ef in those truths which it is the aim of the Church to
inculcate. [Notes: 'Sled' (l.110)--a local word for sledge; 'bield' (l.
175)--a word common in the country, signifying shelter, as in Scotland.]

460. *_Upon perusing the foregoing Epistle, thirty Years after its
Composition_.

Loughrigg Tarn.

This beautiful pool, and the surrounding scene, are minutely described
in my little book on the Lakes.

Sir G.H.B., in the earlier part of his life, was induced, by his love of
Nature and the art of painting, to take up his abode at Old Brathay,
about three miles from this spot, so that he must have seen it [the
Tarn] under many aspects; and he was so much pleased with it, that he
purchased the Tarn with a view to build such a residence as is alluded
to in this 'Epistle.' Baronets and knights were not so common in that
day as now, and Sir M. le Fleming, not liking to have a rival in this
kind of distinction so near him, claimed a sort of lordship over the
territory, and showed dispositions little in unison with those of Sir G.
Beaumont, who was eminently a lover of peace. The project of building
was given up, Sir G.B. retaining possession of the Tarn. Many years
afterwards, a Kendal tradesman, born upon its banks, applied to me for
the purchase of it, and, accordingly, it was sold for the sum that had
been given for it, and the money was laid out, under my direction, upon
a substantial oak fence for a certain number of yew-trees, to be planted
in Grasmere Churchyard. Two were planted in each enclosure, with a view
to remove, after a certain time, the one which throve the least. After
several years, the stouter plant being left, the others were taken up,
and placed in other parts of the same churchyard, and were adequately
fenced at the expense and under the care of the late Mr. Barber, Mr.
Greenwood, and myself. The whole eight are now thriving, and are an
ornament to a place which, during late years, has lost much of its
rustic simplicity by the introduction of iron palisades, to fence off
family burying-grounds, and by numerous monuments, some of them in very
bad taste, from which this place of burial was in my memory quite free:
see the lines in the sixth book of 'The Excursion,' beginning,

'Green is the Churchyard.'

The 'Epistle,' to which these notes refer, though written so far back as
1811, was carefully revised so late as 1842, previous to its
publication. I am loath to add, that it was never seen by th