with stuffed foxes and other wild animals, and ornamented with a library
of wooden books covered with old leather backs, the mock furniture of a
hermit’s cell. At the end of the room, through a large bow-window, we
saw the waterfall, and at the same time, looking down to the left, the
village of Kenmore and a part of the lake—a very beautiful prospect.
MEMORANDUM BY THE AUTHOR.
‘The transcript of the First Part of this Journal, and the Second as far
as page 149, were written before the end of the year 1803. I do not know
exactly when I concluded the remainder of the Second Part, but it was
resumed on the 2d of February 1804. The Third Part was begun at the end
of the month of April 1805, and finished on the 31st of May.’ {190}
* * * * *
_April_ 11_th_, 1805.—I am setting about a task which, however free and
happy the state of my mind, I could not have performed well at this
distance of time; but now, I do not know that I shall be able to go on
with it at all. I will strive, however, to do the best I can, setting
before myself a different object from that hitherto aimed at, which was,
to omit no incident, however trifling, and to describe the country so
minutely that you should, where the objects were the most interesting,
feel as if you had been with us. I shall now only attempt to give you an
idea of those scenes which pleased us most, dropping the incidents of the
ordinary days, of which many have slipped from my memory, and others
which remain it would be difficult, and often painful to me, to endeavour
to draw out and disentangle from other thoughts. I the less regret my
inability to do more, because, in describing a great part of what we saw
from the time we left Kenmore, my work would be little more than a
repetition of what I have said before, or, where it was not so, a longer
time was necessary to enable us to bear away what was most interesting
than we could afford to give.
* * * * *
_Monday_, _September_ 5_th_.—We arrived at Kenmore after sunset.
* * * * *
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