133 



made more at leisure, or from a more favour- 

 able station, can equal the effect produced by 

 the first view obtained of the lake from this 

 spot. 



Since the romantic story of Mary of 

 Buttermere, unfortunately for her a "Tale of 

 real Life," gave to this part of the country an 

 accidental interest in addition to its own 

 natural charms of mountain, lake, and stream, 

 Keswick has gradually become in summer 

 and autumn, a sort of fashionable watering- 

 place among the hills ; which, indeed, it is, 

 in more senses of the word than one ; for in 

 few other places in the kingdom are the 

 inhabitants more frequently drenched with 

 showers of rain. Ladies therefore who 

 design to visit Keswick, need not take their 

 paper bonnets with them ; and no gentleman 

 has been known to ascend Skiddaw in pumps 

 without returning in his stocking feet, if, 

 indeed, a person can be said to walk in his 

 stocking feet, when the greater part of his ten- 

 der soles come in contact with the rough stones 

 every step, or rather hitch, which he takes. 



