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
"Sunday, 26th August. Locarno.--We had resolved to ascend St. Salvador
before sunrise; and, a contrary wind having sprung up, the Boatmen
wished to persuade us to stay all night at a town upon a low point of
land pushed far into the Lake, which conceals from our view that portion
of it, where, at the head of a large basin or bay, stands the town of
Lugano. They told us we might thence ascend the mountain with more ease
than from Lugano, a wile to induce us to stay; but we called upon them
to push on. Having weathered this point, and left it some way behind,
the place of our destination appears in view--(like Locarno and Luvino)
within the semicircle of a bay--a wide basin of waters spread before it;
and the reach of the lake towards Porlezza winding away to our right.
That reach appeared to be of more grave and solemn character than any we
had passed through--grey steeps enclosing it on each side. We now
coasted beneath bare precipices at the foot of St. Salvador--shouted to
the echoes--and were answered by travellers from the Road far above our
heads. Thence tended towards the middle of the basin; and the town of
Lugano appeared in front of us, low green woody hills rising above it.
Mild lightning fluttered like the northern lights over the steeps of St.
Salvador, yet without threatening clouds; the wind had fallen; and no
apprehensions of a storm disturbed our pleasures. It was eight o'clock
when we reached the inn, where all things were on a large scale-splendid
yet shabby."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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