The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-10-08
From the National Era
LETTER FROM MAINE.
BETHEL, OXFORD County

BETHEL, OXFORD County.
To tie Edit0r Of the National Era;
] thought few weeks ago that nothing
could be so beautiful as the sea- shore of Maine;
but since | have been travelling among these
glorious mountains, | have often been led Sc
riously to question that conclusion. There is
world of heartiness, of broad thought and
Vivacity Of emotion, about the ever changing,
mauy-vOiced and many -hued sea but there
is also grandeur, still, solemn, thoughtful
ness, about these "ever- lasting hills" As you
ride on and ride on, and one cloudy old giant
after another raises his broad, thoughtful fore
head, and looks serenely over some brother
giants shoulder, till finally their great arms
embrace the whole landscape around you
north, south, east, and west-it produces in
the mind hush of repose, calm, thoughtful
stiffness, as if this band of cloudy broth
ors had shut one out of the great, busy, bus
Ting world, into some region of peace and
simplicity, such as one is always longing af-
ter and never finding in this work-a-day
world.
Suppose yourself, dear sir, seated in little
open wagon, for an afternoons drive among
these hills. All around the horizon, on every
side, your view is shut in by mountains cloth
ed in every variety Of tint, as you ride along,
every moment shifting their outline and pre-
senting to the eye dreamy succession OF
changes. The nearer ones show the distinct
outline Of trees and crags-the trees dark with
the ripe green of summer. In those more dis
tant, the eeternal forest looks like a soft layer
Of mosey velvet Of rich cloudy purplish tint,
and still further rise outlines in pale blue and
and lilac, which, stretching off in long circles,
mingle their outlines with the clouds. II
seems to me that the sky here has peculiar
brilliancy; the blue is dense, rich, deep blue,
and there are masses of floating clouds which
20 sailing about hither and thither, lazily fold
ing their white plumage on the purple top OF
the old mountain, as if they felt very tranquil
indeed, and didn't care how long they staid
there. The river that we are coming to our
conductor tells us, is called Sunday river
"Why so?'' asks one of the company. To me
il was obvious why. Was it not to express
that auietude and peace of these sheltered
valleys, where beautiful rich intervalso OF mea-
dow land, and thriving farms, and white spires
Of churches and school-houses, rise IN the EN-
brace Of these guardian old mountainsT Was
it not TO intimate that this reVerent hush OF
nature, this Sabbath tranquility OF cloud and
mountain and stream, had religious voice,
and might suggest the beautiful words. "As
the mountains arc round about Jerusalem, so
Lnt LDlu ID IUuuu dBOuG NE. pASHib .AAViiA tAt9
time and forcvermorel" Well, that was a
very good derivation Of the term Sunday riv-
er quite poetic and appropriate, only that
like most poetic things in life, it didn't hap
pen to be the true account of the matter, The
name, in fact, was given by band of survey
ors who first explored the valley, and who
pitched their Sundays camp upon its banks
aud thus christened 1t.
But these mountain streams is there on
earth thing fresher and more beautiful-beau-
tifnl in every size and gradation, whether il
be your whisking, rattling, frisky, young
brook that comes whirling and purring, and
skipping down the hills, with leap there and
fling here, and general air Of don't cart
ioviality, indicative Of the inexpeFience ol
brOokho0d; or the broader fippling flow o.
your translucent stream, which IS to The brool
what the graceful maiden is to the dancing
child. There is beautiful amber brown t
the waters, in which are momently danciny
thousands Of rings and ripples0i sunlight, AM
then the layer OF many -colored pebbles tina
pave the bottom, and shine up bright and we
through The flickering illusive play Of the wa
ters, as If they might be bed Of preciou
latopesl Some Of Us may remember gettin