the heels, with a pike to my hazleflick, my efforts were ufelefs; I tumbled twice, and flid bodily down the hill again. Difficulties increafed my ideas of its magnificent ftate; befides the innate diflike we feel in being overcome. I changed the mode of attack, and took a fweep by the left; the rife through which we had in the fammer 1792 been wet by fplafhes from loofe ftones, and which having in the Ramble called "beau-tra, s," one of your correfpondents withed for an expla

nation.

Although the furface was ice, the rough grafs and water oozing through had made it both hollow and rotten. I foon got over my fhoe tops, and up to one knee, and I then felt myfelf conquered, gave up the purfuit, and determined to bear a great difappointment with due meekneis; but could not peverthel is help refting upon my thoights, and deeply regretting the fight I had loft.

I had a bad mile and a half of this uneven flippery road, and night was clofing fait. Teg wet to care where I trod, I kept on the margin of Crummack lake, till 1 had paifed the head of it; and reached an apology for a bridge, over the rapid brook that fills the lake: half the hand-rail of the bridge was forced away, with only a narrow birchtree and broken turf in a feparation between it and a crooked plank; I ftood confidering how I was to get qver, and congratulated myfelf on being a good fwimmer, in cafe I fhould be doufed in the attempt. To wait for ailiitance would have been midefs; the patlige was too well known by the natives to be trafed to,. and itrangers were never feen at this teafon of the year; no houfe was within call; and I had not feen a humi. n being for feveral hours. What could a weary ftranger do? I got a pole, and thumped aginft, the planks to, try their length; finding they did not give way, and having fixed upon fome oziers I would attempt to feize in

cafe of a plunge, I firft threw my faithful hazle over, mounted aftride, with my fhoes in one hand, and coat across my fhoulder: luckily thefe honeft cautions were ufelefs, for I crept over in fafety. After jumping about a little, the natural confequence of an escape, I became as bold as a lion; though must frankly confefs, there were certain quaims about me, when at the other fide, which were fomewhat akin to fear.

I was all hurry to reach the village of Buttermere, and made up to the public-houfe, in which I was received by the chief object of this Ramble; and was given to underftand I might have a bed, but should be much difturbed, as they were going to have an annual dance, for the benefit of one Askew, a blind fidler of Whitehaven.

Nothing could more delight me than this information, becaufe, amidst the life and unaffected mazes of a ruftic dance, an obferver can look deeply into the hearts of the happy throng.

This Afkew, by the bye, is not only a great favourite with the Cumberland lads and laffes, but has much more mufical kill than infpires the itinerants of his profeffion; and much more humour in playing, than many who have the advantage of eyes to lead them by. And though he does not come up to old blind Metcalfe, of Harrowgate, who has made fo many roads and built fo many bridges, like him he can find his way every where; and can actually go (where there are paths) over thefe tremendous mountains unattended: his faff," he fays, is

I was unremembered amidft my friends.

This Mary is the young perfon described five years and a half ago, under the character of

"SALLY OF BUTTERMERE." My dinner, being cold corned furloin of most marbled beef, was foon ready, and fire in a small room prepared for me. I was waited upon by Mary, and contrived to joke away famoufly, and the dirtinefs of the walls gave me a fine opportunity; for I obferved writing in Greek, in Latin, in French, and English, upon them; all about her, and which I gave her to understand were the probable reafons of the walls not having been lately whitewashed. Her denial too much crimfoned her face, for me to believe her; and the next morning I faw the compliments in English were rubbed.out.

Here is a noble field of thought! which, if the reader understandeth, will rejoice him-and if he does not -it matters not. Mary's hair, fo ornamental when we before faw her, was folded under her cap; fhe went out to prepare for the dance; on my calling fuddenly, the inftantly came in; her hair was down her back rather darker colcured, remarkably thick, and near a yard long and I regretted it was going to be concealed under a cap. The blind man had expreffed himself fo well, I wifhed to hear more, and ordered a pipe to my first feat in the chimney-corner; not doubting but I should pafs very well, both by my drefs and talk, for a farmer.

