DOCSLIB.ORG

The Recreations of Christopher North

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Recreations of Christopher North Li THE RECREATIONS EDINBURGH! PRINTED HY BAI.LANTYNE AND IIUOHRs, PAUL'S WORK, OANONGATE. THE RECREATI (J N S IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. M.DCCC.XLII. CONTENTS. Page I. THE MOORS, PROLOGUE, ....... I FLIGHT FIRST GLEN ETIVE, . 4t FLIGHT SECOND THE COVES OF CRCACHA.V, ... 80 FLIGHT THIRD STILL LIFE, ..... 108' FLIGHT FOURTH DOWN RIVER AD UP LOCH, . 152 II. HIGHLAND SNOW STORM, ... 191 III. THE HOLT CHILD, ..... 220 IV. OUR PARISH, .... 2.3T V. MAY-DAT, 2GG. VI. SACRED POETRT, CHAPTER I., . .320 CHAPTER II., . .342 CHAPTER 373 III., ....... CHAPTER IV 391 RECREATIONS CHRISTOPHER NORTH. THE MOORS. PROLOGUE. ONCE we knew the Highlands absolutely too well not a nook that was not as familiar to us as our brown study. We had not to complain of the lochs, glens, woods, and mountains alone, for having so fastened themselves upon us on a great scale that we found it impossible to shake them off; but the hardship in our case was, that all the subordinate parts of the scenery, many of them dull and dreary enough, and some of them intolerably tedious, had taken it upon themselves so to thrust their intimacy upon us, in all winds and weathers, that without giving them the cut direct there was no way of escaping from the burden of their friendship. To VOL. II. A 2 RECREATIONS OF CHRISTOPHER NORTH. courteous and humane Christians, such as \ve have al- ways been both by name and nature as far back as we can recollect, it is painful to cut even an impudent stone, or an upsetting tree that may cross our path uncalled for, or obtrude itself on our privacy when we wish to be alone in our meditations. Yet, we confess, they used sometimes sorely to try our temper. It is all very well for you, our good sir, to say in excuse for them that such objects are inanimate. So much the worse. Were they animate, like yourself, they might be reasoned with on the impropriety of interrupting the stream of any man's soliloquies. But being not merely inanimate but irra- tional, objects of that class know not to keep their own place, which indeed, it may be said in reply, is kept for them by nature. But that Mistress of the Ceremonies, though enjoying a fine green old age, cannot be ex- pected to be equally attentive to the proceedings of all the objects under her control. Accordingly, often when she is not looking, what more common than for a huge hulking fellow of a rock, with an absurd tuft of trees on his head, who has observed you lying half-asleep on the greensward, to hang eavesdropping, as it were, over your most secret thoughts, which he whispers to the winds, and they to all the clouds ! Or for some grotesque and fantastic ash, with a crooked back, and arms dis- proportionately long, like a giant in extreme old age dwindling into a dwarf, to jut out from the hole in the wall, and should your leaden eye chance at the time to love the ground, to put his mossy fist right in your philo- sophical countenance ! In short, it is very possible to THE MOORS. 6 know a country so thoroughly well, outside and in, from mountain to molehill, that you get mutually tired of one another's company, and are ready to vent your quarrel in reciprocal imprecations. So was it once with us and the Highlands. That " too much familiarity breeds contempt" we learned many when to write text a long year ago, learning large ; and passages in our life have been a running commentary on the theme then set us by that incomparable caligraphist, " Butterworth. All the old familiar faces" occasionally in for a of that and on that come portion feeling ; ac- count, we are glad that we saw, but for one day and one night, Charles Lamb's. Therefore, some dozen years ago we gave up the Highlands, not wishing to quarrel with them, and confined our tender assiduities to the Lowlands, while, like two great Flats as we were, we kept staring away at each other, with our lives on the same level. All the consequences that might naturally have been expected have ensued; and we are now as heartily sick of the Lowlands, and they of us. What can we do but return to our First Love? Allow us to offer another view of the subject. There is not about Old Age one blessing more deserving gratitude to Heaven, than the gradual bedimming of memory brought on by years. In youth, all things, in- ternal and external, are unforgetable, and by the per- petual presence of passion oppress the soul. The eye of a woman haunts the victim on whom it may have given a glance, till he leaps perhaps out of a four-story window. A beautiful lake, or a sublime mountain, 4 RECREATIONS OF CHRISTOPHER NORTH. drives a young poet as mad as a March hare. He loses himself in an interminable forest louring all round the horizon of a garret six feet square. It matters not to him whether his eyes be open or shut. He is at the mercy of all Life and all Nature, and not for one hour can he escape from their persecutions. His soul is the slave of the Seven Senses, and each is a tyrant with instruments of torture, to whom and