Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. VVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. V
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
[3] A striking example of this occurs at Long Branch in New
Jersey, where a stream crosses the beach in entering the
sea, at a point about half a mile to the southward of the
hotels resorted to on that coast in summer by bathers. The
visitor who walks along the shore in that direction,
sometimes at a certain point finds himself upon an elevated
sandy ridge, with the surf of the sea rolling in upon one
side of it, and what appears to be a large inland pond lying
quietly on the other. A few days afterward, on visiting the
spot, he observes, perhaps, that the pond has disappeared;
and a wide chasm has been made across the ridge of sand that
he walked over before in safety, through the centre of which
a small stream is flowing quietly into the sea. Neither of
these views are of a nature to awaken any very special
interest, except when they are considered in connection with
each other: but if the observer should chance to come upon
the ground when the pond is nearly full, he may witness a
very extraordinary spectacle in the rushing out of the
torrent by which the barrier is carried away. The boys of
the vicinity often find amusement in hastening the
catastrophe, by digging a little channel in the sand with
their hands, when the water has risen nearly to the proper
level. The stream that flows through this opening is at
first extremely small, but it grows wider, deeper, and more
rapid every moment, as the opening enlarges, and soon
becomes a roaring torrent, spreading to a great width, and
tossing itself into surges and crests as it rushes down the
slope into the sea, in the most wild and tumultuous manner.
The spectacle is almost equally imposing when, after the
pond has emptied itself, and the tide begins to rise, the
surf of the sea engages in its work of reconstructing the
dam.
[4] It is somewhat doubtful whether the very first discovery
of the art of making glass, took place here or not, as
learned men have noticed a considerable number of allusions
in various writings of a very high antiquity, which they
have thought might possibly refer to this substance. An
example of this kind is found in the book of Job, where a
word, translated crystal, is used. The writer, speaking of
wisdom, says, "It can not be equaled with the gold of Ophir,
with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the
_crystal_ can not equal it." It has been considered doubtful
whether the word crystal, in this connection, is meant to
denote a glass or some transparent mineral.
[5] See 1 Kings xviii. 17-46. For other passages of
Scripture referring to Mt. Carmel see 2 Kings ii. 25; iv.
25; xix. 23. 2 Chron. xxvi. 10. Isa. xxxv. 2. Jer. xlvi. 18.
Amos i. 2; ix. 3. Micah vii. 14.
[6] 1 Kings xviii. 4
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
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