CHAP. I. How could my tongue Take pleasure to be lavish in thy praise! ROWE. COLONEL LORTON was defcended from one of the most antient and refpectable families in the north of England. He had enjoyed the advantages of a liberal education, and paffed fome time at the University; but as he was of an active and enterprizing temper, his father purchased a commiffion for him in the army, and he ferved for fome time, both at home and abroad. Naturally of a quick and inquifitive difpofition, he improved every opportunity of feeing the world; VOL. I. B and and as he belonged to a regiment, in which the officers were intelligent and well-educated, he made it his ftudy to keep pace with them upon all fubjects of useful information. He was ftationed, for fome time, with his regiment at Gibraltar, during the memorable and long fiege by the Spaniards, when that impregnable garrifon was commanded by Governor Elliot, afterwards raised to a peerage by the title of Lord Heathfield. In the fortie made by the British troops upon the Spanish camp, Colonel Lorton received a wound, not fo fevere as another in his face, given him at Naples, where he faved the life of a ftranger from the affault of affaffins. This fecond wound compelled him to quit his profeffion, and try the beneficial effect of his native climate. Still in the prime of life, he retired to his paternal eftate in Cumberland, and fhortly after married a lady of a good family, who had from his earliest youth been the object of his ardent affection. She had very precarious health, and after mak ing him happy by the birth of a daughter, whose name was Emily, fell a prey to a lingering illness. The place of Colonel Lorton's refidence was at a fhort diftance from Kefwick in Cumberland. This county is well known to abound in the romantic beauties of lofty, mountains, picturefque rocks, gleaming lakes, rapid rivers, and fertile vallies. It prefents various changes of landfcape, as often as the traveller pursues the common roads, or strikes into the devious tracks; and there are few parts of Europe which difplay fo many fub. lime and beautiful scenes, within the fame extent of ground. The views indeed presented amid the Lakes in the north of England are wild as naturę can produce, and various as imagination can form. The endless combinations of wood and water, mountain, and valley, if beheld at the proper feafon of the year, when the fun diffuses the strength and beauty of his magic influence; the gleams of light spread over the bold rocks, or illuminating the ex panfive lakes, the mountains half concealed in the clouds, or thrown into dark fhadow, during the folitude and stillness that reign around at noon-day as deep as at midnight— these objects give the eyes fuch entertainment, and awaken in the mind fuch delightful enthufiafm, as thofe who live on plains, or are confined to cities, are not in a fituation to experience, and cannot fully conceive. Lorton house, an old but convenient manfion, was beautifully fituated: in its front was an extenfive and verdant lawn, interspersed with clumps of flowering fhrubs, and where mountain afhes, planes, birch, fir, and other trees difpofed with great taste, flourished in a foil well known to be highly favourable to their rapid and luxuriant growth. The house was sheltered from the north by a hill covered with a floping wood, at the bottom of the lawn flowed a meandering river, for fome distance foaming and rapid, in other parts gliding in a clear and tranquil ftream. On the oppofite hill ftood the vil lage lage church, and not far diftant the parfonage houfe, partly concealed by tall fycamores; around this eminence were numerous fmall inclosures, chiefly of pasture divided by waying lines of hedge rows; a few cottages checkered the prospect, which was terminated by a bending chain of mountains, and among them, far pre-eminent rofe the majestic Skiddaw. The distance at which many of these mountains were placed, made them seem fmaller than they really were; in fummer they appeared of an aerial azure colour; in that feafon of the year the profpect from Lorton house was picturesque in the highest degree, particularly when the fun brightened the landscape with a foft and golden light, and its rays ftreamed between the openings of the mountains upon the verdant and flowery vale. |