AN ACCOUNT OF SOME OF THE MOST ROMANTIC PARTS OF NORTH WALES.

AS every one now who has either traverſed a ſteep [...]ountain, or croſſed a ſmall [...]annel, muſt write his Tour, it [...]ould be almoſt unpardonable [...] Me to be totally ſilent, who [2] have viſited the moſt uninhabite [...] regions of North Wales—wh [...] have ſeen lakes, rivers, ſea [...] rocks, and precipices, at unmea⯑ſurable diſtances, and who from obſervation and experience can in⯑form the world, that high hill [...] are very difficult of acceſs, an [...] the tops of them generally ver [...] cold.

But ancient Britain has a kin [...] of hereditary claim upon me, [...] I have the honour to boaſt of m [...] origin from thence; and as th [...] [3] name and exploits of my an⯑ceſtors continually occur through the wild heroic pages of Welſh fable or hiſtory.

This journey was undertaken rather late in the autumn 1776; [...]he ſeaſon proved remarkably favourable, neither rains not winds impeded my progreſs— [...]he air on the mountains was [...]ft rarified by the ſummer's heat, [...]e ſun ſhone out all the day [...] Cader, and Snowdon had not [4] begun to fortify himſelf againſ [...] this almoſt winter approach.

I ſet out from Shrewſbury fo [...] Welſh Poole,—the laſt eigh [...] miles afforded a moſt beautifu [...] proſpect of a rich vale in Mon [...] ⯑gomeryſhire. The Vales through out this county are remarkabl [...] pleaſant; but they have bee [...] ſo frequently deſcribed, that [...] is almoſt ſuperfluous to obſerv [...] that they abound with corn, a [...] are luxuriant in paſturage.

[5]Welſh Poole is a place of ſome note—it is one of the five Boroughs in Montgomeryſhire, which jointly ſend a member to Parliament. It has a good mar⯑ket, but though the Severn is navigable within two miles of it, there is ſcarce ever any fiſh—even ſalmon is never under twelve pence a pound. It takes its name from a contemptible black pool, which is ſaid to be unfathomable, and of which there is a prophecy, that it ſhall [6] ſome time or other overflow and deluge the town. This prophecy is ſtill believed in Wales.

About a mile from hence ſtands Powis caſtle, or Red caſtle, from the colour of the ſtones of which it is built. The ſitua⯑tion of it is certainly very noble, but I cannot agree with Lord Lyttelton, that three thouſand pounds would make it the moſt auguſt place in the kingdom; there is much to be done in the mere approach, and at pre⯑ſent [7] you are obliged to aſk where the Severn runs. The ground is laid out in that formal ſtyle of gardening, that was brought in at the Revolu⯑tion, and there will be much difficulty in altering it with propriety. A common Under⯑taker in Taſte, would imme⯑diately convert the clipt hedges [...]nd true-love-knots, into a gau⯑ [...]y and unmeaning ſhrubbery, [...]ut to decorate this place to [...]dvantage, the Genius of this [8] place only muſt be conſulted, ‘"th [...] ^* parts ſhould every where b [...] connected with each other, an [...] muſt likewiſe bear a referenc [...] to the whole."’ On my retur [...] to Poole, I ordered a carriage t [...] convey me to Llanvair—this wa [...] to be my laſt ſtage on know [...] ground,—the road was perfectl [...] good, the people in general ſpok [...] Engliſh, and their civility was [...] remarkable, that the very turn⯑pike man was grateful for th [...] [9] toll. I was here moſt ſtrongly recommended to a good houſe, about twelve miles diſtant, but found it only a miſerable hut; I therefore preſſed onwards as faſt as poſſible, and after ſome difficulties arrived at Dynys-Mouthy.

This City (for Dynys is Welſh for City) is poſſeſſed of many and great advantages; there is no body-corporate to divide it into faction, there is not a ſingle Office that can poſſibly be con⯑tended [10] for—the rent of houſes will be the ſame at all ſeaſons and even in Auguſt you are ne⯑ver incommoded by the ſun The river is not large, but it wil [...] never be encroached upon by the inhabitants; their ſequeſtered walks will never be injured by any freſh Dealers in Taſte,—in deed they have only one tree to cut down, an oak planted in th [...] reign of Charles the Second; an [...] I believe they have never hear [...] of any King ſince.

[11]As to Faſhions, they are ſimi⯑lar to thoſe in Town—the head⯑dreſs of the Females is very high, [...]nd in a morning they generally [...]ear the Half Paloneſe^†.

