78 



Permanent Lake District Defence Society, which, in league 

 with the Commons Preservation Society, and other associations 

 with kindred aims, such as the Kyrle and Ruskin Societies are, 

 shall have a Guarantee Fund of not less than ;^Sooo ready for 

 use. 



The Executive of the Borrowdale and Derwentwater Defence 

 Committee have issued circulars, of which I append a copy, and 

 the Guarantee Fund already is in process of formation. 



Some time hence, who knows, a wise Government may enable 

 the Lake District to have a special Act to protect it from railroad 

 outrage for the people, as has been done in the Yellow-Stone Park, 

 and partially in the Yosemite Valley of America (though there the 

 State not only provided an Act, but first bought it up for the 

 people's use). 



Meanwhile it is suggested, that since the members of the Words- 

 worth Society, to whom this paper was read in London, show their 

 zeal in the cause by joining us; it would be a gracious act to the 

 memory of the great poet if, as a body, you elected to co-operate 

 with the Lake District Defence Society, even as the Wordsworth 

 Society has elected to co-operate with us. 



Lord Houghton (then Mr. Milnes), in answer to Wordsworth's 

 Sonnet (in days, I suppose, when it looked as if steam was never 

 to be turned of in a siding, or to blow off at a terminus, but was 

 to dash its hot way through all things), said in sonnet fashion— 



The hour may come, — nay, must, in these our days, 

 When the harsh steam-car, with the cataract's shout 

 Shall mingle its swift roll, and motley rout 

 Of multitudes these mountain echoes raise. 

 And thou, the Patriarch of these pleasant ways, 

 Canst hardly grudge that crowded streets send out 

 In Sabbath glee the sons of care and doubt 

 To read these scenes by light of thine own lays. 



We answer, that neither the Patriarch, nor we his humble and 

 very grateful disciples, grudge the fair free use of Lakeland to all 

 sons of toil and doubt who will come, Wordsworth in hand, " to 

 see, and honour, and believe." The more the better for England's 

 future of thought and high feeling. 



