Pendant to "The Domain of Arnheim"

by Edgar Allan Poe

DURING pedestrian trip last summer, through river counties of New York, myself, day declined, somewhat embarrassed road pursuing The land undulated very remarkably; and my path, hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B-, where I had determined to stop night The sun had scarcely shone -- strictly speaking -- during the day, which nevertheless, unpleasantly warm smoky mist, resembling that Indian summer, enveloped all things, and , added to my uncertainty Not that I cared much If hit village before sunset, or even before dark, more than possible that little Dutch farmhouse, or something kind, would soon make its appearance -- although, , the neighborhood (perhaps on account of being more picturesque than fertile) was very sparsely inhabited At all events, with my knapsack for pillow, and my hound as sentry, bivouac open air was just the thing which amused me I sauntered on, therefore, quite at ease -- Ponto taking charge gun -- until , just as I had begun to consider whether the numerous little glades that led hither and thither, were intended paths at all, conducted by into an unquestionable carriage track There no mistaking it The traces of light wheels were evident; and although the tall shrubberies and overgrown undergrowth met overhead, no obstruction whatever below, even passage of Virginian mountain wagon -- the most aspiring vehicle, I take it, kind The road, however, except in being open wood -- if wood be not too weighty name for such an assemblage of light trees -- and except particulars of evident wheel-tracks -- bore no resemblance to any road I had before seen The tracks I speak were but faintly perceptible -- having been impressed firm, yet pleasantly moist surface of -- what looked more like green Genoese velvet than any thing else grass, clearly -- but grass such seldom see out of England -- so short, so thick, so even, and so vivid in color Not single impediment lay wheel-route -- not even chip or dead twig The stones that once obstructed the way carefully placed -- not thrown-along the sides lane, so define its boundaries at bottom with kind of half-precise, half-negligent, and wholly picturesque definition Clumps of wild flowers grew everywhere, luxuriantly, interspaces

What of all this, not Here was art undoubtedly -- that surprise me -- all roads, ordinary sense, are works of art; nor can that much to wonder at mere excess of art manifested; all that seemed done, done here -- natural "capabilities" ( it books on Landscape Gardening) -- with very little labor and expense No; not the amount but the character art which caused me seat on blossomy stones and gaze up and down this fairy -- like avenue for half an hour or more in bewildered admiration became more and more evident the longer I gazed: an artist, and one with most scrupulous eye for form, had superintended all these arrangements The greatest care taken to preserve due medium neat and graceful one hand, pittoresque, true sense Italian term, other There were few straight, and no long uninterrupted lines The same effect of curvature or of color appeared twice, usually, but not oftener, at point of view Everywhere was variety in uniformity piece of "composition," most fastidiously critical taste could scarcely have suggested an emendation

I had turned right as I entered this road, and now, arising, I continued same direction The path was so serpentine, that at no moment could I trace its course for more than paces in advance Its character undergo any material change

Presently the murmur of water fell gently upon my ear -- and in afterward, as I turned road somewhat more abruptly than hitherto, I became aware that building of some kind lay foot of gentle declivity just before me I nothing distinctly on account mist which occupied all the little valley below gentle breeze, however, now arose, sun was about descending; and while I remained standing brow slope, the fog gradually became dissipated into wreaths, and so floated over the scene

As it came fully into view -- thus gradually as I describe it -- piece by piece, here tree, there glimpse of water, and here again the summit of chimney, scarcely help fancying whole was ingenious illusions sometimes exhibited under the name of "vanishing pictures "

, however, fog had thoroughly disappeared, the sun had made its way down behind the gentle hills, and thence, as it with slight chassez south, had come again fully into sight, glaring with purplish lustre through chasm that entered the valley west Suddenly, therefore -- and hand of magic -- this whole valley and every thing became brilliantly visible

The first coup d'oeil, sun slid position described, impressed me as impressed, when boy, concluding scene of some well-arranged theatrical spectacle or melodrama Not even the monstrosity of color was wanting; sunlight came out chasm, tinted all orange and purple; while the vivid green grass valley was reflected more or less upon all objects curtain of vapor that still hung overhead, loth its total departure from scene so enchantingly beautiful

The little vale into which I thus peered down from under the fog canopy more than four hundred yards long; while in breadth it varied from fifty to one hundred and fifty or perhaps two hundred most narrow at its northern extremity, opening out as it tended southwardly, but with no very precise regularity The widest portion was within eighty yards southern extreme The slopes which encompassed the vale fairly be called hills, unless at their northern face Here precipitous ledge of granite arose to height of some ninety feet; and, as mentioned, the valley point was not more than fifty feet wide; but visiter proceeded southwardly cliff, right hand and left, declivities at once less high, less precipitous, and less rocky All, in word, sloped and softened south; and yet the whole vale was engirdled by eminences, more or less high, except at two points already spoken of It lay considerably north of west, and was where the setting sun made its way, as before described, amphitheatre, through cleanly cut natural cleft granite embankment; this fissure ten yards wide at its widest point, eye could trace it It seemed to lead up, up like natural causeway, recesses of unexplored mountains and forests The other opening was directly southern end vale Here, generally, the slopes were nothing more than gentle inclinations, extending from east to west about one hundred and fifty yards middle extent was depression, level ordinary floor valley As regards vegetation, as in respect to every thing else, the scene softened and sloped south north -- craggy precipice -- few paces verge -- up sprang the magnificent trunks of numerous hickories, black walnuts, and chestnuts, interspersed with occasional oak, strong lateral branches thrown out walnuts especially, spread far over the edge cliff Proceeding southwardly, the explorer saw, at first, the same class of trees, but lofty and Salvatorish in character; then the gentler elm, succeeded sassafras and locust -- these again softer linden, red-bud, catalpa, and maple -- these yet again by still more graceful and more modest varieties The whole face southern declivity was covered with wild shrubbery alone -- an occasional silver willow or white poplar excepted bottom valley itself -- ( borne in mind vegetation hitherto mentioned grew only cliffs or hillsides) -- were seen three insulated trees One was an elm of fine size and exquisite form: it stood guard over the southern gate vale Another was hickory, much larger elm, and altogether much finer tree, although both were exceedingly beautiful: it seemed taken charge northwestern entrance, springing from group of rocks very jaws ravine, and throwing its graceful body, at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees, far out sunshine amphitheatre About thirty yards east tree stood, however, the pride valley, and beyond all question the most magnificent tree ever seen, unless, perhaps, cypresses Itchiatuckanee triple -- stemmed tulip-tree -- the Liriodendron Tulipiferum -- natural order of magnolias Its three trunks separated parent at about three feet soil, and diverging very slightly and gradually, more than four feet apart point where the largest stem shot out into foliage: at an elevation of about eighty feet The whole height principal division was one hundred and twenty feet Nothing can surpass in beauty the form, or the glossy, vivid green leaves tulip-tree present instance they were fully eight inches wide; but their glory was altogether eclipsed gorgeous splendor profuse blossoms Conceive, closely congregated, million largest and most resplendent tulips ! Only thus can the reader get any idea picture convey And then the stately grace clean, delicately -- granulated columnar stems, the largest four feet in diameter, at twenty ground The innumerable blossoms, mingling with those of other trees scarcely less beautiful, although infinitely less majestic, filled the valley with more than Arabian perfumes

The general floor amphitheatre was grass same character I had found road; if anything, more deliciously soft, thick, velvety, and miraculously green hard to conceive how all this beauty attained