and shrubs of a thousand dyes spread their foliage beneath the deep serene of heaven, and cast a solemn shade upon the angry stream that rolled in its rugged bed below. Immediately beneath our feet, was the precipice from which the river takes its fearful leap. The line of vision lay down the face of the cataract, till it was lost in the foam, while the more distant rocks and woods were indistinctly seen, as the mist became transparent, or they towered above it. We now left this romantic scenery, and hastened towards Bonnington, another majestic Fall upon the same celebrated river, situated about half a mile above that of Corra Linn. The path along the brink of the precipice that rises abruptly from the water's edge is wild and beautiful, while the river, scarcely visible, rolls in a deep gulf formed by mural rocks, that rise on either side, and appear, as Mr. Pennant correctly observes, " a stupendous natural masonry, from whose crevices choughs, daws, and other wild birds, are perpetually springing." Within a few hundred yards of the Fall, the walk conducted us to a bold abutment of the rock, from which, as from a watch tower, built to command this awful pass, we enjoyed the first view of Bonnington Linn. The prospect here is rather pleasing than tremendous, though this cataract is by no means destitute of grandeur. But the immensity of the object is diminished by distance; the blending of luxuriant foliage gives an air of softness and of elegance to the scene besides that, the Fall itself is much inferior in altitude to that of Corra Linn, the eye also is relieved by bracing a wide extent of country, and no apprehension of danger heightens the impression, which, from this circumstance, the near contemplation of such objects usually inspires. We now hastened to the Fall, and when we had reached the rock immediately above it, we burst almost instantaneously upon a scene as different in its characters from that of Corra Linn, as though the cataracts were on distinct rivers, and in separate countries. Here, indeed, was majesty, but in company with mildness: the serenity that reigned above the cataract relieved the eye and refreshed the mind, when wearied with the contemplation of the uproar below it: and while on the one hand, the troubled waters, the frowning rocks, the thunder, and the foam, seemed to render it a congenial abode for the demons of the tempest; on the other, the verdant meadows, the waving shrubs, the placid stream, the deep serenity, proclaimed it, where the roar of the Fall is mellowed by distance, the haunt of contemplation, and a retreat favourable to the indulgence of the softest melancholy. The Fall of Bonnington is divided by a bold protruding rock which forms a small island in the midst of the stream. The river is here of a considerable width; the sheet of water is uninterrupted in its fall, and forms a stupendous arch, under which the wild birds actually build their nests, fearless of intrusion from the hand of man. Perhaps this may be regarded as the Niagara of America in miniature. The Fall here, like those celebrated cataracts, is separated in the midst. The principal sheet of water, which I should imagine to be about 80 feet in breadth, and from 30 to 40 in height, is unbroken; immediately above it, for a short distance, the river descends in rapids similar to those of the Saint Laurence; and it recoils from the gulf into which it is suddenly precipitated in clouds of mist, in which the prismatic colours are ever seen to play, and which fill the stupendous basin formed by the hand of Nature for the reception of these troubled waters. Not far above the Falls, the river resembles a deep and placid lake, unruffled and serene. As I gazed upon the sublime contrast, the admirable image of Campbell came with peculir force and adaptation to my mind "And mortal pleasure, what art thou in sooth? The torrent's smoothness ere it dash below!" There is a melancholy story related of a catastrophe that happened here some years ago. A wedding party had spent the day in festivity in the neighbourhood of the Clyde, and towards evening had occasion to cross the river at the ferry, some distance above the Fall. But the whole company, including the boatman, being intoxicated, they suffered the boat to glide gently down the stream, till they perceived that the torrent, now become rapid and irresistible, was hurrying them to the cataract; the roar of which roused them, but alas! too late, to a sense of their danger. They were observed by some persons on shore, who hastened to the spot, but were unable to render them any assistance; and it is said, that when they arrived within a few yards of the Fall, unable to endure the sight of the abyss into which they were about to be precipitated, the women covered their faces, and the men drew their hats over their eyes, and thus the whole party were hurried into eternity together! Having become adepts in the art of climbing, we now ventured, with cautious steps and slow, to descend the precipice to the bed of the river. The descent was difficult, but by the aid of the tangled foliage and withered stumps of trees, we at length accomplished our purpose in safety, and, secure from danger, began leisurely to survey the sublime solitude into which we had obtruded. The view under the arch of the cataract is chilling and horrible. Immediately below the Fall, the water seems as though it were in an agony, and struggles on, fretted and perturbed, as if indignant at the confinement which it now endures, the concealment to which for a season it is doomed, and the rugged channel and strangely altered scenery through which it rolls. Indeed, when viewed from the brink of the river, beneath the rocks, nothing can exceed the cold and dismal gloom of the ravine: the light of day seems but imperfectly to visit it; while the deep shadows of the overhanging rocks give an ebon blackness to the waters, that presents a curious contrast to the whiteness of their foam. "But now to issue from the glen, No pathway meets the wand'rer's ken, Ascending by the same wild ladder, provided by Nature for those who are sufficiently curious to explore her secret haunts, we left the romantic scenery of Bonnington with regret, and returning