Of the Ame.
rcan Falls, seen through the arch Of the bow the
dark, deep elias OF Goat Island crowned with trees
and through the thin cosds Of silver, blue and
gold, like the deep mystery Of eternity, fstbonless
thess-these, altogether, formed scene that is
where to be in this wide world but the
shores OF Niagara, about 10 o'clock in clear night
when the moon is nearly at her full, hanging ever
the western heaven. To the lover OF nature, such
sight 10 worth coming to see from the uttermost
ends Of earth. The contemplation Of such scene