Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/117

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instead of opening gradually, throw themselves at once upon the eye in all their rudeness and horror. The woods of Lord William Gordon add much to the beauty of this shore of Derwentwater.

Amongst the many little excursions which may be best made from Keswick, that to Buttermere and Crummock- Water afforded us great pleasure; particularly as we took a road suggested to us by one to whom the whole country is well known, and who has taste to distinguish and kindness to point out its more concealed beauties. This took us for eight miles along the Whinlatter turnpike, in sight (for some distance) of Bassenthwaite's peace- ful lake, (which, scowled upon by no over-hanging mountains, sleeps amid its pastoral scenery and gently-sloping banks) and then introduced us by a turn to the left, into the upper end oi: the vale of Lorton; a tract that rivals the celebrated Arno, as it possesses every possible feature of landscape combined in the happiest manner; luxurious mea- dows, spotted with little wooded hills, and watered by a transparent river; neat little mansions white- washed, and "bosomed high in tufted trees;" the whole surrounded by a rampart of lofty moun- tains. Winding up the broad declivity of one ot these heights, a wonderful picture presented itself; a crystal lake on one side, hedged in by the gloomy

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