Version A of "Ullswater Excursion": DCMS 51 (1805)


 

Editor’s Note: The notebook known as DCMS 51 includes, we suppose, the earliest extant version of Dorothy’s “Ullswater Excursion” plus fragments and draft introductions for the Ullswater text published in William’s Guide to the Lakes (1823).

(1)

The fragmentary draft materials—not included in our edition—appear on pp. 1–5 of the notebook. Owen and Smyser account for them in the apparatus of Prose, 2:368–78.

Possibly an earlier draft, parent to both Version A and Version B, does not survive. Here, we transcribe Dorothy’s complete notebook version, headed “November 1805.” To the extent possible, we represent exactly what appears on the notebook’s pages; however, we ignore marks in pencil, which belong to a later date and serve to shape the text for publication. In doing so, we prefer so far as possible Dorothy’s “original” text to the adapted version prepared for William’s Guide. For ease in comparing the transcription to the manuscript, we maintain the notebook’s lineation; however, long insertions sometimes cause lines to spill over. Unusually difficult passages are discussed in the notes.

Key:             
Strikethrough = a cancellation             
[scribbled out] = editor’s description of text             
[bracketed text] = insertions or deletions that are uncertain or difficult to read             
[?] indicates completely illegible text.             
^ marks insertion at beginning and end (no distinction made between insertions above or below the main line of text)]

 



 

DCMS 51, pp. 21–34, 12r–18v

November 1805

William and Mary returned from Park House by the Patterdale             
road on Sunday Novr 4th

(2)

Actually, November 3.

(along with Mr & Mrs Clarkson)             
having made a delightful excursion of three days. They had             
engaged that Wm and I would go to Mr Luff’s on the Wed-             
nesday or Thursday if the weather continued favorable. It was             
not very promising on Wednesday; but having been fine for             
so long a time we thought there would not be an entire             
change all at once; therefore, on a damp & gloomy             
morning we set forward; Wm on foot, and I upon the             
pony, with W’s great coat slung over the saddle crutch,             
and a wallet containing our bundle of needments. As we             
went along the mists gathered upon the vallies, & it even             
rained all the way to Patterdale; but there was never a             
drop upon on my habit larger than the smallest pears

(3)

This is an error for “pearls.” Someone (likely WW or DW) made the correction later in pencil.


upon a Lady’s ring. The trees upon the larger Island             
on Rydale Lake were of the most gorgeous colours,             
the whole Island reflected in the water, and I remem-             
ber once, in particular, to have seen it with [dear C] Cole-             
ridge when either he or Wm observed that the rocky shore,             
spotted & streaked with purplish brown heath, & its image             
in the water together indistinguishably blended were like an immense caterpillar,             
such as when we were children we used to call             
Woolly Boys from their hairy coats. I had been a little             
cowardly when we left home, fearing that heavy rains             
might detain us at Patterdale; but, as the mists

[Page Break—end p. 21, 12r]

thickened our enjoyments encreased & my hopes grew bolder,             
and when we were at the top of Kirkstone, though we             
could not see fifty yards before us, we were as happy Travelers             
as ever paced side by side on a holiday ramble. At such             
a time, and in such a place every scattered stone the size             
of one’s head becomes a companion. There is a fragment of             
an old wall at the top of Kirkstone, which, magnified             
yet obscured as it was by the mist, was scarcely less interest-             
ing to us, [long set of scribbles, illegible cancellation] than the view             
of [a noble] some monument of ancient grandeur has been —yet             
this same pile of stones we had never before ever observed.             
When we had descended considerably, the fields of Hartsop             
below Brothers water were first seen, like a lake coloured tinged by             
the reflection of yellow clouds. I mistook them for the water,             
but soon after we saw the lake itself gleaming faintly             
with a grey steelly brightness; then as we descended appeared the brown oaks             
and the birches of splendid colour lovely yellow, and, [when we came near             
to the valley] the cottages, and the lowly old Hall of Hartsop             
with its long roof and elegant [ancient] chimnies. We had eaten our             
dinner under the shelter of a sheep-fold by a bridge near             
the foot of the mountain, having tethered the pony at the             
entrance, where it stood without one impatient beating of a             
foot. I could not but love it for its meekness, and in-             
deed I thought we were selfish to enjoy our meal so             
much while its poor jaws were confined by the curb             
bridle. We reached Luff’s in the afternoon about two hours before tea time.

