e than justifies the labours of the Engineer. Not so would
it be with the Lake District. A railroad is already planned along the
sea coast, and another from Lancaster to Carlisle is in great
forwardness: an intermediate one is therefore, to say the least of it,
superfluous. Once for all let me declare that it is not against Railways
but against the abuse of them that I am contending.

How far I am from undervaluing the benefit to be expected from railways
in their legitimate application will appear from the following lines
published in 1837, and composed some years earlier.

STEAMBOATS AND RAILWAYS.

Motions and Means, on sea, on land at war
With old poetic feeling, not for this
Shall ye, by poets even, be judged amiss!
Nor shall your presence, howsoe'er it mar
The loveliness of Nature, prove a bar
To the mind's gaining that prophetic sense
Of future good, that point of vision, whence
May be discovered what in soul ye are.
In spite of all that Beauty must disown
In your harsh features, Nature doth embrace
Her lawful offspring in man's Art; and Time,
Pleased with your triumphs o'er his brother Space,
Accepts from your bold hand the proffered crown
Of hope, and welcomes you with cheer sublime.

I have now done with the subject. The time of life at which I have
arrived may, I trust, if nothing else will, guard me from the imputation
of having written from any selfish interests, or from fear of
disturbance which a railway might cause to myself. If gratitude for what
repose and quiet in a district hitherto, for the most part, not
disfigured but beautified by human hands, have done for me through the
course of a long life, and hope that others might hereafter be benefited
in the same manner and in the same country, _be_ selfishness, then,
indeed, but not otherwise, I plead guilty to the charge. Nor have I
opposed this undertaking on account of the inhabitants of the district
_merely_, but, as hath been intimated, for the sake of every one,
however humble his condition, who coming hither shall bring with him an
eye to perceive, and a heart to feel and worthily enjoy. And as for
holiday pastimes, if a scene is to be chosen suitable to them for
persons thronging from a distance, it may be found elsewhere at less
cost of every kind. But, in fact, we have too much hurrying about in
these islands; much for idle pleasure, and more from over activity in
the pursuit of we