188 



" It is singular that this term appears to have 

 been used in the same way among the Romans ; 

 for we find that the crest of the Alps near Mount 

 St. Bernard was anciently called Alpes Pennine; 

 and that the very same name was also applied by 

 them to the central chain of mountains which ex- 

 tends from the borders of Scotland to the middle 

 of Derbyshire. This Penine chain traverses the 

 great northern coal district ; and many of its 

 hills retain the old British term pen, as, Peny- 

 gent, Pendle hill, &c." 



" There are several wild and very picturesque 

 views," said my aunt, " in that Penine chain ; 

 and its caverns, precipices, and torrents, have all 

 a singular character, particularly the sublime 

 and curious scenery of The Peak. I am sure, 

 Caroline, you recollect a beautiful description of 

 the banks of the Greta in Yorkshire, in your 

 favourite poem of Rokeby." 



Caroline immediately repeated these lines 



" Broad shadows o'er the passage fell, 

 Deeper and narrower grew the dell; 

 It seemed some mountain, rent and riven, 

 A channel for the stream had given, 

 So high the cliffs of limestone grey 

 Hung beetling o'er the torrent's way, 

 Yielding along their rugged base 

 A flinty foot-path's niggard space; 

 Where he who winds 'twixt rock and wave, 

 May hear the headlong torrent rave, 

 And like a steed in frantic fit, 

 That flings the froth from curb and bit, 

 May view her chafe her waves to spray 

 O'er every rock that bars her way." 