to which Phalaris, with his brazen bull, was a pointless joke. But in old age "the heart of a man is oppressed with care" no the Seven have lost their and longer ; Tyrants sceptres, dethroned and the feels are ; greyheaded gentleman " that his soul has set up its rest." His eyes are dazzled no more with insufferable light no more his ears tingle with music too exquisite to be borne no more his touch is transport. The scents of nature, stealing from the balmy mouths of lilies and roses, are deadened in his nos- trils. He is above and beyond the reach of all the long arms of many-handed misery, as he is out of the convulsive clutch of bliss. And is not this the state of best hap- piness for mortal man ? Tranquillity ! The peaceful air that we breathe as we are westering towards the sunset-regions of our Being, and feel that we are about to drop down for ever out of sight behind the Sacred Mountains. All this may be very fine, but cannot be said to help us far on with our Prologue. Let us try it again. Old men, we remarked, ought to be thankful to Heaven for their dim memories. Never do we feel that more pro- foundly than when dreaming about the Highlands. All THE MOORS. 5 is confusion. Nothing distinctly do we remember not even the names of lochs and mountains. Where is Ben Cru Cru Cru what's-his-name ? Ay ay Crua- chan. At this blessed moment we see his cloud-capped head but we have clean forgotten the silver sound of the name of the county he encumbers. Ross-shire ? Nay, that won't do he never was at Tain. We are assured by Dr Reid's, Dr Beattie's, and Dugald Stewart's great Instinctive First Principle Belief, that oftener than once, or ten times either, have we been in a day-long hollow among precipices dear to eagles, called Glen- " Etive. But where begins or where ends that severe sojourn," is now to us a mystery though we hear the sound of the sea and the dashing of cataracts. Yet though all is thus dim in our memory, would you believe it that nothing is utterly lost ? No, not even the thoughts that soared like eagles vanishing in the light or that dived like ravens into the gloom. They all re-appear those from the Empyrean these from Hades remind- ing us of the good or the evil borne in other days, within the spiritual regions of our boundless being. The world of eye and ear is not in reality narrowed because it ever and anon as a di- glimmers ; years advance, light rect from heaven dissipates the gloom, and bright and glorious as of yore the landscape laughs to the sea, the sea to heaven, and heaven back again to the gazing spirit that leaps forward to the hailing light with something of the same divine passion that gave wings to our youth. All this may be still finer, yet cannot be said, any more with than the preceding paragraph, much to help us on 6 RECREATIONS OF CHRISTOPHER NORTH. our Prologue. To come then, if possible, to the point at once We are happy that our dim memory and our dim imagination restore and revive in our mind none but the characteristic features of the scenery of the High- lands, unmixed with baser matter, and all floating mag- nificently through a spiritual haze, so that the whole is more than ever idealized and in of region now ; spite all his present, past, and future prosiness Christopher North, soon as in thought his feet touch the heather, becomes a poet. It has long been well known to the whole world that we are a sad egotist yet our egotism, so far from being a detraction from our attraction, seems to be the very soul of it in it, making impossible nature for any reason- able being to come within its sphere, without being drawn by sweet compulsion to the old wizard's heart He is so humane ! Only look at him for a few minutes, and liking becomes love love becomes veneration.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Diary of William Owen from November 10, 1824 to April 20, 1825 Ed. by Joel W
    Library of Congress Diary of William Owen from November 10, 1824 to April 20, 1825 ed. by Joel W. Hiatt. INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS. VOLUME IV. NUMBER 1. DIARY OF WILLIAM OWEN From November 10, 1824, to April 20, 1825 EDITED BY JOEL W. HIATT LC INDIANAPOLIS: THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY. 1906. 601 25 Pat 14 F521 .I41 114026 08 iii PREFACE. 3 456 Part 2 8 The manuscript of this diary of William Owen has remained in the hands of his only daughter—formerly Mary Francis Owen, now Mrs. Joel W. Hiatt—for many years and its existence, save to a few, has been unknown. It is fragmentary in form. It is possibly the close of a journal which had been kept for years before. Its first sentence in the original is an incomplete one, showing that there was an antecedent portion. The picture of the times is so graphic than the Indiana Historical Society publishes it, on account of its historical value. Mr. Owen was 22 years old at the time of its composition. Diary of William Owen from November 10, 1824 to April 20, 1825 ed. by Joel W. Hiatt. http://www.loc.gov/resource/lhbtn.14024 Library of Congress William Owen was the second of four sons born to Robert and Ann Caroline Owen, of Scotland. Their names were Robert Dale, William, David Dale, and Richard. Three of them, Robert Dale, David Dale and Richard are known where ever the sun shines on the world of literature or science. William, who, because of habit or for his own amusement, wrote this diary is not known to fame.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction. Bonhill Parish in Olden Times, According to Early Charters, Was Spelt “Bochlul” “Buthelulle” and “Bohtlul”
