The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-24
THE NATIONAL ERA.
For the National Era.
THE GREAT STONE FACE.
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

pAIeubVhinR ail ltS lehtureS
And what was the Great Stone Face2
Embosomed amongst family of lofty mountains,
there was valley so spacious that it contained
many thousand Inhabitants. Some Of these good
people dwelt in log huts, with the black forest
all around them, on the steep and difficult hill
sides. Others had their homes in comfortable
farm-houses, and cultivated the rich soil on the
gentle slopes or level surfaces of the valley.
Others, again, were congregated into populous
villages, where some wild, highland risulet,
tumbling down from its birthplace in the up
per mountain region, had been caught and ia
med by human canning, and compelled TO turn
the machinery of cotton factories The inhabit-
ants of this valley, in short, were numerous, and
of many modes of life. But all of them, grown
people and children, had kind of familiarity
with the Great Stone Face, although some possess
ed the gift of distinguishing this grand natural
phenomenon more perfectly than many of their
neighbors
The Great Stone Face, then, was work of Ma
ture in her mood of majestic playfulness, formed
on the perpendicular side OF mountain by some
immense rocks, which had been thrown together
distance, precisely to resemble the features of the
human countenance. 1t seemed as If an enor-
nous giant, or Titan, had sculptured his own
likeness on the precipice. There was the broad
arch of the forehead, hundred feet in height,
the nose, with its long bridge, and the vast lips,
which, If they could have spoken, would have
rolled their thunder accents from one end of the
IN oil q 10 th.t ~
tator approached too near he lost the outline of
the gigantic vissge, and could discern only heap
Of ponderous and gigantic rocks, piled in chaotic
ruin one upon another. Retracing his steps, how
ever, the wondrous features would again be SEEM
and the farther he withdrew from them, the more
like human face with all its original divinity
intact, did they appear until, as it grew dim in
the distance with the clouds and glorifed vapor
Of tkG E>.-....,. -,=:c5 hc;. Z, the Greet
Stone Face seemed positively to be alive.
1t was happy lot for children to grow up to
manhood or womanhood, with the Great Stone
Face before their eyes, for all the features were
noble, and the expression was at once grand and
sweet, as if it were the glow of vast warm heart
that embraced all mankind in its affections, and
had room for more. 1t was an education only to
look at it. According to the belief of many peo-
pie the valley owed much of its fertility to this
benign aspect that was continually beaming over
it, Illuminating the clouds, and infusDg its ten
derness into the sunshine
As we began with saying, mother and her lit
tie boy sat at their cottage door, gazing at the
Great Stone Face, and talking about it. The
child's name was Ernest.
Mother" said he, while the Titanic visage
smiled on him. wish that it could speak, for it
looks so very kindly that its voice must needs be
pleasant. IL Lwere to see a man with such face,
should love him dearlyp
Ifan old prophecy should come to pass" an
swered his mother, We may see man, some time
or other, with exactly such a face as that"
What prophecy do you mean, dear mother2"
eagerly inquired Ernest Pray tell me all
about i'll
SO his mother told him story that her own
mother had told to her. when she herself was
younger than little Ernest astory, not of things
that were past, but of what was yet to come
story, nevertheless so very old, that even the In-
dams, who formerly Inhabited this valley had
affirmed, it had been murmured by the mountain
streams and whispered by the wind among the
tree-tops The purport was, that, at some future
day child should be born hereabouts, who was
destined to become the greatest and noblest- per-
sonage of his time, and whose countenance, in
manhood should bear an exact resemblance to
the Great Stone Face Not few old-fashionei
people, and young ones likewise in the ardor of
their hopes, still cherished an enduring faith in
this old prophecy. But others-who had seen more
of the world, had watched and waited till they
were weary, and had beheld no man with such
face, nor any man that proved to be much greater
or nobler than his neghbors- concluded it to be
nothing hut an idle tale At all events, the great
man of the prophecy had not yet appeared.
sob, mother, dear mother" cried Ernest, clap
ping his hands above his head, " do hope that
shall live to see him "
His mother was an affectionate and thoughtful
woman, and felt that it was wisest not to discour
age the generous hopes OF her little boy So she
only said to him-"Perhnps you may
And Ernest never forgot the story that his
mother told him 1t was always in his mind
whenever he looked upon the Great Stone Face.
He spent his childhood in the log-cottage where
he was born, and was dutiful to his mother, and
helpful to her in many things assisting her much
with his little hands, and more with his loving
heart. In this manner, from happy yet often
pensiye child, he grew up to be mild, quiet, I'M
obtrusive boy, and sun-browned with labor in the
fields, but with more intelligence Frightening bis
aspect than is seen in many lads who have been
taught at famous schools. Yet Ernest had had
no teacher, save only that the Great Stone Face
became one to him When the toll of the day was
over, he would gaze at it for hours, until he be-
gan to imagine that those vast features recognised
him, and gave him smile of kindness and en-
enlargement, responsive to his own look of ven
Grafton. We must not take upon us to affirm that
this was a mistake, although the Face may have
looked no more kindly at Ernest than at all the
world besides, But the secret was, that the boys
tender and confdug simplicity discerned what
other people could not see; and thus the love,
which was meant for all, became his peculiar
portion.
About this time, there went rumor through
out the Wiley, that the great man, foretold from
ages long ago, who was to bear resemblance to
the Great Stone Face, had appeared at last. It
seems that, many years before, young man had
migrated from the valley and settled at distant
seaport, where, after getting together little
money, he had set up us a shopkeeper. His
name-but | could never learn whether it was
his real one, or nickname that had grown out of
his habits and success in life-was Gathergold.