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Page 1
Mr. A. de Capell Brooke, who visited Stockholm in the summer of 1820,
describes the palace as "a beautiful and conspicuous object, its walls
washed by the Baltic."--It is square, on an elevated ground, has a
spacious court in the centre, and is in every respect worthy a royal
residence. Near the entrance are two large bronze lions, which are
admirably executed. "The view of the palace from the water," says Sir
R.K. Porter, "reminds us of Somerset House, though it far exceeds the
British structure in size, magnificence, and sound architecture." It
contains some good paintings, and a fine gallery of statues, chiefly
antique, collected by the taste and munificence of Gustavus III. The
_Endymion_ is a _chef d'oeuvre_ of its kind, and the Raphael
china is of infinite value, but a splendid example of genius and talent
misapplied.
All travellers concur in their admiration of the site and environs of
Stockholm, and in deprecating the malappropriation of the former, Porter
says, "The situation of this capital deserves finer edifices. Like St.
Petersburg, it is built on islands; seven, of different extent, form its
basis; they lie between the Baltic and the Malar lake. The harbour is
sufficiently deep, even up to the quay, to receive the largest vessels.
At the extremity of the harbour, the streets rise one above another in
the form of an amphitheatre, with the magnificent palace, _like a rich
jewel in an �thiop's ear_, in the centre."
Mr. Brooke describes the situation of the city as "singular and even
romantic. Built on seven small rocky islands, it in this respect
resembles Venice. A great part of the city, however, stands upon the
steep declivity of a very high hill; houses rising over houses, so that,
to the eye, they seem supported by one another. Below, commerce almost
covers the clear waters of the Baltic with a tall forest of masts; while
far above, and crowning the whole, stands the commanding church of St.
Catherine. From the top of this the eye is at first lost in the
boundless prospect of forest, lake, and sea, spreading all around: it
then looks down upon Stockholm, intersected in all directions by water;
the royal palace; and lastly, ranges over the forests of pines extending
themselves almost down to the gates of the city, spotted with villas,
and skirted in the most picturesque manner by the numerous beautiful
lakes, which so pleasingly relieve the beauties of the country. The
other objects, which will repay the curiosity of the stranger in
inspecting them, are, the royal palace; the military academy at
Cartberg; the arsenal; the senate house; the _Ridderholm_, where
the kings of Sweden are interred; the cabinet of natural history; the
annual exhibition of paintings; the fine collection of statue in the
palace."
* * * * *
CROSS FELL, WESTMORELAND.
(_For the Mirror._)
This mountain is situate near the end of a ridge of mountains, leading
from Stainmore or Stonemore, about sixteen miles in length. It descends
gradually from Brough to the Grained Tree, the former boundary mark
dividing Yorkshire from Westmoreland. Passing over several mountains, we
arrive at Dufton Fell, of the same ridge.
At the foot of this fell there is a curious little petrifying spring,
which turns moss, or any other porous matter which may fall within its
vortex, or the steams and vapours arising therefrom, into hard stone,
insomuch that upon the mouth of it there is a considerable hill of such
petrifaction.
Cross Fell is the highest mountain of the whole ridge, and is bounded by
a small rivulet stocked with trouts. This was formerly called Fiends'
Fell, from evil spirits, which are said to have haunted its summit, "and
to have continued their haunts and nocturnal vagaries upon it, until
Saint Austin erected a _cross_ and _altar_, whereon he offered
the _holy eucharist_, by which he countercharmed those hellish
fiends, and broke their haunts."--_Robinson's History of Cumberland
and Westmoreland_, 1709.
Since the saint expelled the fiends, the mountain (it appears) has taken
the name of Cross Fell, in commemoration of the event.
There are now existent seven stones lying in a careless condition on the
top of this mountain, as if destroyed by the hand of time. The stones,
it is supposed, are the remains of the cross and altar. One stone is
considerably higher than the rest, and they are overgrown with moss.
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