LETTER X.
_High Harrogate, September 21st._
For my silence these three weeks your pardon I ask, But really dear mother all writing's a task, Save for sonnets to Agnes I do not know when, My run-a-way fingers laid hold of a pen, But I trust your indulgence will freely excuse, This natural fault in my negligent muse, Since she now comes before you in very great sorrow, To tell you I part with my charmer to-morrow, Tho' the Dragon's quite full and the company gay, And a ball at the Queen's-head is promis'd to-day, Yet when Agnes is gone I most plainly can see, This place will have lost all attraction for me, And I think when the coach and my lovely one in it Drives away, that I too must be off the next minute, Consolation to find in my mother's kind greeting, And forming good plans for our next pleasant meeting.
Then fare ye well Harrogate--dear to my heart, Be the joys you inspire and the health you impart, May your springs ever flow an immutable treasure, And the breeze that blows o'er you be freighted with pleasure; Farewell to your Doctors--more skilful and kind, Not a Spa on the Island can promise to find, But chiefly my own must I leave with regret, For a sigh to our parting is gratitude's debt, His suavity, modesty, knowledge, and truth, Where the wisdom of age, joins the candour of youth, Have made me so truly esteem and respect him, While I value true worth I can never neglect him. No more must I saunter along the Parade, Or fly for a tune to the gay Promenade, At Wilson's exhibit my knowledge or wit, Or step into Wright's for my picture to sit, At Robey's or Bachelor's loiter to chuse, A broach or a ring while I hear all the news, Or ride on the common and gladly inhale, The spirit of strength from the heath-scented gale But tho' to your pleasures I now bid adieu, Be assur'd that next year shall those pleasures renew, Renew and exceed for on Hymen's white wing, To these haunts so belov'd I my Agnes may bring, The hopes of that blessing my cares shall beguile, And I leave thee dear Harrogate now with a smile.
NOTES.
NOTES.
_Our respects to the beauties of Knaresbro' &c._ _Verse 342._--Knaresbro' is a considerable Town, situated on a rock almost encompassed by the river Nidd. Near the town are the ruins of an ancient magnificent castle built soon after the Conquest, and in one side of a neighbouring rock is a cell where an hermit lived, still called St. Robert's Chapel. The altar is cut out of one piece of solid rock, and on it are engraved the figures of three heads, supposed to represent the Trinity. This Robert founded himself a new order of monks, called Robertines, but it is probable that they soon diminished to nothing, as we do not meet with their name either in the Breviary or Baronius.
But the greatest curiosity at Knaresbro' is the petrifying spring commonly called the Dropping-Well. This natural curiosity is a spring that rises about two miles from the town, and after running above a mile under ground, comes to the top of a rock sixteen feet high, after which it drops through in fifty or sixty places into a bason below, formed by nature for its reception. Every drop has something of a musical sound as if it were small stones falling on brass, and near it are many pieces of moss reduced to a state of petrefaction; there is a fine walk on one side of the well shaded with tall trees that makes the whole extremely delightful.
_Extract from British Traveller, page_ 621.
To this brief extract the Editor begs leave to add, that the finest views of this singularly beautiful place are obtained from the Low-bridge, the road leading to the Upper-bridge, and the fields which are nearly opposite the castle; the variety of cottages and the beautiful knolls of bold and herbaged rock which every where intersect the scenery, render it the most picturesque and interesting which can be found in so short a compass. But though much beauty may be discovered in a few hours at Knaresbrough, yet its charms will not be exhausted by the residence of a long life.
_To Plumpton proceeded, &c. v. 374._--This beautiful spot is rendered extremely attractive to the visitors at Harrogate, not only on account of its intrinsic merit, but its vicinity, as it is scarcely three miles distant from High Harrogate. Plumpton is always most admired by those who have seen it most frequently, being more pleasing than striking; it is open to the public on Tuesdays and Fridays; on the road from Plumpton a fine view of the Honourable Mr. Gordon's magnificent new mansion in Rudding Park is obtained.
