the position in which I viewed it, it seemed in momentary readiness to overleap its banks and pour itself upon the village below.

It is now about noonday. The wind has continued fresh; and an half hour ago, we parted from the island standing over from Manghraid's head direct to Whitehaven, distant twenty-five miles: we hope to reach it in three hours.

My accommodations on board are tolerable; nothing better. The captain is disposed to be obliging enough; but as a commander of a vessel seems destitute of skill, and some other needful qualifications. He kept his birth almost the whole of last night, even during his own watch, which was from 12 to 4 o'clock. What aggravated this criminal neglect of duty was the circumstance that the mate of the vessel was drunk, and had been so ever since our weighing anchor.

Half past two P. M.-The weather having been cloudy all day, we did not come within sight of the English coast as soon as I had hoped. St. Bee's Head, a large high bluff, was the first land which we descried; and then it was scarcely five miles distant. The captain has since been employing all hands in unlading the brig of its ballast to save eighteen shillings or a pound, which he would be otherwise obliged to pay to have it removed from the vessel on his getting into harbour. The consequence is that she rolls with considerable violence, and if the wind should increase, the result might be much more unpleasant.

Whitehaven is the Newcastle of Cumberland. Its coal mines are very valuable, and have been extensively worked. It is said that the miners in following several horizontal veins of coal, after sinking the perpendicular shaft to a great depth, have opened passages fairly under the sea; that is to say, to a considerable distance without the line of low water mark, admitting this report to be true, it is singular to reflect that in entering the harbour of Whitehaven, we may be sailing above the heads of human beings, who some hundred feet at least beneath us, are digging unsuspectingly, in "the bowels of the harmless earth."

Cocermouth, Cumberland Co. Saturday evening.

At three P. M. we dropt anchor in the little port of Whitehaven, and the next minute found me once more upon English ground. This was a pleasure of no small kind; and in stepping foot again upon the soil of that country, which contains much that I prize, and more that I admire, I could not refrain from repeating to myself,-" England, with all thy faults, I love thee still."

The same rich verdure which renders the fields of Ireland so lovely, I found mantling the hills of Cumberland. The country, too, immediately round Whitehaven is intersected with low embankments of earth, clothed with a fine green turf, instead of hedges of thorn; in the same manner as are most of the enclosed lands which I saw in Ireland. The quays of Whitehaven are numerous and excellent; but the town itself boasts of little beauty. The poorer inhabitants, whether men, women, or children, wear large clumsy wooden shoes, which make a very disagreeable clattering as they tread the pavement; but disagreeable as the sound is, I am much more pleased with it, than being obliged to see the same classes of people, walking the streets barefoot, as is the case among the Irish.

Repairing to an inn, I learnt that no coaches would proceed to Keswick before Monday;-a place which I wish much to take in my route to Edinburgh-and finding also no post horses disengaged I was obliged, though very reluctantly, to make up my mind to stay in Whitehaven over Sunday. But my inquietude was of short continuance. A few minutes after, a vehicle, precisely similar to the Irish jingle drove to the door; and on going to the window from the impulse of curiosity, wondering how these singular machines, should have found their way into England, I ascertained, with surprise and pleasure, that it was an accommo

dation conveyance, which was stopping to take in passengers for Cocermouth, a small town, somewhat more than half way to Keswick. All this, by the by, though a stated daily arrangement, the good landlord, for very obvious reasons, had taken care not to apprise me of himself. Finding one unoccupied seat, I immediately threw my valise into the vehicle, and the next instant it drove off. Of the other three passengers, one was a native of Keswick, and just landed from the Isle of Man; a very intelligent and pleasant companion. He was familiar with the road, and being rather more communicative than Englishmen generally are, gave me much information of places and things as we drove along.

