Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-09

worth's land, the interest and feeling of the thoughtful traveller seem to parcel the district into two almost equally fascina- ting typographical and literary divisions the northern and southern; though both of these are central. These are very near each other in miles, and tenderly near in associative interest. The northern dis trict is geographically domidated by Skid daw, Saddleback and Grassmoor. It pos sesses the beautiful lakes of Bassen- thwaite, Derwent, Ullswater and Thirl- mere. It has Keswick town for a central point from which to seek its scenic splen- dors; while as distinct area it seems sa- cred to the memories of Coleridge, Shelly and Southey. The southern, and. all things considered, perhaps the sunnier and more eXqusisite of the two, is over shadowed by the mountain monarch of the whole lake region, Helvellyn, by High Street, by Sea Fell and Bow Fell, and by Coniston Old Man (from the old British aid maen-hill of stone.) The entrancing lakes of Coniston, Windermere, Rydai and Grasmere silver its noble dales and vales;. in the hamlets of Bowness, Amble- side, Rydal and Grasmere cluster its sweet old Cumbrian homes, and their neighborhood is chiefly rife with memo ries of Msrtineau, Hemans, Arnold. Christopher North" DeQuincy and Wordsworth.
 The latter first intended to build his home at Applethwaite, on How Gill, 8 lovely spot On the southern slope of Skid daw, within sight of Southey's Greta Hall and Keswick, and within hearing of the chimes of old Crossthwaite church. The land was gift to him from Sir George Beaumont, of Colerton, and still remains the property of his descendants But on his permanent return to the lake region he made the ancient village of Grasmere his home. This hamlet is on the main coach road, traversing from north to south the central and most beautiful portions of the lake district, and is but three miles from Rydal and five from Ambleside, which lie to the south. Here he resided for three years-frst at Dove cottage, afterward oc- cupied by DeQuincy, and now forming a portion of the outbuildings of a busy inn: next in roomier but less comfortable house at Allen Bank, and again in the par sonage of the ancient Grasmere church. In 1913 the Wordsworths moved to Rydal Mount, where the poet remained until his ieath in 1850, having uninterruptedly lived within three miles radius of where he now lies in Grasmere churchyard for upward of fifty years.
 If you were wandering north on .the main coach road from Windermer9 to Keswick, a steep, wide roadway turning to the right and east would attract your attention. From the inclosures on either side huge beech trees and sycamores push tremendous arms across the walls and completely cover the way. It is as shadowy as twilight here You will not have passed a score of rods up this high arched natures aisle until the sounds from the highway-the rumbling of the stages, the laughter of gay tourists. and even the notes of the coach horns-are stilled. In summer the place is thronged with birds. Even these irreverent choris- ters seem as if subdued and ruminative here. In autumn your feet sink in feath- cry masses of pale golden leaves. It seems long time that you have been tra- versing these few rods: all is so hushed and still. Ascending little further there is break in the foliage to your right Some huge gates are seen. 4 lodge stands just beyond, and suddenly the splendid facades of Rydal Hall, the seat of the Le Flemings, appear above the luxuriant shrubbery of its splendid park. Higher still you climb, and where the dark road way seems to make final circle oyer the brow of the hill to the left, you pause to listen. Something like low and hesitant organ notes is mIrlnuring in minor chords, while a gay and joyous treble plays in exultant tones above. An, you remember. These are the voices of the two cascades of Rydal. Their songs were sung to one poet for forty happy years
 A step farther, and the bright sunshine leaps along and through the tree tops, as if impatient to flood its effulgenee upon one little spot. On that spot stands an ivy covered old house, two stories in height, with all manner of angles and patches; with huge chimneys and woh- drous gables: with windows cut here and there at random, or pushed outward in bows and bays; with doors entering as though made for convenience and not ap- pearance; and the whole with general air of having been done at different peri ods by various masters, each of whom la bored leisurely in fond and whimsical mood. In front is the tiniest of grass mounds, and wide steps of rough hewn stone lead this way and that, as if to in visible entrances; but as you see all grass mound, steps. half disclosed ter races, and the mansion itself facing ike south squareIy-there was never a more winsome picture set in framing of laurel yew, beech and fir; and never will you see | another home where the very spirit oi peace seems so embodied in outward ma | terial things, giving rapt and radiant vel come to the endless threnodies of waters and throbbings of a loving sun.
 This is Ryaal Mount, the former home | of Wordsworth. Rydal Water, to tn,
 north, and the long, dreamful reach O | WindermeIe can be seen from the gras
 mound in the little enclosure. From eve ry upper window, mountain, valley ana | lalra emilia honl- frnr,
 upon the beholder. With the poets long
 happy and fruitful life at Rydal, ever,
 reader of English literature is familiar But it seems to me a precious thing for tn | wanderer here to identify and become ac | quainted with Wordsworth's best loyet
 haunts. Two lines of road, with innu
 merable pony and footpath defections int,
 all manner of sublime or witching scenes
 knew him best, just as around the tw'
 villages and lakes of Rydal and Grasmer
 the memories of the poet are most thick,
 strewn. One of these roads is the grea
 central highway of the lake region, ant | winds all the way from Bowness througl | the villages of Windermere, Rydal ant l Grasmere, over weird Dunmail Raise, pas
 huge Helvellyn over into Keswick, wher Coleridge and Shelly were. The other
 the grand old road from Ambleside north
 easterly, past the roar of Stock Ghyl
 Force, through Kirkstone Pass to Platter
 dale, Grisdale, Glenridding and all tn glorious fells and glens that lie along som
 Der Ullswater between the heart of tn
 lake region and the ancient town of Pen
 rith. Probably the personal enjoyment 0
 the poet was greater along the former way
 although the territory beyond Kirkstone
 particularly around the head of Ullswatel
 furnished by far the greater number C
 poetic allusions.
 The vale of St. John, at the foot of He
 vellyn, was a never-ending feast to hin
 He fingered times without number aroun
 Wythburn church. Thirlmere, to whic
 the city of Manchester has tunnelled fc
 what will prove the finest water supply
 the world, and against the consummatio
 of which MT. Ruskin, with more regar
 for selfish enjoyment of the lake regio '. than the needs of hosts of human being
 fought long and bitterly, was an almo
 constant haunt. Here Wordsworth,
 company with his wife and sister Doroth,
 almost daily came in summer. In the ca
 Her days Coleridge would come over fro Keswiek and meet the three friends fro
 Grasmere. The ladies brought their sey inc and lunch and the two poets fin