Niagara Falls 



1838 large flat sheet of water, that gurgled, and hissed, and lashed 

 itself into fury at its immediate point of descent, but which, as far 

 as the eye could reach above presented an almost unbroken 

 uniformity of surface. It is this want of irregularity added to the 

 absence of corresponding scenery, that robs the Falls in my esti- 

 mation of much of the imposing grandeur that otherwise attaches 

 to them. 



1839 



1839 GRINFIELD, THOMAS. Hymn on Niagara. (In Barham William, 

 Grinfield Descriptions of Niagara; selected from various travellers; 



Gravesend: n. d. Pp. 176-177.) 



An anthem, * like the sound of many waters ! ' 

 The prophet heard it, as in wondrous vision 

 He lay entranced upon the cliffs of PATMOS ; 

 And wouldst thou hear its emblem, go and listen, 

 In deep and dread delight, to NIAGARA ! 

 That everlasting anthem which hath peal'd 

 Nor paus'd a moment, from the birth of ages! 

 And, fitting emblem of celestial chorus, 

 The loud eternity of rushing music 

 Disturbs not, but subdues and fills, the spirit 

 With feelings of unutterable stillness, 

 And infinite tranquillity, excluding 

 The world with all its dissonance of passions. 



There, too, a cloud of ever-offer'd incense 

 From nature's altar, — in the vapoury column 

 On which bright rainbows beam the smiles of mercy, — 

 Hath risen well-nigh six thousand years to heaven, 

 In unison with that astounding chorus 

 Of multitudinous and white-robed waters, 

 So glorious in the fury of their rapture 

 Around their awful and mysterious centre! 



And oft, stupendous Cataract, as winter 

 Comes listening to thy choral hallelujahs, 



1 Charles Dickens records this impression. 



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