New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-05
THE TRIBUNE.
A SUMNER SUNSET.
rrnox P.or. +. GorravD.s LECTURE, or Msrnorrcasr,

I.,,rlnz ofthe Feathcred Hunting The Bird
OF Prey Diurna and Nocturnal Flowers and Insects
| The Intoxicated Bu;terGy- Majestic Descent OF
The Sun. PhantssmasOra o: the Clouds. The Con-
s,el.tiors. .Magnncencc o. tine Stellar Creation
scemuity Of Night silence. Contemplation Of the
U.arehs.
Let us first turn our eyes toward the vest.
The orb of day descends gradually slowly, lit would
seem hes,atnglv. toward the siterins borders OF
the horizon. The atmosphere is so calm, so pure,
| 30 cool aud bany, that the seems reluctant To
! l,ave for other regions OF unforeseen atmospheric
features, the Idpturous scenery upon which his last
| yays are already pouring such glowing hues OF
| graceful beauty and majestic splendor The azur-
| cupoIa OF the heavens critters upon the earth with
ali ia primitive purity though here and there foai
| few diaDlidnous zones at silky vapor, Ike the
| g4uze curtains ot heavenly boudor. The hon.
| Z0n almost completely glrded with belt o noun.
| AIN clouds OF grandly varied shapes and stuprndous
| proportions, presents 10 the observer the most af
| proXimate denestion of chaos IN lis prmordiai
| STATE on the day which marked the creation OF he
universe. Here are seen deep cav-rns, whence
| !s,ue enormous pencils OF mnlucoIorcd light, Ike
| the sweeping flames OF universal contldgratIon
There solid their bases. and impeneirable by the
| darling rays ot the departing orb, other masses,
Wesening deep shade contrast with these by then
| gloomy and irowoIns aspect. while their inden,cd
| sunmi's dazzlng with all the radiant spIendOr OF
| newly fallen snow, fatigue the contemplating eye
| with the'r vrgtn whtepess and dazzling contrasts.
Ga tltls SIDE spacious bay, with Winding straits.
lr1ircilug chp"s, ovcrlanging cra-s, perspective
Wales, iro vning precplces, undermined cliffs ana
iahomless abvsses cer TO thr view the most &C
| cidencd scenerv On the other side, stretchlu:
OUT upon tie curve OF the arch-bent horizon, IN onr
aud massive strata irrcguary superposed, they ap
| par like tic.rmiia e the geological formation
| Of the contori-d crust Of the earth. Now thei
| spread in parallel undulatlng zones ike the rband
stripes Of the ilJre niiGe Jasper; now they stretch
s6ng in reclllinear bands, ana now presenting
CLASSY surface they seen 10 we IN suloothness an6
regularity with The sllken surface OF the iolisneG
p4ntnelic marble; while now, agg'emrrated III
| f-ecy spots they present the velvet Ike appear
| sRce OF large polished eyes OF an lmnl-ns,
| surface OF white respondent alabdstcr range
| Of ,oiy hiIIs with here and there tower
ing peak rising above the unduated ridges ard IN
dcnied zones that surround their bases. stretch
themselves along the upper stratum, and thus COM
pce this geological appearance. But what word,
shall express what language shall describe, wha,
pencil -ha! attempt sketch the variety, the viva
city, the hnpidity, of the glowing hues, which,
like an outpourlrg deuge of liquid gold, OF coral.
aud pearls and rubies, and amber, and sapphire,
and Siiuerins ralnbows decorate, enlvrn. aud en-
hsnce with such dazzling splendor. tins majestic
sunset
Already the laborers, bending beneath the IA
gurs of the day, loosen the oxen from the Ilow,
20 reccnduct them tc the stables, where the fresh
straw newly sp;ead. awaits ther relnrn from tht
rugged toni, oil the Luxurious day. The shepherd
collects his ilock-his fleecy trocp-to bring Them
10 the fold while Others lie down beneath the shell
Ter OF the protecting hedge The watchluldog who
guards them goes his rounds until well assured that
no danger threaten then, turning several times on
III. spot where ne stands, drops upon the ttf, anc
curving himself after The manner OF his KIND. AT
susike falls asleep. All the scattered animals
assemble together al the sound OF tie rustic bell.