The Inns too, like the London [...]nes, are dark and dirty, but [...]ere is very little noiſe in them; [...]d as to proviſions, the people [...] not attempt to make what na⯑ [...]e has not beſtowed upon them. [...]hey gave me whatever they [12] had, Bread, uncontaminated wit [...] ſpurious mixtures, and Milk, tha [...] was abſolutely from the cow.

I did not ſee a Cathedral, no [...] heard of either biſhop or palace [...] probably he might reſide at [...] great diſtance, and have conſigne [...] his flock over to a chapel of eaſ [...]

There is no court of judica⯑ture open here. This city is a [...] free from attornies as ancie [...] Thebes; indeed the two neve [...] failing ſources of litigation, t [...] Poor laws and the Game law [13] are entirely unknown. There is not even a Quack; ſo that thoſe whom liquor ſpares, generally die at a very advanced age.

The Theatre is held in great repute. I had the pleaſure to be preſent at one play, which is here called an Anterlute, probably a corruption from our term Inter⯑lude. The piece was ſaid to have been written by a celebrated Mr. Evan ſomething, who lived at Bala; but, from the actions, geſ⯑tures, and emblems, I conceived it [14] to have been modelled from be⯑fore Shakeſpeare's time. The plot was in part ſimilar to a burletta, which has frequently been exhi⯑bited in London, called La Serva Padrona, but the muſic was cer⯑tainly not Pergolen. The or⯑cheſtra, to be ſure, was exceed⯑ingly contracted; but we muſt reflect, that ſome of our beſt, as well as earlieſt dramas, were only accompanied by a Harp. The price of admittance to this ele⯑gant entertainment, would have [15] been termed by the Romans, De⯑narius.

The road from Dynys Mouthy afforded but little amuſement, and the firſt caſt of Cader Idris greatly diſappointed me; but I ſoon recollected, that as I was then on very high ground, it muſt have been from ſome other point of view that this mountain had rendered itſelf ſo remark⯑able. In the courſe of this re⯑flection, I was on a ſudden de⯑lighted with the country round [16] Dolgelly,—woods, rocks, a ric [...] vale, a fine river, and, at that diſ⯑tance, the appearance of rathe [...] a decent town, ſurrounded wit [...] many gentlemen's ſeats,—theſe contraſted with the barrenneſs had juſt travelled through, al [...] joined to render the proſpec [...] truly delicious. But how was [...] diſguſted on my arrival at the in⯑terior parts of this miſerable place [...] there is no ſtreet in it; you paſ [...] from dungeon to dungeon through a multiplicity of hog [...] [17] yards;—before I reached the inn [...] heard a cracked trumpet ſound⯑ [...]ng every where about, and im⯑mediately concluded that I might [...]ee, in the evening, another farce [...]r anterlute; but was informed it [...]as only intended to call the [...]uſtices to the quarter-ſeſſions. [...] the inn there was nothing to [...]e obtained; ſo that as ſoon as [...]ſſible I ſent out for a Guide, [...]at I might retire to the moun⯑ [...]ns;—whilſt I was in waiting, [...]nquired about the only toler⯑able [18] building I then ſaw, an [...] was told it was for cock-match [...] ſuch as we had in England;—that they were juſt over, but th [...] I might go immediately and [...] a famous man from London ſh [...] tricks of ſlight of hand. I chie [...] wiſhed for ſome refreſhme [...] having greatly ſuffered from [...] ⯑tigue and illneſs the preced [...] day; but as I was a ſtranger, people ſhewed me little or no⯑vility, and on my enquiring horſes, took every advantag [...] [19] my diſtreſs. I was now almoſt [...]nclined to have beſtowed upon [...]hem ſome rather ungracious epi⯑ [...]hets; but I conſidered, that as we [...]emed to be teaching them no⯑ [...]ing from England but cruelty [...]nd fraud, I ought rather to la⯑ [...]ent the cauſe than inſult the [...]ect of their brutality.

