The Domain of Arnheim by Edgar Allan Poe
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for apprehension becomes universal . the sophists of_the negative school who, through inability to create, have scoffed at creation, are now found the loudest in applause . what, in its chrysalis condition of principle, affronted their demure reason, never fails, in its maturity of accomplishment, to extort admiration from their instinct of beauty .

" the author's observations on_the artificial style," continued Ellison, " are less objectionable .a mixture of pure art in a garden scene adds to_it a great beauty . this_is just; as also is_the reference to_the sense of human interest . the principle expressed is incontrovertible -- but there_may_be something beyond it . there_may_be an object in keeping with_the principle -- an object unattainable by_the means ordinarily possessed by individuals, yet which, if attained, would lend a charm to_the landscape- garden far surpassing that which a sense of merely human interest could bestow .a poet, having very unusual pecuniary resources, might, while retaining the necessary idea of art or culture, or, as our author expresses it, of interest, so imbue his designs at once with extent and novelty of beauty, as_to convey the sentiment of spiritual interference . it_will_be seen that, in bringing about such result, he secures all the advantages of interest or design, while relieving his work of_the harshness or technicality of_the worldly art . in_the most rugged of wildernesses -- in_the most savage of_the scenes of pure nature -- there_is apparent the art of a creator; yet this art is apparent to reflection only; in no respect has it the obvious force of afeeling . now let_us suppose this sense of_the almighty design to_be one step depressed -- to_be brought into something like harmony or consistency with_the sense of human art -- to_form an intermedium between_the two: -- let_us imagine, for example, a landscape whose combined vastness and definitiveness -- whose united beauty, magnificence, and strangeness, shall convey the idea of care, or culture, or superintendence, on_the_part of beings superior, yet akin to humanity -- then the sentiment of interest is preserved, while the art intervolved is made to assume the air of an intermediate or secondary nature -- a nature which_is not god, nor an emanation from god, but which still is nature in_the sense of_the handiwork of_the angels that hover between man and god ."

it_was in devoting his enormous wealth to_the embodiment of a vision such as_this -- in_the free exercise in_the open air ensured by_the personal superintendence of_his plans -- in_the unceasing object which these plans afforded -- in_the high spirituality of_the object -- in_the contempt of ambition which it enabled him truly to_feel -- in_the perennial springs with_which it gratified, without possibility of satiating, that one master passion of_his soul, the thirst for beauty, above all, it_was in_the sympathy of a woman, not unwomanly, whose loveliness and love enveloped his existence in_the purple atmosphere of paradise, that Ellison thought to_find, and found, exemption from_the ordinary cares of humanity, with a far greater amount of positive happiness than ever glowed in_the rapt day-dreams of De Stael .

I despair of conveying to_the reader any distinct conception of_the marvels which my friend did actually accomplish . i_wish to describe, but am disheartened by_the difficulty of description, and hesitate between detail and generality . perhaps the better course will_be to unite the two in their extremes .

Mr Ellison's first step regarded, of_course, the choice of a locality, and scarcely had he commenced thinking on_this point, when_the luxuriant nature of_the pacific Islands arrested his attention . in_fact, he had made up his mind for a voyage to_the south Seas, when a night's reflection induced him to abandon the idea ." were I misanthropic," he_said, " such alocale would suit me . the thoroughness of_its insulation and seclusion, and_the difficulty of ingress and egress, would in_such case be the charm of charms; but as_yet I_am not Timon . i_wish the composure but not the depression of solitude . there must remain with me a certain control over the extent and duration of_my repose . there_will_be frequent hours in_which I_shall need, too, the sympathy of_the poetic in what I_have_done . let me seek, then, a spot not far from a populous city -- whose vicinity, also, will best enable me to execute my plans ."

in search of a suitable place so situated, Ellison travelled for several years, and i_was permitted to accompany him .a thousand spots with_which i_was enraptured he rejected without hesitation, for reasons which satisfied me, in_the end, that he_was right . we came at_length to an elevated table- land of wonderful fertility and beauty, affording a panoramic prospect very little less in extent than that of Aetna, and, in Ellison's opinion as_well as my own, surpassing the far- famed view from_that mountain in all the true elements of_the picturesque .

" I_am aware," said the traveller, as he drew a sigh of deep delight after gazing on_this scene, entranced, for nearly an hour, " I_know that here, in my circumstances, nine-tenths of_the most fastidious of men would rest content . this panorama is indeed glorious, and i_should rejoice in_it but for_the excess of_its glory . the taste of all the architects I_have ever known leads them, for_the sake of ' prospect,' to_put up buildings on hill-tops . the error is obvious . grandeur in any of_its moods, but especially in_that of extent, startles, excites -- and then fatigues, depresses . for_the occasional scene nothing can_be better -- for_the constant view nothing worse . and, in_the constant view, the most objectionable phase of grandeur is_that of extent; the worst phase of extent, that of distance . it_is at war with_the sentiment and with_the sense of seclusion -- the sentiment and sense which we seek to humor in 'retiring to_the country .' in looking from_the summit of a mountain we_cannot help feeling abroad in_the_world . the heart- sick avoid distant prospects as a pestilence ."

