THE KAlxTH. 51 



tlie beauty of its sparry incrustations. This celebrated caveni 

 was first discovered by one Magni, an Italian traveller, about a 

 hundred years ago, at Antiparos, an inconsiderable island of 

 the Archipelago.' The account he gives of it is long and in- 



ties of these have been cut out, and burnt for lime ; in consequence of which 

 the caye is disfigared and nearly destroyed. 



In the island of Stafl'a, one of the Hebrides, on tlie north west coast ot 

 Scotland, is another striking object of natural history, perhaps the most 

 mag^nificent of the kind in existence. It is thus described by Sir Joseph 

 Banlcs, in a communication to Mr Pennant. " We were no sooner 

 arrived," says Sir Joseph, " than we were struck with a scene of mag- 

 nificence which exceeded our expectations, though founded, as we thought, 

 on the most sanguine foundations. The whole of that island, a mile in 

 length, and half a mile in breadth, supported by ranges of natural pillars, 

 mostly above fifty feet high, every stone being formed into a certain num- 

 ber of sides and angles, standing in natural colonnades, according as the 

 bays or points of land formed themselves : upon a firm basis of solid unform- 

 ed rock, above these the stratum which reaches to the soil or surface of the is- 

 land, varied in thickness as the island itself is formed into hills or valleys ; each 

 hill, which hung over the columns below, forming an ample pediment ; some 

 of these above sixty feet in thickness, from the base to the point, formed by 

 the sloping of the hill on one side almost in the shape of those used in archi- 

 tectiu^e. Compared with tlus, what are the cathedrals onpalaces built by man ? 

 Mere models or playthings!: imitations as diminutive as his works will always 

 be, when compared to those of nature. Where is now the boast'of the architect ? 

 Regularity, the only part in which he fancied himself to exceed his mistress, 

 Kature, is here found in her possession; and herei t has been for ages undescribed. 

 Is not this the school where the art was originally studied ? and what has 

 been added to this by the whole Grecian school ? A capital to ornament the 

 column of nature, of which they could expect only a model ; and for that 

 very capital they were obliged to a bush of Acanthus : how amply does na. 

 ture repay those who study her wonderful works ! With our minds full of 

 such reflections, we proceeded along the shore, treading upon another 

 Giant's Causeway, every stone being regularly formed into a certain number 

 of sides and angles, till in a short time we arrive at the mouth of a cave, the most 

 magnificent, I suppose, that has ever been described by travellers. The 

 mind can hardly fo' ra an idea more magnificent than such a space supported 

 on each side by ranges of columns, and roofed by the bottoms of those which 

 have been broke off in order to form it ; between the angles of which a yeU 

 low stalagraitic matter has been exuded, which serves to define the angles 

 precisely, and at the same time vary the colour with a great deal of elegance ; 

 and to render it still more agreeable, the whole is lighted from without, so 

 that the farthest extremity is very plainly seen from without ; and the airi 

 being agitated by the flux and reflux of the tides, is perfectly dry and whole. 

 Some, free entirely from the damp vapour with which natural caverns in 

 general abound. We asked the name of it. Said our guide, " The cave ol 



\ Kirrher Mund. sub. 112. I have translated apart of Kirclier's descriptioik 

 father than Tournef.irt'.s, as the latter was written to support an hypothesis 



E 2 



