The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-04-25
NAKEMAN'S TRAVELS.
[copyrtgM, 1911
BY EDGAR L. wAKRMAS.
XVII.
The EnEli,h Lake District.
TnB cUMBRIAN pRAsANrRY.

Special Correspondence Of The LateltGena1.
KEswIcK, ENGLAND, April Is, 1A9l.-Ii
would not be surprising thing il the
English Lake District we're as we'll
known, in that almost measureless top
ography Of sentiment and universal
geography Of literature, to as many
American as English people. For out
Of its tender heart have Issued countless
streams Of everything thought and imag,
cry, flowing so deep, strong and far, that
they have long ago penetrated to utter
most lands, and are as iatherland waters
to all who own the good old Saxon
tongue.
Perhaps, too, OF late years it is actu.
ally seen, at least from one beaten track
through 1t, by as many American as
English eyes. But our people as a rule
do not know it as Englishmen or Scotch.
men or Irisbmen know it. We hurry
through 1t to criticize, compare, anal Ze,
tolerate, and thus loee the precious
charm OF those things which, atide
from it's occasional sublimity and always
exquisite loveliness, make the region al.
most consecrated ground. That, toe,
not from baTbafic ruins, hideous scars Of
war and moro intolerable monuments oil
ecclesiastical striies and victories. The
tendereet Of all bonedictions Is here.
The Almighty never elsewhere fashioned
the face Of the earth in more entranc.
ing mold. And then, s-if the fiat
we're that still further grace should
shine from every feature, lofty.
souled men and women were born
here, or came here, and in the centuries
worshipped the God through all this
transcondent handiwork by pouring
forth their hearts and souls in everything
palms. Thus was the complete magic
wrought; until from Morecambe Bay,
which pushes In from the Irish sea to
cut grim Lancashire almost in twain, 10
the wendrous tide-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 tarn, rock
or rivulet, foreet or corpse, beck or water.
fall, hamlet or home, that does not send
thrilling through the vision to exultant
memory some tender association with
tender life, or strike some subtle chord
upon the harp OF fadeless song.
The Scotch glory in the straths and
crags OF their Highlands and Ialauda T;
the Irish have pathetic and mournful
pride in their ancient Celtic and later
ecclesiastiC monuments, and an exul.
liant pride in their Giants Causeway,
their lone peaks OF Donegal and Come.
mara, and their matchless Killarney ;
while the English fondly fancy that,
outside OF The Lake District, among the
Seaks and valleys OF North Wales, are
acenic beauties Of surprising splendoE.
But the English Lake District ie, as 1t
we're, natures feast for common enjoy.
ment. II Is the one spot in tho three
kingdoms where gentle genii Of the
place are powerful enough to annihilate
the race bitterness OF centuries. Indeed,
II is the sweet and pensive lullaby.nest
Of all Britain.
Its geography, ethnology and etymolo-
~ may have much TO do with this. The
region, from race standpoint, 10 almost
neutral ground. II is in the northwest.
etn, and all things considered, the most
remote portion Of England. It's area
comprises the northern, sea.detached
part OF Lancashire and all OF the impor.
liant shires Of Westmorland and Cum
berland. Three sides, It's northern, west.
ern and southern, are ehut in by the
Irish sea and estuaries, while natural
barrier on the eastern eide is formed By
tho 'Pennine range OF hills, which fur.
nishes Yorkshire, Durham and North
cumberland their wild and savage felIE
and moors. Peopled originally by Gam.
bro Cells, their descendants chung TO q
region almost inaccessible in the past,
and thus sustained, from the barbatiC
Stone age 10 the golden age OF poetry
and art, few abrupt divisions and i'm
pingements from Roman, Danish and
early English invasion. All influence
for change were consequently gradual
and gentle, and never markedly I'M
equal from tho English on the east and
south, tho Irish on the west, and the
Caledonians on the north.
During three extended visits 10 The
region, in which most Of my time wa
passed among the peasantry, there havl
been found very many dissimilarities be
tween these people and the psasan
class in any other portion OF England
Though the student OF books may fol
to find this apparent in the literary 70
mains Of the host Of prose writer's AM
poets who drew almost their sole inspir
alton from the Lake country; ant
though there may remain no evidenc
that these curious distinctions attracted
the everyday attention OF the men an
women Of genius, who so long live
where these contrasts were CONSTANT
apparent; the interesting fact still re
mains that Cumbrian men and women
as all the inhabitants Of North Lanca
shire, Cumberland and Westmorelan
are generally called, are almost a
different from other Lowry English foli
in traditions, auperstitions, manner
customs, and particularly in veFnaculAl
as are those OF Wales, whose patrlotioa
" treasure every vestige OF their ancier
kymriC life and tongue. The Scotch ar
most kindly disposed to their Cumbria
brethren acroes the solWay, Tor the
know that in their veins flows an admir-
ture Of Caledonian blood. The Iris
across the narrow channel IRE drawn
them, % 10 rue WblhuL utCAupe bubSHu
brisns have with the Irish and Welsh
common Celtic pareutage. The reRto
Ia English through centuries OF domlni
ton and gradual absorption Of EnRlis
nationality. Something as the High
l4nders are to Scotland, and as are th
Donegal and Connemara HighlAnders
Ireland, the Cumbrians stRnd to the rel
Of England as a type Of independent
hali.detlant folk, whose simplicity, piet.
hardihood and solidarity compel gem
Inc admiration and respect,
II chronological reasons, though b.
hSli.consciously recognized, render Il
English Lake District common grour
p Of delight for all British nationalitig
N the distinctiye status and character
= lite peasantry certainly give It an addI
charm 10 the traveller who has interest
men % well as in mountains and roct
The larger proportion Of the rural po
uiAtion, or dalesmen, are the families
i'stateHmen,n or men owning and tArl