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ance at once fingular and elegant, beyond all Things of the Kind that I had feen or read of. These Curtains of Crystal were ten or twelve Feet in Breadth, and in Height often twenty or more: They took their Origin from fome Part of the Sweep of the Arch, and hung to the Floor. They ufually were contiguous to the Wall at one Edge, and at a confiderable Distance at the other, fo that they formed a Kind of Clofets or Apartments within, which were very beautiful, and led an Afpect unlike all Things in the World. Thefe Curtains of Crystal were not plain, but folded and plaited; and their Undulations added not a little to their Beauty. If in any Parts they projected out fo far as to take more of the falling Drops, they were there covered with little Pyramids of Cryftal, fuch as thofe of the Trees and Shrubs on the Floor; but all the Reft of the Expanse of the smooth and gloffy.

It yet remains that I defcribe the Roof of this wonderful Place; but there are not Terms in Language to exprefs fuch a Variety of Objects which thofe who have hitherto ufed Language have never feen. In fome Parts their diverged Rays of pure and gloffy Crystal, in the Manner of a Star, form a lucid Center, ftretching themfelves to two or three Yards diameter: In another, Clufters like vaft Bunches of Grapes hung down; and from others there were continued Feftoons, loofe in the Middle, but fixed at either End, and formed of a vast Variety of Representations of Foliage, Fruits, and Flowers. There is a Rudenefs in all thofe, that would, whenever one faw them, fpeak them the abfolute Work of Nature; but Art would be proud to imitate them.

At every little Space between thefe there hung the Stalactites, or ftony Icicles, as they are called, in a furprising Number, but of a Magnitude much more furprising. Some of thefe have doubtlefs been many

hundred

hundred Years in forming, and they are from ten to twenty or thirty Feet in Length, One hangs nearly from the Center of the Grotto, which must be confiderably more than that; it is eight or nine Feet longer than all the others, and at the Bafe feems five or fix Feet in Diameter. It is a Cone in form, and its Point tolerably fine. Could a Thing of this Kind be got off whole, and conveyed into Europe without Injury, what would the Virtuofi fay of it? A Cone of this Bignefs of pure Crystal would be a more pompous Curiofity than all their Collections.

At the Points of many of these, and on fome other Protuberances on the Grotto, we faw fingle Drops of a perfectly pellucid Water hanging: This was what had left its Crystal on their Sides, and had been adding its little Portion of Subftance to their Bulk.

Nearly under the Center of the Arch there is a large Pyramid of natural Congelations of the fhrubby Kind of those already mentioned. It is the finest Cluster on the whole Floor, and is ornamented with a Parcel of Feftoons and Cones from the overhanging Part of the Roof, which make a Kind of attic Story to it. Behind it there is one of the natural Closets curtained off from the main Hollow of the Grotto, and full of beautiful Congelations. They call this Pyramid, The Altar. Some of the Pieces have been cut down; and upon the Bafis of the Pyramid we read an Infcription that puzzled uş extremely, Hic ipfe Chriftus adfuit ejus natali die media nocte celebrato. There was a Date of 1673 annexed; but not being of the Roman Communion, we could by no Means make out the Meaning of the Words, till our Guide had informed us, that a French Perion of Quality, Ambaffador to the Porte, had caufed Mafs to be celebrated there with great Solemnity on Christmas-day at that Time, and had

Ꭰ Ꮞ

spent

spent two or three Days in the Grotto with a numerous Company.

Whilft I was at the Bottom, the Thoughts of getting up again gave me Pain enough, and the Sed revocare gradum of Virgil, rofe up in my Mind with all its Terrors. However, I am out, and all is well. It was a horrible Piece of Work, and I fhall have Occafion to remember it, being more hurt and bruifed from this fingle Expedition, than from my whole Voyage, &c.

A PHI

A REVIEW OF A

PHILOSOPHICAL ENQUIRY

INTO THE

ORIGIN OF OUR IDEAS

Ог THE

SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL.

HE Title of this Book very naturally excites

T Curiofity, as the Subject is in general pleafing

to all Readers, who have any Pretenfions to Taste. But in treating abftract Ideas, there is often great Danger that the Author will bewilder himself in a Maze of chimerical Notions; and this the more especially if he attempts to fet himself up for a Systemmaker. Something like this, we are apprehensive, has happened to the Author of the Performance now before us; who has however the Merit of having been very curious in his Research, and appears to have employed much clofe and deep Thinking about the Subject of his Investigation. But the Love of Novelty feems to have been a very leading Principle in his Mind, throughout his whole Compofition; and we fear that in endeavouring to advance, what was never faid before him, he will find it his Lot to have faid what will not be adopted after him.

We

do

do not think this Gentleman faw his Way very clearly through the Question: and we are of Opinion that he has been very ingenious to err, inftead of affording us any new Lights, whereby we might find out the Sources of the Sublime and Beautiful. A Review of his Book, we think, will fet this Matter in a clear Light.

In order to come at the Botton of Things, he fets out with explaining the first Principles of the human Mind he obferves that Curiofity is one of our earlieft Paffions: he then endeavours to prove that Pain and Pleasure are not connected, and that the Removal of Pain is not a positive Pleasure, but for Diftinction's Sake, he chufes to call it Delight. If a Man,' fays he, in a State of Tranquility fhould fuddenly hear a Concert of Mufic, he then enjoys Pleasure without previous Pain; and on the other Hand, if a Man in the fame State of Tranquility fhould receive a Blow, here is Pain without the Removal of Pleasure.' But furely the Removal of a Tooth-ach, is Pleasure to all Intents and Purposes; it induces a Train of pleasing Ideas in the Mind, fuch as Satisfactionwith our prefent State, &c. and Pleasure is equally pofitive whether it begins in the Mind, or is conveyed thither by agreeable bodily Sensation. In like manner the Removal of Pleasure is pofitive Pain, as the Abfence of a fine Woman to whom we are attached, &c. The Truth is, Pain and Pleasure may fubfift independently, and alfo reciprocally induce each other. Our Author allows, that the Lofs of Pleasure occafions three different Senfations, viz. Indifference, Difappointment, or Grief: but furely Difappointment and Grief are pofitive Pains. But,' fays he, Grief can be no Pain, because we fee that many Perfons are found indulging it.' They are fo! but it should be remembered that Grief is a mixed Paffion, confifting of Sorrow for our Lofs and Fondness for the Object : now our Fondness for the Object makes our Imagina

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