Niagara Falls 



1831 Noble, Louis L. The course of empire, Voyage of life, and other 



Noble pictures of Thomas Cole, N. A. : with selections from his letters and 



miscellaneous writings; illustrative of his life, character and genius. N. Y. : 

 Cornish, Lamport, and Co. 1853. Pp. 104-106. 375-377. 



An account of Cole's disappointment at his first view of Niagara, and 

 his feeling that even after close acquaintance Niagara was far less than 

 the mountains, that its greatness consisted in its loneliness. Account is 

 given of the various studies that he made. His reflections after his second 

 visit in 1847 are also given. 



September 4, 1 847. — On Tuesday last, Maria and I returned 

 from an excursion to Niagara. Niagara I have visited before. 

 Its effect on my mind was perhaps as great as when I first saw it. 

 But I am convinced that, sublime and beautiful as it is, it would 

 soon cease to excite much emotion. The truth is, that the mind 

 dwells not long with delight on objects whose main quality is 

 motion, unless that motion is varied. Niagara, stupendous and 

 unceasing as it is, is nevertheless comparatively limited, — limited 

 in its resources and duration. The mind quickly runs to the 

 fountain head of all its waters; the eye marks the process of its 

 sinking to decay. The highest sublime the mind of man compre- 

 hendeth not. He stands upon one shore, but sees not the other. 

 Not in action, but in deep repose, is the loftiest element of the sub- 

 lime. With action waste and ultimate exhaustion are associated. 

 In the pure blue sky is the highest sublime. There is the illimit- 

 able. When the soul essays to wing its flight into that awful pro- 

 found, it returns tremblingly to its earthly rest. All is deep, 

 unbroken repose up there — voiceless, motionless, without the 

 colours, lights and shadows, and ever-changing draperies of the 

 lower earth. There we look into the uncurtained, solemn serene 

 — into the eternal, the infinite — toward the throne of the 

 Almighty. 



The beauty of Niagara is truly wonderful, and of great 

 variety. Morning and evening, noon and midnight, in storm and 

 calm, summer and winter, it has a splendour all its own. In its 

 green glancing depths there is beauty ; and also in its white misty 



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