VOYAGE TO ATHENS. 
We passed Macronisi, once called HELENA, 
because Helen is said to have landed here after 
her expulsion from Troj/ 2 ; and we had such a 
glorious prospect of this island, and of the 
temple of Minerva Sunias standing upon the Cape, 
together with other more distant objects, that we 
could recollect nothing like it: such a contrast 
of colours; such an association of the wonders 
of Nature and of Art; such perfection of grand 
and beautiful perspective, as no expression of 
perceptible properties can convey to the minds 
of those who have not beheld the objects them- 
selves. Being well aware of the transitory 
nature of impressions made upon the memory 
bv sights of this kind, the author wrote a de- 
/ t-7 
scription of this scene while it was actually 
before his eyes : but how poor is the effect pro- 
duced by detailing the parts of a view in a 
narrative, which ought to strike as a whole 
upon the sense! He may tell, indeed, of the 
dark blue sea streaked with hues of deepest 
purple of embrowning shadows of lights 
effulgent as the sun of marble pillars beaming 
a radiant brightness upon lofty precipices whose 
sides are diversified by refreshing verdure and 
(2) See Pausanitu, lib. i. c. 35., 
VOL. VI. N 