by our old path, hastened to the town, and found a hospitable table and hearty welcome at the Manse. There yet remained one other cataract to be visited, namely, Stonebyers, and that we saw on our way to Bothwell. Leaving Lanark, by a winding road, we descended the southwestern side of the hill on which the town is situated, towards the bridge, and having crossed the river, presently passed the village of Kirkfield, when turning abruptly to the left, the distant roar of falling water again broke upon the ear. The roar became tremendous as we advanced, when at length, plunging into the thick copse which lines the rugged banks of the Clyde, we were delighted with the view of a cataract, equal in interest to any we had seen. The Fall of Stonebyers possesses characters of majesty and beauty peculiar to itself; and although much neglected by travellers, is equally worthy their attention with the other two. The volume of water is here as great as at Corra Linn, and the Fall is undivided: the rocks over which it is precipitated lie somewhat in the form of a horseshoe; the torrent winds round it ere it takes its leap; and dashed from ledge to ledge, in wild and horrible confusion, the whole has the appearance of a vast amphitheatre of foam. The height of Stonebyers is estimated at about 65 feet. This is the last of the cataracts of the Clyde: beyond all is tranquillity and sylvan beauty; and the river, no longer fretted and agitated in its course, wanders through one of the fairest valleys in the world, by many a stately mansion and fair domain, to lave the venerable walls of Bothwell Castle, and then bear the commerce of Glasgow to the ocean. Reflections written by John Bradford the Martyr, in the blank leaves of his New Testament. [This extract, and others which we purpose to give in our succeeding Numbers, came into our hands from a very respectable inhabitant of Bristol, who had himself compared them with the original, now in the possession of a gentleman in North Wales. We prefix to them the brief notice which accompanied the copy obligingly transmitted to us.] The following detached and precious remains, were written on, and transcribed from some blank leaves in the beginning and end of a New Testament (Coverdale's, printed 1449,) once the property and prison companion of that renowned martyr and servant of the Lord Jesus, John Bradford, who for his sake" endured the cross and despised the shame," and in company with John Leaf, an apprentice and mere youth, sealed the truth with his blood, at the stake in Smithfield, July 1555. Say, reader, (and my own soul) should such times return, how couldst thou stand the trial? Watch and pray! As the sense or affairs of the flesh neither can be, or ever in this life will be, subject to the law of God, where through the most holy on earth hath cause in consideration thereof continually to fight, seeing in himself not only one enemy, but enmity itself against God; so the seed of God, which dwelleth in them that are born of God, neither will nor can, nor never will nor can, trespass or sin against God; by reason whereof, they that are born of God have great cause to rejoice, seeing in themselves, thro' God's goodness, not only a friend, but friendliness itself, towards and with God; for though in the flesh, and all they have concerning and from the first birth, so often as they consider it, they have great cause to tremble, yet in respect of their second birth, and the seed of God that dwelleth in them, they should much more rejoice and be certain of eternal salvation, because he is stronger that is in them than he that is in the world; for no less durable and mighty is the seed of God in his children regenerate, than the seed of the serpent in the unregenerate, to move and rule the will of man accordingly. For evil followeth nature, corrupt nature hath corrupt will, pure nature hath pure will. Now who doth not then know that the regenerate, in that and insomuch as they be regenerate, that, I say, they have pure will, according to the nature of the Spirit of God regenerating them, so that as their corrupt nature hath his corrupt affections, which never will be subject, nor can be, to God's laws, wherefore though the work of the Spirit in them be something spotted, yet is not that spotting imputed or laid to their charge for the covenant's sake, which God hath made with them in the blood of Christ, whereof they are and shall be assured by faith, so the regenerate man hath his pure affection which never can or will sin against God. And hitherto appertaineth the saying of St. John, how that the children of God cannot sin; speaking not of the present time only, but finally and perpetually, no less attributing to God's seed, which he saith doth abide in them that are born of God, than to the seed of the devil in our corrupt nature and flesh, so that the children of God are always sinners, and always righteous; sinners in respect of themselves, and of that they be of the first birth; righteous in respect of Christ, and of that they be of the second birth; and thus we see what free will man hath in respect of his first birth; his will is free to sin, and nothing else; in respect of his second birth, his will is free to do good, and nothing else by reason whereof we ought to be in most certainty of salvation; in confirmation whereof this of St. John, which is, that [those] which are born of God cannot sin. We may look on other places of Scripture confirming the same, as that God promiseth to make his people a new heart. Ítem, that he promiseth he will bring so to pass that they shall walk in his laws. Item, that Christ promiseth his Spirit shall be in him to whom he giveth it a spring of water running unto eternal life; also that he witnesseth them which believe in him already to be passed all doubt and death, and to be presently in eternal life. But you will say, perchance, that David, a regenerate person, not only would sin, but could do it, and did it indeed, as Peter also and divers others. Where was the fear of God in these men? Did not David pray God to give him his Spirit again? Therefore he had lost this seed: and so it followeth that no man is so certain but that he may utterly lose the Spirit of God, ; |