On the arrival of the Guide, I [...]t out immediately for Cader [...]ris, and found the tract ex⯑ [...]edingly good, till I came to a [...]ominent part of the mountain, [20] and here, I muſt acknowledg [...] my head was too giddy ſuff [...] ⯑ciently to admire the amazin [...] ſcene that was opening to m [...] view. At length, having gaine the ſummit, (the whole aſce [...] being near three miles,) on [...] fine piece of level ground, I cou [...] with comfort ſurvey the ſea, t [...] Carnarvonſhire ſhore, Snowd [...] without a cloud upon his to lakes, rivers, rocks, and precipi [...] which were every way ſpre [...] before me;—at the bottom [...] [21] the hill, on the oppoſite ſide, was a ſmall Village, to which ſeveral were returning heavy loaden from Dolgelly market; this Vil⯑lage is remarkable for nothing but the remains of a ſmall caſtle, whoſe miſerable ſituation could not ſecure it from the de⯑predations of Cromwell's army. In the courſe of my ſurvey of the Mountain, it ſeemed to take a thouſand capricious forms, but the moſt wonderful part of it is [...]he tremendous peak, which over⯑hangs [22] the Lake of the ^* Thre [...] Grains,—but here I ſhall for⯑bear deſcription, as a fine repre⯑ſentation of it, has been latel [...] executed, by the ingenious an [...] accurate pencil of Mr. Wilſon.—On my return I diſcovered, fai [...] out of any tract, on the ſteepeſ [...] part of the hill, a man gathering rock-moſs to dye baizes red,—‘"dreadful trade!"’ one coul [...] [23] only exclaim;—this excreſcence is chiefly ſold to Dublin—it af⯑fords a moſt beautiful colour at firſt, and if mixed with proper ingredients and diſtilled, will, it is ſaid, become permanent. Be⯑ing very thirſty from heat and fatigue, I enquired for ſome goat's milk, but to no purpoſe; the Guide, however, informed me, that he could procure me, from a neighbouring cottage, a liquor, peculiar to that part of North Wales, which infinitely [24] exceeded Stirom cyder—I taſted it, and found it was made of mountain-aſh berries and crabs or ſloes^*,—it ſhould remain at leaſt half a year in the veſſel be⯑fore it is bottled off, and if it were then kept to a proper age, it would not be altogether con⯑temptible. [25] The tediouſneſs of my return to Dolgelly, was ſomewhat beguiled by the con⯑ſequential information of the Guide, and I muſt own he great⯑ly entertained, and at the ſame time ſhocked me with the reſpect he paid me as an Engliſh gen⯑tleman,—whenever he replied to Me, he thought it neceſſary to [...]nterlard his anſwer with fre⯑quent oaths, whereas I found when he ſpoke to my ſervant only, it was entirely in an un⯑adorned [26] ſtyle, without the leaſt diſplay of theſe ſenſible embel⯑liſhments.

The next morning being Sun⯑day, I went to eight o'clock prayers here—the area of the church is ſpacious, and the pews neat—there is a coving roof of wood which is neceſſary to aid th [...] voice, as the floor is only clay covered deep with ruſhes; th [...] congregation was large, and th [...] ſervice was read with devotion and tolerable propriety.

[27]My ſtay was prolonged at Dolgelly, that the maſter of the Inn, who was abſent on my firſt arrival, and who was juſtly re⯑commended to me as an intel⯑ligent Perſon, might attend me to ſee the three wonderful water⯑falls in this neighbourhood—one of them is in ſo obſcure a place, that the miniſter of an adjoining Pariſh, whom I after⯑wards met with, had never till that time even heard of it:—about five miles on the road towards [28] Tan y Bwlch, we turned on the left hand to ſee the firſt, which I take to be a part of the river Dery—this is not more than fifty feet in height, but you may afterwards trace it, for near a mile, through crags and trees, before it reaches its rocky bed at the bottom; the others, are falls of whole rivers, the Moth⯑waye and the Cayne, over the tops of two rocky moun⯑tains;—the former perhaps may not be above one hundred fee [29] in height, but the latter is cer⯑tainly at leaſt an hundred yards—both of them are ſhaded with beautiful woods on the ſides of hills, whoſe ſummits are in the clouds, and whoſe feet are white⯑ned by the foam of theſe tre⯑mendous cataracts.

Before we reached Tan y Bwlch, we ſtopped to look into a ſmall church; where ſome clean⯑ly villagers were aſſembled at evening prayers,—the women were by far the handſomeſt of [30] any I ſaw in this country; the clergyman was reading the leſſon concerning David and his Con⯑cubines, and I could not help reflecting, that if theſe ignorant people ſhould any way confound the Old with the New Law, they might here find ſome excuſe for that Gallantry, which ſacrifices the virtue of ſo many females in this neighbourhood: to prevent ſuch a miſtake, would it not be proper to have an expoſition made of this chapter, and tranſ⯑lated [31] into Welſh,—I mean only, provided the learned labour could be confined within the narrow limits of five volumes in folio.

