24 jStorrs, 



than a seat under the last trees of this projection. It is 

 breezy here ; and the waters smack the shore cheerily. The 

 Troutbeck hills come into view, and the head of the lake is 

 grander. The round house on Curwen's (or Belle) Island* 

 is seen among the trees. The Ferry-house, under its canopy 

 of tall sycamores, and with its pebbly beach, is immediately 

 opposite ; and behind it rises the wooded bank, which is, in 

 light or shadow, one of the chief graces of the scene. If 

 the sun shines upon it, it is feathered with foliage to the very 

 ridge, and the bay beneath it is blue and lustrous. If the 

 sun has gone down behind it, the bay is black : every dip- 

 ping bird sprinkles it with silver ; and the duck that comes 

 sailing out with her brood, draws behind her a pencil of 

 white light. 



From this point, a view opens to the south. In the ex- 

 panse of waters is another island ; and further down, on the 

 eastern shore, a pier extends with a little tower at the end. 

 This is Storrs : and at the pier did the guests embark, when 

 Scott went to meet Canning at Mr BoltOIi's, and the 5n5 

 regatta took place (under the direction of Christopher North) 

 which is celebrated in Lockhart's Life of Scott This was 

 only two years before Canning's death, and seven before that 

 of Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Bolton are gone, and Christopher 

 North himself has followed. 



It is probable that no stranger ever sees that pier without 

 thinking of Professor Wilson ; and, indeed, there is no spot 

 in the neighbourhood, with which his memory, and the 

 gratitude of his readers, is not associated. Anywhere such 

 a presence is rarely seen ; and it was especially impressive 

 in the places he best loved to haunt. More than one per- 



* The shady and well-kept walk round Curwen's Island is well worth 

 a visit. The hotel-keepers of Bowness have authority to give tickets of 

 admission. 



