METHOUGHT I was exploring the hidden recesses of an extensive cave, whose winding passages had never before echoed to the tread of human foot. With ever-fresh admiration and delight, I was gazing at the thousand wonders which the flashing torch-light revealed on every side, at each step of my progress, when a strange sound, as of the hum of many voices, fell upon my ear. What such a sound could mean in such a place was more than I could divine. Curiosity led me on in the direction whence it came. The buzz of conversation, cheerful as it would seem from the occasional bursts of merriment that were heard, grew more and more distinct, until the dark and narrow passage I had been following suddenly opened upon one of those magnificent rock-parlors, of whose grandeur and beauty description can convey but a faint idea. A flood of light illuminated the arching roof with the vast columns of stalactite sparkling with crystals that supported it, and was reflected with imposing effect from the huge sheets of the same material, of the purest white, that hung from the ceiling in graceful but substantial drapery. I stood in one of nature's noblest halls but not alone. A strange company had gathered there. Black spirits and white, blue spirits and gray,' were before me. A festive occasion had assembled in joyous mood and in holiday attire the first born of creation, the ELEMENTS of things. In dreams nothing ever surprises us. It seemed perfectly natural to see these fairy forms in that strange grotto; so, accosting without hesitation the one nearest to me, I apologized for my intrusion, and was about to withdraw. From my new acquaintance, however, I received so cordial a welcome, and so earnest an invitation to become a partaker in their festivities, that I could not deny myself the pleasure of accepting the hospitality so kindly proffered. I was soon informed that some of the leading characters among the Elements had resolved some weeks before upon having a general picnic dinner party. Fifty-six family invitations had accordingly been sent out, one to each of the brotherhood; and preparations for the feast made upon a most extensive scale. Sea and land had been ransacked for delicacies, and every thing was put in requisition that could minister to the splendor of the entertainment or to the enjoyment of the occasion. At the hour I so unexpectedly came upon them, nearly all the guests with their families had assembled in the strange drawing-room I have described, awaiting the summons to the banquet. Spacious as that drawing-room was, it was nearly filled with these interesting children of Nature. And here they were; seen, not as in the chemist's laboratory, writhing in the heated crucible, or pent up in glassy prisons; or peering out of gas-holders and Florence flasks, but arrayed in their native beauty; each free as air, and acting as impulse prompted. There were those present of every hue, every style of dress, every variety of appearance. The Metals, the Gases, the Salts, the Acids, the Oxides, the Alkalies - all were there. From the mine, from the shop of the artizan, from the mint, from the depths of ocean even, they had come ; and a gayer assemblage, a more animating scene, my eyes had never beheld. Many of the ladies of the party were most tastefully attired. Chlorine wore a beautiful greenish-yellow robe, that displayed her queen-like form to good advantage. The fair daughters of Chromium particularly attracted my attention, with their gay dresses of the liveliest goldenyellow and orange-red. Iodine had but just arrived, and was not yet disencumbered of an unpretending outer garment of steel-gray that enveloped her person; but the warmth of the apartment soon compelled her to throw this aside, when she appeared arrayed in a vesture of thin gauze, of the most splendid violet color imaginable. Carbonic Acid was there, but not clad in the airy robes in which I expected to see her. The pressure of the iron hand of adversity had been upon her, and now her attire was plain; simply a dress of snowy white; the best which the straightened circumstances to which she had been reduced allowed her to assume. Quite a contrast to her was her mother Carbon, whom you would have supposed to be a widow in deep mourning, or a nun who had taken the black-veil, so sable were her garments, so gloomy her countenance, had not her ear-rings of polished jet, and a circlet of diamonds that glittered on her brow, evinced that she had not yet altogether renounced the vanities of the world. The belle of the room appeared to be Nitrous Acid, the graceful daughter of Nitrogen; airy in all her movements, and with dress of deepest crimson, that corresponded well with a lip and cheek rivalling the ruby in their redness. Among the lady Metals too, there were many of bright faces and resplendent charms: but I must pass on to a description of the gentlemen of the party. Sulphur wore a suit of modest yellow-plush, while Phosphorus quite disconcerted some of the more decorous of the matrons present, by making his appearance in a pair of flesh-colored tights. Phosphuretted Hydrogen, or as he is nick-named Will of the Wisp,' startled me by flitting by in a robe of living flame, the dress in which the graceless youngster is said to haunt church-yards and marshy places, playing his pranks upon poor benighted travellers. The King of the Metals, Gold, was arrayed in truly gorgeous apparel; though it must be confessed there was a glitter and an air of haughtiness about him, from which you would turn with pleasure to the mild sweet face of his royal sister, Silver, who leaned upon his arm; a bright-eyed, unassuming creature, of sterling worth. Mercury was there, as lively and as versatile as ever; a most rest. less being; now by the thermometer, noting the subterranean temperature; now by the barometer, predicting a storm in the regions overhead; now, arm-in-arm with this metal, then with that; and they all, by the way, save stern old Iron, had hard work to shake him off. A strange character surely was he; a philosopher of uncommon powers of reflection; the veriest busy-body in the world; well versed in the art of healing; a practical amalgamationist; in short, a complete factotum. Potassium, though a decidedly brilliant-looking fellow, manifested too much levity in his deportment to win respect, and was pronounced, by those who knew him best, to be rather soft. In gravity Platinum surpassed all the company; in natural brightness, Tin was outshone by few. When Oxygen arrived, and