sides. The slopes are planted with shrubs and trees in such a manner as to improve the elevation; and the waving woods that fly from it on each wing give it an airy and noble appearance. The south front is in the modern taste, extended by an arcade. The north is in the Gothic style, with a piazza and wings. The apartments are elegantly furnished, and the house is good and convenient. But, what recommends itself most to the curious, is a plan of pleasure ground, on a small scale, containing beauties equal in number to gardeps of the greatest extent in England. The variety of culminated grounds, and winding slopes, comprehended within this sweet spot, furnish all the advantage of mountains and vales, woods and water. By the judicious management of these assemblages, the late owner performed wonders. Consulting the genius of the place, he called in, to aid his plan, and harmonized to this little spot, the features of a country vast in extent, and by nature highly picturesque*, whose distant parts agreeing with what was immediately near him, form a most magnificent whole. For, besides the ornamental grounds, the views from the house are both pleasing and surprising. They are at once grand and ele

The note intended for this place proving too long, it is inserted in the Addenda, and makes Article VIII.

gant, rural and marine. On the eastern side, you have a fine æstuary, spotted with rocks, isles, and peninsulas, a variety of shore, deeply indented in some places, in others composed of noble arched rocks, craggy, broken, and fringed with wood; over these, hanging woods, intermixed with cultivated inclosures, covered with a back ground of stupendous mountains. As a contrast to this view, from the other end of the gravel walk (between two culminating hills, covered with tall wood) is seen, in fine perspective, a rich cultivated dale, divided by hedge-row trees; beyond these, hanging grounds cut into inclosures, with scattered farms, and above them all, a long range of waving pasture ground and sheep walks, shining in variety of vegetation. This sweet pastoral picture is much heightened by the deep shade of the towering wooded hills, between which it is viewed. Turn to the left, the scenery is all reversed. Under a range of tall sycamores, an expanse of water bursts upon the eye, and beyond it, land just visible through the azure mist. Vessels traversing this bay are also seen in a most picturesque manner, and, from the lower part of the house, appear sailing through the trees, and approaching it till they drop anchor just under the windows. The range of sycamores has a fine effect in this sea view, by breaking the line in the

watery plain, and forming an elegant frame to a very excellent picture. By turning a little to the right, the prospect changes. At the head of a sloping inclosure, and under the skirts of a steep wood, a sequestered cottage stands in the nicest point of beauty.

There is a great variety of pleasing views from the different meandering walks and seats in the wood one at the hermitage, and another at the seat in the bottom of the wood, where Ulverston and the environs make a pretty picture. From under the shrubbery (on the eastern side of the house, and from the gate at the north end of the walk, behind a swell of green hills) if the afternoon sun shine, the conical summits of distant mountains are seen glistening like burnished gold, and pointing to the heavens in a noble style. But as this sweet spot is injured by description, I shall only add, that it is a great omission in the curious traveller, to be in Furness and not to see so wonderfully pretty a place, to which nature has been so profuse in noble gifts, and where art has lent its best assistance, under the regulation of an elegant fancy, and a refined taste".

And where it is not too much to go on in a language of a still higher kind,

Here hills and vales, the woodland and the plain,

Here earth and water seem to strive again;

Not chaos-like, together crush'd and bruis'd,

But, as the world, harmoniously confus'd.

CONISTON.

From Ulverston to Coniston-water is eight miles, either by Penny-bridge or by Lowick, both excellent carriage roads. By Lowick the road is along a narrow vale, beautifully divided by hanging inclosures and scattered farms, half way up the mountains' sides, whose various heads are covered with heath and brown vegetation. About three miles from Ulverston, observe a farm house on the left, and a group of houses before you on the right.-Stop at the gate on the brow of the hill, and have a distant view of the lake, finely intersected with high crowned peninsulas. At the upper end, a snow white house is seen, under a hanging wood, and to the north east, the lake seems to wind round the mountains' feet. The whole range of Coniston-fells is now in sight, and under them a lower sweep of dark rocks frown over the crystal surface of the lake. Advancing on the left see Lowick-hall, once the seat of a family of that name. Behind this a dismal scene of barrenness presents itself; clustered

Company that return to Ulverston the same day should turn off to the left near Lowick bridge, to Penny-bridge, and have a charming view of a most beautiful bay, especially if the tide be up. It opens a little short of Penny-bridge, and continues to Greenodd, at the meeting of the rivers Leven and Crake, where this country slate is laid up for exportation.

grey rocky mountains, variegated with some few stripes of heath. After crossing the outlet of the lake, at Lowick-bridge, these dreary objects are found often intersepted by pieces of arable ground, hanging sweetly to the east, and prettily situated under ancient oaks, or venerable yews. The white houses in these parts, covered with blue slate, have a neat appearance. The thatched cot is esteemed a more picturesque object; and yet the other kind, seen under a deep green wood, or covered with a purple back-ground of heath, has a pleasing effect.

Reach the south end of the lake. Here it is narrowed by the rocky prominences from both sides, forming between their curvatures a variety of pretty bays. The whole length of the lake is about six measured miles, and the greatest breadth about three quarters of a mile. The greatest depth, by report, exceeds not forty fathoms. A little higher the broadest part commences, and stretches, with small curvatures, to Water-head. The shores are frequently indented, and one pretty bay opens after another in a variety of forms.

STATION I.-A little above the village of Nibthwaite, the lake opens in full view. From the rock, on the left of the road, you have a general prospect of the lake, upwards.