This was more than just a fancy, as the primary purpose for this excursion was to
purchase a property suitable for the growing Wordsworth clan. Thanks to the assistance
of his patron, Lord Lowther, Wordsworth was soon thereafter able to acquire the Broad
How farm near Ullswater. Wordsworth never built a family home on the site and sold
the property in 1834.

In Roman art, the god Jupiter Ammon is generally represented with ram’s horns on his
head.

In November 1805, William and Dorothy Wordsworth enjoyed a week-long excursion in
the neighborhood of Ullswater. The account that William gives here, like the preceding
section on Scafell Pike, is largely taken from Dorothy’s notebook (DCMS 51).

In Milton’s Paradise Lost, Mount Niphates in Armenia is the site of Satan’s temptation of Christ.

Most previous editors have assumed this is a misprint and should read “choral” as
in 1820 and 1827 printings.

Wordsworth wrote this poem in 1816 and first published it in 1820 in his River Duddon collection. In his 1843 collected works, he added the following note: “Rydal Mount,
1816. The lady was Miss Blackett, then residing with Mr. Montagu Burgoyne, at Fox-Ghyll.
We were tempted to remain too long upon the mountain, and I imprudently, with the
hope of shortening the way, led her among the crags and down a steep slope, which
entangled us in difficulties, that were met by her with much spirit and courage.”