APPLEBY,-WESTMORLAND.

Appleby, the capital of Westmorland, is an ancient market-town and borough, consisting of two parishes, lying on opposite sides of the Eden; Appleby St. Lawrence being on the west bank of the river, and Appleby St. Michael on the east. It is distant twentyfour miles from Kendal, and two hundred and sixty-six miles from London. This borough is now disfranchised; but, until lately, it had returned two representatives to parliament, from the time of Edward I. The town received a charter of incorporation at a very early period; this having been long since lost or destroyed, the corporation still exists by prescription. The charters of this borough were all surrendered to James II., by whom they were partially restored, and the corporation made to consist of a mayor, twelve aldermen, and sixteen capital burgesses, besides inferior officers.

The church of Appleby, dedicated to St. Lawrence, is a fine gothic structure, erected in 1655, by the Countess of Pembroke, and consists of a nave, chancel, side-aisles, and a square tower. The chancel contains a beautiful marble effigy of Margaret, Countess of Cumberland, and an elegant altar-tomb, in memory of her daughter, the before-mentioned Countess of Pembroke. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel in this town.

The illustrative View is taken from the side of the river, to the north of the town. The river Eden, which flows between the parishes, nearly surrounds that of Appleby St. Lawrence, and is crossed by a plain stone-bridge of two arches. The road, on the left, along which cattle are seen passing, leads to Penrith. In the midst of the woody eminence, southward of the town, stands the castle of Appleby; and the beautiful gothic church, forming a prominent feature in the engraving, terminates the view on the right.

The weekly market, held on Saturday, is remarkable for the supply of corn. A fortnightly market for cattle is held at the High Cross. Besides which, there are three annual fairs, for the sale of horses, sheep, merchandise, &c.

LEVINS HALL,-WESTMORLAND.

Levins Hall, the romantic seat of the Honourable Fulke-Greville Howard, stands on the eastern side of the river Kent. This venerable mansion is deeply embosomed in wood, and commands, from its towers, extensive prospects of the surrounding country. It has been frequently repaired and beautified; and presents an interesting object for the attention of antiquaries, and the lovers of picturesque architecture. The gardens, by which it is surrounded, are cultivated in the German style; and the grotesque figures formed in the foliage of the trees, give to the edifice a character of wild and indefinite romance. In these sylvan shades, on the 12th of May, the mayor and corporation of Kendal, together with the friends of the house of Levins, spend the afternoon (after having proclaimed the fair at Milnthorp) in eating radishes, drinking morocco, (a very strong old ale,) smoking, bowling, and a variety of other amusements.

The interior of Levins Hall exhibits a great diversity of elegant carved work, which abounds throughout the house, with the exception of the new tower recently erected. The carving represents a great variety of figures, emblems and ornaments said to have been bestowed on the building in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In the north diningroom, so rich and expensive is this work, that it has been valued at three thousand pound^, according to the present scale of wages. The carved chimney-piece in this apartment, dated 1586, is supported by large figures of Samson and Hercules, and bears, in its several compartments, beautiful emblematic representations of the five senses, the four elements, and the four seasons, with a poetical inscription. In another room are seen rich specimens of gobeline tapestry, exquisitely finished, and illustrative of a pathetic tale from one of the Italian poets. The entrance-hall is decorated with relics of ancient armour of various dates, "bearing the bruises of war, and the rust of time;" and contains a costly saddle of red velvet and gold, which formerly belonged to Elphi Bey. The drawing-room, and library also, display most beautiful specimens of ancient carved work in the chimneypieces.

The view from the lower apartments is not very extensive; but the propect on every side is rendered agreeable by the noble avenues and clumps of trees-patriarchal in their age, and flourishing in strength. The park is well stocked with fallow-deer, and acknowledged to be one of the most delightful spots that fancy could imagine. Rocks, wood, and water combine, in beautiful assemblage, and endless variety.

CATARACT OF LOWDORE,-CUMBERLAND.

This Cataract, formed by the Lowdore river flowing out of the valley of Watendlath, aided by numerous tributary streams from the mountains, discharges its waters into the lake Derwent Water. The character of this fall varies considerably with the season. Though at all periods an object of great interest to the tourist, it is only after a heavy fall of rain that the grandeur and sublimity of the torrent can be justly estimated. Then, when the thousand streams of the mountains are let loose, the cataract appears in all its majesty: rushing down an enormous pile of protruding rocks, it rolls along with uninterrupted volume and impetuous velocity," and shakes the country round." The scene is fearfully magnificent; and the deafening tumult of the raging waters can, it is stated, in a serene evening, be distinctly heard at the distance of twelve miles.

The Lowdore waterfall forms a splendid adjunct to the scene, when viewed from a distance in connexion with other objects; but it requires no accompaniments to heighten its effect it exhibits in itself the most stupendous dignity—a wild and varied grandeur— an overwhelming sublimity of sight and sound

"Where the proud queen of wilderness hath placed

By lake and cataract her cloudy throne."

The spectator grasps instinctively the straggling shrub, or projecting branch, that meets his hand, fearful lest the resistless torrent should bear him away in its course, as he stands

"Gazing on pathless glen, and mountain high,
Listing where from the cliffs the torrents thrown,

Mingle their echoes with the eagle's cry,

And with the sounding lake, and with the moaning sky."

The stream falls between two perpendicular rocks, the intermediate parts of which, broken into large fragments, form the rough bed of the cascade. Some of the fragments stretch out in shelves, and hold a depth of soil sufficient for large trees; among these the stream hurries along through a fall of at least one hundred feet. Towards the bottom, also, the ground is much broken, and overgrown with wood: here the water reaches an abyss, whence it finds its way through deep channels into Lake Derwent.

The View, which accompanies this description, is taken from a ledge of rocks about the centre of the stream, and is the most extensive survey of the cataract that can be taken from one point.

SCALE FORCE, CUMBERLAND.

This cascade, distant about a mile and a half from the village of Buttermere, exceeds, in extent of fall, the renowned Niagara; yet, owing to a difficulty of access, it is frequently neglected by the tourist. The most commodious route for the visitor is, to engage a boat at Buttermere inn, and, crossing the lake of Crummock Water, land at the foot of the mountains in which the torrent is situated. The journey on foot is both dangerous and inconvenient, leading over a rapid river, with only a single plank laid across, and continuing over a boggy pasture along the foot of the Red Pike mountain. The tourist, however, who can set at nought the difficulties of the journey, will be gratified by the wild sublimity which surrounds his path, apparently leading into the heart of the mountains.

An opening between the hills of Mellbreak and Blea Crag, shows the course of the waterfall. A large fissure here presents itself, extending nearly one hundred feet into the mountains. Passing through this chasm, which is about four or five yards wide, and fenced on each side by perpendicular rocks, the visitor discovers the torrent rushing down a height of nearly two hundred feet. The steep on each side is covered with foliage, nourished by the spray from the falling waters. Several large trees, growing in the fissures near the summit of the mountain, cast a deep shade on the cavern below.

Scale Force should be visited on the day succeeding a heavy rain; it will then appear in all its grandeur. On such an occasion, the volume of water fills the whole chasm; the rocks and the torrent struggle fearfully together, and seem to shake the mountain, while the noise of the fall, loud as that of a peal of thunder, carries dismay into the most intrepid heart.