What seas, what shores, what islands
I'm currently in Oban (pronounced oh-bin), gateway to the Scottish Hebrides. Queen Victoria described it as "one of the finest places we have seen". Today I climbed to the dilapidated, ivy-covered castle of Dunolly, ancient seat of the MacDougall Clan. They were enemies of Robert the Bruce, and much of the castle's damage is from when he came through and brought them into submission.
On another note, it seems much too expensive to visit Iona... even from here.
ON REVISITING DUNOLLY CASTLE
THE captive Bird was gone;--to cliff or moor
Perchance had flown, delivered by the storm;
Or he had pined, and sunk to feed the worm:
Him found we not: but, climbing, a tall tower,
There saw, impaved with rude fidelity
Of art mosaic, in a roofless floor,
An Eagle with stretched wings, but beamless eye--
An Eagle that could neither wail nor soar.
Effigy of the Vanished--(shall I dare
To call thee so?) or symbol of fierce deeds
And of the towering courage which past times
Rejoiced in--take, whate'er thou be, a share,
Not undeserved, of the memorial rhymes
That animate my way where'er it leads!
William Wordsworth
On another note, it seems much too expensive to visit Iona... even from here.
ON REVISITING DUNOLLY CASTLE
THE captive Bird was gone;--to cliff or moor
Perchance had flown, delivered by the storm;
Or he had pined, and sunk to feed the worm:
Him found we not: but, climbing, a tall tower,
There saw, impaved with rude fidelity
Of art mosaic, in a roofless floor,
An Eagle with stretched wings, but beamless eye--
An Eagle that could neither wail nor soar.
Effigy of the Vanished--(shall I dare
To call thee so?) or symbol of fierce deeds
And of the towering courage which past times
Rejoiced in--take, whate'er thou be, a share,
Not undeserved, of the memorial rhymes
That animate my way where'er it leads!
William Wordsworth
posted by johnk at
9:04 AM
2 Comments:
John, I was there! I remember that castle quite well. It's a minor tradgedy that you may not visit Iona. It is a wonderful place, though unfortunately over run by new-age types. Glad you're having a good time, and thanks for the postcard!
By
Christopher, At
3:38 PM
I caught a bit of a cold walking around in the rain, so that idea had to be table entirely. There's just too much to do and see!
By
johnk, At
10:57 AM
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