On The Water.

be happy , contented , trusting , and rejoicing . Thank God heartily that He gives you so much domestic felicity , so many kind mates , and such good health , so much joyous promise of a graceful and genial future . " It may be that for you , my young friends , the skies will not be always bluethe clouds will gather , the waves will rise . Perhaps it may be a question whether life has any " compensations" here below to outweigh its troubleslosses

, , treacheries , sorrows . Those who , like myself have grown old , must feel , as we survey the gay scene to-day from the window where I am penning these lines , that alas ! we too can recall as joyous parties , and as sunny smiles , ancl as silvery voices in the clays of old . We have survived them all . They are for us but peaceful loving shadows of a long buried past , which every now and then

come and visit us in the gentler memories of the day and night , —to remind us that hapjiiness is here short-lived , ancl that the " encroaching hand of time " sweeps away in relentless certainty all that we love the best , and count the dearest and most valued upon earth . But then to suppose that all my readers share in such semi-sentimental , quasi-mournful viewswould indeed be a paradox of paradoxes . Solike the

, , pleasant Frenchman of old , let ns say , in such cheery hours of holiday gathering and " outing , " Soyons fous anjourd'bui , Nous serons sages demain . "

Buttermere Lake.

BUTTERMERE LAKE .

"TiHERE is not in Britain a finer day ' s excursion than through Borrowdale - * - to Buttermere , and return through the Vale of Newlands . Coaches leave Keswick at ten a . m ., and return at six p . m . It was only some thirty years ago that carriages first began to run that way . Before that the tourist went on horseback , or in a jaunting car with one horse , locally called a " tub . " Nowthe Market S on a fine morningis the scene of

, quare , , eight or ten coaches making ready for the start , some with a pair of horses , others with three ( unicorn as it is called ) , and the larger vehicles with four horses . The route leaves Castelette and the towering Wallowcrag on the left . As you emerge from the great wood , a splendid view of High and Low Falcon Crags , with Barrow Side , Barrow House , and Cascade burst upon the view ; and on the right Derwent Lake , with its islands , St . Herbert ' s and

Rampsholme , and on the western side Catbells , and the beautiful wooded estate of the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , called " Derwent Bay , " where a romantic villa is almosthiddenfromviewbythe profusionof magnificent trees which surround it . Passing Barrow you have Catgill on the left , a waterfall which is never dry , and opposite to which the floating island from time to time makes its appearance . Then you have Lodore Waterfall full in view , with Gowder Crag on the left ancl Shepherd ' s Crag on the right . When seen after heavy rain this fall is magnificent , and beggars the splendid description given of it by Southey :

How does the water come down at Lodore ? Here it comes sparkling , And there it lies darkling ; Here smoking and frothing , Its tumult and wrath in . It hastens along , conflictingly strong , Now striking and raging , as if a war waging , In caverns and rocks among .