I was much ſtruck with the ſituation of Mrs. Griffith's houſe at Tan y Bwlch,—at firſt fight it ſomewhat reſembled Matlock Bath, but the hills in front are thrown to a fine diſtance, and behind the houſe they are co⯑vered with wood;—through a very ſpacious valley the river Dryryd runs, and from the tops [32] of the mountains are frequen [...] and not inconſiderable cataracts—indeed moſt of the romantic proſpects of North Wales, taken ſeparately, are infinitely ſuperio [...] to thoſe of Derbyſhire; but where ſhall we find within the ſame diſtance, ſuch amazing contraſ [...] as the high poliſh of Kedleſton oppoſed to the bleak horrors of the Peak.

Mrs. Griffith is poſſeſſed of a conſiderable fortune,—ſhe has an only daughter, to whom a [33] ſenſible clergyman, who reſides in the houſe, is tutor, and who, though a chaplain, is treated as independent. A lady, it is true, in ſuch a country cannot be eve⯑ry day interrupted with viſitants, but Mrs. Griffith has generally a ſelect party of friends,—theſe form a rational ſociety, whereas in many places, a good neigh⯑bourhood means little more than [...]eeping an inn at your own ex⯑ [...]ence.

[34]At the diſtance of about three miles (the road moſt beautifully diverſified) the ſcene changes on a ſudden to ſome dark and naked precipices; at the bottom is a large rocky baſon, which receive the Rhaidr-du, or Black Cataract as it is called,—this, I am con⯑fident, is exactly ſimilar to th [...] ſpot where Hecate appointed he [...] ſiſter-witches to aſſemble, an [...] offer their choiceſt incantation [...] to complete the ruin of Macbet [...]

The miſtreſs of the little inn [...] Tan y Bwlch, has lived many [...]ears ſervant in conſiderable fa⯑milies, and from her attentive [...]ivility, has received great com⯑mendations from the few Eng⯑ [...]iſhmen that have hitherto viſit⯑ [...]d this country.—Her houſe is [...]his year much improved;—Lord [...]adnor, having ſtaid a day or [...]wo there, has made her a pre⯑ſent [36] of the fitting up of her parlour: two ſaſh-windows add great chearfulneſs to the room and each grateful paſſenger rea⯑dily joins with the landlady in celebrating the kindneſs of th [...] public-ſpirited young nobleman

The road to Harlech afforde [...] great variety; there could ſcarc [...] be more within the compaſs of ten miles. For the firſt thre [...] we ſurveyed ‘"the Happ [...] Valley^*,"’ we then paſſed b [...] [37] a beautiful lake, and having gained the next mountain ſaw the Caſtle, ſituated on a high rock, which projects into the Iriſh ſea. It muſt be confeſſed, however, that the laſt two miles were rather ‘"a ſtair-caſe path;"’ but I have frequently travelled for twenty miles together in the midland counties of England with more danger and difficulty. In Wales one has the pleaſure of ſeeing that they are making daily improvements in roads; but in [38] England the farmers are ſo rich that, by the aid of ſome petty attorney in the neighbourhood they can generally protect per⯑verſeneſs by knavery.

Harlech ſtands on the north-weſt ſide of the county of Merio⯑neth; its houſes are mean, and its inhabitants uncivilized. There is a good harbour for ſhips, bu [...] no ſhips for the harbour. It is remarkable only for its old de⯑cayed caſtle, which was defend⯑ed by a Britiſh nobleman againſt [39] Edward the fourth, till an earl of Pembroke, after almoſt incredi⯑ble difficulties, compelled it to ſurrender. It has been confi⯑dently aſſerted that this caſtle was built before Edward the firſt's time, and that all he did was the making ſome additions, eſpecial⯑ly to the fortifications; but I ſhould be rather inclined to think. that it was planned at leaſt by Edward. A tradition goes, that the workmen, after they had got to a conſiderable height, were [40] all taken off to build the caſtles of Aberyſtwith and Carnarvon; and indeed there are evident marks of a Separation.

An unpoliſhed people, it is obſerved, have little or no curio⯑ſity,—I had ſeated myſelf by the fire-ſide in one of the houſes at Harlech without the inhabitants expreſſing the leaſt ſurprize at it; the Guide and attendants began to be rather clamorous for ſome refreſhment, and the people at length brought them ſome oat⯑meal [41] bread, ſour porter, and linking cheeſe. On my leaving he houſe, I believe I gave the miſtreſs of it more than ſhe ex⯑ [...]ected, for ſhe immediately re⯑ [...]alled me to ſhare ſome cockles with her, that were ſtewing on [...]he hearth, and whilſt I was [...]aſting them, ſhe ſuper-added a [...]ook of ſuch native kindneſs [...]nd good-will, as infinitely ſur⯑ [...]aſſed all the artifices of refine⯑ment.