    Introduction. Bonhill Parish in olden times, according to early charters, was spelt “Bochlul” “Buthelulle” and “Bohtlul”. The Parish derives its name from the Gaelic word Bog-n’- uill, meaning “foot of the rivulet”. Gradually through the years the word changed until we now have Bonhill. The villages of Bonhill Parish are better known as the Vale of Leven and are named Bonhill, Jamestown, Balloch and Alexandria. They are all situated in the Leven Valley through which the river Leven flows, the second swiftest river in Scotland. According to reliable authorities the first reference to Bonhill Parish, that so far has been found, is in a charter of 1270. This charter was granted by Maldowen, the third Earl of Lennox in confirming a grant made to the church at Glasgow of “the land of Hachenkeroch, in the Parish of Buthelulle”. The Vale of Leven is bounded on the north by Loch Lomond on the south by the Burgh of Dumbarton, the tail end of the Grampians on the west and a lesser range of hills on· the east. The Vale of Leven is famous for its romantic beauty and go where you will there is no place to compare with “the beautiful Vale”. There is one snag and that is capitalism. The industrialists in erecting their factories gave no consideration to the beauty of the valley and ugly factories were dumped down with large chimney stalks reaching to the sky, belching foul black smoke. The Vale of Leven is the gateway to Loch Lomond, the most beautiful Loch in the world.
    [Show full text]
  • July 1909 : Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor, No. 83
    DEPARTMENT OP COMMERCE AND LABOR BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR NO. 8 3 -JULY, 1909 ISSUED EVERY OTHER MONTH WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING * OFFICE 1909 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis CONTENTS. Page. Women’s trade union movement in Great Britain, by Katherine Graves Busbey, A. B.: History of the movement........ ........................................ .............................. 1-5 Obstacles to organization of women................................................................. 5-10 Occupations temporary..................... ...................................................... 6 Low wages and low standard of living.................................................... 6,7 Class distinctions........................................................................................ 8,9 Liability to victimization and apathy...................................................... 9,10 Attitude of male trade unionists to organization of wom en ........................ 11-18 Growth of organization among women workers............................................ 18-22 Results of organization of women workers......................................................22-32 Aid secured through legal proceedings....................................................22,23 Recent legislation.........................................................................................23-25 Crusade against living-in and truck
    [Show full text]
  • The Growth of the Cotton Industry and Scottish Economic Development, 1780-1835
    THE GROWTH OF THE COTTON INDUSTRY AND SCOTTISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, 1780-1835 by ALEXANDER JAMES ROBERTSON M.A., University of Glasgow, 1963 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF M.A. in the Department of History We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA July, 1965. In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of .- the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of • British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that per• mission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that;copying or publi• cation of this thesis.for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission* Department of History The University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada Date 26th July, 1965. THE GROWTH OF THE COTTON INDUSTRY AND SCOTTISH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, 1780-1835. ABSTRACT This study is intended, first of all, to be an examination of the growth of the cotton industry in Scotland from 176*0 to 1835. During this period, it became the largest and most important sector of the Scottish industrial economy, producing over 70% of the country's exports by value. There is, however, a subsidiary problem, that of placing the industry's growth within the general context of Scottish economic development in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The choice of terminal dates was to some extent dictated by the availability of material.
