Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-05-05
THE SILENT MILL.

ment-and often draw on Imagination for
request, where material objects do not pre-
sent themselves. 1t is my hobby, and Gus.
com with me, on a journey. wherever fault
If only for day, to assend the highest tower,
and to visit the churchyard. thus blend
the contemplation Of the ways and dwellings,
of men, with the certain tel n,inaiion of all
sheir strife, their jeanuses, their love and
hatred, in this last silrn, resting place, where,
side by side they lie, the high and low, the
oppressor and oppressed, embedded togeth-
er.
Ihave said that am a wanderer-but a
few months have elapsed since | was saun-
tering in the golden meadows of Florence,
on the margin Of the Arno, under the shade
Of lofty pines-tn.dsy rccinc on the bank
ofarippling brook, near the almost unknown
village of Erlingeburch. There, chcereG by
the brightness Of the climate, and the ever
elastic gaie,y Of the people Tor the lovely
Stella Of Florence am silent, here, thrown
almost out Of the haunts Of men, impervious
woods around me, and northern sky, and
northern Inhabitants, ciouded with thought
and Sc nlly lighted with smiIcs-I was ab.
.sorbei, and followed unconsciously the me-
andering Course of tho ~iv"..t, which, 81, ovn.
~ step seemed to lose its infantlne n,urm ur.
ing, and as il increased in brradtl, became
sensible s,icr, deeper, seddrr, and more
-strlking-a very epitume oflifc! wander.
ed on till had deserted the path along the
river, and found mysrfin the heart OF IA deep
wood. l had assembled some height, and
suddenly found myself on the brink of a
rocky precipice. from whence view of II
deep glen presented itself. On the other
side arose a steep height thickly covered with
beach trees. and along the side could dis
cover path winding upwards. so narrow as
scarcely to permit ola passenger. To at.
tain this path, was compelled to slide down
by the natural columns Of the crag on which
stood; had something TO do, and before
I reached my object, tho dreamer was thor
oughly awake. The sun was fast declining
the shadows heightened. and the tops of th.
trees only we're gilded by his departing rays
was by no means at my ease. A profount
silence prevailed-hroken only by an occa
stoned breath OF air moving the foliage, tina
seemed 10 whisper good night. proftcd b.,
the friendly warning and increased my pace
and in a little time, to my great relief,
emerged from the lahryn,h into which m,
musings had thrown ne, and splenlil va,
ley burst upon nay ricv', smiling in ven lure
aud covered with gram! f,ckS. 500
found myself at the 81 ic Of shepherd. IL
was above the middle stature, and stricken il
years. He was somewhat surprised ut IN,
appearance. A boy was IN the act of prc
senting to him baskc, filled with nuts an,
wild fruits. After the first saIuation, h
told me he was going homeward with his foe
to neighborng village; adding that il wa
not yet too late to saunicr awhile and emo
the lovely evening. We had reached tn
middle ofthe valley, where stood soli,ar
and aged oak near the bed of a dried u
mountain stream, and around its base niles r
saggots served us for a resting place. II
invited mo kindly TO seat myself whilst III
boy collected the patient flock. There wa
q manner about him which struck me,
knew not why, as indicating mystery an
Is he leant ,houghtfully against the old oal
Twas surveying, delighted, the n,agnifcer
Z. panorama around US. The bright porphyr
ofthe crags which bounded one side of III
= valley, sparkled in its blushing hues-hcigh
ened greatly by the oblique rays Of the Sc
ting sun, whilst tho dark green of the fores
prming the opposite limit, presented a nj,
hire of consirasied beauty indescribabl
WhIs, my eyes were .revclling in these spler
don, hill prominently presented itself o
OF all keeping with its immediate ncighbor.
unlike them covered with the gorgeous eli
OF abundant nature, its face was abrupt AZ
broken; it was covered with crumbling fra
men's of rock and rubbish; 1t was cold al
forbIdding, and down to its base deep FL
row, made by some mountain torrent, viii,
- extended to and pissed the spot where v
were seated. II was al this time perfec,
dry, and the eye was thus deprived of a ca
cade that would have left nothing wanting
perfect the picture. On the top of this |,
=, stood an old stone building. Its walls we
lofty, no roof covered it; at its four cornc
stood few tall sombre frs, here and the
we're a.pertures, once serving for windows
ain the deserted easement Desola,ion sits.
And the clouds Of Heaven
Pass through the dwelling"
On one side of the hill was a huge ds,
whose stone boundary reached the edge
the declivity. nd mill wheel. bleached
time and tempest, stood fast and moiionle.
these at once indicated the original ase of I,
building, Ruins. dilaDidated structures "a