                                                                       Thursday Novr 8th

(4)

Note that DW’s dating is consistently off by a day. The correct date for Thursday is 7 November.

The next morning incessant rain ill eleven o’

[Page Break—end p. 22, 12v]

o’clock when it became fair, and Wm and I walked to Blow-             
ick. Luff joined us by the way. The wind [was] blew strong; and drove             
the clouds forward along the side of the hill above our heads — four             
or five goats were bounding among the rocks; the sheep mov-             
ed about more quietly; or cowered under their sheltering places:             
Two storm-stiffened black Yew trees on the Crag above

(5)

The manuscript is difficult in this section. DW does not cancel the reading we have reproduced; however, she adds, between lines, “Our friends fixed our notice as they were seen.” Perhaps “Luff’s house” was to become “our friends’ house” so that the whole revised sentence would read as follows: “Two storm-stiffened black yew trees on the Crag above our friends’ house fixed our notice as they were seen through the flying mists.”


Luff’s house were striking objects close under, or seen through             
the flying mists. I do not know what to say of Blowick; for             
to attempt to describe the place would be absurd, when you             
for whom I write have either been there, or may go thither             
as soon as you like. When we stood under the naked Crag             
upon the Common over looking its the woods and bush-besprin-             
kled fields, the Lake, Clouds, and Mists were all in motion             
to the sound of sweeping winds, the Church & Cottages of             
Patterdale scarcely visible from the brightness of the mist.             
Looking backwards towards the foot of down the Lake, the scene             
less visionary. Place Fell steady and bold as a lion the whole             
Lake driving down onward like a great river — waves dancing             
round the small islands. We walked to the house; the             
Owner was salving sheep in the Barn — an appearance of             
poverty & decay every where visible: he asked us if we want-             
ed to purchase the Estate. We could not but stop frequent-             
ly, both in going & returning, to observe the exquisite             
beauty of the woods on the opposite side of the Lake.             
The general color of the trees was brown, rather that of             
ripe hazle nuts; but towards the water there were yet             
beds of green; and in some of the hollow places in the             
highest parts of the woods the trees were of a yellow             
colour, and, through the glittering light, they looked like             
masses of clouds, as you see them gathered together in             
the west and tinged with the golden light of the sun.             
After dinner we walked with Mrs Luff up the Vale;

[Page Break—end p. 23, 13r]

I had never [before] had an idea of the extent and width of it             
in passing through on the other side. We walked along the             
path which leads from house to house — two or three times it             
took us through some of those copses or groves that cover every             
little hillocks in the middle of the lower part of the vale,             
making an intricate and beautiful intermixture of lawn             
Our fancies could not resist the temptation & we

(6)

Beginning here, DW adds material between the next three lines of text. The result is difficult to make intelligible in a transcription, but the intended final reading must be something like this: “Our fancies could not resist the temptation & we fixed upon a spot for a cottage which we built began to build & finished as easily as castles are raised in the air. We visited the same spot by moonlight that evening.”


and wood. We left William to prolong his walk, and when             
fixed upon a spot for a cottage which we built began to             
he came into the house he told us he had pitched upon a             
build & finished as easily as castles are raised in the air             
spot where he should like better to build a cottage than             
We visited the same spot by moonlight that evening.             
in any other he had yet seen. Mrs Luff went with him             
by moonlight to view it. The Vale looked at that time as if it were             
filled with white light when the moon had having climbed             
up [two cancelled words] to the middle of the sky; but long before we could had been able to see her             
face, while all the near hills were in [covered with]

(7)

Possibly “covered by the.”

black shade, those on             
the opposite side were almost as bright as snow. Mrs Luff’s             
large white Dog lay in the moonshine upon the round knoll             
under the old Yew Tree — a beautiful and romantic image —              
the dark Tree with its dark shadow, and the elegant             
creature as fair as a Spirit.

