THE ISLES OF LOCH AWE Inli 0%r |0enis. PHILIP GILBERT HAMERTON, Esq. LONDON: W. E. PAINTER AND SONS, 342 STRAND. -_9^vAP3 TO M. H. Most faithful guardian ! I have found in thee A tried, true friend; and if I warmly greet This year, it is not that it sets me free From silver fetters that adorn the feet. Then leave not empty thine accustomed seat In my heart’s mansion !—reign there wisely still. And when thy days of watching are complete, Retain thine old, sweet influence o’er my will, And take these songs of mine, some vacant hour to fill. b ‘TRADITION supplies a better fable than INVENTION CAN.” EMERSON. “ LET NO ONE SAY THAT REALITY LACKS POETICAL INTEREST.” GOETHE. “MEN MAKE IDEALS — GOD MAKES FACTS.” FROUDE. “LASTING POETRY IS ALWAYS COHERENT, AND EASILY UNDER- STOOD.” ANON. ERRATA. Page 226,/or Bulwer read Bulmer. 306, dele the apostrophes at end CONTENTS. THE ISLES OF LOCH AWE I. INTRODUCTORY 4 II. FRAOCH ELAN 13 HI. INISHAIL . 29 IV. KILOHURN 39 V. ARDHONNEL 57 VI. INISH ERRETH 72 VII. CONCLUSION 82 MACLEAN OF DUART 95 SUNRISE ON BEN LOMOND . 105 THE POOLS OF OLADICH 110 THE PILGRIM OF WINDERMERE . .112 STAFFA 121 INDOLENCE 126 INDUSTRY 127 THE BEACON 128 MOONRI8E CONTENTS. MY OWN STUDY . 134 A DHEAM OF NATUKE . 143 THE GLOW-WORM 152 AYE MARIA 154 THE SANYASSI 156 TO BEATRICE AT PARTING 159 LOVE AND LIGHT 160 MY OLD DOG’S GRAVE . 162 THE LAST LINK . 166 REVELRY . 170 PARASITES 172 LANCASHIRE RELL-RINGERS 173 TO, A SARCASTIC BEAUTY 175 TO HER BROTHER 176 THE WIDOWED SWAN . 178 thorwaldsen’s DEATH 180 PERFUME . 182 THE HELMETED SKULL 183 AL JANNAT 185 EDEN 190 TO THE MEADOW SAFFRON 193 THE CONFINES OF THOUGHT 195 TURNER 198 GABRIEL RATCHETS 201 SELF-COMMAND . 202 MARIAN 203 THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD 206 CONTENTS. ix PAGE THE FIEE ON THE MOOR ... .207 DE ARGENTINE 209 DEAR-BOUGHT FIELD 211 APHORISMS 217 THE PILGRIMAGE OF GRACE 220 THE PALACE AND ITS INSCRIPTION . .227 UNFORGOTTEN 233 MY OWN VIOLIN . .236 THE TEACHERS ; 246 SINGING WITH CONSTANTJA 248 THE DYING STUDENT 250 THE BATH 251 A HOUSE OF PRATER 253 SKATING SONG 256 SKATING BEFORE THE WIND 258 SLEDGING IN LANCASHIRE 260 PARABLE OF THE STREAM 263 TO B. H., CHRIST-CHURCH, OXFORD . .266 A LONDON STUDIO ...... 269 HADDON HALL 271 FOR 284 POEMS OF WAK. THE PILLAR OF PEACE 287 MARSHAL ST. ARNAUD 290 FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 295 CONTENTS. THE SHIP OF MISERY 298 AFTER A BATTLE 300 THE CHILD-SOLDIER 303 TO GENERAL SCARLETT . ' . .306 SIR DE LACY EVANS 311 THE ALLIES IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE . .315 AT DOVER, APRIL 1855 324 CORRUPTION, 1856 325 IMPERIAL GUESTS. A SKETCH IN PICCADILLY . 326 POEMS OF SCIENCE. THE CENTRAL HALL AT WESTMINSTER . .338 FALLING STARS .336 IODINE . 342 CORAL ISLANDS ....... 345 THE EMPTY PUPA CASE . • .352 THE BRITANNIA BRIDGE 356 FOOTPRINTS IN SANDSTONE 358 CASTS 366 ENGINE DRIVING .368 THE NIGHT TRAIN 372 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. DRAWN PROM NATURE BY THE AUTHOR. ENGRAVED BY EDMUND EVANS. I. The Terrace, Haddon . Frontispiece. A view looking across the terrace and along the south front towards the chapel. See page 273. II. The Isle of Ardhonnel Title page Vignette. The three distant peaks on the right rise from the corrie of Ben Cruachan. Between the hill under the evening star and Ardhonnel lies Loch Avich with its castled island. The light in the castle is explained at page 64. xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. III. The North End of Loch Awe . P. 18 From the beach of Inishail looking up Glen Strae. The lake extends two miles beyond the islands in the middle distance. There is a channel between them, whicli from their position is not discernible, so that they seem one island. That to the spectator’s right is Fraoch Elan. IV. Kilchurn Castle 48 I bad my back to Ben Loy when drawing this vignette. A reference to the other view of the castle will explain the position. V. Kilchurn and Ben Lot .... 54 From the Goose’s rock, close to the Oban road, looking towards Ben Loy. Dalmally is situated about halfway between the foot of the mountain and the castle. VI. The Pass of Awe 82 From the side of Craiganonie looking down the river Awe, towards which the lake narrows. On the right is the base of Ben Cruachan; in the middle distance a glimpse of Loch Etive; and beyond that one of the mountains in Morven. VII. The Bridge of Cladich . .no One of the streams which empty themselves into Loch Awe. In summer the bridge is crossed every day by the Oban coaches, which pull up at the inn close by. