Classic Poem

Though Neighbours, if they nearer would enquire,
Must needs perceive the pilling Cliff retire:
And the most cursory beholder may
Visibly see a manifestdecay,
By Jutting stones, that by the Earth left bare
Hang on the trip suspended in the Air.
This haughty Mountain by indulgent Fame
Prefer'd t'a Wonder, Mam-Tor has to name;
Tor in that Country Jargon's uncouth sence
Expressing any craggy eminence,
From Tower ; but then why Mam , I cann't surmise,
Unless because Mother to that does rise
Out of her ruins; better then to speak,
It might be call'd the Phaenix of the Peak ,
For when this Mountain by long wasting's gone,
Her ashes will, and not till then, be one.
Which ere I quit, I must beg leave to tell
One story only of this Miracle .

Of late a Countrey fellow, it seems one
Who had more courage, than discretion;
Untempted, or by wager, or by price,
And obstinately deaf to all Advice,
Would needs attempt to climb this precipice.
Thus then resolv'd th' Enceladus sets out,
With a Peak heart Heaven -defying stout,
A daring look, and vast Colossean strides,
To storm the frowning Mountains mouldring sides.
Wherein the first steps of th' Adventurers proof,
Were easie, and encouraging enough,
Scarce Pent-house -steep, and ev'ry step did brand
Assured footing in the yielding sand;
And higher though much steeper; yet the Hill
By leaning backward gave him footing still;
Though still more tickle, and unsafe, as higher
The hair-brain'd fool did in's attempt aspire.
But being arriv'd to the stupendious place
Where the Cliffs beetle brows orelook his Base
The jutting front with threatning ruins there
Bad stand unto the bold Adventurer .
Then from that stupifying height, too late
Th'astonisht wretch saw his approaching Fate ,
Thence first he downward cast his woful eyes,
Sadly to view the dang'rous precipice,
Which the bold stormer with such horror strook,
As all his Limbs with a cold trembling shook,
With so unseasonable an Ague fit,
That hands, and feet were ready hold to quit,
And to the Fool their Master's Fate submit.
How to advance a step he could not tell,
And to descend was as impossible:
But thus environed with black despair,
He hung suspended in the liquid Air.
He then would fain have pray'd: but Authors say,
Few of the Province guifted are that way,
And that to swear, curse, slaunder, and forswear
More natural is to your Peak Highlander ;
Though there are many vertuous people there.
But be it how it will, the fellow hung
On stretcht-out sinews so exceeding long,
Till ready to drop off, Necessity
Bad mount, and live; or else fall down, and die.
With last effort he upward then gan crawl,
To rise; or from a nobler height to fall;
And as he forward strove began to try
This, and that hanging stone's stability,
To prove their firmness, and to feel what hold
The Earth-bound ends had in the crumbling mold.
Some of which hanging Tables as he still
Made further progress up the trickling Hill,
He found so loose they threatned as he went,
To sweep him off, and be his Monument .
But 'tis most certain that some other end,
In Fates dark leaves for the rash Fool is pend,
Not by a fall so noble, and so high,
Though by a slip perhaps 'twixt Earth , and Sky :
For, to th' Spectators wonder, and his own,
He panting gain'd at last the Mountains Crown.

Hence an uneven mile below, in sight
Of this strange Cliffe , and almost opposite,
Lies Castleton a place of noted fame,
Which from the Castle there derives its name.
Entring the Village presently y'are met
With a clear, swift and murm'ring Rivolet ,
Towards whose source if up the stream you look
On your right hand close by, your Eye is strook
With a stupendious Rock, raising so high
His craggy Temples tow'rds the Azure Sky
That if we this should with the rest compare,
They Hillocks, Mole-hills, Warts , and Pibbles are.
This, as if King of all the Mountains round,
Is on the top with an old Tower crown'd,
An Antick thing, fit to make people stare:
But of no use, either in Peace, or War.
Under this Castle yawns a dreadful Cave ,
Whose sight may well astonish the most brave,
And make him pause, ere further he proceed
T'explore what in those gloomy vaults lie hid.
The Brook , which from one mighty Spring does flow,
Through a deep stony Channel runs below,
Whilst ore a Path level, and broad enough