360. To Humphry Davy Address: Mr Davy | Pneumatic Institution | Hot Wells | Bristol MS. Royal Institution. Pub.Letters, i. 339. Postmark: 21 October 1800. Stamped: Keswick. October 18, 1800 My dear Davy Our Mountains Northward end in the Mountain Carrock -- one huge steep enormous Bulk of Stones, desolately variegated with the heath-plant -- at it's foot runs the river Caldew, & a narrow vale ____________________ 1 Since this sheet begins with the concluding part of A Poet's Epitaph, of which the first instalment was sent to Bristol on 10 Oct. in a sheet now lost, Coleridge's note was probably written during Wordsworth's visit to Keswick of 15-17 Oct. Journals, i. 65-67. 2 It would appear that Wordsworth came to Keswick with the purpose of obtaining Coleridge contributions to Poems on the Naming of Places. See Letter 356, p. 631, note 2. His disappointment is reflected in an entry made in Dorothy journal: "Coleridge had done nothing for the L.B." Journals, i. 67. -637- between it & the Mountain Bowscale -- so narrow, that in it's greatest width it is not more than a Furlong. But that narrow vale is so green, so beautiful! there are moods, in which a man would weep to look at it. On this mountain Carrock, at the summit of which are the remains of a vast Druid Circle of Stones, I was wandering --; when a thick cloud came on, and wrapped me in such Darkness that I could not see ten yards before me -- and with the cloud a storm of Wind & Hail, the like of which I had never before seen & felt. At the very summit is a cone of Stones, built by the Shepherds, & called the Carrock Man -- Such Cones are on the Tops of almost all our Mountains, and they are all called Men. At the bottom of this Carrock Man I seated myself for shelter; but the wind became so fearful & tyrannous that I was apprehensive, some of the stones might topple down upon me. So I groped my way further down, and came to 3 Rocks, placed in this wise each supported by the other like a Child's House of Cards, & in the Hollow & Screen which they made I sate for a long while sheltered as if I had been in my own Study, in which I am now writing -Here I sate, with a total feeling worshipping the power & 'eternal Link' of Energy. The Darkness vanished, as by enchantment --: far off, far far off, to the South the mountains of Glaramàra & Great Gavel, and their Family, appeared distinct, in deepest sablest Blue -- I rose, & behind me was a Rainbow bright as the brightest. -- I descended by the side of a Torrent, & passed or rather crawled (for I was forced to descend on all fours) by many a naked Waterfall, till fatigued & hungry (& with one finger almost broken, & which remains swelled to the size of two Fingers) I reached the narrow vale, & the single House nested in Ashes & Sycamores --. I entered to claim the universal hospitality of this County; but instead of the life & comfort usual in these lonely Houses I saw dirt & every appearance of misery -- a pale Wo[man] sitting by a peat Fire -- I asked her [for] Bread & Milk, & she sent. a small Child to fetch it, but did not rise herself --. I eat very heartily of the black sour bread, & drank a bowl of milk -- & asked her to permit me to pay her. Nay, says she -- we are not so scant as that -- you are right welcome -- but do you know any Help for the Rheumaties; for I have been so long ailing that I am almost fain to die. -- So I advised her to eat a great deal of Mustard, having seen in an advertisement something about Essence of Mustard curing the most obstinate cases of Rheumatism -- but do write me, & tell me some cure for the Rheumatism -- it is in her Shoulders & the small of her back, chiefly -- I wish much to go off with some -638- bottles of Stuff to the poor Creature -- I should walk the 10 miles, as ten yards. -- With love & honor, my dear Davy, your's S. T. Coleridge