Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-12-12

first light of morning, warmly eolored
like the rose at midday, and soaening
down into the hue of the violet rs even
ing declines; these varying tints are
produced by the reflection (rnore or less
powerfuD of the sun on the sheets Of
eternal snow with which the ridges Of
the mountains are clothed. When we
first look upon them from the valleys Of
Italy or France, ut a distance Of sixty
or eighty leagues, they inspire the same
sentiment, arising from ininity of height,
which is produced by the sea or the firm
ament as regards immensity of extent
1t is spectacle which paralyzes the be-
holder, and from fear to terror, from
astonishment to admiration, carries the
thoughts OF mortal man up to the Creator.
for whom alone nothing is elevated or
boundless; but man feels himselfrcduced
to nonentity under the stupendous arch
itecture Of these elevated regions, and
utteTs an Involuntary cry; that cry is a
confession of his own insignificance, and
a hymn TO the omnipotent power Of the
Architect. II is from this cause that the
heart is usually more impressed with
piety on the sea or on the tops of noun
tains, than on the level plains, The mir
ror of His works, in which the Divinity
is represented, being on grander scale,
He is there retraced and revealed with
more distinct and impressive features.
Toward the southern or Italian side
the slopes of the hills are abrupt and
steep as an artificial rampant raised to
protect and shelter that fertile country,
the garden of Europe. On the north,
stretching in the direction of France,
Savoy and Germany, the Alps descend
from the clouds to the borders of the
lakes and the level of the plains by the
most gradual and gentle decliyities these
may be described as immense ladders,
with steps proportioned TO the faculties OF
man. As soon as you quit the inacces-
sible region of snow, frost and eternal
ice, formed by the domes of Mont Blanc
and the Jungfrau, the slopes become gra-
dual; the roots of these gigantic pima
cles seem to swell the soil which covers
them, and they become clothed will
earth, teeming with vegetation, Will
greensward, shrubs, flowers and pasture
land, moi5tened by the incessant fItra-
ton of melting glaciers, which dissolve
under the heat of the sun. The emf
nences diyerge widely on all sides as they
gradually decrease in altitude, ike but
tresses, the foundations Of which are
deeply and extensively sunk, to capaci-
tate them for bearing the incalculabIe
weight which they are constructed tc
carry. Thus they form and hollow out
between each separate ridge, narrow
beds, which soon become formidable
a ravines, expanding rapidly into valleys
2 basins and extensive plains, at the ex
tremities Of which we perceive, from tn,
heights, the sparkling of transparent
lakes, from whence foaming rivers take
their course, to seek distant and still
lower level.
Upon the tanks Of these diminishing
Alps the traveller encounters, here anc
there, a scattered cottage or insulated
habitation, resembling tent constructed
Of wood, built solely for the summer, t,
which the shepherds, in following then
focks, ascend with the spring, and from
whence they depart on the approach 0
autumn. Below this elevation village.
\ are found grouped together at the foo. 0
! a cascade, and sheltered from the fury o
the avalanche by forests Of pine. Thr
beams and pIanks which form the house
of these villages are furnished by til,
! same tree, which protects them from tn,
melting SHOWS.
: These houses, covered by a i7oodeI
. root, which overhangs the walls like tn
. brim of hat widened to protect tn
face from the rain, seem rs If they wer
shaped and sculptured by the knife will
o curious and patient skill they resembl
; the toys of whitewood which the shep
herds carve for their children while the,
are watching the cattle. External stair
cases, ornameHted by balusters carved il
:. arabesque, lead from the gronnd-foor t
d the higher story. Doors, surmounied b,
e hollow inches, containing statues Of viz
If gins, heroes or saints, give admission +
e the upper apartments, which are lighle
h by windows in lattic-work, with Iozenee
e shaped panes Of glass set in Ieade
is frames. Long-gaileries with Goth
: balusfrades surround the entire building