Furness Hidden Heritage: The Prelude, 1805 (section of)

By William Wordsworth

Of the day’s journey was too distant far

For any cautious man, a Structure famed

Beyond its neighbourhood, the antique Walls

Of that large Abbey which within the vale

Of Nightshade, to St. Mary’s honour built,

Stands yet, a mouldering Pile, with fractured Arch,

Belfry, and Images, and living Trees,

A holy Scene! along the smooth green turf

Our Horses grazed: to more than inland peace

Left by the sea wind passing overhead

(Though wind of roughest temper) trees and towers May in that Valley oftentimes be seen,

Both silent and both motionless alike;

Such is the shelter that is there, and such

The safeguard for repose and quietness.

Our steeds remounted, and the summons given,

With whip and spur we by the Chauntry ﬂew

In uncouth race, and left the cross-legg’d Knight,

And the stone-Abbot, and that single Wren

Which one day sang so sweetly in the Nave

Of the old Church, that, though from recent showers

The earth was comfortless, and, touch’d by faint

Internal breezes, sobbings of the place,

And respirations, from the rooﬂess walls

The shuddering ivy dripp’d large drops, yet still,

So sweetly ’mid the gloom the invisible Bird

Sang to itself, that there I could have made

My dwelling-place, and liv’d for ever there

To hear such music. Through the Walls we ﬂew

and down the valley, and a circuit made

In wantonness of heart, through rough and smooth

We scamper’d homeward. Oh! ye Rocks and Streams,

And that still Spirit of the evening air!

Even in this joyous time I sometimes felt

Your presence, when with slacken’d step we breath’d

Along the sides of the steep hills, or when,

Lighted by gleams of moonlight from the sea,

We beat with thundering hoofs the level sand.'

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