his light, elastic tread was heard, and his clear transparent countenance was seen among them, a murmur of congratulation ran round the drawing-room, and involuntarily all assembled arose to do him homage. He was a patriarch indeed among them; literally a father to many of the younger guests. His arrival was the signal for adjournment to the banqueting-room, where of right he took his seat at the head of the table. Touching the apartment we had now entered, I can only say that it was grand beyond description! It was lighted up with the radiance of noon-day, by an arch of flame intensely dazzling, produced by a curious apparatus which Galvanism, who excels in these matters, had contrived for the occasion, out of some materials with which his friends Zinc and Copper had furnished him. Festoons of evergreens and wreaths of roses encircled the alabaster columns, and made the whole look like a hall in Fairy Land. But I must describe the table and its paraphernalia. The preparation of the viands-I mean the baking, boiling, roasting, stewing and the like had been committed to Caloric, who has had long experience in that department. The nobler of the Metals had generously lent their costly services of plate, while Carbon united with Iron to furnish the elegant steel cutlery used on the occasion. Alumina provided the fine set of china that graced the table; and Silex and Potash, without solicitation, sent, as their joint contribution, cut-glass pitchers and tumblers, of superior pattern and transparency. As among these sons of Nature there is no craving for artificial excitement, Oxygen and Hydrogen, (who by the way have done more for the Cold Water Societies than DELAVAN or FATHER MATTHEW,) were commissioned to provide the drinkables; and what beverage they furnished may easily be conjectured. Carbon, with Oxygen and Hydrogen, found most of the vegetables; and Nitrogen, whose assistance as commissary here was indispensable, joined them in procuring the meats, under which the table groaned. No taste but would be satisfied with the variety; no appetite but would be cloyed with the profusion of good things. Though the liberality of the four who have been named left but little for their associates to contribute, still some individual offerings to the feast deserve to be noticed. Thus the oysters, Carbonate of Lime had sent in the shell; the pyramids of ice-cream for the dessert were provided by the daughter of Chlorine and Hydrogen, the bride of Sodium, who was out several hours in the snow, engaged in freezing them; and the almonds and peaches came from the conservatory of Hydrocyanic Acid, the druggist. After grace had been said by Affinity, who is a sort of chaplain to the Elements, having officiated at the weddings of all the married ones of the company, a vigorous onset was made upon the good things before them. At first all were too much engaged for conversation; but the dessert appearing at last, as they cracked the nuts the jest too was cracked; toast and song were called for, and wit and innocent hilarity became the order of the day. Even Oxygen, who had presided with such an air of dignity, relaxed from his sternness, and entertained the younger ones at the table with many a tale of his mischievous pranks in the days of old Father Chaos, when Time and himself were young. Strange tales they were, too, of earthquakes with which Hydrogen and he would now and then frighten the Icthyosauri and Megatheria of the ancient world; and of conflagrations comical, as of old Vulcan's tongs and anvil, kindling them before his eyes with the very bolt he was forging: This, however,' he added, with a sly glance at his staid partner Nitrogen, who sat near, was before Marriage had sobered down his spirits, and tamed his impetuosity.' 6 6 I have no space to chronicle more of these freaks of Oxygen's early youth, nor any of the saying and doings of others of the party on this memorable night. Else would I give the marvellous story Nickel had to relate, of a falling out he once had with the Man in the Moon, and of a journey he was consequently under the necessity of making in hot haste to the earth for refuge. I would tell too of the drolleries of Nitrous Oxyd, that funniest, queerest, craziest of youngsters; and how Phosphorus made a flaming speech, and Potash a caustic one; and how Mercury proposed as a toast, The Medical Profession: to whom we say, 'Use us but do not abuse us.'' I must speak however of a curious little by-scene I chanced to witness it was a flirtation that Platinum was carrying on with Hydrogen, whom, much to my surprise, I found seated among the Metals, and quite at home among them, too. There was quite a contrast between Platinum, gray, heavy and dull as he was, and the light and buoyant creature by his side; but there soon seemed to be evidence of some mutual attraction. Platinum grew warm in his attentions, and ere long quite a flame was kindled between them. So passed the evening: all went 'merry as a marriage-bell,' with nothing to mar the good humor that prevailed; till, in an evil hour, Sulphuretted Hydrogen, a disagreeable fellow, against whose appear ance at the banquet most of the company had protested, entered the apartment with a very offensive air. In an instant, the whole family of Metals, to whom he is particularly obnoxious, changed color; Lead fairly grew black in the face with indignation; Arsenic and Antimony seemed to be jaundiced with rage; Ammonia, to whom his presence recalled very unpleasant associations, in trying to avoid him, precipitated several Metallic Oxides to the floor; while Chlorine, with more self-command than the rest, advanced with a firm step to expel the intruder, looking as if she were about to annihilate him on the spot. How the scene might have terminated I know not; for just at that moment a strange sound, of awful import, like the trampling of a mighty host, came to my ears: I felt sure it was an earthquake's voice,' and that now my fate was sealed! My knees tottered under me; the arching grotto and the festive board gradually vanished from before my eyes, which- opened upon the class, as they were leaving the laboratory of our worthy Professor of Chemistry, where it seemed, much to my confusion, I had fallen asleep during lecture, and A Few days after a delightful stroll through the beautiful cemetery of MOUNT HOPE, in the vicinity of the pleasant city of Rochester, the accompanying lines were written. KNICKERBOCKER do with them as seemeth good in his sight.' Let the Editor of the |