_Editor's Note._
_To Harewood I went the first day I could, v. 380._ This splendid mansion can be seen only on Saturdays; it is justly considered an object of admiration as it unites elegance with grandeur, and utility with beauty.
_Editor's Note._
_To Studley, &c. v. 389._--The celebrated grounds of Studley have long enjoyed a pre-eminence of fame among the northern beauties; their characteristics are magnificence, uniformity, and neatness. The stateliness of the trees and the luxuriance of their foliage is unequalled, and combines with the smoothness of the water and the "clear smooth shaven green," which surrounds it, to impress on the mind a sense of repose rather than an emotion of surprise. In its own style, Studley is perfect, and can never fail to delight, though it may be unable to astonish.
_But who hallow'd Fountains, &c. v. 393._--The magnificent ruin of Fountains Abbey included in the grounds of Studley, is an object of delight and veneration in the highest degree, and will in the eye of an artist be rendered still more so when it shall have become farther dilapidated; the first view of it from the grounds of Studley is extremely commanding and striking, but as a ruin it is more beautiful and interesting in the interior views; the extent of the church and the monastery and its offices conveys a clear idea of the power and state enjoyed by the Benedictine monks, who resided here in all the dignity of honour and the luxury of wealth--the dining-room and kitchen of the higher orders and the refectory of the lower, bespeak the richness of their revenues and their princely method of disposing of them. The trees, shrubs, and foliage intermingled with these extensive ruins, are the principal source of its beauties, being combined and contrasted with the mouldering arches and nodding towers in every possible form; of these the ivy and wild currant are the most prominent.
_Editor's Note._
_See the Unicorn send us all merry to Newby, &c. v. 483._--Newby-hall the seat of Lord Grantham, is most remarkable for possessing a very fine Gallery built after the model of the Florentine Gallery so long the pride of the civilized world; it contains many fine statues and three sarcophagi, although the largest alone appears to have attracted the attention of Mr. Blunderhead, who it is plain had but little knowledge or taste in works of art.--The tapestry in the drawing-room is considered incomparably fine, but the author has undoubtedly a very handsome and sufficient excuse for leaving it so abruptly.
_Editor's Note._
_Oh then might I sing lovely Hackfall, v. 453._--To those who seek in landscape gardening for the wilder features of nature harmonized yet unsubdued by art, this sequestered vale will present an exquisite treat and afford to the contemplative mind a scene of such deep retirement and romantic seclusion adorned with objects of such exquisite and concentred beauty as must meet the eye ere they can be appreciated by the imagination, which may people these fairy regions with every object of terror, or delight with equal propriety.
_Editor's Note._
_We went to the Minster, v. 505._--The Minster at Rippon is a fine gothic structure, it formerly contained a narrow passage called the Needle of St. Wilfred, used by the monks as an ordeal for female purity.--The Bone-house contains many thousand skulls, and is generally shewn as a curiosity.
_Editor's Note._
_Fam'd Brimham rocks, &c.--v._ 1009.--These prodigious masses of natural rock, together with a druidical temple near them, form one of the objects of curiosity in this neighbourhood; they are distant about eleven miles.
_Editor's Note._
_To view the fine grounds and the ruins of Bolton. v. 1011._--Bolton-Priory stands upon a beautiful curviture of the Wharfe, on a level sufficiently elevated to protect it from inundation, and low enough for every purpose of picturesque effect.--In the latter respect it has no equal among the northern houses, perhaps not in the kingdom.--To the south all is soft and delicious, the eye reposes upon a few rich pastures, a moderate reach of the river sufficiently tranquil to form a mirror for the sun, and the bounding fells beyond neither too near, nor too lofty, to exclude even in winter any considerable portion of his rays.
