The topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland (1842) (14590644919)

Identifier: topographicalvo21842scot (find matches)
Title: The topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland
Year: 1842 (1840s)
Authors: Scotland. (Appendix. - Descriptions, Topography and Travels.)
Subjects:
Publisher: Glasgow : A. Fullarton & Co.
Contributing Library: National Library of Scotland
Digitizing Sponsor: National Library of Scotland



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may scan the abrupt greenhills on either side, from the waters edge to theirsummits, without seeing any work of human art,save scattered here and there on the declivities thosemysterious looking circular sheep-pens, which looklike so many gigantic dogs collars dropped from theclouds, and remaining where they fell. The bankssink abruptly down into the lake, the waters of whichare exquisitely transparent. Wordsworth says—hemust have seen it in a fine sunny day, as we did— Through her depths St. Marys lakeIs visibly delighted,For not a feature of those hillsU in the mirror slighted. It is, in fact, a most minute and faithful looking-glass to all the hills, and they look as clean andsmooth as if they had shaved themselves by it. Thewhole scene must have indeed been very differentfrom its present aspect, when these abrupt hills werecovered with dusky pines;— * They saw the derke forest them before,They thought it awsume for to see, says the ballad of the outlaw Murray, describing the
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v MAR 331 MAR advance of the Kings full 5,000 men, in one of theexpeditions of the Jameses to make war on therievers. Sir Walter Scott, in his Introduction tothe second canto of * Marmion, has given a mostfaithful and graphic description of this loch, whichour readers will thank us for transferring to ourpages:— Oft in my mind such thoughts awakeBy.lnoe St. Marys silent lake.Thou kuowatit well,—nor fen, nor sedge,Pollute the pure lakes crystal edge ;Abrupt and sheer, the mountains sinkAt once upon the level brink ;And just a trace of silver sandMarks where the water meets the land.Far in the mirror, bright and blue,Each hills huge outline you may view ;Shaggy with heath, but lonely bare,Nor tree, nor bush, nor brake is there,Save where, of land, yon slender lineBears thwart the lake the scattered pine.Nor thicket, dell, nor copse you spyWhere living thing concealed might lie ;Nor point, retiring, hides a dell,Where swain, or woodman loue, might dwell;There^e nothing left to Fancys