The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)Wordsworth, William
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The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)
Wordsworth, William
English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century
The EAGLE requires a large domain for its support; but several pairs,
not many years ago, were constantly resident in this country, building
their nests in the steeps of Borrowdale, Wastdale, Ennerdale, and on the
eastern side of Helvellyn. Often have I heard anglers speak of the
grandeur of their appearance, as they hovered over Red Tarn, in one of
the coves of this mountain. The bird frequently returns, but is always
destroyed. Not long since one visited Rydal Lake, and remained some
hours near its banks; the consternation which it occasioned among the
different species of fowl, particularly the herons, was expressed by
loud screams. The horse also is naturally afraid of the eagle.--There
were several Roman stations among these mountains; the most considerable
seems to have been in a meadow at the head of Windermere, established,
undoubtedly, as a check over the passes of Kirkstone, Dunmail-raise, and
of Hardknot and Wrynose. On the margin of Rydal Lake, a coin of Trajan
was discovered very lately.--The ROMAN FORT here alluded to, called by
the country people "_Hardknot Castle_," is most impressively situated
half-way down the hill on the right of the road that descends from
Hardknot into Eskdale. It has escaped the notice of most antiquarians,
and is but slightly mentioned by Lysons.--The DRUIDICAL CIRCLE is about
half a mile to the left of the road ascending Stone-side from the vale
of Duddon: the country people call it "_Sunken Church_."
The reader who may have been interested in the foregoing Sonnets (which
together may be considered as a Poem) will not be displeased to find in
this place a prose account of the Duddon, extracted from Green's
comprehensive _Guide to the Lakes_, lately published. "The road leading
from Coniston to Broughton is over high ground, and commands a view of
the river Duddon; which at high water is a grand sight, having the
beautiful and fertile lands of Lancashire and Cumberland stretching each
way from its margin. In this extensive view, the face of nature is
displayed in a wonderful variety of hill and dale; wooded grounds and
buildings; amongst the latter, Broughton Tower, seated on the crown of a
hill, rising elegantly from the valley, is an object of extraordinary
interest. Fertility on each side is gradually diminished, and lost in
the superior heights of Blackcomb, in Cumberland, and the high lands
between Kirkby and Ulverstone.
"The road from Broughton to Seathwaite is on the banks of the Duddon,
and on its Lancashire side it is of various elevations. The river is an
amusing companion, one while brawling and tumbling over rocky
precipices, until the agitated water becomes again calm by arriving at a
smoother and less precipitous bed, but its course is soon again ruffled,
and the current thrown into every variety of form which the rocky
channel of a river can give to water." (_Vide_ Green's _Guide to the
Lakes_, vol. i. pp. 98-100.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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