rlng by the guide ct their own species. Who pre-
sides over her evening repast These reasse mole
ani rest beneath a wide-sprcadlns beech, tspb tcs-
mine tdCiO whose iutermng,ing foliage promises
them safe shelter against the cold night dcws
Those 20 slowly Observation-Disclosures IN iheIr pro
greSs a last nouthiui o the tender hefo"Se-l"-
ward the gates oi the barn or the farmhouse. Whit
et gratitude for the care Of u benevolent master
seems Ia draw them Soon the villagers, with th-u
lively madens assembling al the sound OF the tiase-
Ort the hiuboy. and the tamboulne, come IT,
celebrate rpcn the fresh turf, ~ gay and animated
Dances the end OF day SO lovely. and the PRELUDE
OF a night more lovely still The ieathered inmates
OF the running streams the swimming birds. qult
tingarcadS their unsettled element tor safer an'
more ,ramQul night retreat, retire silently anu Inc
retdsand iuSheS ct the nelShhonns marshes. lhey
are stea ever and anon. crossing The lower regions
Of the almoenterc ~ tribes or groups more or les
numerous The domrStcated birds have ALREADY
followed their example, The gay sons,tefs oil lhe
groves modula,ug their last HARMONIOUS notes,
weld 10 the same impulse, and, taxing me las
Sraia OF wheat from the nelshoorinS helG, or ''i
las! -p of flesh and mped water nom Inc nrcok
that runs near BY, fit one by one ON heavy and
weary wing toward the grove or thickei whlcH
10 be their resting place for the night, and where
neslilng among the leaves, they sleep with the
head beneath the wing II is NJ this -'l;oisent,
so prcpit,aus for their gloomy projects, that the
hawk with acerrated alonS, ANA the cruel kte, re-
doubling their vigilance and activity 10 secure the
prey which the broad daylight does nor always per
m,iihcm 10 seize with eGrsltacIiltv are sometimes
seem floating upon mononeSS Wing beneath The
clouds They appear iulmovable, as II The better
10 discover their UNCONSCIOUS prey and now lhcl
glide along upon horizontal line through Inc nm
'pld air, tracing an sudulatng cuf'e-ccscehulnS
more aoluptly-and then Suddenly stopping; in
moment they syyoop toward The earth with The IA
pi,ty of IN arrow shot from The SKY; they scarce
" touch II, sighty grazing II WITH me Wing; theS
Slowly rise IN spTat curves, bearing IN '"elf muir
deIous claws The victim which they nave selzeo.
and which they tear III their AERIAL conTSe-uItef
lag As their song ct VICTORY, theiT hoarSe am saw
az cry Ye, II sometimes happens, That slinued
by ther vuncloVS unStIuctS, they become 'leu-
selves the victims vt those which thsS 'nouSu' 10
DESTROY II! instead Of the spr,stly lark, tae s"eI'
ing squirrel aud the tlmid lizard, they selze IN theo
huuung fall the vcaemouS snake, The tefrlole rep
,le cullius itself AT around the VIDE spread
wings c us rapactous agsreSsor, crush Ein ~ 'S
winding coIl- with growing strength prevents MN
thus from resuminc his lofty flight, and rolls wlib
Aim in the dust. AS the rapaclouS bird curves ms
tearing ,alOnS and drives them INTO the bleedlnS
coils nt the raging serpent, The more the 'epli
presses Them around IFS implacable antagonist
ieaih.r.G Tribe" whose mighty pnlons Cas-, their
shadows u,,sn the clouds, and whose piercing eye
g4zrs into The suns dezzlias Ugh, unhu,,-the a"-
dac,oas Eagle hlmselt IS sometimes l',e "e"Nri
sad comes out The conquered victim IN ihls horrid
irassl, Tor life Has he succeeded. by The strength
Of hts po,en. fight, in ascending with ms terrible
P5ey:
"wAl. high on sounding wings he beats the SKIES
Ths Bleeding serpent. OF enormous size,
T.a.sc. n claws: raging and curiilS roane,
He s,n.s the bird. whose throat receives The wound
Mad with the smart he drops the fatal prey
IN sery circles wings his painful way. .
floats the winds and rcnds the heavens WIN cries.
Whilst In the dus. The fallen serpent Hes
BIT soon consumed b. the circulating venom
which, from the blazing sting iniiames his blood,
The noble bird rolls down from the ethereal vault
hae meteor shot from heaven. and rnansied oy
'ae sall, drops exp'ring near the dying reptile
Ard now the flowers Of day begin TO told ;hen
heoneyed nectaria. gushing with am5rosial per
Tunes, saturated wiki hshI. add cloyed with Ian,
gushing volupluou.ness; while the more tiInld
NJ Oh, hsyp M ne