the valley, and which, from having been thus honoured, is called Engelberg, or the Hill of the Angels.  It is a glorious position for such beings, and I should have thought myself repaid for the trouble of so long a journey by the impression made upon my mind, when I first came in view of the vale in which the convent is placed, and of the mountains that enclose it.  The light of the sun had left the valley, and the deep shadows spread over it heightened the splendour of the evening light, and spread upon the surrounding mountains, some of which had their summits covered with pure snow; others were half hidden by vapours rolling round them; and the Rock of Engelberg could not have been seen under more fortunate circumstances, for masses of cloud glowing with the reflection of the rays of the setting sun were hovering round it, like choirs of spirits preparing to settle upon its venerable head.

To-day we quit this place to ascend the mountain Righi.  We shall be detained in this neighbourhood till our passports are returned from Berne, signed by the Austrian minister, which we find absolutely necessary to enable us to proceed into the Milanese.  At the end of five weeks at the latest, we hope to reach Geneva, returning by the Simplon Pass.  There I might have the pleasure of hearing from your Lordship; and may I beg that you would not omit to mention our Westmoreland politics?  The diet of Switzerland is now sitting in this place.  Yesterday I had a long conversation with the Bavarian envoy, whose views of the state of Europe appear to me very just.  This letter must unavoidably prove dull to your Lordship, but when I have the pleasure of seeing you, I hope to make some little amends, though I feel this is a very superficial way of viewing a country, even with reference merely to the beauties of Nature.  We have not met with many English; there is scarcely a third part as many in the country as there was last year.  A brother of Lord Grey is in the house where we now are, and Lord Ashburton left yesterday.  I must conclude abruptly, with kindest remembrances to Lady Lonsdale and Lady Mary.  Believe me, my Lord, most faithfully

Your Lordship’s
WM. WORDSWORTH.

Paris, Oct. 7 [1820], 45 Rue Charlot,
Boulevards du Temple.

MY LORD,

I had the honour of writing to your Lordship from Lucerne, 19th of August, giving an account of our movements.  We have visited, since, those parts of Switzerland usually deemed most worthy of notice, and the Italian lakes, having stopped four days at Milan, and as many at Geneva.  With the exception of a couple of days on the Lake of Geneva, the weather has been most favourable, though frequently during the last fortnight extremely cold.  We have had no detention from illness, nor any bad accident, for which we feel more grateful, on account of some of our fellow travellers, who accidentally joined us for a few days.  Of these, one, an American gentleman,