plainly once been fair. She led a little barefooted child about two years old by the hand, and said her husband, who was a tinker, was gone before with the other children. I gave her a piece of bread. Afterwards, on my way to Ambleside, beside the bridge at Rydal, I saw her husband sitting by the roadside, his two asses feeding beside him, and the two young children at play upon the grass. The man did not beg. I passed on, and about a quarter of a mile further I saw two boys before me, one about ten, the other about eight years old, at play chasing a butterfly. They were wild figures, not very ragged, but without shoes and stockings. The hat of the elder was wreathed round with yellow flowers; the younger, whose hat was only a rimless. crown, had stuck it round with laurel leaves. They continued at play till I drew very near, and then they addressed me with the begging cant and the whining voice of sorrow. I said I served your mother this morning. (The boys were so like the woman who had called at our door that I could not be mistaken.) 'O' says the elder, 'you could not serve my mother, for she's dead, and my father's on at the next town-he's a potter.' I persisted in my assertion, and that I would give them nothing. Says the elder, ‘Let's away,' and away they flew like lightning. They had, however, sauntered so long in their road that they did not reach Ambleside before me, and I saw them go up to Matthew Harrison's house, with their wallet upon the elder's shoulder, and creeping with a beggar's complaining foot. return through Ambleside, I met in the street the mother driving her asses, in the two panniers of one of which were the two little children, whom she was chiding and threatening with a wand which she used to drive on her asses, while the little things hung in wantonness over the pannier's edge. The woman had told me in the morning that she was of Scotland, which her accent fully proved, but that On my she had lived (I think at Wigton), that they could not keep a house, and so they travelled.* "Wednesday, 13th June.... We landed upon the island, where I saw the whitest hawthorn I have seen this the generality of hawthorns are bloomless. Friday, 15th June.-A rainy morning. year I saw wild William and John went upon the lake. Very warm and pleasant, gleams of sunshine. Caught a pike, 71⁄2 lbs., trolling. Langdale. "Monday.-William and I went to Brathay, by Little . . Colwith wild and interesting, from the peat carts and peat gatherers. The valley all perfumed with the gale and wild thyme. The woods about the waterfall bright with rich yellow broom. . . . We met a pretty little boy with a wallet over his shoulder. He came from Hawkshead and was going to sell a sack of meal. He spoke gently and without complaint. When I asked him if he got enough to eat, he looked surprised, and said ‘Nay.' He was seven years old, but seemed not more than five. ... I "Thursday.. W. and I walked up to Mr Simpson's. W. and old Mr S. went to fish in Wytheburn water. dined with John, and lay under the trees. The afternoon changed from clear to cloudy, and to clear again. John and I walked up to the waterfall. . . . Met the fishers. W. caught a pike weighing 4 lbs. There was a gloom almost terrible over Grasmere water and vale. 3 Coleridge, whom we fully expected. No Saturday.—Walked up the hill to Rydal lake. Gras mere looked so beautiful that my heart was almost melted away. It was quite calm, only spotted with sparkles of light; the church visible. On our return all distant objects had faded away, all but the hills. The reflection of the light bright sky above Black Quarter was very solemn. “Sunday.—. In the evening I planted a honeysuckle round the yew tree. . . . No news of Coleridge. "Wednesday. On Sunday, Mr and Mrs Coleridge and Hartley came. "Sunday Morning, 26th.-Very warm. . . . I wrote out Ruth in the afternoon. . . . After tea we rowed down to Loughrigg Fell, visited the white foxglove, gathered wild strawberries, and walked up to view Rydal. We lay a long time looking at the lake; the shores all dim with the scorching sun. The ferns were turning yellow, that is, here and there one was quite turned. We walked round by Benson's wood home. The lake was now most still, and reflected the beautiful yellow and blue and purple and grey colours of the sky. We heard a strange sound in the Bainriggs wood, as we were floating on the water; it seemed in the wood, but it must have been above it, for presently we saw a raven very high above us. It called out, and the dome of the sky seemed to echo the sound.* It called again and again as it flew onwards, and the mountains gave * Compare vol. v., p. 193. back the sound, seeming as if from their centre; a musical bell-like answering to the bird's hoarse voice. We heard both the call of the bird, and the echo, after we could see him no longer. Monday Morning.-Received a letter from Coleridge enclosing one from Mr Davy about the Lyrical Ballads. Intensely hot. William went into the wood and altered his poems. "Thursday.-All the morning I was busy copying poems. In the afternoon Coleridge came. He brought the second volume of Anthology. The men went to bathe, and we afterwards sailed down to Loughrigg. Read poems on the water, and let the boat take its own course. We walked a long time upon Loughrigg. I returned in the grey twilight. The moon just setting as we reached home. Friday, 1st August. In the morning I copied The Brothers. Coleridge and William went down to the lake. They returned, and we all went together to Mary Point, where we sate in the breeze and the shade, and read Altered The Whirlblast, &c. . . . William's poems. Saturday Morning, 2nd.—William and Coleridge went to Keswick. John went with them to Wytheburn, and staid all day fishing. Wednesday, 6th August.—William came home from Keswick at eleven o'clock.. Friday Morning.-We intended going to Keswick, but were prevented by the excessive heat. Nailed up scarlet beans in the morning. . . . Walked over the mountains by Wattendlath. A most enchanting walk. Wattendlath Reached Coleridge's at eleven o'clock. a heavenly scene. 66 Saturday Morning.—I walked with Coleridge in the Windy Brow woods. "Sunday.--Very hot. The C.'s went to church. We sailed upon Derwent in the evening. tr Monday Afternoon.—Walked to Windy Brow. Tuesday... William and I walked along the Cockermouth road. He was altering his poems. "Wednesday.-Made the Windy Brow seat. "Saturday, 22nd.... William composing all the morning. The gleams of sunshine and the stirring trees and gleaming boughs, cheerful lake, most delightful. .. W. read Peter Bell and the poem of Joanna, beside the Rothay by the roadside. "Friday Evening, 28th August.-We walked to Rydal to inquire for letters. We walked over the hill by the firgrove. I sate upon a rock, and observed a flight of swallows gathering together high above my head. They flew towards Rydal. We walked through the wood over the steppingstones. The lake of Rydal very beautiful, partly still. John and I left William to compose an inscription; that about the path.* We had a very fine walk by the gloomy lake. There was a curious yellow reflection in the water, as of corn fields. There was no light in the clouds from which it appeared to come. "Saturday Morning, 28th August.-... William finished his Inscription of the Pathway, then walked in the wood; |