5SS G L A 
to which they belong. Such are the Hochveniag-ferner, 
the Gerllar-t'erner, tlie Schalfthaler-fenier, &c. It is 
fuppofed, by the inhabitants of the country, that thefe 
glaciers, however great in number or enormous in fize, 
are not of an older date than the third century. The 
peoole here feem to be of the,fame opinion with the 
Swii's refpedting their periodical mutations ; and it is 
afferted that they increafe and diminilh alternately in 
the courfe of feven years. This is certain, tliat they 
are fubjeff to more violent changes than in SwilTerland; 
and that their augmentation is moi'e I'enfible ; the fpace 
which the Gurgler-ferner now occupies, between the 
Schwartzberg and the Riibel-berg, was a pafture on 
which fitepherds not long ago tended their flocks. 
It is in the gorge of the Qitz, and in its environs, 
that we meet with.the moll remarkable conglomeration 
of glaciers ; and they are there fo greatly multiplied, 
that to this part of the Rhnetian chain the name of 
grojfe-ferncr, or great glacier, is given. Some of them 
here undergo great alterations on the leaft change of 
temperature ; at one time occupying the entire gorge, 
and at another even lefs than lialf of it. The moun¬ 
tain called Neu/bcrg, wliich terminates the Rofen-thal, 
has two glaciers of this kind, the Hochjock-ferner, and 
the Guflar-ferner. Tire kind of arch compol'ed'of ice, 
from whicli a flream of water iCTues at the toot ot every 
glacier, increafes canfiderably during fummer, and fome 
of tliem become real bridges, which extend from one 
mountain to another, and on whiclt travellers pafs with¬ 
out danger, excepting when it rains. Sometimes alfo, 
tlie furface of tire glacier cracks perpendicularly, pre- 
lenting a multitude of pyramids, the lead folid of 
which breaks off and rolls with a great noife to the 
bottom of the gorge. Thefe fragments, united by a 
new congelation, there increafe, and form a dyke to the 
flream which, their dilfolution had increafed. After 
this manner, tlie glacier of Rofen-thal, called Rofnerfee, 
was formed in 1771. A flream ilfuing from Hochjock- 
ferner fell into the gorge of Rofen; fome blocks of ice 
were detached in the month of Augufl, and fo filled up 
tlie gorge as to make a dam acrofs it: this flream be¬ 
came a lake, and foon afterward a glacier, which now 
covers twelve thoufand metres of excellent palturage. 
The inhabitants of thefe mountains remark that, 
when fuch avalanches, or blocks of Tee, defeend from a 
Jingle glacier, there is iefs reafon to fear for the diflricls 
lituated below it: but that, if two glaciers'difeharge 
themfelves into the fame bottom, a bank is very, foon 
formed, and the new accretion of ice forces men and 
cattle to ieek elfewhere for fubfiflence. Such accidents 
occurred feveral times during the laft age in the gorge 
of Gurgler. In general, we may obferve that all the 
glaciers of recent formation obtain their increafe from 
the month of Oclober to that of June, a period at 
which they begin to thaw ; then they form a multitude 
of cafeades, prefenting all that variety vvhicli is ad¬ 
mired in the Swifs feenery. Streams rufhing from be¬ 
neath vaults of ice, and Iwelled by tributary water-falls, 
fometimes become torrents which mark their courfe 
with devaftation. When the foutherly winds prevail 
for many I'uccellive days, the univerfal thaw feems to 
jnenace the valleys with a new -deluge, mixed with 
fand, rocks, and ice. 
The icebergs, or glaciers, in the north-eall of Spitz- 
bergen, prefenc a lingular appearance, being high clitf's 
of an emerald colour, impendent over the lea, with ca- 
taracls of .melted fnow, and a back ground of black, 
conic hills Irreaked with white. The lea itfelf contains 
mountains of ice, formed by aggregation ; a large field 
forcing a fmaller out of the water till it lodges upon the 
fuperior furface, and the height is afterwards increaied 
by the fnow till it fometimes rifes to 1500 feet. The 
fnow in thefe high latitudes often falls as hard, and mi- 
nute, as lifted land. 