Friday 9th Novr  Rain as before  We [visited] the same spot by moonlight

(8)

This is another difficult section of the manuscript. New writing enters crookedly, large portions of text are scribbled over in pencil, and it is hard to discern where insertions are meant to belong. DW adds, “We [illegible verb that ends with tted] for to visit the [?],” but unsure how to place this rejected text, we omit it from the transcription.


Next day. It rRained till near ten o’clock, but aA

(9)

Here, DW overwrites the lowercase a with a capital A.


little after that time, it being likely for a tolerably fine             
day, we packed up bread and cold meat, and, with a friend’s Luff’s             
Servant to help to row, set forward in the Boat. As we ad-             
-vanced the day grew finer — clouds and sunny gleams on             
the mountains. In the grand Bay under Place Fell             
we saw Tthree Fisherman dragging a net, and rowed up to             
them. They had just brought the net ashore; and

[Page Break—end p. 24, 13v]

hundreds of fish were leaping in their prison. They were all             
of one the kind; what are called Skellies. After we had left             
them The Fishermen continued their work, a picturesque group             
under the lofty and bare crags. around which  The whole scene was very grand             
— a raven was croaking on the mountain above our heads. Landed             
at near to in the Bay of Sanwick; the Man took the Boat home, and we pur-             
sued our journey towards the Village along a beautiful             
summer path — at first through a coppice by the Lakeside;             
then through green fields. The Village and Brook very             
pretty; shut out from Mountains and Lakes — it reminded             
me of Somersetshire. Passed by Harry Hibson’s House. I longed             
to go in for the sake of old times. Wm went up one side of             
the Vale and we up the other, and he joined us again after             
having crossed the one-arched Bridge below the Church, with             
[?] according to the custom of the season its “bare ring of mossy wall,” and simple yew tree. At the             
last house in the Dale we were kindly greeted by             
the Master, who was sitting at the door 

(10)

In this passage, presenting insertions as they appear on the page makes the transcription slightly confusing. Obviously, DW means the fragments to stick together: “with sheep collected around him one of which he was smearing with tar for protection against the winter cold.”

with sheep collected around him one of which he was smearing salving sheep —             
with tar for protection against the winter cold He invited us to go in enter his house and see a room built by Mr              
Hazel for his accommodation of his friends at the yearly Chace             
of Red Deer in his Forests at the head of these             
Dales. The Room is fitted up in the Sportsman’s style,             
with a simple cupboard for bottles and glasses &c.             
Some strong chairs, and a large dining-table, and or-             
namented with the Horns of the Stags caught at these             
Hunts for many years back, with the length of the             
Last race they each had run recorded under each his stately antlers. We ate             
our dinner here. The good woman treated us with

[Page Break—end p. 25, 14r]

excellent butter and new oaten Bread Cakes, new & crisp, and after drink              
-ing of Mr Hazel’s strong ale we were well prepared              
to We faced the mountain, which we began to climb almost              
immediately. Martindale divides itself into two dales at the             
head. In one of these (that to the left) there is no house             
nor any building to be seen but a cattle-shed on the side             
of a hill which is sprinkled over with wood, evidently             
the remains of a Forest; formerly a [illegible cancellation] very             
extensive one. At the bottom of the other dell is the house             
I have mentioned; and beyond the enclosures of this Man’s             
Farm there are no other. A few old trees remain, relicks             
of the Forest, a little stream passes in serpentine wind             
-ings through the uncultivated valley, where many cattle             
were feeding. The Cattle of this country are generally             
white, or light-coloured, but these were mostly dark             
brown or black which made the scene resemble heightened the resemblance which this scene bears to many parts of Scotland.              
When we sate on paused to rest upon the hill-             
side, though we were well contented with the quiet             
every-day sounds — the lowing of the Cattle, bleating of             
sheep, & the very gentle murmuring of the valley-Stream,             
yet we could not but think what a grand effect the              
sound of the bugle horn would have among these Moun-             
tains. It is still heard once every year at the Chace             
I have spoken of, a day of festivity for all the Inhabi-             
tants of this district, except the poor Deer, the most              
ancient of them all. The ascent, even to the very top              
of the mountain is very easy. When we had accomplished

