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From the station we have last described there is a grand
view of Wallow-Cragg, a most stupendous bare rock,
situated at the high end of Keswick Parks: this is the only
good view of it; for if we view it from the opposite shore,
the distance away takes too much from its height; and if we
stand underneath, it is too terrible to be viewed with
pleasure. The height of this enormous mass of stone is 1500
feet, and is so perpendicular, that a man may from the top
throw a stone into the Lake. I always recommend both the
traveller and painter to view these mountains from the Lake;
he may anchor here in five fathoms water; and that I might,
(as far as I could,) contribute to his pleasure and
convenience, I have sounded the Lake in many places, and
marked the soundings in the plan.
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Mr West speaks much of a station near this place for the
artist: I shall give his own words, for I do not admire it
myself; it takes in too much, nor are the objects so
distinct as he speaks: besides, Skiddow, which is the back
ground, is so far distant as to make it lose much of its
grandeur.
"A third station on this side, will be found, by keeping
along the line of the shore, till Stable-Hills be on the
right, and Wallow-Cragg directly over you on the left: then,
without the gate, on the edge of the Common, observe two
huge fragments of ferruginous-coloured rock, pitched into
the side of the mountain by their descent. Here all that is
great and pleasing on the Lake, all that is grand and
sublime in the environs, lye before you in beautiful order,
and natural disposition. Looking down upon the water, the
four large islands appear distinctly over the peninsula of
Stable-Hills. Lord's Island, richly dressed in wood: A
little to the left, Vicar's-Isle rises in a beautiful and
circular form: Rampsholme is catched in a line between that
and St Herbert's Island, which traverses the Lake in an
oblique direction, and has a fine effect. These are the four
most considerable islands on the Lake. Under Foe-Park, a
round hill compleatly cloathed in wood, two small islets
interrupt the line of shore, and charm the eye in the
passage from Vicar's-Isle to Rampsholme. Another islet above
St Herbert's Island has a similar effect.
"All idea of river or outlet is here excluded: but over a
neck of undulated land, finely scattered with trees, distant
water is just seen behind Lord's Island. The white church of
Crossthwaite is here visible under Skiddow, which forms the
strongest back-ground. The opposite shore is bounded by a
range of hills down to Newlands-Vale, where Cawsey-Pike, and
Thornthwaite-Fells rise in Alpine pride, outdone only by
their supreme lord Skiddow: Their skirts descend in gentle
slopes, and end in cultivated grounds. The whole of the
western coast is beautiful beyond what words can express;
and the North end exhibits what is most gentle and pleasing
in landscape."
This station of his I never could find; for unless you go to
the top of Falcon-Cragg, Lord's Isle is lost between
Stable-Hills and Friar-Cragg, and doth not appear to be an
island: nor is Vicar's Island seen, unless you take up your
station under Wallow-Cragg; then you do not see the
white church of Keswick, as he calls it. He must,
therefore, I imagine, have been upon the top of
Falcon-Cragg †, or have wrote the description
at the inn, and forgot their situations. Take a rule and lay
it upon the plan No.VI. from these stations to the several
objects, and the reader will be convinced of what I say.
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