The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)Wordsworth, William
General
The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)
Wordsworth, William
English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century
continuation of the ridge of mountain which forms the Vale of Loch
Lomond--a magnificent temple, of which this spot is a noble Sanctum
Sanctorum." (_Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland, A.D. 1803_, pp.
225-6.) The late Rev. William Macintosh of Buchanan supplied me with the
following information in reference to the Brownie's Cell and the Pulpit
Rock:--"I have little doubt that the Brownie's Cell is the name given by
Wordsworth to a small vault, itself a ruin among the ruins of an old
stronghold of the Macfarlanes in Eilan Vhow, an islet about three miles
from the head of the Loch. The name of the islet is spelt in different
ways; sometimes as I have given it, sometimes Eilan Vow, or Eilan-a
Vhu; no one whom I consulted could tell me the right spelling. In the
early part of this century, the vault was the headquarters of a pedlar
of the name of Macfarlane. He may have been the Hermit; and there is a
story of his having been frightened by the sudden apparition of a negro,
(probably the first he had ever seen), who had been ordered by his
master--an English officer--to swim across for that purpose: and it is
said that he never again visited the cell.
The Pulpit Rock, also called by a Gaelic name meaning the Bull Stone, is
a very large boulder, or detached rock, which is likely to 'stand' as
long as Ben Lomond. In the face of it, there is an artificial doorway
and recess, which at one time the Parish Minister used to occupy as a
Pulpit for occasional services. The audience sat on turf seats ranged
round the foot of the Rock. The pulpit was reached by a few steps cut
out, I suppose, in the Rock: but it has never been used for the last
twenty years. The 'occasional' services are now held in a neighbouring
schoolroom."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account