[Page Break—end p. 26, 14v]

it we had some exceedingly fine mountain views, some of the              
mountains being resplendent with sunshine & others partly hid             
-den by clouds. Ulswater was of a dazzling brightness bordered             
by black hills. The Plain beyond Penrith smooth & bright             
or rather gleamy, as the Sea or Sea-sands. Looked down into Boar             
Dale, above Sanwick — deep and bare — a stream winding              
through it. After having walked a considerable way along             
the tops of the hills came in view of Sanwick Glenridden,              
and the Mountains at the head of Grisdale. Luff then Our companion              
took us turned aside before we had begun to descend to a small              
Ruin, which was formerly a Chapel, or place of worship,             
where it is said the Inhabitants of Martindale and Patterdale were             
accustomed to meet on Sabbath days. There are now             
no traces by which you could distinguish that the             
Building had been different from a common Sheep fold;             
the loose stones, & the few which yet remain piled up             
are the same in appearance as those which lie elsewhere on the             
mountain, but the shape of the Building, being oblong,             
is not that of a common Sheep-fold; and it stands             
East & West. Whether it was ever consecrated ground             
or not, I do not know; but the place may be kept             
holy in the memory of some now living in Patter-             
dale; for it was the means of preserving the             
life of a poor old Man last summer who, having gone up             
the mountain to gather peats together, had been overtaken             
by a storm, and could not find his way down again.             
He happened to be near the remains of the old Chapel             
and in a corner of it he contrived, by laying turf, & ling,

[Page Break—end p. 27, 15r]

and stones in a corner of it from one wall to the other, to make             
a shelter from the wind, and there he sate all night.             
The Woman who had sent him on his errand began to             
grow uneasy towards evening, & the Neighbours went to             
seek him. At that time the old Man had housed himself             
in his nest, & he heard the voices of the men; but could not             
make himself heard, the wind being so loud; & he was afraid             
to leave the spot, least he should not be able to find it             
again, so he remained there all night, and they return-             
ed to their homes, giving him up for lost; but the next             
morning the same persons discovered him, huddled up in             
the sheltered nook. He was at first stupefied, & unable             
to move, yet after he had eaten and drunk, & recollected             
himself a little he walked down the Mountain, and his             
health did not afterwards seem to have suffered. As we             
descend the Vale of Patterdale appears very simple             
and grand with its two heads, Deep dale, & Brothers-water             
or Hartsop. It is remarkable that two pairs of Brothers             
should have been drowned in that Lake. There is a traditi-             
on, at least, that two were drowned there it took its             
name from two who were drowned there many years             
ago; and it is a fact that two others did meet that             
melancholy fate about twenty years since. It was after             
a New-year’s-day. Their Mother had sent them to thresh             
some corn, and they (probably thinking it hard to be so              
tasked when all others were keeping holiday) stole out             
to slide upon the ice, and were both drowned. A neighbour

[Page Break—end p. 28, 15v]

who had seen them fall through the ice, though not near             
enough to be certain, guessed who they were, & went to the Mother             
to enquire after her Sons. She replied that “they were threshing             
in the Barn.” “Nay,” said the Man, “they are not there, nor is             
it likely today.” The Woman went with him to the Barn,    >         
and the Boys were gone. He was then convinced of the truth,             
and told her that they were drowned. It is said that they             
were found locked in each other’s arms. I was exceedingly             
tired when we reached Mr Luff’s house, owing to the             
steepness and roughness of the peat track down which             
]we descended. I lay down on the Sofa, & was asleep in             
three minutes. — A fine moonlight night — a             
thick fog in the middle of the Vale, which dishear-             
tened William respecting the situation of his house.             
—Supped upon some of the Fish caught by the Fish             
-ermen under Place Fell, & thought them excellent.

