The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-06
LETTER FROM EUROPE,
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, July l;

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, July 10
Editors Journal:
lily last communication closed VITA /
a description of tho city of Edinburgh,
In Scotland, and its surroundings
stating that on the next day we should |
leave Edinburgh and proceed on our
route toward London. But l cannot
bid adieu to the land of Old Scotia,
her beautiful scenery, her romantic
hills. her frow ming precipiees, her
classic streams winding their courses
deep down amid the craggy rocks and
beneath the green foliage, her stone
built cities, her towering monuments,
her strong castlss, and her palaces,
yithoutD recordang my willing testl-
monv In favor of the Scotch people,
who treated us with such UNIFORM |
courtesy and kindness wherever We |
went. Nor would / perform my
whole duty In this respect II 4 snOulo
omit to mention "LdTtlngS hegeat
Hotel" in Edinburgh, Scotland,
where we took lodging during our
stav there. It was at this place that
I was, for two days, IN the hands OF
nv ancient enemy, the chllls ana
fever" during which time received
every attention from Mr. and Mrs.
Darling. our kind host and host
ess, that they could bestow on
one of their own household. Mr..
Darling is fever ready, and takes q
pleasure IN imparung TO strangers al
the information about the city and
railroads that they may desire. l can
saw Ia American tourists, land there
&fauatann this
countrv). that i found no place IN
Scotland which had better accommo
dations and seemed more ike the
ripht kind of a home for travellers
than DorlinQ's Regent Hotel. And
besides. the Star Spangled Banner
floats proudly over this hotel. Leay-
ing Edinburgh, we stopped at the
town of Melrose, on the railroad, and
visited lMelTose .Abbeg in that place.
This Is an old castle erected IN the
twelfth century and destroyed by the
English In 1915. It is huge quad
rapPle. now in ruins. The covering
i All gone, and the sncient walls,
sermounted with crumbling turrets,
rise up as sad memorials of It's former
greatness aud splendor. Within
these solemn walls repose the
ashes of Kings and warriors,
among whom are Alexander the IL,
of Scotland, the black Doug
Iasses. the heart of Bruce and the
remains of several other celebrities ct
former times. On the outside OF the
walls, carved in the stone, are the
heads of King David and his Queen,
the statues of st. Paul, st. Peter and
John. In the cemetery near the abb
bev is the tomb of David Brewster.
At this place We hired cab and
driver to take US to Abbotsford, Scot
land, to see the late residence of Sir
Walter Scott. He had fine stone
mansion, rather extravaga1tly fitted
ND inside, with beautiful gardens at
tached. In the several rooms of the
mansion are a great many reflects of
former times; such as helmets, ancient
armor. battle axes, swords, spears,
knives. saddles, guns, &c. Also many
presents from the kings, queens and
emperors Of this and other countries
In all this collection | saw nothing
from the United States. Sir Walter
Scots Library is said to contain
10000 volumes. Going back on the
cab to Melrose, we took the train for
Wiadermere, England, passing by. the
town of Kendall, noted as being the place
where wooden manufactures were hrs
introduced into England. Windermert
Is a small town of some 1000 lnhabl-
tants, situated on Lake WindermeTe
1t is In the midst Of romantic and
picturesque country, Astounding II
several small lakes, with beautltu!
valleys and groves, high hills and
deep ravines, mountain goTges and
dashiDg waterfalls. 1t was favorite
resort for many of the poets, several
OF whom resided In the Immediate
neighborhood. We hired cab and
driver and made days journey view
ing the surroundings. We crossed
Lake Windermere IN ferryb0at, and
an took a pull at the oars against the
wind. We visited The homes of the
poets Wordsworth, Coleridge. Chris
topher North (Prof. WILSON,, Mis-;
Martineau, Mrs. Hemans, also the
home of DR.. Arnold. Our route led
us by the largest ReeC tree in Eng.
land. measuring 36 Up feet In cir.
conference; CaImith Falls, pouring
its foaming tide one hundred and
twenty feet down the mountain
gorge, and dashing wildly against
the rocks In It's descent, and like a
huge serpent winding its furious
course amid the green foliage below.
We also passed By the little town Of
Hawks-Head, which contains the
grammar school where, it is said, the
poet Wordsworth was educated; also,
Hat1ks- Head Hall, an old dilapidated
castle. where the monks retired upon
the destruction of FiTndn Abbey
which was about fifteen miles south
of the town of Windermere. Our
route led us in full view of Karkstonl
Inn, which is on the side of the
mountain, and is the highest inhabit-
ed house In England. 1t is a small
third-class hotel. Coming in sight Of
Grasmere, We alighted, and walked to
the summit of Red Bank to view one
of the Iovehest natural scenes OF
which England can boast. About
half mile directly In from Of us, and
one hundred and fifty feet below us
lies the beautiful little lake of Gras.
mere, only a few hundred yards In
diameter, surrounded with green
margin, in some places wider than the
lake itself, with here and there a cIus.
ter of trees to break the monotonx
and furnish a shade for repose. Neal
the left margin of the lake, a small
island Is seen raising its head anC
shoulders above the smooth surface
and clothing itself with the habili
ments of purple and green, while jus
beyond, perched close by the gentl
waters, lies the village of Grasmere
which contains large, old fashioned
church, supposed to be more than {
thousand years old. In the grave
yard, near by, are the graves O
William Wordsworth and Hart
lev Coleridge. All around thi
basin the hills shoot up ike NINA
ture mountains, each seeming to vi