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"Next I passed the little chapel of Wythburn, out of which
the Sunday congregation were then issuing; soon after, a
Beck near Dunmail-Rays, where I entered
Westmorland a second time, and now began to see
Helm-Cragg; distinguished from its rugged neighbours,
not so much by its height, as by the strange broken outlines
of its top, like some gigantic building demolished, and the
stones that composed it flung across in wild confusion. Just
beyond it opens one of the sweetest landscapes that art ever
attempted to imit[ate]: the bosom of the mountains spreading
here into a broad bason, discovers in the midst
Grassmere-Water; its margin is hollowed into small
bays, with bold eminences; some of rock, some of turf, that
half conceal and vary the figure of the little lake they
command: from the shore, a low promontory pushes itself far
into the water, and on it stands a white village with the
parish church rising in the midst of it; hanging inclosures,
corn-fields, and meadows with their trees, hedges, and
cattle, fill up the whole space from the edge of the water;
and just opposite to you is a large farm house at the bottom
of a steep smooth lawn, embosomed in old woods, which climb
half way up the mountain's side, and discover above them a
broken line of craggs that crown the scene. Not a single red
tile, no gentleman's floring-house or garden breaks in upon
the repose of this little unsuspected paradise; but all is
peace, rusticity, and happy poverty, in its neatest, most
becoming attire." Mr Gray's description is pretty accurate,
but this sublime way of writing (as Mr West calls it) is not
my province; a guide ought, in my opinion, to be merely
narrative. I admire this little place very much myself, and
I think here is a station for the artist, equal, if not
superior to any in this part. It is upon the side of a round
hill called Butter-lip-how; Mr Farrington has taken
one of his lately published from below Tail-end,
which looks exceeding well; but in this you have a church,
and adjoining it an arched bridge, which are certainly great
additions in the front of a landscape; behind them the Lake,
with the island upon it, appearing very distinctly, with
wooded banks behind them: on each side of the lake is a
road; one leading to Ambleside, the other to
Hawkshead; at the back of all a very high mountain
spotted with rubbish from the slate quarries thereon, and
not at too great a distance.
In this little amphitheatre may be found several good
stations for the landscape painter, and a sweet retired
situation for the studious mind; only it is at rather too
great a distance from any open country or good market town;
the streams for fishing are small, and the want of (variety
which is always the case in little places) soon cloys the
imagination.
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Grassmere, or Gresmere, is part of the great
barony of Kendale, and is leased of the crown by the Earl of
Lonsdale: when Queen Catherine, wife of Charles the II. held
Grassmere, we find it consisted of both the Marquis
and Richmond fees; for by an inquisition the 28th of Charles
the II. she held thirty-nine customary tenements in
Grassmere of the Marquis's fee, of the yearly rent of 11l.
6s. 2d. and thirty-five tenements in Grassmere of Richmond
fee, of the yearly rent of 6l. 12s. 4d. also forest silver
2l. 4s. 5d. Brewfarm eight-pence, Goldwether
seven-pence, with heriot service.
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