Saturday 10th Novr             
                        A beautiful morning. When we             
were at breakfast heard the tidings of Lord Nelson’s             
Death, & the Victory at Trafalgar — Went to the Inn             
to make further inquiries. I was shocked to hear that there             
had been great rejoicings at Penrith. Returned by             
William’s rock & grove; & were so much pleased with             
the spot that he determined to buy it, if possible, therefore             
we prepared to set off to Park House, that Wm might             
apply to Thomas Wilkinson to negotiate for him with

[Page Break—end p. 29, 16r]

the Owner. [At the same hour as the day before] We went down that side of the Lake opposite to             
At 10 o’clock we pursued our way on foot on the on the same side             
Sty barrow Crag. I dismounted & we sate some time on the             
of the Lake which we had coasted in a Boat the day before.             
same Rock as before above Blowick. Owing to tThe

(11)

To make “The” the beginning of the revised sentence, DW overwrites her lowercase t with a capital one.

bright              
[?] above the Farm of -ness of the sunshine concealed from us the Church and other buildings were              
even more than the haze & vapour had done the day before concealed from us than by the mists two days              
before. It had been a sharp frost in the night and             
the grass and trees were yet wet. We observed the lemon-colour-             
ed leaves of the birches in the wood below, as the wind turn-             
ed them to the sun, sparkle or rather flash like diamonds.             
The day continued unclouded to the end. & I shall not We had a delight-              
describe either the scene or relate our little adventures but will

(12)

Despite the confusing placement of the insertions, DW obviously intends, “I shall not describe the scene or relate our little adventures, but will only add,” and so forth.


ful Ride and walk, for it was both to both of us. We led             
only [add?] the horse under Place Fell, and though I mostly rode when             
the way was good, yet William sometimes mounted to rest             
himself. Called at Eusemere, the Miss Greens not yet             
settled in their house. Went by Bower Bank, intending             
to ford the Emont at the Mill, but the Pony could not             
carry us both; so after many attempts, I rode over myself             
& a Girl followed upon another Horse to carry back the Pony             
to William. Very cold before we reached Park House             
— Carpets & chairs spread upon the grass. Derwent ran              
out to meet us. Sate in the kitchen till the parlour fire              
was lighted; & then enjoyed a comfortable [dish] cup of tea.              
After tea Wm went to Thomas Wilkinson’s & to Brougham.

Monday Novr 12th             
                        The morning being fine, we resolved to

[Page Break—end p. 30, 16v]

go to Lowther, & accordingly Sara mounted Tom’s horse, I the pony,             
& William & Miss Green set out on foot; but she had not             
walked far before she took a seat behind Sara. — Crossed             
the Ford at Yanworth. We found Thomas Wilkinson at work             
in one of his fields: he chearfully laid down his spade, &             
walked by our side with William. We left our horses at             
the Mill below Brougham & walked through the woods             
till we came to the [illegible cancel] Quarry where the road ends, the             
very place which has been the Boundary of some of the hap-             
piest of the walks of my youth. The sun did not shine             
when we were there; & it was midday, therefore if it had             
shone, the light could not have been the same; yet so vivid             
-ly did I call to mind those walks, that when I was in the              
wood I almost seemed to see the same rich light of             
evening upon the trees which I had seen in those happy             
hours. [Cancelled sentence, illegible.]

(13)

The heavily canceled sentence must be similar or identical to one that appears in the Coleorton Manuscript: “My heart was full; and I could not but grieve that any strangers were with us.”


