53^2 ' ON THE VALE OF TEMPE. 



heightened by the wildness of the whole view, and the deep sliadows 

 of the mountains. The eye, however, dwells with pleasure only on 

 the Peneus. The full but silent stream of that river is bordered 

 nearly in all its course through the dell by the Oriental plane-tree, 

 which supports the wild-vine thickly interlaced among its branches, 

 and dropping in festoons to the surface of the water. This beautiful 

 parasite was at the season when we visited Tempe in full bloom, and 

 scented the air with a delightful odour. About midway, a fountain 

 of the coldest water gushes out at the foot of a rock, which forms the 

 base of the causeway. Here travellers usually halt to refresh them- 

 selves and their cavalry ; while many repose here ; or devour, as we 

 did, the contents of their wallets ; cooling their wine in the phrystal 

 fountain. 



" Just beyond this spot and adjoining to the road, are the ruins of a 

 fortress of no very ancient date, which once, perhaps, guarded the 

 pass ; but the peasants conceive it to be the monument of a princess, 

 who met here with an untimely death, and in memory of whom, it is 

 called TO M>^u7o Kctg-fio or rijf ^ipa^jV TO y,ce,s-f,o. The remains of this old 

 castle are situated at the mouth of a small dell, which is rendered in 

 some degree remarkable by a ruined tower on the brow of a lofty 

 cliff. One or two dells, of less magnitude, diversify this side of the 

 river, as we proceed eastwards. 



" On the north side of the Peneus, the mass of rock is more entire, 

 and the objects which strike the eye are altogether more bold, but 

 perhaps less picturesque. , ■ 



" It is here, however, that the exposure of the strata suggests to the 

 imagination some violent convulsion, which, in a period of the most 

 remote antiquity, may have severed the ridge and drained the great 

 basin of Thessaly." 



The above account of Tempe, which was written almost imme- 

 diately after visiting that celebrated spot, will convey to my readers 

 a faint, but no unfaithful representation of the scenery which I 

 observed there. It is scarcely necessary for me to add, that the 

 scenery itself by no means corresponds with the idea that has been 



