EGG. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 509 



in additional gloom and resembling the castle of some 

 Arabian enchanter built on the clouds and suspended in 

 the air. 



The appearance of artifice is most apparent when this 

 rock is viewed at the eastern extremity, where the form 

 resembles exactly that of a ruinous tower; of gigantic 

 dimensions, since the altitude is not far short of five 

 hundred feet. That resemblance to architecture is much 

 increased by the columnar structure, which is sufficiently 

 distinguishable even from a distance, and produces a 

 strong effect of artificial regularity when seen near at 

 hand. To this vague association in the mind of the 

 efforts of art with the magnitude of nature, is owing 

 much of that sublimity of character which the Scuir pre- 

 sents, even when divested of the accessary circumstances 

 produced by the accidents of light and shade and by 

 atmospheric effects. The sense of power is a fertile 

 source of the sublime, and as the appearance of power 

 exerted, no less than that of simplicity, is necessary to 

 confer this character on architecture, so the mind, insen- 

 sibly transferring the operations of nature to the efforts 

 of art where they approximate in character, becomes 

 impressed with a feeling itirely excited by her more ordi- 

 nary forms, where these are even more stupendous. 



This island is of small dimensions, being only three miles 

 and a half in length, and two and a half in breadth, and is 

 bounded in most places by high and rocky shores, but of 

 different characters. It appears, in a general view, to be 

 separated into two distinct eminences by some lower inter- 

 vening land; this visible distinction being accompanied 

 by a corresponding difference in its physical character. 

 When viev/ed from the west, the northern extremity pre- 

 sents an irregular table land, with the terraced outline 

 and well known cliff which is always indicative of a parti- 

 cular variety of trap ; while the southern extremity dis- 

 plays an irregular serrated outline, and a more uneven line 

 of coast. Excepting the sandy bay of Lagg on the western 



