Journals of Dorothy Wordsworth

About this book

Dorothy Wordsworth's Scottish tour unfolds as a living journal of weather, landscape, and human kindness, carried from Loch Katrine and Glen Coe to Edinburgh, Melrose, and the borderlands beyond. In rain, mist, and difficult crossings, she records not only mountains, sea-lochs, ferries, and ruined abbeys, but also the warmth of the people who shelter the travelers along the way. At Loch Lomond and Tarbet, Highland girls, an old woman, and a bustling ferry-house household turn delay into hospitality, while a tender poem to a "Sweet Highland Girl" captures the emotional force of local beauty and innocence. Further on, the road to Arrochar, Glen Croe, and the "Rest and be thankful" seat becomes a meditation on melancholy grandeur, poverty, and memory, touched by thoughts of Coleridge's suffering. At Melrose, Dryburgh, and Jedburgh, ancient ruins, expert guides, and memorable hosts blend history with domestic life, creating a richly observed portrait of Scotland as both wild and intimate. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.