78 



Topographical Geology. 



of villages have been built upon heights commanding wide horizons : 

 And some of these, being in a superior style of architecture are most 

 attractive objects to the distant traveler. What for instance can be a 

 finer object, than the beautiful village of Leicester, seen at the distance 

 of six or eight miles ! or than Shrewsbury, Grafton, Charlton or Rut- 

 land ! Similarly situated are Dudley, Sutton, Mendon, Hopkinton, 

 Spencer, New Braintree, Hardwick, Barre, Petersham, Shutesbury, 

 New Salem, Templeton, Winchendon, Princeton, Westford, Andover, 

 &c. The extent and beauty of the summer prospect from the last 

 mentioned place have long been the admiration of the traveler. 



Mount Holyoke. 



We come now to the valley of the Connecticut, where is some of 

 the boldest and most beautiful scenery in the State. Mount Holyoke 

 in Hadley claims the first notice ; not on account of its superior alti- 

 tude, for it is only 830 feet above the Connecticut at its base, and 

 about 900 above Boston Harbour ; but on account of its peculiar posi- 

 tion in respect to interesting objects around. It is a part of a moun- 

 tain ridge of greenstone, commencing with West Rock, near New 

 Haven, and proceeding northerly, interrupted only by occasional val- 

 lies, across the whole of Connecticut, until it enters Massachusetts 

 between West Springfield and Southwick, and proceeds along the 

 west line of the first named place, and along the east line of Westfield, 

 East Hampton, and Northampton, to the banks of the Connecticut. 

 Until it reaches East Hampton, its elevation is small. But there it 

 suddenly mounts up to the height of nearly a thousand feet, and forms 

 Mount Tom. The ridge crosses the Connecticut, in a northeast direc- 

 tion, and curving still more to the east, passes along the dividing line 

 of Amherst and South Hadley, until it terminates ten miles from the 

 river in the northwest part of Belchertown. All that part of the 

 ridge east of the river, is called Holyoke : though the prospect house 

 is erected near its southwestern extremity, opposite Northampton, and 

 near the Connecticut. And that is undoubtedly the most commanding spot 

 on the mountain, though several distinct summits, that'have as yet re- 

 ceived no uniform name, afford delightful prospects. It is not gener- 

 ally known, indeed, how a slight change of situation upon a mountain 

 will often put an almost entirely new aspect upon the surrounding 

 scenery. A knowledge of this fact, might often give a tenfold dura- 

 tion to the pleasure of the observer. The man who means to feast to 

 the full upon mountain scenery, should be accoutred in such a manner 