In Alia, Mr, Daniell has deferibed the glaciers, 
G L A 
which he fays make a mofl majeflic appearance even at 
the diflance of a hundred and fifty miles, prefenting a 
mofl'augufl difplay of the fublime and beautiful. The 
ice rifes often into lofty fpires on thegrandell of fcales; 
their brilliancy under the bright rays of. the meridian 
fun greatly furpalTes all powers of defeription ; and, 
towards the evening, the light fides become moll fu- 
perbly tinted with a beautiful rofeate colour. If fueh 
immenfe fabrics of accumulated ice pfefent themfelves 
to our view as refulting from the rarity of the higher 
region of the air in thefe milder climates, what imagi. 
nation can pidture to the mind’s eye the boundlefs ex¬ 
tent and magnificent grandeur of the lofty ranges of 
thole glaciers, which, amidfl the awful roar of the pro¬ 
found abyfs in the h'rozen Ocean, mull prefect an eter¬ 
nal barrier to the foot of man in the countries which 
furround the poles ! 
GLA'CIES MARI'^, f. A name given to the clear 
tranfparent gypfum, or vitriolated lime. It is feldom 
ufed. 
GLA'CIOUS, adj. \_glacio, 'La.t.'] Icy; refembling 
ice.—Although exhaled and placed in cold confervato- 
ries, it will cryftalize and Ihoot into bodies. Brown. 
GLA'CIS, f. [French.] In fortification, a Hoping 
bank, reaching from the parapet of the counterfearp 
to the level fide of tlie outwork. See the article For¬ 
tification, vol. vii. p. 591.—In architedlure, an eafy 
imperceptible Hope; the cymatium of a cornice. AJh. 
GLAD, adj. [glaeb. Sax. glad, Danifli.j Cheerful ; 
gay ; inaftate of hilarity.—They blefled the king, and 
went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart. i Kintrs, 
viii. 66.—Wearing a gay appearance; fertile; briglft • 
Ihowy.—Tlie wildernefs and the folitary place fiiall be 
glad for them, and the defert lliall rejoice and bloiTom 
as the role. IJ'aiah, xxxv. 
Then firfl ador’d 
With their bright luminaries, that fet and rofe. 
Glad Ev’ning and glad Morn crown’d the fourth day. 
Milton. 
Pleafed ; elevated with joy. It has generally e/j fome¬ 
times at or with, before the caufe of gladnefs : perhaps 
o/'is mofl: proper, when the caufe of joy is fomethino- 
gained or polfelTed : and at or with, when it is fome ac¬ 
cident befallen himfelf or another.—He that is glad at 
calamities fliall not be unpunilhed. Proverbs.- —If he be. 
my enemy, let him triumph ; if he be my friend, he 
will be glad of my repentance. Dryden. 
The gaping wound guflrd out a crimfon flood ; 
The Trojan, glad with fight of hollile blood. 
His fauchion drew. Dryden. 
Pleafing ; exhilarating : 
Her converfation 
hlorc glad to me than to a mifer money is, Sidney. 
Exprefiing gladnefs: 
Hark! a glad voice the lonely defert cheers : 
Prepare the way, a God, a God appears I Pope. 
It is ufed in a familiar fenfe, approaching to ludicrouf- 
nefs.—I would be glad to learn frpm thofe who pro¬ 
nounce that the human foul always . thinks, h.ow they 
know it. Locke. 
To GLAD, V. a. To make glad ; to cheer ; to exhi¬ 
larate.—Each drinks the juice that glads the heart of 
man. Pope.. 
It glads me 
To fee fo many virtues thus united. 
To rellore juftice and dethrone oppreflion. Otway. 
GLAD'BECK, or Gladbach, a town of Germany, 
in the circle of Weftphalia, and duchy of Juliers : 
fixteen miles north of Juliers. Lat. 51.14. N. Ion. 
23. 50. E. Ferro. 
To GLAD'DEN, v.a. To cheer; to delight; to 
make glad ; to exhilarate : 
Oh, 