it_was not until toward the close of_the fourth year of_our search that we_found a locality with_which Ellison professed himself satisfied . it_is, of_course, needless to_say where was_the locality . the late death of_my friend, in causing his domain to_be thrown open to certain classes of visiters, has_given to Arnheim a species of secret and subdued if_not solemn celebrity, similar in kind, although infinitely superior in degree, to_that which so_long distinguished Fonthill .

the usual approach to Arnheim was by_the river . the visiter left the city in_the early morning . during the forenoon he passed between shores of a tranquil and domestic beauty, on_which grazed innumerable sheep, their white fleeces spotting the vivid green of rolling meadows . by degrees the idea of cultivation subsided into that of merely pastoral care . this slowly became merged in a sense of retirement -- this again in a consciousness of solitude . as_the evening approached, the channel grew more narrow, the banks more and more precipitous; and these latter were clothed in rich, more profuse, and more sombre foliage . the water increased in transparency . the stream took a thousand turns, so_that at no moment could its gleaming surface be seen for a greater distance than a furlong . at every instant the vessel seemed imprisoned within an enchanted circle, having insuperable and impenetrable walls of foliage, a roof of ultramarine satin, and no floor -- the keel balancing itself with admirable nicety on_that of a phantom bark which, by some accident having been turned upside down, floated in constant company with_the substantial one, for_the_purpose of sustaining it . the channel now became a gorge -- although the term is somewhat inapplicable, and I employ it merely because the language has no word which better represents the most striking -- not the most distinctive- feature of_the scene . the character of gorge was maintained only in_the height and parallelism of_the shores; it_was lost altogether in their other traits . the walls of_the ravine ( through which the clear water still tranquilly flowed) arose to an elevation of a hundred and occasionally of a hundred and fifty feet, and inclined so_much toward each_other as, in a great measure, to shut out the light of day; while the long plume- like moss which depended densely from_the intertwining shrubberies overhead, gave the whole chasm an air of funereal gloom . the windings became more frequent and intricate, and seemed often as_if returning in upon themselves, so that_the voyager had long lost all idea of direction . he_was, moreover, enwrapt in an exquisite sense of_the strange . the thought of nature still remained, but her character seemed to_have undergone modification, there_was a weird symmetry, athrilling uniformity, a wizard propriety in_these her works . not a dead branch -- not a withered leaf -- not a stray pebble -- not a patch of_the brown earth was anywhere visible . the crystal water welled up against the clean granite, or the unblemished moss, with a sharpness of outline that delighted while it bewildered the eye .

Having threaded the mazes of_this channel for some hours, the gloom deepening every moment, a sharp and unexpected turn of_the vessel brought it suddenly, as_if dropped from heaven, into a circular basin of very considerable extent when compared with_the width of_the gorge . it_was about two hundred yards in diameter, and girt in at all points but one -- that immediately fronting the vessel as it entered -- by hills equal in general height to_the walls of_the chasm, although of a thoroughly different character . their sides sloped from_the water's edge at an angle of some forty-five degrees, and_they were clothed from base to summit -- not a perceptible point escaping -- in a drapery of_the most gorgeous flower-blossoms; scarcely a green leaf being visible among_the sea of odorous and fluctuating color . this basin was of great depth, but so transparent was_the water that_the bottom, which seemed to consist of a thick mass of small round alabaster pebbles, was distinctly visible by glimpses -- that_is_to_say, whenever the eye could permit itself not to_see, far down in_the inverted heaven, the duplicate blooming of_the hills . on_these latter there were no trees, nor even shrubs of any size . the impressions wrought on_the observer were those of richness, warmth, color, quietude, uniformity, softness, delicacy, daintiness, voluptuousness, and a miraculous extremeness of culture that suggested dreams of a new race of fairies, laborious, tasteful, magnificent, and fastidious; but as_the eye traced upward the myriad- tinted slope, from its sharp junction with_the water to its vague termination amid the folds of overhanging cloud, it became, indeed, difficult not to fancy a panoramic cataract of rubies, sapphires, opals, and golden onyxes, rolling silently out_of_the sky .

the visiter, shooting suddenly into_this bay from out the gloom of_the ravine, is delighted but astounded by_the full orb of_the declining sun, which he had supposed to_be already far below the horizon, but which now confronts him, and forms the sole termination of an otherwise limitless vista seen through another chasm -- like rift in_the hills .

