May not yon mist rising heavenward recal his glorious hopes through an ascended Saviour; and as it falls again perpetually and imperceptibly, may it not typify the dew of the Holy Spirit—­ever invisible, ever descending—­the blessed fruit of that Holy Ascension?  And if the mind be thus insensibly led into such a train of thought, may not the deep and rugged cliff, worn away by centuries unnumbered by man, shadow forth to him ideas of that past Eternity, compared to which they are but as a span; and may not the rolling stream, sweeping onward in rapid and unceasing flight into the abyss beneath his feet, fill his soul with the contemplation of Time’s flight, which, alike rapid and continuous, is ever bearing him nearer and nearer to the brink of that future Eternity in which all his highest and brightest hopes will be more than realized in the enjoyment of a happiness such as “eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive.”  Say, then, reader, is not every element of thought which can arise between a Christian and his Creator symbolled forth here in equal beauty and grandeur?  One, indeed, is wanting, which, alas! none of Nature’s works but man can supply—­that sad element, which those who search their own hearts the deepest will feel the most.—­I feel I have departed from the legitimate subject of travels; let the majesty of the scene plead my excuse.

Adieu, Niagara.

Early next morning I put myself into a railway car, and in due time reached Batavia.  On my arrival, being rather hungry, I made a modest request for a little brandy and some biscuits; fancy my astonishment when the “help” said, “I guess we only give meals at the fixed hours.”  As I disapproved very much of such an unreasonable and ridiculous refusal, I sought out the chief, and, preferring my modest request to him, was readily supplied with my simple luncheon.  In the meantime a light fly had been prepared, and off I started for Geneseo.  The road presented the usual features of rich cultivated land, a dash of wild forest, a bit of bog, and ruts like drains; and each hamlet or village exhibited a permanent or an ambulating daguerreotype shop.  Four hours housed me with my kind and hospitable friends at Geneseo.

As the chances of travel had brought me to a small country village at the time of the annual celebration of the 4th of July, I was unable to witness the ceremony on the grand scale in which it is conducted in the large cities of the Union; and, as I think it is frequently accompanied with circumstances which are entitled to some consideration, I shall revert, in a subsequent chapter, to those points which appear to me calculated to act upon the national character.  On the present occasion I was delighted to find that, although people all “liquored” freely, there was scarcely any drunkenness; at all events, they had their little bit of fun, such as we see at fairs at home.  By way of enabling those who have a turn for the facetious to share in their jokes, I insert a couple of specimens:—­