Journals of Dorothy Wordsworth, Vol. 1 (of 2)Wordsworth, Dorothy
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Journals of Dorothy Wordsworth, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Wordsworth, Dorothy
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Diaries; Wordsworth, Dorothy, 1771-1855 -- Diaries; Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850 -- Family
I ought to have mentioned the park, though, as we were not allowed to
walk there, we saw but little of it. It looked pleasant, as all parks
with fine trees must be, but, as it seemed to be only a large, nearly
level, plain, it could not be a particularly beautiful park, though it
borders upon the Clyde, and the Avon runs, I believe, through it, after
leaving the solitude of the glen of Baroncleugh.
Quitted Hamilton at about eleven o'clock. There is nothing interesting
between Hamilton and Glasgow till we came to Bothwell Castle, a few
miles from Hamilton. The country is cultivated, but not rich, the fields
large, a perfect contrast to the huddling together of hills and trees,
corn and pasture grounds, hay-stacks, cottages, orchards, broom and
gorse, but chiefly broom, that had amused us so much the evening before
in passing through the Trough of the Clyde. A native of Scotland would
not probably be satisfied with the account I have given of the Trough of
the Clyde, for it is one of the most celebrated scenes in Scotland. We
certainly received less pleasure from it than we had expected; but it
was plain that this was chiefly owing to the unfavourable circumstances
under which we saw it--a gloomy sky and a cold blighting wind. It is a
very beautiful district, yet there, as in all the other scenes of
Scotland celebrated for their fertility, we found something which gave
us a notion of barrenness, of what was not altogether genial. The new
fir and larch plantations, here as in almost every other part of
Scotland, contributed not a little to this effect.
Crossed the Clyde not far from Hamilton, and had the river for some
miles at a distance from us, on our left; but after having gone, it
might be, three miles, we came to a porter's lodge on the left side of
the road, where we were to turn to Bothwell Castle, which is in Lord
Douglas's grounds. The woman who keeps the gate brought us a book, in
which we wrote down our names. Went about half a mile before we came to
the pleasure-grounds. Came to a large range of stables, where we were to
leave the car; but there was no one to unyoke the horse, so William was
obliged to do it himself, a task which he performed very awkwardly,
being then new to it. We saw the ruined castle embosomed in trees,
passed the house, and soon found ourselves on the edge of a steep brow
immediately above and overlooking the course of the river Clyde through
a deep hollow between woods and green steeps. We had approached at right
angles from the main road to the place over a flat, and had seen nothing
before us but a nearly level country terminated by distant slopes, the
Clyde hiding himself in his deep bed. It was exceedingly delightful to
come thus unexpectedly upon such a beautiful region.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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