[42]From Harlech a freſh guid [...] conducted me over the top o [...] the mountain, and I found a [...] entire good road on my retur [...] to Tan y Bwlch.

Leaving my little Inn the [...] with regret, I paſſed a drea [...] cloud-capt country, till I cam [...] to a road which, for near a mi [...] was cut through a barren roo [...] and finely preparative for t [...] ſcene that was to open up [...] me. On a ſudden I came up [...] [43] Pont Aberglaſlyn, the bridge that divides the counties of Merioneth and Carnarvon. It conſiſts of only one wide ſtone arch, thrown over a conſiderable water-fall, from two perpendicular pre⯑cipices; beyond it is a ſemicircle of rock, which forms a ſalmon- [...]eap, above which, in ſpawn⯑ing time, the fiſh frequently at⯑ [...]empt to lodge themſelves, at [...]he amazing height of five or in yards; they are frequently taught here in the ſeaſon with [44] nets, and ſometimes with ſpea [...] that are barbed for the purpoſe but having paſſed the bridg [...] how ſhall I expreſs my feelings—the dark tremendous prec [...] ⯑pices, the rapid river roarin [...] over disjointed rocks, blac [...] caverns, and iſſuing cataracts,—all ſerve to make this the noble ſpecimen of the Finely Horri [...] the eye can poſſibly behold,—the Poet has not deſcribed, n [...] the Painter pictured ſo gloom [...] a retreat,—'tis the laſt Approa [...] [45] to the manſion of Pluto through the regions of Deſpair.

Having ſtaid too long in con⯑templating this amazing paſs, I poſted as faſt as poſſible over a rocky deſert to gain ſome re⯑freſhment at Bethkelert; the blackſmith's houſe appearing the neareſt, I alighted, and was able to obtain two eggs, which might here be conſidered as a moſt luxurious repaſt. At Tan y Bwlch I had been informed, that I ſhould really meet with [46] very decent accommodations at Bettus, and might with comfort take up my abode there for an evening. As I travelled, I re⯑flected on Burnet's Deſcription of a part of Carnarvonſhire, that it was ‘"the fragment of a de⯑moliſhed world,"’ and on making ſome ſlight obſervation to the Guide of the drearineſs that ſur⯑rounded me, ‘"Aye, maſter, ſays he, this muſt have been an an⯑cient country indeed, for you ſee it is worn out to the [47] [...]ery ſtones,"’ this remark how⯑ever, is probably rather good [...]han new;—but we were now arrived at Bettus, and the Guide pointed to the houſe, where I was to get lodging and entertain⯑ment;—the violent ſtench did not prevent my looking in,—the [...]avages ſat lapping their oatmeal [...]nd milk, and the ſwine were [...]ttendant at the table. In ſuch [...] ſituation, only one queſtion [...]ould properly be aſked, which was, how many miles to Car⯑narvon? [48] Finding the diſtanc [...] only ſix miles, I determine [...] to hazard being loſt in th [...] night, rather than to be ſu [...] ⯑focated in this nauſeous dun⯑geon. I muſt own I did her [...] expatiate a little on recommen⯑dations, and ſaid it was impoſſ [...] ⯑ble that the Guide, as well as th [...] miſtreſs of the Inn at Tan [...] Bwlch, could be ſo intolerabl [...] miſtaken; the man apologize with great frankneſs, that he di [...] [49] [...]ot think the houſe altogether [...]o bad, as my Honour would [...]ave been ſure to have gotten [...]ome good ale;"—however, a⯑midſt all my vexation, I could [...]ot help doubting, whether Man [...]ink into a Savage at Bettus, or poliſhed into an Ape at Paris, was altogether the more reſpect⯑ [...]ble animal.