But after all, the glories of Bolton are on the north, whatever the most fastidious taste could require to form a perfect landscape, is not only found here, but in its proper place; in front and immediately under the eye, is a smooth expanse of park-like inclosure, spotted with native elm, ash, &c. of the finest growth; on the right a skirting oak wood with jutting points of grey rock; on the left a rising copse, still forward are the aged groves of Bolton-park the growth of centuries, and further yet the barren and rocky distances of Simon Seat and Barden Fell, contrasted with the warmth, fertility, and luxuriant foliage of the valley below--about half a mile above Bolton-Priory the valley closes, and either side of the Wharfe is overhung with deep and solemn woods, intermingled with huge masses of perpendicular rocks which jut out at intervals.
This sequestered scene was inaccessible till of late, when under the judicious direction of the Rev. W. Carr, B. D. Rector of Bolton-ridings, were cut in the woods, and the most interesting parts laid open to the eye, at the request of the noble proprietor, His Grace the Duke of Devonshire. _Extract from Dr. Whitaker's history of Craven._
_Howl o'er the Strid, &c.--v. 1085._--In the deep solitude of the woods above Bolton, the Wharfe suddenly contracts itself to a rocky channel little more than four feet wide, and pours through the tremendous fissure with a violence proportioned to its confinement. The place is called the Strid from a feat sometimes exercised by persons of great agility and little prudence, who skip from brink to brink regardless of the destruction which awaits a faltering step. An accident caused by this rashness has given a dreadful and sensible interest to this awful spot, in addition to the commending one it has received by nature, and which is immediately connected with the records of Bolton.
In the 12th century, William Fitz Duncan at the command of David King of Scotland, who was besieging Narham, laid waste this part of Yorkshire with fire and sword, committing every species of cruelty which barbarity could suggest, and humanity deplore. In fourteen years after, David established him by force in the domain he had impoverished, and he married Aaliza daughter and heiress of William de Meschines a neighbouring Earl. They had a son commonly called the Boy of Egremont (from one of his grandfather's baronies where he was born) and who surviving his eldest brother became the sole hope of his family.
This youth in his sixteenth year, inconsiderately bounding over this terrific chasm with a greyhound in his leash, the affrighted animal hung back and drew his unfortunate master into the torrent.--The forester who accompanied young Romille (the Boy of Egremont) returned to the Lady Aaliza, and with a despairing countenance said, "What is good for a bootless bene?" to which the mother apprehending some great calamity had befallen her son, answered, "endless sorrow."--The language of this question proves the antiquity of the story; its meaning appears to have been, what remains when prayer is useless.
This fatal accident induced the Lady Aaliza to translate the Priory of Embsay, founded by her parents from thence to Bolton on account of its proximity to the scene of her son's deplorable death.
_Dr. Whitaker's history of Craven_.
N. B. Six fine coloured prints of views in Bolton have been published from original pictures painted on the spot, by T. C. Hofland, among which is an admirable representation of the Strid.
_Farewell to your Doctors, &c.--v. 1180._--Mr. Blunderhead was undoubtedly right in this observation, as perhaps not one watering place can boast medical men of equal ability and liberality, affording so striking a contrast with those "condemn'd to endless fame," by the memoirs of his celebrated uncle.
Finis.
G. Wilson, Printer, Market-Place, Knaresbrough.
=Transcriber's Notes:= original hyphenation, spelling and grammar have been preserved as in the original Page 16, 'objection she pleases.' changed to 'objection she pleases."' Page 17, "off their glasses" changed to "off their glasses," Page 30, "&c &c. &c." changed to "&c. &c. &c." Page 44, "long winded epistle," changed to "long winded epistle." Page 63, "&c. &c. &c" changed to "&c. &c. &c." Page 69, "all grasping desires" changed to "all grasping desires," Page 76, "&c. &c. &c" changed to "&c. &c. &c." Page 84, "will behold" changed to "will behold," Page 87, "Chalybeate spring" changed to "Chalybeate spring."
End of Project Gutenberg's A Season at Harrogate, by Barbara Hofland