Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-08-09
Editorial Correspondence.
PROFILE HOUSE, Franconia Notch, N. H.,
I'll OOLI 1Onn

In my last, gave you the " elephant side
OF the picture of visit to the White Noun
tains. To all who take honest, first impress
sions, with no disposition to follow the couplet,
"Vice is a monster of such hideous mien,
That to be hated needs but to be seen;
But often seen, familiar with It's face
We pity, endure, and then embrace"
the picture gave you is too true. But leave
Nature alone in her simplicity, and there is none
of this revolving association. The sublnity
of Mt Washinfton, and the wild scene from
its dizzy heights, after the fatiguing journey
there, is truly worth contemplation. There
you look down upon the lesser heights and the
ravines and valleys, ragged and rocky, and i'm
agine the All forming Hand which upheaved
them from their watery bed Here the little
springs gush out, and the Lake of the Cloud
sleeps as quietly five thousand feet above the
sea, as do the waters on its own level.
1t pays well the labor of tired limbs and
aching head to behold the vast wilderness of
forest, hill, mountain, stream, pond and vale,
and see what varied panoramas the hand of
Nature has spread out Like Niagara, Nam.
moth Cave and the ocean, one never tires of
looking, thinking and looking, and looking
again and again, as if catching new outlines,
new hues and changes at each return. 1t is diff
cult to comprehend the vastness of the works
of Nature, and any process, however self-deny
ing, tending to their contemplation, I look upon
as gain to the inner man. But such con-
trast between these works of Nature and the
dongs of men, as exhibited in scenes referred
10 in my last, is revolving.
The scenery at the foot of these mountains is
almost as worthy of notice as from their sum-
mits. The Ammonoosuc has worn its channel
along their base, and with its cddies and falls
carved out a variety of scenes of admiration
From Crawford's, after most delightful
ride Though q seque8tored valley, | have hauled
up at the Profile. In tho Franconia Notch
we find that variety of quiet scenes which
awaken different feeling, a different idea of
the power and existence of Nature Sixty
centuries have nearly passed, and l am one
among those who believe that these same hills
and valleys have existed since the Creation, as
it must have required six thousand years. con-
tinual wearing to have formed these pools, ba~
sins, and deep narrow beds through which the
Saco flows. IF Mt. Washington has the grand
eur and sublimity, the Franconia Notch has
the beauty and novelty of variety. The " Old
Man is host of himself The lake at his
feet, and the quiet beauty of Echo Lake, are
unlike everything else. The Flume is probably
the object of the most curiosity of any one
thing. | cannot attempt a description of it
from the fact that took no admeasurement of
its height, length, breadth land nothing but the
eye can describe to the mind the ragged wilder
ness of the irregularity Of the broken chasm.
Phe Profile House is kept on very much the
same plan as the Crawford, only to less extent,
perhaps, and the same remark will apply to the
halfdozen other houses in the vicinity of the
Mountains If one is an Editor, or has the
money to spare, we advise him to 90 to the
White Mountains. Don't go to drink don't
60 to gamble; don't go to dress, nor airt, nor
keep late hours; don't go to get sick, nor kill
yourself, but go to be temperate in all things,
as every one should live at home, to get health
and wisdom. But after all is said and done
you will get all of these just as well, and fa1
more cheaply, at cur own Mansfield, Camel'f
Hump, Willoughby, Magog, Plainfeld Springs,
and hundred little boat excursions and fish.
ing trips, among our own mountains and val
leys.
And now shall probably be at home before
this goes to press, aud will take up the polit
cal pen refreshed and invigorated.