After visiting the manufactories, where I was for hours stewing in their steam-heated atmosphere, my eyes inflamed by the particles of cotton flying about, and my ears dingling with the eternal rock of wheels, the melodious buzz of spindles, and the roaring of the workmen;-I with pleasure strolled into a precious breathing place, very appropriately called the Green. A gravel walk completely surrounds it, and to the north it is overshadowed by trees, which produce a most agreeable effect. Nelson's high monument is pleasantly contrasted with the level lawn from which it rises. Soon after it was erected, its top was completely shattered by lightning, and its yawning fissure has the most picturesque effect. On the south the Clyde winds along, gliding smoothly between its elevated banks. Near its margin, is a public washing house; a great part of the green is covered with clothes; the soap-sud nymphs amuse themselves by giggling, tittering and ogling at the passers-by! They stand in an ocean of suds, which they churn with their feet; while their garments are tucked up above their knees, and their arms, frothed over with the snow-white foam, are employed in wringing the sheets, or agitating them in the water.* * In the entertaining little poem called "The Clyde," the fol lowing lines are written, concerning the bleaching nymphs: "Here bare-foot beauties lightly trip along; Their snowy labours all the verdure throng; And the white foam o'erflows the smoking tub; Having purchased tickets at two shillings each! we paid a visit to the Hunterian museum. The front entrance of this splendid repository, forms a Roman. Doric portico of six columns. The whole edifice is in the temple style, and is crowned with an elegant stone cupola. Excepting the valuable collection of Dr. Hunter, there are no extraordinary curiosities in this museum. I saw divers skeletons hung by the head, "alligators stuffed," beasts with two heads, snakes suspended from the ceiling, jaws of sharks, starved weasels, et id genus omne! Among the paintings is a Danae, rather the worse for the wear. The College Gardens form a rich background of verdant lawns and gently waving trees. You will remember that it was in one of the walks of these gardens, that Frank and Rashley Osbaldistone drew their swords on each other, when they were interrupted by Rob Roy. My imagination was so filled with a beautiful passage in this exquisite novel, that I sallied out late at night, to see the bridge where Her polish'd feet another nimbly plies, Osbaldistone met Rob Roy, soon after his arrival at Glasgow. To use the beautiful language of the "great unknown," the growing darkness gave to the broad, still and deep expanse of the brimful river, first, a hue sombre and uniform, then a dismal and turbid appearance, partially lighted by a waning and pallid moon. The massive and ancient bridge which stretches across the river, was now but dimly visible, and resembled that which Mirza, in his unequalled vision, has described as traversing the valley of Bagdad. The low-browed arches, seen as imperfectly as the dusky current which they bestrode, seemed rather caverns which swallowed up the gloomy waters of the rivers, than apertures contrived for their passage. How can I venture on a description of the Cathedral or High Church, after the magnificent picture of it presented by the author of the inimitable work I have been quoting! I will merely observe, that it is one of those few Gothic piles in Scotland, which were left uninjured by the madness of the Reformation. The architecture is perfectly Gothic, the capitals of the columns especially are of exquisite workmanship. The cross aisle of the building was never finished, and is now used, (like Westminster Abbey,) for monuments erected to those who had been esteemed during their lives. Having put myself à la queue on Sunday morning, I went to church to hear the famous Dr. Chalmers preach. The first impression he produces is by no means an agreeable one; his features are rather coarse, his face is overspread with something of a ghastly paleness, his eyes have a certain pensive expression about them, and there is such an appearance of constraint in his manner, that you feel interested in his supposed bodily sufferings. His voice is not melodious, "non circum præcordia ludit," and it commences in a low drawling key; yet, with all these disadvantages, it gradually awakens the feelings, like those murmuring notes "That fall as soft as snow on the sea His eyes are light in colour; his gestures are not graceful, and his pronunciation is broadly national: but then with what tenfold richness, (says the author of " Peter's Letters,") does this dim preliminary curtain make the glories of his eloquence shine forth, when the heated spirit at length shakes from it its chill confining fetters, and bursts out elate and rejoicing in the full splendour of its disimprisoned wings! To-morrow I will set off for Ireland, in the Rob Roy steam-boat. After spending a short time at Belfast, I will make an excursion to the Giants' Causey, proceeding through Antrim, where I will remain a day or two, in order to visit Loch Neagh, which is one of the largest lakes in Europe, being 22 miles long and nearly as broad. LETTER XXVI. "How like a worm was I wrapt round and round Night Thoughts. Antrim, May 26, 1819. AFTER a very agreeable voyage, we arrived at Belfast on the morning of the 22d inst. All that I can say of this town is that it contains 25,000 inhabitants, and is situated on the river Lagan and the sea-shore. A long bridge of 21 elegant arches bestrides the river. Bleachfields extend round the country in the environs of Belfast, which are beautifully sprinkled with trees and gently rising hills. Towards the harbour, there is a projecting mound, called Cave Hill, which, with the surrounding scenery, would form an excellent subject for the pencil; there is a wild and variegated kind of beauty about it, which produces a fine effect. The lofty back ground is adorned in every crevice with varied and thriving plantations, and country seats. Between Belfast and Antrim, the landscape is by no means striking; but the country is well cultivated, and adorned with neat cottages and gentlemen's seats. Antrim is 48 miles from Dublin. Near it is that magnificent body of water called Lough Neagh, which has rather the appearance of an inland sca, than of a lake; there is not a single island on it. At the edge of the lake is Lord O'Neal's country seat, |