Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/27

 the impressive accompaniments of the adjoining scenery) to picture the holy man in this his sacred retirement pacing the shaded walk, and breathing out his soul in such sentiments as these:

" Blest be the Hand Divine, that gently laid " My heart at rest, beneath this solemn shade; " The world's a stately bark, on dang'rous seas, " With pleasure seen, but boarded at our peril. " Here, on a single plank, thrown safe onshore, " I hear the tumult of the distant throng, " As that of seas remote, or dying storms; " And meditate on scenes more silent still, " Pursue my theme, and fight the fear of death. " Here, like a shepherd, gazing from his hut, " Touching his reed, or leaning on his staff, " Eager Ambition's fiery chace I see; " I see the circling hunt of noisy men " Burst law's inclosure, burst the bounds of right, " Pursuing and pursu'd, each other's prey; " As wolves for rapine, as the fox tor wiles; " Till Death, that mighty hunter, earths them all."

Very different from this scene of abstraction, where all is calculated to inspire humility, and excite devotion, was the proud edifice of Alnwick- Castle, to which we hastened on quitting Warkworth; an immense building—crowning a lofty mound, the outward walls including an extent of live acres. The hostile purposes for which it was originally erected are pointed out by the singular ornaments that surmount its turrets; figures in stone-