About o'clock, a well-dreffed young man, full 6 feet high, rofy as the morning, with fine black eyes and hair, of a fweet countenance, was the first perfon that came in; and I drew him into converfation. From this youth's early arrival, and from the modefty of his fpeech, I could not help withing, and even thinking, that he was Mary's favourite; and I determined to obferve accordingly. At eight, I heard a diftant burit of laughs, and, gueiling

the caufe, ordered Afkew to play, as quick as poffible, "Come hafte to this wedding;" and a rare parcel of lads and laffes rufhed in. I gueffed this mufic would hinder them from immediately eying the ftranger; for I knew every body in thefe fequeftered valleys are the moft inquifitive and obferving in the world; befides, I half buried myself in a cloud of smoke. Some of them ftopped to tap Afkew on the back; fome thook the old woman of the houfe by the hand, and fome peer'd through the cloudy atmosphere at my phiz.-All this was done in a minute, when up ftairs they clattered, and a reel commenced.

There was not one of them but curiofity foon brought down to have a peep at me; and I had, I was pleased to fee, a few courteous looks from fome pretty girls.-I had fmoked the little all of tobacco in the houfe, and now felt myself sufficiently acquainted to go amongst them.-They were the very rofieftcheeked mortals I ever faw ;-the men kept excellent time, and rattled on the floor with variety of ftops; the women danced as eafily as the men determinedly. The dance

was never long; and the moment the fidler ceafed, another fet that were ready called a fresh tune, and began. I was glad to notice the black-eyed youth hand out Mary and another young girl, and call for a reel; and, I honestly fay, I never faw more graceful dancing, or a woman of finer figure to fet it off, than in Mary of Buttermere. I was delighted that this exhibition lafted three times longer than any former onc. The fidler knew how well the danced; indeed, he had told me, and faid, "the thall fet herself off before you.” At the conclufion, the youth turned round to Mary, and moft refpe&fully bent one knee, then led her, I thought, not unwillingly to her feat. Here was a field for a rural obferver.

I now went down ftairs, and had the pleafure to hear my health drunk. Some of them, underftand

ing there was not any more tobacco to be procured, came and opened all their little papers in the dish; and they agreed, that "I was yan of the cheerieft ftreangers they had e'er feen he Buttermere:" fuch like expreffions were fure to enliven, and I was by this too much a part of this happy groupe, to continue at my pipe; however, I just took fome more whiffs, to let them fee I did not refuse their ready gifts.

A ftout man, more than fix foot, belonging to Lorton, about this time entered, and moft piteously regretted he had not known of the dance, as his iron-bound clogs were too heavy to dance in: mine being by this time dry, I offered to lend them for the night; but he had the disappointment to find them too fhort; or, he said, "they would ha done very weel;" though by the bye they weighed 2lbs 7 ounces,However, he foon was amongst the dancers, and footed it away in his stocking-feet; and after they were worn out, barefooted.

Ateleven,the females all came down ftairs; and the old mother waited upon me at their defire, " to requeft I would go into the parlour, and partake of a Christmas cuftom." A Large bowl was upon a difh full of what they called " Poufeoudi," or an ale-poffet, with fome rum and plenty of nutmeg, fugar, and bread, Spoons garnished the difh, and every body was to take one: upon the women finding there was a spoon wanting (as I of course let them firft help themselves), they one and all offered me theirs, and Mary flew out of the room and brought in another. We then, on a kind of fignal, began; and moft excellent and ftomach-warming it was: when we had finished about three-quarters of the bowl, fome one recommended that we fhould leave the reft for the old mother, because the had made it fo good; inftantly every fpoon was on the difh; and I am not certain, whether this natural civility both to me and to the old woman

did not warm my heart more than the good poffet.

While thus feafting, the men were not idle; and all manner of founding fteps, from the fhuffle of pumps to the force of iron-clad fhoes, were labouring over our heads, with the variety of found attributed to a Dutch concert.

