glittered with all her sails in honour of the Great Northern Minstrel, and of
him the Eloquent, whose lips are now mute in dust. Methinks we see his smile
benign--that we hear his voice--silver sweet."

* * * * *

WINDERMERE has been termed, not inaptly, the English Zurich. Before its
diversified beauties were "married to immortal verse," it was the favourite
resort of thousands who admired external nature. But the "Lake Poets," as
Wordsworth, Southey, Coleridge and others were once derisively termed, have
linked the Lake District with the language of the nation. Windermere Lake is
eleven miles in length, and one mile in breadth. Numerous islands diversify
its surface, one of which (Belle Isle) we have already referred to. Its
depth in some parts is about 240 feet. "The prevailing character of the
scenery around Windermere is soft and graceful beauty. It shrinks from
approaching that wildness and sublimity which characterise some of the other
lakes." It abounds with fish, especially char (salmo alpinus), one of the
epicurean dainties.

* * * * *

AMBLESIDE, fourteen miles north-west of Kendal, is partly in Windermere, but
chiefly in Grasmere parish. This is one of the favourite resorts of
travellers in quest of pleasure. It has been compared to a delightful Swiss
village, the town reposing in a beautiful valley, near the upper end of
Windermere Lake; "no two houses being alike either in form or magnitude," and
the entire place laid out in a rambling irregular manner, adding to its
peculiarity and beauty. The pretty little chapel which ornaments the place
was erected in 1812, on the site of an older structure. The neighbourhood is
studded with attractive villas; but the most interesting of the residences is
that of the lamented Poet Wordsworth, at Rydal Mount.

* * * * *

RYDAL VILLAGE is one mile and a quarter from Ambleside, and is planted within
a narrow gorge, formed by the advance of Loughrigg Fell and Rydal Knab. Rydal
Hall, the seat of Lady le Fleming, stands in the midst of a finely-wooded
park, in which are two beautiful waterfalls, shown on application at the
lodge. RYDAL MOUNT, Wordsworth's residence for many years, stands a little
above the chapel erected by Lady le Fleming. Mrs. Hemans describes it as "a
lovely cottage-like building, almost hidden by a profusion of roses and ivy."
"From a grassy mound in front, commanding a view always so rich, and
sometimes so brightly solemn, that one