The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-09

4 TaE GLAe,AaUs o. Lospoe.-Our readers VINO
keep pace th the times whether IN their own coun-
try connected with other isnds, WIZ hno" o.
once that the giacarua Is the indoor skate house
which has been often mentioned IN the Lnsish Jour
nails as the project OF Mr. Kirk, OF LONDON ior 'he
benefit Of the invgorating and giaceiui pasumv Oh
skating. The protector, II seems, has ueen sn.ieiy
successful in carrying his operations mo sno0t %
much 80, that private view OF the WORK mas oe'"
recently given al its location IN Portman square,
brilliant company being assembled One oil our
English journals received by the CALEDONIA, gives INC
following description Of the Glacarum as appear
od on The day OF exhibition
Consisting of three thsusand feet OF artificial nee
frozen lake extends the surface oil me moor,
actual in lis verisimtude with the same thins III
nature. IL il lack any thing m this respect II Is on
~ the aqueous transparency oil the orls'hai poay'
which here, perhaps, assumes the appearance Oh
dense mari, over which the snowdfilt seems 10 nave
passed.
"'rhs smooth expanse receives the skat admirably.
Fastening the polished steel, you can run race
with wing-iooed Mercury up and down Ills extent,
or, II inclined TO move lis courteous movement puf'
the eyoutoDs of the dance, or he animated ges-
lures of gymnast. Absolute security also is its I'M
denable characteristics The separation from peril
only by two inch brittle crystal-the dread OF I'M
! mersion in unknown depths-the fear Of something
worse than cold water speeches. or more than IN
nocent baptism in the PressiDitzan iashionhaye no
| place in the thoughts Of Gaciarum skater Ia
truth all the recommendaory qualities of the sport
attached TO his pleasure, devoid OF drawback. MINI
bleness of foot yigor of motion, qualification from
| enjoyment, enhances his amusement, without that
sense OF danger experienced on the undulating glass
OF the serpentine other sheets Of water that crack
beneath his path. Free, too, from assallance of the
weather, no seet splits In his face east wind chls
him TO the bone, but lie glides along in mirth and
recreation, with the thermometer at spring tempera-
ure while beneath him spreads for sport the winter
| ice of the Arctic.
MIR. Kirk stands fair chance of depopuatng the
| parks. Chemistry has made him acquainted with a
substance no less singular than novel An amaga-
nation chiefly composed Of carbonates of soda, hay-
ing subsequently to its liquid state undergone r.
pid crystalization has enabled him TO lay down a
species of extensive ice-plat smooth a metal mir
ror, and fitted to please the heart Of the subtlest
skater, were he of the Baltic or Polar.
The ensemble of the gallery apartment is render
ed complete in detail by its cast Of ornamental de.
| sign. One side OF the room Is barricadoed of by
ratings for spectators. Alpine scenery eurches the
| other three From the base borders of the lake
rise groos decorated like Caypso's. Beg ond these,
and forming portion of the landscape, spiry steepe
Swiss anbiege, and lowthached cottage vary the ar
chitectural groupings of the Further in per-
| speclive peaks and snow-hs mingle with the sky,
indstinc and shadowy; while in the intervening wales
| and ravines steam by IN ariel soi,Dess. Even the
ceiling is made TO add to the general OBJECT, faint and
! pale as if lit by winter suns.
Imagine the scene transferred to Zurich or q lake
of the Cantons aud the picture, beheld yesterday
is exactly to be realized. brilliant in winter
| figures in animated and skilml movement-good
| humor, ready for Jest and ripe for laugh--with-
out rain, drifts, or freezing mercury-e Ia roiia
| Sir William Newton, of the Skating Club with
O,her fashionables, numbered among the dmuses--
and very excellent collation. was laid out for vsi-
| ters