The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-10

curves towards its doors, bordered each side
with beds of shrubs and flowers, tastefully dis
posed. II is In this pretty style that the villas here
are built, in ample grounds, adjoining each other;
while the roads along the enclosures OF these nu-
merous villas and grounds, on the outside, form tina
rural lanes among which | was wandering. l
stopped for while at the gate, and looked In upsn
house in the midst of it. which seemed like little
fairy castle erected by the magic of Aladdlns lamp
in the Happy Valley. Meantime, all around was
sun the voice OF man was hushed no human
foot was heard, disturbing The solitude spread
the horizon and the cool air OF the evening, I'M
pregnated with perfume from the neighborlng fields,
came like fresh life to the nostrils The soul Of
man at such moment unconsciousy yields to the
external influence, and his feelings are lulled to a
soothing tranquility asslmilated to the condition
of surrounding objects. ! resumed my walk, after
spending few minutes at the. portals OF the elegant.
yet not too pretending, mansion Such high, gor-
geous edtces your aristocracy build in Broad
way and up town, would not look well in the coun-
try they would be out OF harmony with the chaste
simplicity of equal nature and, IN fact, to the eye
Of one .contented to be an ordinary person, that
which is too grand and pretending is almost as Of
fensive as that which is squalld and mean.
Another turn OF the lane brought me toa green
opening, in the centre of which stood silent and
diapidaed windmill and close by some neat, pref
ty cottages, with well tended gardens, occupied
by laboring men and their families AT the door
of one of these cottages-whch appeared the asy-
piece OF lie saw soothing his cares after the tolls
of the day, by an humble effort upon a rather dis
cordant flute, from which he drew tones, yet plea
sing enough, and satisfactory, no doubt, to him.
AS proceeded onward, again buried IN the green
lanes, the roar Of the and the dashlng Of the
waves suddenly struck upon my ears, and could
distinguish the moaning sound OF the mighty
waters, as they spread themselves out along the
smooth sands, and having spent their rage, dis
solved away in trohy foam. The was near,
but the walls of the lanes kept it as vet from nv
A Firth ri,
five barred gate, over which ! clambered, and
going down the road, soon came in sight Of the
majestic ocean. It was, however, growing late,
and / immediately returned, proposing to come
earlier this way some other time. There were so
many of these silent lanes branching off in various
directions, that on my way back l struck into
wandering on without knowing where | was, or
where the road would lead me-. After little more
walking, ! suddenly came to the end of the lane,
where a sight burst upon my eyes, which, for a
me, at some distance on the other side of an en-
closed green, huge, gigantic, massive building, of
elegant and chaste proportions, resembling the
presentations and designations given of the Aero
polls and Temple OF Minerva, of Athens. | was
lost In astonlshment, and could not imagine upon
what undiscovered part of the town | had fallen
or what this large and beautiful building could be-
which had never seen or even heard Of before
The thickening shades Of twilight had now dina
med every object, and this, with the suddenness of
The great and strange appearance, no doubt added
to the effect and greatly augmented the illusion.
Six tall, towering columns Of tuted Ionian pillars
supported high triangular entablature or archi-
trave !; the two solid wings of the building were
OF similar massive form, but well proportioned
that nothing seemed too large. / gazed for mo-
ment in astonishment, and then as | began to dis
tlngush objects more IN detail, / noticed that the
tairy:like vision was lighted up with innumerable
burning tapers. | wondered where could be, or
what 1t was saw before me. Here Was a new
discovery-l had not seen or heard of such an edi-
ice IN Newport. By-and-by heard the noise of
voices and carriages, postillions and horses, in
front of it, which assured me that at all events
was in the land of the living. On advancing from
tt spot where had stood gazing with admiration
as approached-an the fence before the green
no longer intervened-I could hardly believe my
own eyes, when, as | drew nearer and nearer, the
whole Illusion vanished in instant, the fairness
OF the scene all disappeared, and saw all OF sud-
den that 1t was neither more nor less than the At
castle, was residing; and though had often sat
beneath that very portico, among those gigantic
Ionian columns, had never stepped clearly out in
front, or passed opposite to it, at proper distance
TO survey the massive whole, to be able to re-
csgnise 1t when seen from new and strange posi-
ton. L his is nothing singular-it is on the con-
trary quite common. The example of numbers is
on my side to Justify blindness to what we daily
see, and excuse an ignorance Of what we daily
handle. We live beneath an immeasurable canopy
of glories, and sit, or walk, or ride unconscious,
most OF US at least, OF the magnicence and splen-
dour which surround u.s. The glorious sun, the
bright moon, the matchless stars sudding the vast
cerulean exIanse, are as unnoticed as il they had
no being. But, II for moment we were placed In
new and strange position, like as was in front
OF the Atlantic House, and could take, US il were,
a helloceniric view-oh wondrous sight,-how we
should stare with ecstacy and astonishment. Then,
II told that We had often seen IL all before, we
should not be able to believe il. Ii is sad, that
those who for the first time sail southwark of the
equator, on coming beneath new fifmlmsnt, and
seeing strange heavens and new skies above them,
with new and different arrangement of the stars
are excited 10 attention, and filed with admiration
at a sight which produced no impression upon them
in their own country. No doubt this is the case
Now, IT any one comes TO Newport, land IL will
richly repay the comng,) he will see fields and
gardens and rocks and islands, and forts and cta-
dels, and palaces and cottages, and farms and
villas, and woods and groves, and seas and waves,
such as he may have often seen before, ne doubt,
and perhaps may daily see in other places bat he
will see them in such new position, under such
new aspect, so prettily put together and so hap
PLY mixed, blended, and combined that they can
not fail, enveloped they all are in fresh balmy,
health-breathing atmosphere, to excite such adj
mration and pleasure in his mind as he never per-
haps experienced before IN more familiar places
Fashionable arrivals are announced every day
Among others the Pringles have arrived from
South Carolina, and Professor Longfellow and
family are come TO spend the season / shall give
a fuller account in my next, which shall be less
sentimental and more fashionable in its topics; but
now my paper Is exhausted. The SPECTATOR
A..