                                                      At this time the             
Path was scarcely traceable by the eye, all the ground             
being obscure with withered leaves, which I was very sorry for,             
William having described the beauty of it with so much de-             
light after having been at Lowther in the summer.             
         Scrambled along, under the Quarry — then came to T.             
Wilkinson’s new path. We spent three delightful hours             
by the Riverside & in the woods. We were received              
with much kindness by Richard Bowman & his Wife             
-dinner was presently prepared; & we were officiously

[Page Break—end p. 31, 17r]

upon

(14)

No doubt DW intends this to read “waited upon by little Hannah” but accidentally skips a word on moving to the next page.

by little Hannah, whose light motions and happy              
looks plainly expressed the hospitality of the house.             
Went with Miss Green to Penrith — drank tea at Mrs             
Ellwoods —Read Collingwood’s dispatches— went to Mr James’s             
Shop & called upon Miss Monkhouse at Mrs Coupland’s.             
Mary Monkhouse & Sara mounted at the George. I             
walked with Wm through the town to Mrs Ellwood’s door—             
the first time I have been in Penrith streets [after day-]             
[light] at that time of the night since Mary & her             
Sister Margaret, and I used to steal out to each other’s             
houses and when we had had our talk over the kitchen             
fire, to delay the moment of parting, paced up one street             
and down another

(15)

DW inadvertently repeats “to delay the moment of parting, paced up one street and down another.” The second instance is canceled, but only in pencil (i.e., at a later date).

to delay the moment of parting, paced              
up one street and down another by moon or star light.             
S. and I stopped at Red Hills while William went over             
the Ford to T. Wilkinson’s — the house untidy & not             
comfortable — a little Girl never ceased rocking a Baby             
in the Cradle. We asked if it would not sleep without             
being rocked, & the Mother answered “No; for it was used             
to it.” Reached Park House at ten o’clock. Joanna had             
waited dinner and tea for us.

       Tuesday Novr 13th  & will only add that on the afternoon of the [13] we returned from [underneath] after [?] [?]  
A very wet morning — no hope             
of being able to return home by the usual road. Wm read in a Book             
lent him by T. Wilkinson. I read Castle Rackrent.             
The day cleared at one o’clock, & after dinner, at a             
little before three we set forward. The pony was bogged

[Page Break—end p. 32, 17v]

in Tom’s field, & I was obliged to dismount. Went over Soulby             
Fell. Before we reached Ulswater the sun shone, The morning had been wet but now the sun shone [?] and only              
a few scattered clouds remained on the hills except at the              
tops of the very highest — the Lake perfectly calm. We had             
a delightful journey. At the beginning of the first Park             
William got upon the pony, and, betwixt a walk and             
a run, I kept pace with him while he trotted to the             
next gate — then I mounted again. We were joined by             
two Travellers, like ourselves with one white horse be-             
tween them. We went on in company till we came             
near to Patterdale, trotting all the time. The trees in

(16)

DW injects material between the next several lines without indicating precisely where it belongs, though the insertion point seems to follow “The trees in Gowbarrow Park were.” While the additions are difficult to decipher, they seem to read more or less as follows: “in that state when what is gained in interest by the disclosure of their Bark and Brambles compensates almost for the loss of foliage; they exhibited that variety which characterizes the point of time between autumn & winter.”


[in interest] Gowbarrow Park were in that state when what is gained very beautiful, the hawthorns by the disclosure of their Bark & Brambles compensates [?]              
leafless, their round heads covered with rich red berries             
and almost for the loss of foliage [? ? ?] adorned with arches of green brambles and Eglantine              
hung with glossy they exhibited [?] that variety which hips — Many birches yet tricked out characterizes the point in time between autumn & winter              
in full foliage of bright yellow — oaks brown or leafless             
— the smooth [silver] branches of the Ashes bare — most of the              
Alders green as in spring. I think I have more plea             
-sure in looking at deer than any other animals; per             
-haps chiefly from their living in a more natural             
state. At the end of Gowbarrow Park a large troop             
of them were either moving slowly or standing still             
among the fern. I was grieved when our a chance Companions             
who had joined us by the way startled them with a whistle, disturbing a beautiful             
image of grave simplicity & thoughtful enjoyment,             
for I could have fancied that even they were partaking             
with me a sensation of the solemnity of the closing