Several times, when Mary and her female friend came down to have their own talk, the black-eyed fwain was in her wake, but did not follow them into the parlour; once indeed I perfuaded him to come in, but they joked him out again; and, finding myself fufficiently intimate to have my joke too, I took his part, and learnt "We make nothing of him, he's only a next-door neighbour, that's all." I fhrewdly gueffed he was next neighbour to the heart; but was rather more certain that Mary was in his. I told them, I had fomewhere read of a "Sally of Buttermere," and afked which was her? The friend replied,

My name is Sally; but this Mary here is the Sally the South-countryman wrote about, and I love her abbve all the world." Some of the lads were getting mellow and noify; and I had in confequence a famous thare of chat with the fair two; whom I could not avoid giving a decided preference over many other buxom laffes.

Mary Robinfon has really a heavenly countenance, yet is the far from a perfect beauty; and in a few years fhe may even grow too large ever to have been thought what the now is. She is nineteen,

and very tall; her voice is fweetly modulated; and in every point of manners the appeared fuch as might be fitted

"Or, to fhine in Courts with unaffected eafe," &c.

On fpeaking about her hair, her friend immediately unpinned her cap, and let it afloat; and, at my requeft. that natural ornament was left to flow.

It was pleafant to fee all the

women

women well and plainly dreffed in neat check-aprons, a ufeful and becoming part of rural drefs; nevertheless we had a fine glare of ribbons. About two, the party went, as they had come, all together. A homely bed ferved me as well as a bed of down could have done; for the hurry both of body and mind, in fo interefting a day, chafed away fleep; yet I had a fufficiency to be refreshed. In the morning, our heroine was in her working drefs; and the exhibited juft enough of hair, to convince me that he had taken my hint properly.

The weather was louring; and I did not with, in cafe of a downfall, to be entombed in Buttermere; therefore, taking the opportunity of our being alone, I told her I knew the author of a Fortnight's Ramble, and as fuch had fomething to fay to her; the curtfied refpe&fully; and taking her by the hand I began: "Mary, I wrote it, and rejoice in having had fuch an opportunity of minutely obferving the propriety of your behaviour. You may remember, I advifed you in that

Book never to leave your native valley. Your age and fituation require the utmost care. Strangers will come, and have come, purpofely to fee you; and fome of them with very bad intentions. We hope you will never fuffer from them; but never ceafe to be upon your guard. You really are not fo handfome as you promised to be; and I have long withed, by converfatio like this, to do away what mifchief the Battering character I gave of you may expofe you to. Be merry and wife."

She told me, the fincerely thanked me, and faid, I hope, Sir, I ever have, and truft I always fhall take care of myself."

I then gave her a hearty falute; bade her farewell! and, teeming with good withes towards my fellow mortals, toiled out of the Valley of A RAMBLER.

Buttermere.

Smith's addrefs to the people of Ireland, being the fubftance of his fpeech delivered in the Irish House of Commons, on the fubject of a legislative unon, ftates, that " Mr. Smith is a Catholic, and has a feat in the lith Houfe of Commons, &c." This reprefentation appears to have contributed to produce in your next Magazine, p. 467, a very indignant letter from R. B reprobating (with rather more of warmth, as from your note you feemed to think, than the fubject required) the prac tice of applying to Papifts the denomination of Catholics. This is a very ancient grievance; and R. B. may find, in Milton's controverfial writings, fome difquifitions concerning it, from which poflibly he may derive both edification and amufement*. My quarrel with your Reviewer arifes not from his ufe of the word Catholic, but from his not knowing that profeffion of the Popish religion difqualifies from fitting in either Houfe of Irish Parliament. Mr. Smith is mott certainly not a Romanift. In the last Irith Parliament he fat fot Lanefborough, and in the prefent he fits for Donegal. He is one of the King's counfel, only fon of Sir Michael Smith, bart. (one of the barons of the Court of Exchequer), and nephew to Dr. Duigenan, that arch-champion of the Proteftant caufe. He has however, I believe, fupported the claims of the Irifh Roman Catholics; and, I underftand, has fome Roman catholic connexions. He received a principal part of his education in England, was a gentleman commoner of Christ Church, and, if I miftake not, took a degree in the Uni verfity. Whether the habits which he may have contracted, or the connexions which he may have formed, in confequence of his English edu cation, have at all influenced his fentiments on the fubject of union;

and