The record-union., 1891-04-26
WAKEMAN'S WANDERINGS.
Roundabout the English Lake
District.
Descriptive of this UnrivalIed Region
-sSThe Sweet and Pensive Lullaby
nest of All Britain - Common
Ground of Delight for All British
Nationalities.
Especial Correspondence of the SUNDAY
UNION. Copyright, 1911
KEswIcK, England, April 13, 1891.

1t would not be q surprising thing il
the English Lake District were as well
known in that almost measureless topog-
raphy of sentiment and universal geog-
Taphy Of literature, to as many American
as English people. For out of its tender
heart have issued countless streams of
everything thought and imagery, flowing
so deep, strong and far, that they have
long ago penetrated to uttermost lands,
and are as fatherland waters to all who
own the good old Saxon tongue.
Perhaps, too, of late years it is actually
Seen, at least from one beaten track
through it, by as many American as Eng
1ish eyes. But our people as rule do not
know it as Englishmen or Scotchmen or
Irishmen know it. We hurry through
it to criticise, compare, analyZe, tolerate,
and thus lose the precious charm of those
things which, aside from its occasional
sublimity and always exquisite lowell
ness, make the region almost consecrated
ground. That, too, not from barbaric
ruins, hldeous scars of war and more in
tOlerable monuments Of ecclesiastical
strifes and victories. The tenderest of all
benediction is here. The Almighty never
elsewhere fashioned the face Of the earth
in more enhancing mold. And then, as
if the fiat were that still further grace
should shine from every feature, lofty
souled men and women were born here,
or came here, and in the centuries wor-
SHIPPED the God through all this transcend
ent handiwork by pouring forth their
hearts and souls in everything psalms.
Thus was the complete magic wrought,
until from Morecambe Bay, which pushes
in from the Irish Sea to cut grim Lanca-
shire almost in twain, to the wondrous
tlde-bores of Solway Firth over against
the land of Burns, you can turn your eyes
scarcely upon mountain or vale, lake or
river, crag or barn, rock or rivulet, for
est or copse, beck or waterfall, hamlet or
home, that does not send thrilling through
the vision to eXultant memory some ten
der association with tender life, or strike
some subtle chord upon the harp of fade
less song.
The Scotch glory in the straths and
crags of their Highlands and Islands; the
Irish have pathetic and mournful pride
In their ancient Celtic and later ecclesias-
tic monuments, and an eXultant pride in
their Giants CauSeway, their lone peaks
of Donegal and Connemara, and their
matchless Killarney, while the English
fondly fancy that, outside the Lake Dis
trict, among the peaks and valleys OF
North Wales, are scenic beauties of sur
passing splendor. But the English Lake
District is, as it were, natures feast for
common enjoyment. 1t Is the one spot in
the three Kingdoms where gentle genii of
the place are powerful enough TO annihi-
late the race bitterness Of centuries. IN
deed it is the sweet and pensive lullaby
nest of all Britain.
Its geography, ethnology and etymolo-
gy may have much to do with this. The
region, from race standpoint, is almost
neutral ground. 1t is in the northwest
ern, and all things considered, the most
remote portion Of England. Its area
comprises the northern, Sea-detache0 part
of Lancashire and all of the important
Shires of Westmoreland and Cumberland
Three sides, its northern, western and
southern, are shut in by the Irish Sea and
estuarieS. while a natural barrier on the
eastern side is formed by the Pennine
range of hills, which furnishes Yorkshire,
Durham and northumberland their wild
and savage tells and mooTs. Peopled orig
inally by Cambro-Celts, their descend
ents clung TO region almost inaccessible
in the past, and thus sustained, from the
barbaric Stone age to the golden age OF
poetry and art, few abrupt divisions and
impingementS from Roman. Danish and
early English invasion. All influences
for change were consequently gradual and
gentle, and never markedly unequal from
the English on the east and south, the
Irish on the west and the Caledonians on
the north.
During three extended visits to the re-
gion, in which most of my time was
passed among the peaSantry, there have
been found very many dissimilarities be-
tween these people and the peasant class
in any other portion of England. Though
the student OF books may fail 10 find this
apparent in the literary remains OF the
host of prose writers and poets who drew
almost their sole inspiration from the
Lake country; and though there may re-
main no evidence that these curious dis
tinctions attracted the everyday atten-
tion of the men and women Of genius
who SO long lived where these contrasts
were constantly apparent, the interest
ing fact still remains that Cumbrian men
and women, as of all the inhabitants Of
north Lancashire, Cumberland and West
moreland are generally called, are almost
as different from other lowly English
folk, In traditions, superstitions, manners
customs, and particularly in vernacular
as are those of Wales, who so patriotically
treasure every yestige of their ancient
hymric life and tongue. The Scotch are
most kindly disposed to their CumbriaT
brethren across the Solway, for they
know that in their veins flows an admiX-
ture ofCaledonian blood. The Irish across
the narrow channel are drawn to them
as TO the Welsh, because the CumbrianS
have with the Irish and Welsh common
Celtic parentage. The region is Englisf
through centuries of domination anC
gradual absorption of English national
1ty. Something as the Highlanders arc
10 Scotland, and as are the Donegal and
Connemara Highlanders 10 Ireland, the
Cumbrians stand TO the rest of England
as a type of independent, half defian
folk, whose simplicity, piety, hardihood
and solidarity compel genuine admiration
and respect.
If chronological reasons, though but hal
consciously recognized, render the Eng
lish Lake District common ground of de
light for all British nationalities. the dis
tinctive status and character of its peas
autry certainly give it an added charm /,
the traveller who has an interest in men a
well as in mountains and rocks. TIL
larger proportion of the rural population
or dalesmen, are the families of Estates
men," or men owning and farming thei
own tiny pieces of land. These hav
come down 10 them intact from baronia
times. In those old days the border in
cursions from Scotland taxed TO the ut
most the wits and resources of the north
ern baronS. To provide and retain re
Quired forces for their often sore needs
the system of parceling out the land, il
fee, and enfranchising the villein retain
ers TO whom they were given, was resort
eu to. More fortunate than the poor clans
men of the Scottish Highlands, whom tn
decay of the elan system barbarousl,
drove from their homes and soil, the de
cay of feudalism left these CumbriaI
statesmen the actual possessors of tn
soil. Many of their little estates" hav
been gradually swallowed up by the no
bility, and by rich men who have be
come mighty landholders in the Lake re
gion. But there are thousands remainin,
who to-day occupy the very same parcel
of ground, defined by the Identical mete
and bounds, possessed by their villein an
cestors of hundreds of years ago.
These have stood still.n They hay
sustained little encroachment. / hav
fpun1 'StatagmpnS, lOuSpS in rop,ot