    [Show full text]
  • Hard Surface / LVT Product Guide 2019 V2
    Hard Surface / LVT Product Guide 2019 V2 For more than 130 years, Tarkett has been at the foundation of creating more beautiful spaces, unlocking the infinite possibilities that happen when we come together. We believe in the power of collaboration, going the extra mile and investing in the future. Please join us. Welcome to Tarkett. The power of collaboration. Creating Together Tarkett believes deeply in the value of collaboration, in bringing together different voices and ideas to create something worth more than the sum of its parts. Within our walls, we’re committed to fostering a diverse work environment that encompasses and nurtures people from all backgrounds, ages, races, ethnic groups, and lifestyles. Outside our walls, we’ve been co-creating with our customers and prominent designers around the globe to create flooring solutions that inspire. When you or your customers ask if something is possible, Tarkett’s response is almost always a resounding Yes. If you can imagine it, we’ll work to create it. 004 Design collaboration Suzanne Tick is the founder of Suzanne Tick Inc., specializing in materials brand strategy, product design, development, and direction for commercial interiors. Suzanne is currently partnering with Tarkett on Brand Strategy and Product Development, Design Consultant for Tarkett, Creative Director for LUUM, and Design Partner for Skyline Design. She has maintained a distinguished career as a textile designer and studio Principal in New York City. Suzanne has been a Design Consultant at Tarkett since 2005 and her designs, across product platforms, have won numerous design awards and continue to break new ground in the industry.
    [Show full text]
  • Renfrewshire Bleachfields in the 18Th Century
    Renfrewshire Bleachfields in the 18th Century A FAmily oF threAds 1 Renfrewshire Bleachfields Throughout the eighteenth century, bleachfields were a common sight across the west of Scotland, and the owners advertised their services widely. The advertisements they placed in local and national newspapers provided potential customers with detailed information about the services available, including pricing, bleaching methods, hand-in and collection points and dates, along with any other terms and conditions. The following two adverts for the Fereneze Bleachfield, the first from 1771 and the second from 1797, show that (apart from the prices) nothing much about the process had changed much in over 25 years. 2 The Paisley Protecting Society The nature of bleaching operations meant that the necessary long-term exposure of goods on the bleachfields, and lack of adequate supervision, often led to substantial losses from theft. Rather than involve themselves in expensive prosecutions, the bleach Masters often allowed the crimes to go unchallenged and, therefore, unpunished. Fed up with this state of affairs, on the 22nd December 1791, a group of local gentlemen ‘concerned in the bleach industry’ resolved to form themselves into a society, named The Paisley Protecting Society. Chaired by William Carlile, the society agreed that each member should contribute an initial amount of one guinea, and further amounts annually, depending on the number of their employees. These funds were then used to, “discover, apprehend and bring to justice all such persons
    [Show full text]
  • COLLOQUE SCIENTIFIQUE Et HISTORIQUE OBERKAMPF ET LA TOILE IMPRIMÉE XVIIIE–XIXE SIÈCLES PRODUCTION, CRÉATION, CONSOMMATION
    COLLOQUE SCIENTIFIQUE ET HISTORIQUE OBERKAMPF ET LA TOILE IMPRIMÉE XVIIIE–XIXE SIÈCLES PRODUCTION, CRÉATION, CONSOMMATION L'objectif de cet ouvrage n'est pas de proposer aux lecteurs un « énième » ouvrage sur la toile de Jouy1, sur cette manufacture2, ni même sur son célèbre fondateur3, mais de multiplier les points de vue concernant l'industrie textile de l'impression. Les nombreuses contributions permettent d'envisager l'industrie des toiles imprimées à l'échelle européenne, dans des processus d'échanges et de circulations, depuis la première globalisation à l'époque moderne jusqu'à la révolution industrielle en Europe au XIXe siècle. Oberkampf n'est pas le sujet de ce livre, mais sa personnalité est présente en filigrane dans les contributions rassemblées qui touchent aux questions industrielles et techniques, commerciales et artistiques, jusqu'au phénomène de patrimonialisation des toiles avec la constitution des collections textiles depuis la fin du XIXe siècle ou comment la toile de Jouy est entrée au musée. En faisant le point sur l'histoire de la toile imprimée, cet ouvrage contribue à prolonger les commémorations autour de la figure d'Oberkampf qui ont jalonné l'année 2015 à l'occasion du bicentenaire de sa mort. 1. Voir la publication récente de Gril-Mariotte, Aziza, (2015) Les toiles de Jouy, histoire d'un art décoratif (1760–1821), Rennes : Presses Universitaires de Rennes, publié avec le soutien du Musée de la Toile de Jouy. 2. Voir l'histoire économique retracée par Chassagne, Serge, (1980) Oberkampf, un entrepreneur capitaliste au Siècle des lumières, Paris : Aubier, réédition 2015. 3. Voir le récit proposé par Mallet, Etienne, (2015) Oberkampf, vivre pour entreprendre : Journal de l'inventeur de la Toile de Jouy (1738–1815), Paris : ed.