[Page Break—end p. 33, 18r]

day. The sun had been set some time but as the Lake though  and we could only              
just perceive that the day-light was fading away from             
the hills, and but the lake [Under a luminous sky] was more brilliant than before.              
       I dismounted again at Stybarrow Crag & William rode             
till we came almost to Glenridden. Found the Luffs             
at Tea in the kitchen. After Tea at Patterdale set out again. Luff             
accompanied me on foot unto the lane, & Wm continued             
to ride till we came to Brothers-water Bridge — a              
delightful evening. The Seven Stars close to the hill             
tops in Patterdale — All the stars seemed brighter than             
usual. The steeps were reflected in Brother’s water; and             
above the Lake appeared like enormous black perpen-             
dicular walls. The torrents of Kirkstone had been swoln             
by the rains, & filled the mountain Pass with their              
roaring, which added greatly to the solemnity of our             
walk. Behind us, when we had climbed very high, we             
saw one light in the Vale at a great distance, like             
a large red star, a solitary one, in the gloomy region - all             
the chearfulness of the scene was transferred in the sky above us.             
       Found Mary & the Children in bed — no fire — luckily             
Wm was warm with walking, & I not cold, having wrap-             
ped myself up most carefully, & the night being mild             
mild — Went to bed immediately after Supper.

[Page Break—end p. 34, 18v]

Notes

1. The fragmentary draft materials—not included in our edition—appear on pp. 1–5 of the notebook. Owen and Smyser account for them in the apparatus of Prose, 2:368–78. [back]
2. Actually, November 3. [back]
3. This is an error for “pearls.” Someone (likely WW or DW) made the correction later in pencil. [back]
4. Note that DW’s dating is consistently off by a day. The correct date for Thursday is 7 November. [back]
5. The manuscript is difficult in this section. DW does not cancel the reading we have reproduced; however, she adds, between lines, “Our friends fixed our notice as they were seen.” Perhaps “Luff’s house” was to become “our friends’ house” so that the whole revised sentence would read as follows: “Two storm-stiffened black yew trees on the Crag above our friends’ house fixed our notice as they were seen through the flying mists.” [back]
6. Beginning here, DW adds material between the next three lines of text. The result is difficult to make intelligible in a transcription, but the intended final reading must be something like this: “Our fancies could not resist the temptation & we fixed upon a spot for a cottage which we built began to build & finished as easily as castles are raised in the air. We visited the same spot by moonlight that evening.” [back]
7. Possibly “covered by the.” [back]
8. This is another difficult section of the manuscript. New writing enters crookedly, large portions of text are scribbled over in pencil, and it is hard to discern where insertions are meant to belong. DW adds, “We [illegible verb that ends with tted] for to visit the [?],” but unsure how to place this rejected text, we omit it from the transcription. [back]
9. Here, DW overwrites the lowercase a with a capital A. [back]
10. In this passage, presenting insertions as they appear on the page makes the transcription slightly confusing. Obviously, DW means the fragments to stick together: “with sheep collected around him one of which he was smearing with tar for protection against the winter cold.” [back]
11. To make “The” the beginning of the revised sentence, DW overwrites her lowercase t with a capital one. [back]
12. Despite the confusing placement of the insertions, DW obviously intends, “I shall not describe the scene or relate our little adventures, but will only add,” and so forth. [back]
13. The heavily canceled sentence must be similar or identical to one that appears in the Coleorton Manuscript: “My heart was full; and I could not but grieve that any strangers were with us.” [back]
14. No doubt DW intends this to read “waited upon by little Hannah” but accidentally skips a word on moving to the next page. [back]
15. DW inadvertently repeats “to delay the moment of parting, paced up one street and down another.” The second instance is canceled, but only in pencil (i.e., at a later date). [back]
16. DW injects material between the next several lines without indicating precisely where it belongs, though the insertion point seems to follow “The trees in Gowbarrow Park were.” While the additions are difficult to decipher, they seem to read more or less as follows: “in that state when what is gained in interest by the disclosure of their Bark and Brambles compensates almost for the loss of foliage; they exhibited that variety which characterizes the point of time between autumn & winter.” [back]

Version A of "Ullswater Excursion": DCMS 51 (1805) © 2023 by Romantic Circles, Dorothy Wordsworth, and Paul Westover is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0