Travels in Canada, and the United States, in 1816 and 1817 |
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Common terms and phrases
alluvion Ameri American system Ancaster Beloeil betwixt bridge building built caleche called Canada Canadian Canandaigua character Charleston church cliff consider considerable constitution Coteau-du-Lac Creek crosses cultivation descending effect England English equal evil falls favour feel feet ferry forest frequently granite habits height honour houses human Indian inhabitants interest island Jefferson Kamouraska Kingston labour Lake Lake Champlain Lake Erie Lake Ontario land Lawrence less limestone Lower Canada manner ment miles Montreal moral mountain nation natural negro neighbourhood Niagara North Mountain observed opposite party Patomac Paul's Bay persons Philadelphia pine political portion present principle probably publick punishment Quebec Queenston religion republick ridge rise river road rocks round scarcely seems settlement shore side slave society soil spirit stream superiour supposed tavern tion town tract traveller trees valley village Volney waggon whole wind wood Wysall York
Popular passages
Page 278 - There must doubtless be an unhappy influence on the manners of our people, produced by the existence of slavery among us. The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions ; the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other.
Page 211 - But the distant finishing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very different character. It is a true contrast to the foreground. It is as placid and delightful, as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountain being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon...
Page 223 - It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime to be felt beyond what they are here; so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven! the rapture of the spectator is really indescribable!
Page 211 - This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighborhood of the Natural Bridge, are people who have passed their lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been to survey these monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth itself to its centre.
Page 211 - The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion that this earth has been created in time, that the mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that in this place, particularly, they have been dammed up by the Blue Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled the whole valley; that continuing to rise they have at length broken over this spot, and have torn the mountains down from its summit to its base.
Page 210 - ... The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is, perhaps, one of the most stupendous scenes in nature. You stand on a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent.
Page 260 - Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever...
Page 222 - Though the sides of this bridge are provided in some parts with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have resolution to walk to them, and look over into the abyss. You involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet, and peep over it. Looking down from this height about a minute, gave me a violent head-ache.
Page 223 - ... elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven !\ The rapture of the spectator is really indescribable! The fissure continuing narrow, deep, and straight, for a considerable distance...
Page 228 - The magnanimity of his conduct on the first capture of Paris still magnified everything we had believed of him; but how he will come out of his present trial remains to be seen. That the sufferings which France had inflicted on other countries justified...