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Sill VIII. An Old Hall . P. 133 In the village of Worsthom, Lancashire. IX. On the Piiver Brun . .143 The river Brun passes through Burnley (anciently Urttfllay), nearer its source it passes Hurstwood. X. Hurstwood, Lancashire . .150 The house on the left is supposed to have been the residence of those friends in “the North” with whom Spenser stayed after his departure from the University. XI. Crypt of York Minster .... 223 An oblique view, taking tfee greatest length attainable in the building. XII. A Winter Study on the Brun 2C4 XIII. In the Great Hall, Haddon . 279 Showing the portion of the screen to which recusants in convivial usage were fastened for punishment. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XIV. Stoodley Pike, from Dean Scout . P. 288 A view from the crags near the Holme Station on the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, (Burnley Branch). These crags are, and long have been, haunted by falcons. XV. Chalk Cliffs 335 From the jetty in front of Atholl Terrace, Dover. The submarine telegraph crosses the Channel a little beyond the distant headland. XVI. Dover Castle 335 A ruined tower of the Castle, occupying the highest position on the cliff. The glimpse of sea gives no idea of the expanse seen from where the sentry stands. The coast of France is just visible in the distance. * NOTE. I hope to illustrate this work thoroughly with etchings of a larger size than the present form of the volume would admit. It contains at least a hundred available subjects; but to do any justice to them will be a work of time, and require long pre- paratory study. If I carry out the plan, the etchings will be issued separately from the verse, and in parts. THE ISLES OF LOCH AWE. “ Conjure up again the evanished shapes of the ancient ballad ; people these isles, this rock ; and cause, by might of spirit and power, the old times to flit by, clearly and truly.”—Hans Christian Andersen. This Poem comprises descriptions of the five most in- teresting islands on Loch Awe, introducing the traditions attached to them, and such personal details of the author’s wanderings as were likely to assist the truthfulness of the descriptions. Kilchum is not strictly insular except when the Loch is high. It is, however, supposed to have been built originally on' an island, since the isthmus is a sandy delta deposited by the river Orchay, at whose mouth the castle is situated. I have, therefore, thought it al- lowable to include this peninsula among “the Isles of Loch Awe.” The Introductory Chapter is devoted to a very pic- turesque legend accounting popularly for the origin of the lake ; the concluding one contrasts the theories of modern science with this legendary palaeontology. The Lyrics—like the ballad stanza which heads each canto of the “Faerie Queene,”—are introduced as pre- ludes to prepare the reader for the subject of the com- position which" follows, giving him, as it were, the key- note to the chapter. I passed Loch Awe as tourists do, Catching glimpses here and there Of the scenes we posted through, With companions full of care About the comforts of the inns, And about to-morrow’s fare. Thus the soul, to try it, wins Glimpses of its Paradise. ’T was a judgment for my sins, Yet a judgment making wise, For I went another year To work alone, and settled there.1 I. INTRODUCTORY. These isles were once the crests of pastoral hills In an Arcadian valley, long ago: So says tradition.2 Bera owned the vale, A coarse Diana, whose wide hunting-grounds Were all the mountains round Ben Cruachan, Whereon she dwelt; for near the little tarn That lies between the shoulders of the hill There was a spring, with which her very life Was so connected by some sorcery, That if she failed to roll a mighty stone, Sculptured with mystic characters and signs, Over the spring before the sun had set, Mysterious woes impended. By this tenure Her lands were held, and even life itself. One afternoon, outwearied with the chase, She clambered slowly up the torrent side, INTRODUCTORY. Above the tangled depths of the ravine, And, finding in the basket-work of copse A quiet nook of short, close, verdant grass, Lay down to rest, for still the sun was high, And she could reach the summit in an hour From where she lay. The turf was very soft, And she so weary that her hardy limbs Would have reposed upon a granite bed, So that she slept too soundly, for the sun Reddened and sank while she was in that bower,— And still she slept! The morning dawned in mist, And she, in fear of some impending woe, Brushed through the dripping fern and underwood, Treading securely those vast solitudes As if by instinct, for the cloud was thick Upon the mountain.