The road, for the first three or four miles, followed pretty close by the coast; but afterwards, diverged into the interior of the country. The face of this was hilly and broken into high swells, but by no means mountainous. We passed a few villages, the houses of which, exhibited a neat appearance, numerous farm houses and cottages also, were scattered in every direction, and in front of most of them might be seen little lawns, or gardens, or shrubberies. The women whom we passed were all neat, and those that were young, bonnie and blooming,-vastly improved in this respect contrasted with the Irish. After a ride of eight miles, we came in view of the Derwentwater, -a coy little stream,-rolling its amber waters over a bed of pebbles, and meandering through a succession of richly enamelled meads. It accompanied us during the remainder of the way, and amused me much by its playfulness and prattling. One mile further I caught the first glimpse of Skiddaw. It is not, as I conceived, a single mountain rising in a lofty cone, but a broken, towering chain of highlands. Loose, lazy clouds were floating around their summits, alternately veiling, and disclosing them to view. As we proceeded, the scenery rose in character, assuming at every step, a more composed and

statelier air, and after a delightful ride of fourteen miles, which gave ample presage of higher satisfactions in prospect, I alighted at the door of an inn, which promised all the comforts which a fatigued traveller might wish.

Keswick, Royal Oak, May 4th.

What those comforts were, in other words, what is meant in general by the boasted comforts of an English inn, -those only can well understand, who have actually experienced them. The house in which I lodged last night, was no ways remarkably good; indeed, comparatively indifferent, yet it fully redeemed the promise which I have said it made on my alighting. To any one of equally plain habits and tastes with myself, it might be enough to refer as some evidence of this to the supper table which 'rose like an exhalation' before me within ten minutes after my arrival,-being spread with the finest trout from the Derwent, the best Cumberland mutton, sparkling Ulverstone ale, and port of excellent body and racy flavour. But after all, perhaps the greatest recommendation of an English inn, is the excellence of its beds; these are luxurious indeed, and last night I occupied one which Juno might have envied, with all the roses and myrtles of Ida, or Olympus for her couch. But this, en passant.

Early in the morning, I walked out to survey the town of C. It is situated on the Derwent; is irregularly built, and very old in its appearance. The immense ruins of a once noble castle, gray with moss, and finely clothed with ivy, crown an eminence which adjoins the town, and overhangs the river. The pile, now the property of Lord Egremont, was once baronial, and a place of great strength; erected as a defence against the predatory border inroads of the

Scotch.

At the hour of divine service I went to church; it was well attended; and the exercises throughout, were conducted with great solemnity and decorum. The sermon was de

livered by a young man, and possessed much merit. It was chaste and nervous in style, replete with excellent sentiments, and delivered with judicious action, and a modest, manly tone of voice. The church is very antique, and presents a number of curious old monuments, which are ranged around the interior of its walls.

Being anxious to continue my route northward with as little delay as possible, early in the afternoon I mounted a horse, and in company with the gentleman who was my fellow passenger from Whitehaven yesterday, proceeded towards this place: a ride of such varied beauty and grandeur for an equal distance I never before enjoyed. The road on leaving C. soon entered the mountains; and continued either winding along their feet, or climbing and skirting their acclivities the residue of the way. Proceeding two or three miles, we descended into the beautiful vale of Lorton. It is an extensive and well cultivated tract, enclosed on all sides by high and steep mountains. The pretty village of Lorton, with its venerable church, stands in the centre; and at the extremities of the valley, are two or three neat hamlets. Near the latter, were several very flourishing plantations of larches. As we rode along, I noticed the sycamore, (New England balm of Gilead,) the willow, (called in this neighbourhood, the palm,) and the pear-tree, in full leaf. The hedges of hawthorn and privet, displayed also a luxuriant foliage. Over them the wild honeysuckle was creeping: and on the green turf beneath, the daisy, violet, and primrose smiled in full bloom. Passing from the vale of Lorton, we penetrated hills of a sterner grandeur than those which we had left. For a considerable distance not a single enclosure appeared, and scarcely a defile fit for cultivation, except where some mountain brook dashed from the precipice, and furrowed an opening amidst the opposing crags. These streams were frequent; and from their channels it is evident, are always much swollen by spring and autumnal