NATURAL BRIDGE.
{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": ""}
THE Natural Bridge in Virginia, is the
most sublime OF natures works. 1t IS on
the ascent of hill, which seems to have
been cloven through its length by some
great convulsion. The assure, just vat the
bridge, is, by some admeasurcmcnts, 20
feet deep, by others only 205. 1t is about
Is feet wide at the bottom, and 90 feet at
the top this of course determines the length
of the bridge, and its height from the wa
ter Its breadth in the middle is about 90
feet, bit more at the ends, and the thick
ness of the nj ass at the summit Of the arch,
about 40 feet. A part Of this thickness is
constituted By a coat OF earth, which gives
growth to many large trecs.-The residue,
with the hill on both sides is one solid rock
of limestone. the arch approaches the SEMI
cliptical form: but the larger axis OF the
clipsis, which would be the cord OF the arch,
is many times longer than the tronsrerse
Though the sides of this bridge arc provi-
ded in some parts with parapct OF tXel
rocks vet few men have resolution to walk
to them and look over into the abyss. You
invoiuntarily fall on your hands and feet
creep to the parapet and peep overit. Look
iny down from this height about minute
gave me violent head ache. If the view
from the top be painful and intollerablc
that from below is delightful in ain equa


extreme. 1t is impossible for the emotions
arising from the sublime, to be felt bcyont
what they arc here so beautiful an arch


so elevated, so light, and springing as i


were up to Heaven, the rapture Of the spec
tator is really indcscribable The iissur(
continuing narrow, deep, and straight, tol
considerable distance above and below
the bridge, opens IA short but very pleasing
view of the North mountain on one side, ant
Blue Ridge on the other, at the distance
each of them of about five miles Th


bridge is in the county of Rockbrldge, t.
which its name is given, and affords pub
| lie and commodious passage over valley
which cannot be crossed elswhere tor
considerable distance. The stream passing
under it is called Cedar Greek. 1t is !
water of James river and sufficient to turn
gristmilI, though its fountain is not NOR


than two miles above. There is natura
\ bridge, similar to the one above described


over Stock creek, branch OF Peleson river
| in Washington county.