    [Show full text]
  • Download: Brill.Com/Brill-Typeface
    i Compound Histories © Lissa Roberts and Simon Werrett, 2018 | doi 10.1163/9789004325562_001 This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC License. ii Cultural Dynamics of Science Editors Lissa Roberts (Science, Technology and Policy Studies (STePS), University of Twente, The Netherlands) Agustí Nieto-Galan (Centre d’Història de la Ciència (CEHIC) & Facultat de Ciències (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain) Oliver Hochadel (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Institució Milà i Fontanals, Barcelona, Spain) Advisory Board Miruna Achim (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana–Cuajimalpa, Ciudad de México, CDMX) Warwick Anderson (University of Sydney) Mitchell Ash (Universität Wien) José Ramón Bertomeu-Sánchez (Universitat de Valencia) Paola Bertucci (Yale University) Daniela Bleichmar (University of Southern California) Andreas Daum (University of Buffalo) Graeme Gooday (University of Leeds) Paola Govoni (Università di Bologna) Juan Pimentel (CSIC, Madrid) Stefan Pohl (Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá) Arne Schirrmacher (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin) Ana Simões (Universidade de Lisboa) Josep Simon (Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá) Jonathan Topham (University of Leeds) VOLUME 2 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/cds iii Compound Histories Materials, Governance and Production, 1760-1840 Edited by Lissa L. Roberts Simon Werrett LEIDEN | BOSTON iv This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, pro- vided the original author(s) and source are credited. Cover illustration: “The Dissolution, or The Alchymist producing an Aetherial Representation.” An alchemist using a crown-shaped bellows to blow the flames of a furnace and heat a glass vessel in which the House of Commons is distilled; satirizing the dissolution of parliament by Pitt.
    [Show full text]
  • Paisley Cotton Talk
    RLHF Journal Vol.15 (2009) 1. The Development of the Cotton Industry in Paisley Stuart Nisbet Preface It is a common difficulty in Scottish history and archaeology that big successes become so well-known that we lose sight of how they actually started. Such is the case with cotton mills. This paper asks how the vast ‘Paisley Mills’ of Coats and Clark actually developed. This will take us back through a potted evolution of the textile mill, leading up to the development of Paisley’s world-wide success in textile making. The story is very wide-ranging, but as the emphasis of the 2008 conference is on built heritage, we will look at the earlier period through a quick tour of the buildings or physical evidence. The development of the cotton mill can be seen through an evolution of five groups of textile ‘mill’: 1. Weaving Mills or ‘Manufactories’ 2. Thread Mills 3. Lint Mills 4. Wash Mills, Bleachfields and Printfields 5. Spinning Mills Early Ferguslie Mills and Paisley Canal c.1830 (Courtesy of Glasgow University Archive Services Ref. GB 248 UGD 199). Introduction What is a cotton mill? Today it can mean anything from a water-powered factory to a warehouse up the A9 which sells tartan rugs, shortbread and fiddle music. How does a cotton mill compare with earlier textile mills, such as thread mills and lint mills? Does a water powered mill differ from a steam powered mill? Is a Paisley cotton mill the same as a New Lanark cotton mill? Such questions can be answered in terms of industrial history or archaeology.
