American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-06-17
Bayard Taylor in Greece.

BAYARD TAYLOR is famous pen pain
Ter. No other writer has so keen an ap-
probation Of the collors that glow on the
landscape. He wrote some naughty things
about American ladies who bored him with
love letters after he was married, and is
rather out Of fashion. But we must give
some Of his latest pen paintings. lie was
travelling in Greece al the date Of bis la.
test letter printed in the Tribune:
.GRECIAN SCENERY.
The day Of our departure augured for
tunate journey. 1t had stormed on the
previous day, but now the azure pavement
OF heaven shcne new washed in the beam S
Of the rising sun, and all the sounds
and collors Of Spring were fresh in the
crystalline air. A cool wind blew from
the West, aud every tint of the land.
seape was retouched and restored with the
loveliest effect. The eldertrees in the gar
dens had already put en- their Sammer
dress; the tall GIecian poplars stood in a
green mist OF blossoms; the willows drop
ed their first tresses Of milky emerald, and
the pink petals of the almond flowers show
cred upon the earth. The plain of Atlica,
over which we rode, through the olive
grove of The Academy. was like a para
disc. The wheat was already high enough
to ripple and shift its color in the wind,
and the vines, among which the peasants
were busiIy working, pruning the las
years shoots and hesping the earth be
tween the rows, were beginning to pu
forth their leaves. AS we turned at th'
pass of Daphne, TO take a farewell lcok a
Athens, | as more than ever struck will
the unrivaled position of the immorta
: city. The Acropolis is the prominent OBJ
ject in every view, and the rock crestet
Lycabettus, with its pyramidal front, bar
moniously balances it on the north, botl
being exquisitely relieved against the blu
back ground of Hymettus.
{ | never saw more superb sea colo
than that Of the Gulf OF Salmis, as it shon
in the distance, between the pale pinkish
gray walls Of the pass. 1t was dazzlin
velvet blue green, covered with purpl
loom, and shone with semi>transparen
) lus,re, like that Of a dark sapphire. Nei
} ther brush nor pen could represent it. Th
! scarlet anemones Just opened, burned lk
Goals Of FIRE by the roadside, with almond
and bawthorns hid their crooked bough
, in vail of blossoms, and the lilly and a.
phodel shot forth new leaves. 1t was
t day loaned from the treasury of heaven.-
( By ton o'clock "
had climbed to the crest Of the hills, an
q the plain of Argos, crossed by long s!reaE
: of golden morning light, lay below u.s.
On the right the mountains of Arcad
r rose in a rampant of gli;tering snow. wit
a the hills of Erymanlhus and the pyrsmiL
y al peak of Cyleue still further to the ives
Beyond the emerald pavement of the plair
4 rose the Acropolis Of Argos against tf
purple line of the Argolic Gulf. The glC
n rious landscape swan in transparent VI
# por, still further softened its exquisite hal
: mony of color. The pink mountain head
!. lands, painted with the tenderest strraking
= of silvery-gray shadow, had play OF ligl
like that upon folded silk, and the who
a scene was clear and luminous in tone. as
i painted upon glass. 1t is difficult TO pi'
o ture in words the pure, erial delicacy an
loveliness of coloring which tinted the A
- give world below us-and lave not tf
a magic pencil Of Turner, who alone coul
!. have caught its transitory splendor.