River Eden

fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven Shall I alone, I surely not a man ungently made, Call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed, Perverse self-willed to own and to disown, Mere slave of them who never for thee prayed, Still last to come where thou art wanted most.

The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained a poem This recording is in the public domain.

Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the transport.

oh with whom but thee deep buried in the silent tomb that spot which no vicissitude can find love faithful love recalled thee to my mind but how could i forget thee through what power even for the least division of an hour have i been so beguiled as to be blind to my most grievous loss that thought's return was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore.

fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven Shall I alone, I surely not a man ungently made, Call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed, Perverse self-willed to own and to disown, Mere slave of them who never for thee prayed, Still last to come where thou art wanted most.

The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained end of poem Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the transport.

oh with whom but thee deep buried in the silent tomb that spot which no vicissitude can find love faithful love recalled thee to my mind but how could i forget thee through what power even for the least division of an hour have i been so beguiled as to be blind to my most grievous loss that thought's return was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore.

Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn, knowing my heart's best treasure was no more, that neither present time nor years unborn could to my sight that heavenly face restore.

To Sleep by William Wordsworth

a flock of sheep that leisurely pass by one after one the sound of rain and bees murmuring the fall of rivers winds and seas smooth fields white sheets of water and pure sky i have thought of all by turns and yet do lie sleepless and soon the small bird's melodies must hear first uttered from my orchard trees and the first cuckoo's melancholy cry even thus last night and two nights more i lay and could not win thee sleep by any stealth so do not let me wear to-night away without thee what is all the morning's wealth come blessed barrier between day and day dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven shall i alone i surely not a man ungently made call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed perverse self-willed to own and to disown mere slave of them who never for thee prayed still last to come where thou art wanted most The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained

end of poem This recording is in the public domain.

Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the transport.

fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven Shall I alone, I surely not a man ungently made, Call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed, Perverse self-willed to own and to disown, Mere slave of them who never for thee prayed, Still last to come where thou art wanted most.

The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained

end of poem Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the

transport.

fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven Shall I alone, I surely not a man ungently made, Call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed, Perverse self-willed to own and to disown, Mere slave of them who never for thee prayed, Still last to come where thou art wanted most.

The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained end of poem Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the transport.

oh with whom but thee deep buried in the silent tomb that spot which no vicissitude can find love faithful love recalled thee to my mind but how could i forget thee through what power even for the least division of an hour have i been so beguiled as to be blind to my most grievous loss that thought's return was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore.

Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn, knowing my heart's best treasure was no more, that neither present time nor years unborn could to my sight that heavenly face restore.

We've got all the rushes and reeds down the bottom.

We've got the River Eden running through.

We do have bits that we don't use, which is fine.

And I just wish the birds would go there.

The verdure of the meadows, with some extensive fields of yellow corn, contrasted by the hills of pasture-grounds which lay on the southern side, brown with summer heat and tufted with brushwood, gave a pleasing variety.