but here the voyager quits the vessel which_has borne him so_far, and descends into a light canoe of ivory, stained with arabesque devices in vivid scarlet, both within and without . the poop and beak of_this boat arise high above the water, with sharp points, so that_the general form is_that of an irregular crescent . it lies on_the surface of_the bay with_the proud grace of a swan . on its ermined floor reposes a single feathery paddle of satin- wood; but no oarsmen or attendant is_to_be seen . the guest is bidden to_be of good cheer -- that_the fates will take care of him . the larger vessel disappears, and he_is left alone in_the canoe, which lies apparently motionless in_the middle of_the lake . while he considers what course to pursue, however, he becomes aware of a gentle movement in_the fairy bark . it slowly swings itself around until its prow points toward the sun . it advances with a gentle but gradually accelerated velocity, while the slight ripples it creates seem to break about_the ivory side in divinest melody- seem to offer the only possible explanation of_the soothing yet melancholy music for whose unseen origin the bewildered voyager looks around him in vain .

the canoe steadily proceeds, and_the rocky gate of_the vista is approached, so_that its depths can_be more distinctly seen . to_the right arise a chain of lofty hills rudely and luxuriantly wooded . it_is observed, however, that_the trait of exquisite cleanness where the bank dips into_the water, still prevails . there_is not one token of_the usual river debris . to_the left the character of_the scene is softer and more obviously artificial . here the bank slopes upward from_the stream in a very gentle ascent, forming a broad sward of grass of a texture resembling nothing so_much as velvet, and of a brilliancy of green which would bear comparison with_the tint of_the purest emerald . this plateau varies in width from ten to three hundred yards; reaching from_the river- bank to a wall, fifty feet high, which extends, in an infinity of curves, but following the general direction of_the river, until lost in_the distance to_the westward . this wall is of one continuous rock, and has_been formed by cutting perpendicularly the once rugged precipice of_the stream's southern bank, but no trace of_the labor has_been suffered to remain . the chiselled stone has_the hue of ages, and_is profusely overhung and overspread with_the ivy, the coral honeysuckle, the eglantine, and_the clematis . the uniformity of_the top and bottom lines of_the wall is fully relieved by occasional trees of gigantic height, growing singly or in small groups, both along the plateau and in_the domain behind the wall, but in close proximity to_it; so_that frequent limbs ( of_the black walnut especially) reach over and dip their pendent extremities into_the water . farther back within_the domain, the vision is impeded by an impenetrable screen of foliage .

these things are observed during the canoe's gradual approach to what I_have called the gate of_the vista . on drawing nearer to_this, however, its chasm- like appearance vanishes; a new outlet from_the bay is discovered to_the left -- in_which direction the wall is also seen to sweep, still following the general course of_the stream . down this new opening the eye cannot penetrate very far; for_the stream, accompanied by_the wall, still bends to_the left, until both are swallowed up by_the leaves .

the boat, nevertheless, glides magically into_the winding channel; and here the shore opposite the wall is found to resemble that opposite the wall in_the straight vista . lofty hills, rising occasionally into mountains, and covered with vegetation in wild luxuriance, still shut in_the scene .

Floating gently onward, but with a velocity slightly augmented, the voyager, after many short turns, finds his progress apparently barred by a gigantic gate or rather door of burnished gold, elaborately carved and fretted, and reflecting the direct rays of_the now fast-sinking sun with an effulgence that seems to wreath the whole surrounding forest in flames . this gate is inserted in_the lofty wall; which here appears to cross the river at right angles . in a few_moments, however, it_is seen that_the main body of_the water still sweeps in a gentle and extensive curve to_the left, the wall following it as before, while a stream of considerable volume, diverging from_the principal one, makes its way, with a slight ripple, under the door, and_is thus hidden from sight . the canoe falls into_the lesser channel and approaches the gate . its ponderous wings are slowly and musically expanded . the boat glides between_them, and commences a rapid descent into a vast amphitheatre entirely begirt with purple mountains, whose bases are laved by agleaming river throughout_the full extent of_their circuit . meantime the whole paradise of Arnheim bursts upon_the view . there_is a gush of entrancing melody; there_is an oppressive sense of strange sweet odor, -- there_is a dream -- like intermingling to_the eye of tall slender eastern trees -- bosky shrubberies -- flocks of golden and crimson birds -- lily- fringed lakes -- meadows of violets, tulips, poppies, hyacinths, and tuberoses -- long intertangled lines of silver streamlets -- and, upspringing confusedly from amid all, a mass of semi- Gothic, semi-Saracenic architecture sustaining itself by miracle in mid- air, glittering in_the red sunlight with a hundred oriels, minarets, and pinnacles; and seeming the phantom handiwork, conjointly, of_the Sylphs, of_the Fairies, of_the Genii and of_the Gnomes .

Notes-- domain of Arnheim

{*1} an incident, similar in outline to_the one here imagined, occurred, not very long_ago, in England . the name of_the fortunate heir was Thelluson .I first saw an account of this_matter in_the " tour" of prince Puckler Muskau, who makes the sum inherited ninety millions of pounds_, and justly observes that " in_the contemplation of so vast a sum, and of_the services to_which it might_be applied, there_is something even of_the sublime ." to suit the views of_this article I_have followed the prince's statement, although a grossly exaggerated one . the germ, and in_fact, the commencement of_the present paper was published many years_ago -- previous to_the issue of_the first number of sue's admirable Juif Errant_, which_may possibly have_been suggested to him by Muskau's account .

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