Litchfield enquirer., 1848-04-27
From the Union Magazine.
The Vale Of OvOca.
BY REV. HENRY M. FIELD.

By REV. HENRY M. FIELD.
10 you remember an article Of JeArey's
in the Edinburgh Review, in which he lries
to show that beauty resides in the mind.
and not in the object that the charm Of
anything that We call beautiful comes from
association, and not from any inhe rent quail
NY OF shape or color? have often felt the
truth OF this, while travelling in Great Brit.
ain. Iowus, buildings, Landscapes, owe
1heir chlel attraction 10 associations of DO.
etry aid history. When visit an old cas-
tie, or abbey, it is not the crambling ruin.
Inc moss or the vine, which awakens an
interest SO sad and tender. But il is the
memories which haunt the shattered tower
The voices Of the dead which moan thro'
the broken arches, and whisper in the
trembling ivy. Several weeks since, while
standing on the Round Tower of Windsor
Castle, l saw at distance a white church.
| splre, almost smolhered among the trees.
A pleasant sight, truly; but how much
more SO, when was told that it was the
ivy mantled tower" of the church>yard
which inspired the Elegy OF Gray; and
under the shadow of which the poet sleeps.
1t is this which gives unfadidg beauty TO
the LANDSCAPES of Notwithstanding add.
ed to naIure-a coloring reflected from the
mind
1.-THE light that never was on sea or shore,
Inc conservation and the poets dream"
l have just made an excursion into the
county of Wicklow, which is, next to the
Lakes IF Killarney. the boast of Irish scenery.
IL Is indeed beautiful but the poetry OF Moore
mas thrown over 1t a charm which the noun,
| talns and wales do not wear =......
| Inc character OF the scene' y 10 q mingling
Of wildnrss and beauty. You ride for miles
| over nigh mountain moor, anC then drop sud.
denly into little glen, $50 secret and sylvan
that 1t hight be ths haunt If the roe."
nay hrst visit was tothe Dargle, deep and
narrow glen - miles from Dublin. The steep
and tn ckly-wooded sides envelope the place
deep shadow, while the murlner of waters,
that steals soothingly on the ear, helps 10 makeS
it dell Of seclusicn and peace.
Emerging from this deep wood. passed the
| residence oil the celebrated Irish orator. Graf
tan, and rode on ten miles farther to Round.
wood, a little village in lonely mountain dis.
trict. Here Walter Scott once passed night
at The Inn al which slept, while exploring
lhe scenery 10 this region. The landlord re-
membered little Of him, except that he was
lame. In the spot itself there 10 little to at
tract stranger-bnt it was Saturday night
and here stopped to pass the following day.
Saboath IN the country is to me always
day cf rest-the day Of Godl The sessa,ion of
all bu 'iness-the sacred stillness--add even to
the iovellness Vi n-tuse. and calm the Ieversh
mind.
To the poor, such day is above price.
could no, but think, las sa " The Irish peasant.
ry focking over the hills to church. that this
was the greatest enjoyment they had. The
, peasaniry OF this country are miserably poor.
. Their little huts are so low, that they seem
hardly TO rise out OF the grounds sight not
; the less painful to me- that once in days ride
! pass a princely mansion, with an estate or
deer lark extending for miles.
But on Sunday the poor cease from labor.
They hear not the tasklnaster's voice. They
are clcanlv dressed. They meet with their
neighbors in the village church, and they learn
tn respect themselves. walked ont of thu
village to little lake, called Leugh Dan,
which lies between two tlrak mountains. All
about il is deso!ate-but fine lake lies placid
below like innocence sleeping in the midst Of
savage natures.
The next morning was up with the lark.
For pure luxury in travelling, there 10 nothing
like mans feet The sun was not yet risen.
and the mist lay low in the vsles, when l start.
cd Tor Glendalongh, or the Glen of the Two
Lakes. But was full Of spirits, and set for
ward, walking over the hills with light heart,
singing and shouting az ! went. The peasants
were just turning out To their days labor
They seemed pleased to see me up 80 ear IT,
and saluted me kindly as passed.
As | entered the little vale Of Glendal0ugh,
nimble Irshman ran after me, who adverti.
zed himself as the guide that was accustomed
to show the sights tf the place 10 'the quality
from Dublin. So | took him into service, and
was amused to hear him rattle Oh with his mar.
velous tales. A few years hack, some persons
with a taste for botany resorted to these hills
fer plants. THE wise gentlemen aid iadies.'
he said, "ns.d 10 come here 6ofiOmising"
He assured me that no skylarks had been seen
over the lakes for thirteen hundred years.
This little se1uesteFed valley was once the
: seat of learning and piety. Here, In the an
Client days OF Ireland. stood monastery, the
J ruins of which still remain and give to the
1 rude village the name 1T the Seven Churches.
/. In the centre ofthe Vale standsa lofty rou I'd
q tower. the age and ohj' CT Of which are pozzle
:, 10 antiauarians. There are many Of these in
J Ireland-but whether built By the Drnids OF
early Christians, and whether fnr purposes oil
| religion or defense. no one knows. One con
lecture fs. that they were erected BY race nf
6re.worshippers in the eaaly history Of Ireland.
| who, from the summit at these columns. paid
> | their prisons to the rising snn.
In the valley Of Glendalspgh--ss its name
sIxnifes-are two small lakes or pools WITH
/. one Of ,bese 10 connected legenu Of 81. Aevln
G referred to IN Moore's exquisite melody,
.By that lake whose gloom; shore
Skylark never warbled o'er.',
To this the guide directed me-and here
!, took boat and was Fowed across In the Rc'
Of st. Kelvin. hole in the c,if which over