whilst the morning beam breaking aflant upon the valley and gliftening upon the brook with the blue tints of fmoke that arrofe from the hamlets painted the rural fcene we were furnished with ideas which still rendered the prospect more pleasing as they reminded us of the social spirit of the owner of walk up in whose life hospitality and benevolence are truly characterized the valley now growing more extensive increased its varieties and pleased us with a new scene of advancing cultivation and husbandry the large tracts of ground which we passed along were lately common but are now dividing and forming into enclosures at the sixth milestone we stopped to admire the singularity of the view to the right where a range of mountains arising from the extensive plain over which we were travelling stretched to the westward and afforded a romantic and noble scene the nearest hills with rocky brows and barren cliffs raised their grey fronts above the brushwood which girted them in the midst whilst their feet in hasty slopes descended into the vale in pasturage further retiring from the eye the mountain called cross fell with a front of naked ftones over tops all the adjoining hills being faid to exceed the mountain of skiddaw one hundred and ten perpendicular feet in height further extending weftward the chain of mountains lay in perfpedtive till they died away upon the fight and in azure hue feemed to mix with the fky whilst at the foot of this vaft range of hills three fmall amounts of an exact conic form running parallel beautified the fcene being covered with verdure to their crowns the neareft called dufton pike was fhadowed by a paffing cloud save only the fummit of its cone which was touched by a beam that pointed it with gold the fecond pike was all enlightened and gave its verdure to the profped as if mantled with velvet the third laid fhadowed whilft all the range of hills behind were ftruck with the funfhine fhowing their cliffs their caverns and their dells in ftrange and grotesque variety and giving the three pikes a picturesque projection on the landfcape as if nature delighted to charm the eye of man fhe at this time caft an accidental beauty over the fcene the fmall clouds which checquered the fky as they paffed along fpread their flitting fhadows on the diftant mountains and feemed to marble them a beauty which i do not recollect has ftruck any painter and which has not been defcribed even by the bold hand of the immortal the moft exquisite fancy of a painter could not have devifed a more pleafing variety of light and fhadow than what was caft upon this profpedt appleby to which we now approached though placed on a very elevated fituation was concealed from our view till we arrived within half a mile when from the hill which we had afcended it gave us an agreeable furprife on the brink of a lofty eminence fronting towards the eaft at whofe foot runs the river eden the caftle prefented itfelf the fteep on whofe brow this noble edifice is erected is richly clothed with wood save only where a rugged cliff of a red hue breaks through the trees and gives an agreeable variety to the landfcape the front of the caftle which prefented itfelf is irregular and antique but lofes great fhare of its beauty by the joints of the building being whitened and bedaubed with lime over this front the top of a fine fquare tower is difcovered whofe corners arife in turrets the landfcape to the left is richly wooded to the right it is divided by hanging gardens which adjoin to the town overtopped with the dwellings the pavilions belonging to the houfe of john robinson efquire with the parterres and floping plots of grafs ground modernize a fcene which condemns all factitiofnefs of tafte and by the fimplicity and elegance nature prefents to us on the adjoining lands reproves the diftortions which she receives from dull right lines and angles but whilft i fenfure fafhion i revere the owner of the manfion whofe excellences are too eminent to want the traveller's applause as we approached the bridge and caft our eyes up the valley we were delighted with the happy aflemblage of woods and meadows which form the little vale where the eden flows through the thronging branches the water was feen in many places reflecting a tremulous beam and fparkling in the fun's rays over the valley red cliffs and rocks on this hand appear projecting through the trees on that is feen the lofty front of the caftle the profpeft from the terrace which is under the eaftern front of the caftle is very beautiful to the right the river eden forms a winding lake for the diftance of half a mile whofe banks are clothed with lofty hanging woods defcending in a fwift but regular fweep to the brink of the ftream below us the water murmured over a weir where a mill added to the pleafing founds on the left red cliffs and precipices arife perpendicular from the water over whofe brows oaks and afhes hanging render their afpect more romantic by the folemn fhade on the ground above the public road leading to appleby winds up the hill on whofe fides fome cottages are fcattered whilft all behind mountains form the diftant ground fhadowed with clouds whilft we ftayed here enjoying this fweet fcene i could not forbear pointing out to my companion a little tenement which ftud oppofite to us near to the brink of the river where the faireft maid refides that graces eden's banks ftately and tall fhe feems the lily of eden's garden while fhe is fair and meek as lilies too in her countenance beauty is graced with intelligence and in her behaviour innocence is mixed with politeness the garden grounds around appleby castle are without ornament and are calculated for use only on the western side detached from the rest of the edifice is a very lofty square tower which the people call caesar's tower and which from its form appears to be roman the corners form a projection of nearer foot from the plane of each front and rife above the reft of the building in fquare turrets now covered with lead the remaining part of the top being embrafured there are two fmall windows on each front near the middle of the building parallel to each other this tower is defended by an outward wall forming a kind of crefent at the diftance of about twelve paces now remaining near twenty feet in height ftrongly fuftained on the outfide by buttresses erected on an eminence thirty paces in afcent and defended by a deep ditch without the quarter fronting to the caftle lies open to the area which is enclosed by a wall continuing from the points of the crefent the great hall is worthy the obfervation of travellers their being enclosed in a cafe in the wainscot a fine piece of portrait-painting of the pembroke family ornamented with their pedigree and hiftorical notes of their lives and achievements a ftranger is from thence conducted through an adjoining room where the ragged remains of embroidered furniture give you a moft deplorable idea of decaying magnificence and the vanity of pride when the doors of a clofet being fuddenly thrown open you are ftartled from your reverie by the fhaking of armour and the fight of a complete fuit trembling in every joint this armour is preferved with great attention as having been worn by the late earl of weftmerland who has been a man of very fmall ftature the arms are richly embofled and inlaid with gold in its ignography this caftle is not much unlike to the ruins of bruff the towers being detached from the main edifice and placed to the weft appleby caftle is one of the feats of the earl of thanet but of late years has been much neglected by the family lord thanet is hereditary sheriff of the county of weftmerland and is entitled to many noble privileges there fome of which in this age of liberty and cultivation are rather oppreffive his free chace in particular the great poffessions of the countef of pembroke in this country came into the thanet family in the following manner john earl of thanet fucceeded his mother margaret countef of thanet as baron of clifford wefmerland and veecy in the year sixteen seventy six and in the year sixteen seventy eight he alfo fucceeded his cousin the lady aliathia foul daughter and heir of james earl of northampton by his firft wife the lady isabella his mother's fifter whereby he became poffefled of the whole inheritance of his grandmother the countef of pembroke The town of Appleby chiefly consists of one wide, continued street, hanging upon the swift decline of a hill, in a direction north and south, the castle terminating it on the summit, the church at the foot.

The situation is delightful in the summer season, but in the winter very cold, the natural disadvantages of its site being increased by the great scarcity of coal to supply which want, wood and peats are chiefly used as fuel.

