292 ^uttermere district 



district, — more ' material ' in a small area. The hills 

 are close, rocky, and at every turn give fresh combinations 

 which shape well for pictures. 



We have elsewhere (page 250) described some of the 

 characteristics of the scenery ; but, besides the rugged hills 

 and storm there alluded to, Buttermere and Crummock have 

 charming patches of green meadow, running close up to the 

 bare and precipitous rocks, which by contrast make the 

 hills more beautiful and imposing than elsewhere. De 

 Quincey says, 'the margin of the lake, which is over- 

 hung by some of the loftiest and steepest of the Cumbrian 

 mountains, exhibits on either side few traces of human 

 neighbourhood ; the level area, where the hills recede enough 

 to allow of any, is of a wild pastoral character, or almost 

 savage. The waters of the lake are deep and sullen, and 

 the barrier mountains, by excluding the sun for much of his 

 daily course, strengthen the gloomy impressions. At the 

 foot of this lake lie a few unornamented fields, through 

 which rolls a little brook, connecting it with the larger lake 

 of Crummock, and, at the edge of this miniature domain, 

 upon the road-side, stands a cluster of cottages, so small 

 and few, that in the richer tracts of the island they would 

 scarcely be complimented with the name of hamlet.* But, 

 since De Quincey's time there have been a good many 

 changes : a neat little church and school have been built f 

 and, besides the hotels, several new dwellings have sprung up, 



* The old church was supposed by many to be the smallest in Eng- 

 land. It was rebuilt in 1840, and is still very diminutive. The old 

 church or chapel stood upon the same site, and was of great antiquity. 

 It may be interesting to some to pay a visit to the little school, which is 

 carried on by subscription and maintained with difficulty. Boxes are 

 placed in the hotel to receive contributions from the visitors who desire 

 to help the little people of the dale in acquiring the rudiments of learn- 

 ing, — a task apparently much more difficult to them than climbing the 

 giddy heights of their native mountains. 



