The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-11-17
(FoR TIE ADBEvILLE DANNER.)
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
LETTER v.

LETTER "
1t was my fortune TO be at Lexington
during commencement season. This was
truly a time of intellectual refreshing. On
each day we had served up, to our excited
appetite, rich literary rcpast-spiced with
the aromatics of brilliant capacities, per-
iuned with the rich SAVIOR of correct taste
and sound judgement, and to which was
added the peculiar zcst of graceful energetic
delivery. These rich Wand were devoure,l.
It's presumed, with mcritcd but modest rapa-
city. Perhaps the Alumni Address exhibited
awant of confidence in the authors own
intellectual conviction, by its too-loo fre
quent and lengthy quotations. The ami
versary Grafton: at times, seemed to earnest
lycovet that applause the subject condemned
The similarity Of thought and expression
occasionally observable in the exercises of
the graduating classes, could, and ought to
have been avoided. The Cadets as was
before intimated, have not sufficiently cul
tlvated that fascinating and powerful art,
which WAS Demosthenes' Elvorte study.
was present and heard the honorary de-
gree of Doctor of Divinity conferred on our
learned aud talented fellow-citizcn Rev.
r. =. PREssLY of Erskinc College. On the
same interesting occasion the second class
OF cadets presented splendid sword to
Major GILLIAN Of the Institute, as u lestimo-
NAL Of their high regard for the vaor and
lntrepidity he exhibited in the hour of dan
ger, on Mexico's bloody plains. The pre-
sentatlon was made by an individual ap-
pointed for tbe purpose, and was accompa-
med by few appropriate and touching re-
marks; and the modest retiring, Major
arose to respond but To-! not wheel of
his mind Or vocalities would move. And
there the unhappy man stood in whitening
suspense, and growing beautifully less, and
no generous friend would offer him the
timely and acceptable relief the exigencies
ofhis awfulIy critical condition demanded.
He greatly needed the friendly ,nterposition
OF MIR. ROBERTSON of the house of Burgesses
to call out Major, Major SIT down; your
~'0dcsty alone IS equal to your MERIT"
Rockbridge will furnish quite treat 10
the votery of curiosity. The marvellous
and the romantic of this county will aston
ish the understanding, and charm the fancy
at every step Dame Nature must have
been vaulting in her widest fantacies, and
most capricious freaks when this eccentric
daughter was conceived. Evidence of this
supposition obtrudes itself upon the mind
in every aspect she is viewed. Here are
Frequently found crystalized quarts of
perfectly regular formation and exquisite
Pol'sh-transparent as glass, and in the in
terror of which may be seen drop of water.
On first inspection the idea occurred to me
that the water drop was an optical illusion,
but further investigation confirms the reali-
ty OF the appearance Fragments of these
crystals maybe found, which discover evil
dence of being sundered, by the congeala-
tlon and expansion of this water during the
rigors OF winter. One was recently found,
having On three of its sides clearly and &C.
curately delineated the form of coffin.
Some are sections fextagons and prustrums
OF sextagonal pyramids or obelisks piled
upon and cemented with each other in q
very singular and romantic style. Othe,