The meadows and pasture-grounds are beautiful, but there is little tillage, it having been a received opinion for ages past, that grain would not ripen or come to perfection so near the moors and mountains, from whence a continued moist vapour is borne into the valley, which blights the corn in its blossom, or prevents its filling or maturing.

and stone call 702 get more

whilst the borders of the channel were beautiful with rocks and the stream flowed in meanderings or cascades near to little salkeld on the summit of a large hill inclining a little towards the north we had the pleasure of seeing a large and perfect druidical monument called by her country people meg and her daughters a circle of three hundred and fifty paces circumference is formed by massy ftones moft of which remain ftanding upright there are fixty feven in number of various qualities unhewn or touched with any tool and feem from their form to have been gathered from the furface of the earth some are of blue and grey limestone some of granite and some flints many of them which were standing measured from twelve to fifteen feet in girt and ten feet in height others were of an inferior size at the southern side of this circle at the diftance of seventeen paces from its neareft member is placed an upright ftone naturally of a fquare form being a red free ftone with which the country about penrith abounds this stone is placed with one of its angles towards the circle is near 15 feet in girth and 18 feet high each angle of its square answering to a cardinal point in the moft contiguous parts of the circle four large ftones are placed in a fquare form as if they had conftructed or fupported the altar and towards the eaft weft and north two large ftones are placed a greater diftance from each other than any of the reft as if they had formed the entrances into this mythic round what creates great aftonifhment to the fpectator is that no fuch ftones or any quarry or bed of ftones are to be found within a great diftance of this place and how fuch maffy bodies could be moved in an age when the mechanical powers were little known is not to be conceived whilst we ftud admiring this place the following thoughts occurred to my memory mark yon altar this wide circus fkirted with unhewn ftone they awe my foul as if the very genius of the place himfelf appeared and with terrific tread ftalk through this drear domain know that thou ftands on confecrated ground the mighty pile of magic planted rock thus ranged in myftic order marks the place where but at times of holieft festival the druid leads his train mason's My ideas wandered in the fields of imagination over the Druid's sacrifice of the milk-white steers, consecrated by the mistletoe.

I reflected on the trembling enthusiastic multitudes, who here perhaps had assembled to hear the priestly dictates touching government and moral conduct, to learn the Druid's arrogant philosophy and superstitions, and cherish an implicit faith the immortality of man's intellectual spirit though in transmigration to reptiles and beasts of prey perhaps here princes submissively have stood to hear the haughty druid exclaim thou art a king a sovereign or frail men i am a druid servant of the gods such service is above such sovereignty mason's caractacus in the number of stones camden was mistaken as they are only 67 in all he took many of his northern remarks from hearsay only from whence he was liable to the errors discovered in him as to the heaps of stones within the circle which he was told covered those slain in fight there is not the least appearance of any such thing since the monuments of mona now anglesey have been fo learnedly vifited and defined there is not the leaft reafon to doubt this at salkeld is a druidical monument from its fimilarity to thofe remaining there near to a place called nine churches we visited two caves the one hollowed in the rock of a circular form with seats cut in its sides the roof being supported in the midst by a rude pillar or mason work this is called the giant's cave the other cave is also circular with a stone table in the midst there is no tradition to lead one to conjecture by whom these caves were made their antiquity is greatly to be doubted they seem as if they had been the work of some religious for retirement but the name of no such person remains to us we also visited a place called force mill near to great salkeld where a cave was said to be the object of travellers curiosity here we found some seats cut under the shelves of a rock commanding a romantic view upon the river eden but no otherwife remarkable the falls of the river the hanging rocks rich meadows and hills clothed with wood prefented us with profpecks which amply repaid the difappointment our curiofty fuftained we lamented to fee fuch extenfive waftes and uncultivated lands adjoining to fo beautiful a place as penrith whofe fituation muft neceffarily circumfcribe its trade The women of this country are remarkably beautiful.

The bold, unintelligent stare, the fluttering, inconsistent pertness, and lisping nonsense, so characteristic of the sex in southern counties, are here totally neglected, for intelligent looks clothed in modesty, and politeness united with simplicity of manners.

at the ripe old age of 19.

So I would lie awake at night on warm summer nights and then be so restless, I'd go padding off through the countryside and down to the River Eden.

and along through the woods and be seeing and hearing otters in the river.

I found a hedgehog once, which I took back as a pet to my caravan.

fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep fond words have oft been spoken to thee sleep and thou hast had thy store of tenderest names the very sweetest fancy calls o'er frames when thankfulness of heart is strong and deep dear bosom child we call thee that dost steep in rich reward all suffering balm that tames all anguish saint that evil thoughts and aims takest away and into souls dost creep like to a breeze from heaven Shall I alone, I surely not a man ungently made, Call thee worst tyrant by which flesh is crossed, Perverse self-willed to own and to disown, Mere slave of them who never for thee prayed, Still last to come where thou art wanted most.

The River Eden, Cumberland by William Wordsworth eden till now thy beauty had i viewed by glimpses only and confess with shame that verse of mine whate'er its varying mood repeats but once the sound of thy sweet name yet fetched from paradise that honour came rightfully born for nature gives thee flowers that have no rivals among british bowers and thy bold rocks are worthy of their fame measuring thy course fair stream at length i pay to my life's neighbor dues of neighborhood but i have traced thee on thy winding way with pleasure sometimes by this thought restrained for things far off we toil while many a good not sought because too near is never gained a

poem This recording is in the public domain.

Surprised by joy, impatient as the wind, I turned to share the transport.