The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-26
WASHINGTON, d. G..
BY ANNA.
GREENWOOD CEMETERY.

The City of the Dead 1t is meet that it
.hor5 he more beautiful than that of the liv.
mo, II is fitting that roses should bloom and
,lsaeant shadows fall upon the graves of the
Loved who have gone before! 1t is just that
Irvine Art should lay her magic hand upon the
continental marble, and thus lend to the hearts
,orest affection faultless embodiment 1t is
,,oi that God permits us the grandeur and
,-acsfulness of the stately elm and dropping
riIl,s. tie sparkling beauty of falling water,
and The brilliant hues of opening flowers, to
oSorn the cherished homes of our honored
dead. and grant US these types and shadows of
the CRYSTAL fountains, the unfading bloom and
the i'm mortal verdure of that blest home with
Or ,bey have gone. A dim vision of that bliss
al abode is Greenwood Cemetery, with its
mipsing of sunshine and shadow, lake ard
fountain, statusry and flowers, ocean. views and
ri7er-windings.
From Ocean Hill, looking far over the level
Jlan, we behold the whitening sea-foam; and
i,5m Bay Grove Hill, we gaze in rapture upon
,he CLASSY waters of New York Bay, tremulous
v,h the motion Of laboring steamers and fut-
.s-ing ssilingvessels. Below us lies Brooklyn,
sth its rural outposts and pleasant surround.
i.ss; while beyond the glittering water, far as
,ie eve can reach, stretches the Emporium of
tue New World-the great island city. From
The grand view, encompaasing 80 much of beau
IS. vsstness, and power, we turn to the miracles
Of nature and the wonders of art, outspread at
orr feet Delicste-hued blossoms, dropping
flowers, and gorgeous shrubs, rise from the
green and messy carpet, half concealing the
marble slab, or surrounding the graceful statue
or lofty monument. Cherub babes lie motion.
less in their silent and stony quiet, and angels
wings, seemingly ever ready to futter, still re.
main changeless in their holy purity. The
He.mocking marble moves not, nor even re-
,aus the dripping tears which ever and anon
fall upon it, for the cherished dust beneath
Colossal bronze embalms nations memories,
in many lofty monuments-sient, yet speaking
Winding aisles, long labyrinths, and shaded
avenues, lead up the gentle slopes, and
are lost in the broad carriageroads, which
wander through the whole area, often curving
down to the waters edge, and revealing to the
enraptured eye dream-like visions of beauty
unuttered and unutterable.
From the centre of the miniature lake rises 6
single jet of water, high as the surrounding
lree-tops, and, falling back, ripples the whole
surface, even to the grassy bank, bestirring the
heavy foliage of the beautiful trees leaning ca
.essingly TO their own reflection in the sky mir
ror below. There, where the waving shadows
creep, and the falling spray gltters in the warn
sunlight, open the deep-mouthed vaults; the
Gothic monuments, towering above, give t.
the long landscape view an endless and en-
chanting variety. There, where the silen
earth clods fall-there, where the vail Of thu
mourner and the groan CT the afflicted chime
with tie ripple of the waters and the music o
the winds-there, ever-deepening, widening
and expanding, we can view the living origina
Of those rapt picturings of Heavens portal
with which the imagination is ever rife.
If the good and the loved must die-if on
friends must be darby buried out of our sight
let it be amid the thick evergreens, beneetl
the dropping willow, or beside the silver pop
lar Let them lie near to kindred dust, in SOM
cherished spot, where gentle hearts, wher
wary of world-strfe, come to weep, and seel
the soothing balm of Natures presence. Greer
trees, falling waters, and blue summer skies
may be seen elsewhere; but none so green, 81
clear, and so deep, as those of Greenwood.