No More Learning

]


[Footnote B: The Tradition is, that the Castle was built by a Lady
during the absence of her Lord in Palestine. --W. W. 1827. ]



From the following passage in Dorothy Wordsworth's 'Recollections' of
their Tour, it will be seen that the poet altered the text considerably
in making his quotation in 1827: August 31, 1803.

"When we had ascended half-way up the hill, directed by the man, I
took a nearer foot-path, and at the top came in view of a most
impressive scene, a ruined castle on an island almost in the middle of
the last compartment of the lake, backed by a mountain cove, down
which came a roaring stream. The castle occupied every foot of the
island that was visible to us, appearing to rise out of the water;
mists rested upon the mountain side, with spots of sunshine between;
there was a mild desolation in the low grounds, a solemn grandeur in
the mountains, and the castle was wild, yet stately, not dismantled of
its turrets, nor the walls broken down, though completely in ruin.
After having stood some minutes I joined William on the highroad, and
both wishing to stay longer near this place, we requested the man to
drive his little boy on to Dalmally, about two miles further, and
leave the car at the inn. He told us the ruin was called Kilchurn
Castle, that it belonged to Lord Breadalbane, and had been built by
one of the ladies of that family for her defence, during her lord's
absence at the Crusades; for which purpose she levied a tax of seven
years' rent upon her tenants; he said that from that side of the lake
it did not appear, in very dry weather, to stand upon an island, but
that it was possible to go over to it without being wet-shod. We were
very lucky in seeing it after a great flood; for its enchanting effect
was chiefly owing to its situation in the lake, a decayed palace
rising out of the plain of waters! I have called it a palace, for such
feeling it gave me, though having been built as a place of defence, a
castle or fortress. We turned again and reascended the hill, and sate
a long time in the middle of it looking on the castle, and the huge
mountain cove opposite, and William, addressing himself to the ruin,
poured out these verses. "

Compare Wordsworth's description of this ruin in his 'Guide through the
District of the Lakes'. --Ed.





* * * * *





ROB ROY'S GRAVE


Composed between 1803 and 1805.
--Published 1807


The History of Rob Roy is sufficiently known; his Grave is near the head
of Loch Ketterine, in one of those small Pin-fold-like Burial-grounds,
of neglected and desolate appearance, which the Traveller meets with in
the Highlands of Scotland. --W. W. 1807.

[I have since been told that I was misinformed as to the burial-place of
Rob Roy. If so, I may plead in excuse that I wrote on apparently good
authority, namely, that of a well educated Lady who lived at the head of
the Lake, within a mile or less of the point indicated as containing the
remains of One so famous in the neighbourhood. --I. F. ]

In the copy of 'Rob Roy's Grave', transcribed in Dorothy Wordsworth's
'Recollections' of the Tour in Scotland of 1803, there are several
important variations of text, which occur in none of the printed
editions of the poem. These are indicated (to distinguish them from
other readings) by the initials D. W. --Ed.

One of the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection" in 1815 and 1820. --Ed.




A famous man is Robin Hood,
The English ballad-singer's joy!
And Scotland has a thief as good,
An outlaw of as daring mood;

She has her brave ROB ROY!