    [Show full text]
  • Ryefield, Dalry Project KHAP 103 Project Report 2016
    Ryefield, Dalry Project KHAP 103 Project Report 2016 by Diane Brown and Ralph Shuttleworth Issued April 2017 Copyright © 2017 Diane Brown and Ralph Shuttleworth. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be copied or reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the authors. Page 2 of 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3 Location ........................................................................................................................... 3 Context and Aims of the Project ....................................................................................... 4 Context ............................................................................................................................. 4 Aims .................................................................................................................................. 4 Part I: Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment ........................................................ 5 Desk-based Assessment .................................................................................................... 5 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 5 Results ..........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Burns Chronicle 1931
    Robert BurnsLimited World Federation Limited www.rbwf.org.uk 1931 The digital conversion of this Burns Chronicle was sponsored by Dr Robert Boyd, President The Robert Burns Association Of North America The digital conversion service was provided by DDSR Document Scanning by permission of the Robert Burns World Federation Limited to whom all Copyright title belongs. www.DDSR.com BURNS CHR0NICLE AND CLUB DIRECTORY INSTITUTED 1891 PUBLISHED ANNUALLY SECOND SERIES : VOLUME VI THE BURNS FEDERATION KILMARNOCK I 9 3 I Price Three shillings The Haggis Difficulty Is Solved. No Rationing Now. The World-wide Demand ·for George Waugh's Haggis Can now be Met. Wi:regretthaHormany'yean it bas been im· pouible for -'ll• to meet the enoI'IDOU• A Culinary demands m&de on us for Bul'llB' Day and a.t other national Festivals, a.nd that we Achievement. have been forced to mioll customers of ma.nyyeara' standing. That Inconvenience ls now removed. OuB. new Kitchens at Haglllston are perfectly equipped and, with tlie incnued Patronised by ata.lf whlcli the7__ prorlde &ccoDlmoda.tioa for, give us faeilltiea fop obeying evoey Royalty. command. Waugh's Hag,rfs ls cooked from a Seel'et Recipe, .wh1ch Is kept In the Vault of a Banlt. 'rhe io«redlent.a are moat ca.refull7 cbosen and al'lf,ara of the beet qualitJ. A Triumph In Cooking la the re1ult, an Established All-tbe-YeaP--Round Food JIOPular with ' 1840. M':J. claa1, fol' the Meai Pal't of a No lrift is more acceptable to a Scot Al>road and pa.reels ol Waugh's Haggis are Wires:­ 11ent to ner:r clime and land: " HAGGIS, Edinburgh." Ninety ye&PS' oxpel'lence is behind us.
    [Show full text]
  • Weaving in Larkhall
    Weaving in Larkhall th th ● Weaving in Larkhall was prominent during the 18 and early 19 century. During 1840's, 42% of the population were weavers! Stunning weavers and miners cottages are still abundant throughout Larkhall hinting at a past life. ● During the residency I decided to focus on this particular aspect as it was such a prominent occupation with the community and the cottages are a beautiful reminder of this lost industry! ● I sat with a hand loom in Larkhall, close to shops where it would be busy. This provided an opportunity to engage with the public face to face and hear their memories and knowledge of the textile industry within the community. Viaduct, built by Arrol Bros for Caledonian Railway, was Scotland's largest viaduct ● ● So many people from Larkhall are connected to the viaduct which towers 174 feet above the river Avon. This beautiful structure has somehow become part of the landscape and fits right in with the surrounding natural environment. Tales of 'walking the boardwalk' to sign your name in bold letters for everyone to see, gives a hint of how much the locals have taken this feat of engineering into their hearts, claiming it as their own. Fond memories came to the fore during discussions :- ● “I kissed my first husband under the viaduct when I was just 15, we met there at school lunch-time!” ● Insert pic :- Here I am experimenting with weaving on my art easel. Note how the metal work of the viaduct 'weaves its way along it's length WHERE THE CAUDER JOINS THE AVON ● Where the Cauder an' the Avon, ● Wi a merry cheery din, ● Kiss an' fondle wi' ilk ither ● Ere they tumble into ane.
    [Show full text]