Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/157

 it has for some time worn, and swelling gradually from the stream. Towards the summit of this rise stands the house we have before mentioned; a noble castellated building, in front of which a bold perpendicular face of white rock appears, and the gaping rent which affords entrance into the Dale from the south. The grand features of the valley disappear at this point; and soft landscape scenery, the village and churchy the bridge and meadows, close the picture.

The opposite side of the river to that on which we have been strolling, has also its delightful walks; but being private, on the demesne of Sir Richard Arkwright, they can only be visited on Thursdays and Mondays. I do not, however, think the singular beauties of the place are caught in such good order, or to so much advantage, as on the western bank of the river; since those magnificent features the eastern rock, its precipices, and underwood, are in a great measure lost to the eye.

Many visitors are of course attracted to the recesses of Matlock, by the extraordinary grandeur of its scenery; and many also come to its baths and medicinal springs in search of health. Of these there are four; one at Saxtons, two at the Old-Baths, and one at the Hotel; their temperature slightly differing from sixty-eight to seventy-