Within three miles of Car⯑narvon I was agreeably ſurpriſed with a very fine road, and a new [...]ridge, which will open a free [50] communication with theſe unfre⯑quented regions, and induce th [...] Curious to viſit the Wonders o [...] the Britiſh Alps, in preference t [...] the Mountains of Switzerland, o [...] the Glaciers of Savoy.—Mr. Ba [...] ⯑rington, who, to a conſummat [...] knowledge in the formation o [...] Laws, adds Zeal and Propriety i [...] the execution of them, has now indicted all the pariſhes betwee [...] Carnarvon and Bethkelert; an [...] indeed, unleſs men of great ran [...] or the juſtices of each diſtric [...] [51] [...]ill take upon them this office, [...]at Bill, which was in many [...]rts ſo excellently framed by [...]r. Gilbert about two years ago, [...]uſt become totally void and in⯑ [...]icacious;—I know that it will [...] immediately ſaid, that any [...]ivate gentleman has the ſame [...]ans within his own power; [...]t what private gentleman, for [...] ſake of a road, will live in [...]petual warfare with five or ſix [...]iſhes around him?—Who, for [...] convenience of rolling his [52] carriage a quarter of an ho [...] ſooner to ſome neighbouring m [...] ⯑ket-town, will endanger his pl [...] ⯑tations being cut down, or [...] cattle to be either maimed or [...] ⯑ſtroyed?

I paſſed my evening at a v [...] good inn at Carnarvon, and h [...] ⯑ing procured an intelligent Gu [...] returned early next morn [...] through Bettus to the foo [...] Snowdon.—Having left my h [...] at a ſmall hut, and hired a m [...] ⯑taineer to carry ſome cor [...] [53] [...]d proviſions, with a ſpiked [...]ck, but imprudently without [...]ils in my ſhoes, about ten [...]clock I began to aſcend the [...]ountain.—The two firſt miles [...]ere rather boggy and diſagree⯑ [...]ble, but when the proſpect open⯑ [...]d, I ſoon forgot all difficulties;—in the courſe of the two laſt I [...]aſſed by ſix precipices, which I [...]elieve were very formidable, [...]ut as I was near the brink, and [...]e wind very high, I did not [...]enture to examine too narrowly. [54] —On the ſummit, which is a pla [...] about ſix yards in circumferen [...] the air was perfectly mild and [...] rene, and I could with pleaſu [...] contemplate the amazing m [...] that was unfolded to my view.—From hence may be diſtinct [...] ſeen, Wicklow Hills in Irelan [...] the Iſle of Man, Cumberland, La [...] caſhire, Cheſhire, Shropſhire, a [...] part of Scotland;—all the cou [...] ⯑ties of North Wales, the Iſle [...] Angleſea;—rivers, plains, wood rocks, and mountains, ſix an [...] [55] twenty lakes, and two ſeas;—it is doubted whether there is an⯑other circular proſpect ſo exten⯑ [...]ive in any part of the terraqueous globe.—Who could take ſuch a Survey, without perceiving his Spirits elevated in ſome propor⯑tion to the Height?—Who could behold ſo bountiful a Diſplay of Nature without Wonder and Ec⯑ſtacy?—Who but muſt feel even a Degree of Pride from having gained an eminence, from which he could with eaſe overlook the [56] Neſt ^* of the Eagle, and the Ne [...] of the Hawk?

But as the level walks of Lif [...] are beſt ſuited to the generality [...] Mankind, it became neceſſary t [...] conſider that this was no ſp [...] where I could properly make an [...] laſting Abode, and that the Re⯑turn would be attended with a leaſt as much difficulty as th [...] Aſcent.—Having deſcended [57] mile or two, I did not think it amiſs to enquire about an ex⯑hauſted Mine that I ſaw at a diſt⯑ance; and I could make this en⯑quiry with the better grace, as the Guides had hitherto quite won⯑dered at my proweſs;—the Mine I was informed was only Copper; and happy was it for the Welſh that their Mines did not conſiſt of choicer Metals;—had they been curſed with either Gold or Silver, Foreign Nations long ſince, in the name of the [58] God of Peace, and under pretence of teaching them an immaculate Religion^*, had laid waſte their country, and murdered its inha⯑bitants.

At the Foot of Snowdon I turn⯑ed about half a mile out of the way to ſee a Water-fall;—the [59] Side-rock was exceedingly beau⯑tiful, but the Cataract itſelf was rather contemptible, after the no⯑ble ones I had ſeen in the neigh⯑bourhood of Dolgelly.—As the Guides ſeemed to think a floating iſland, about two miles diſtant, was a moſt wonderful phaenome⯑non, and related many ſingular and ſurpriſing tales concerning it, I indulged their credulity ſo far as to go and inſpect it;—the Lake, as they called it, was ſome⯑what bigger than a common [60] duck-pond; and the Iſland was a knotty piece of Bog, which, after very heavy rains, might very poſſibly float in it.

On my return to Carnarvon I examined the Town and Caſtle.—The town was built by the com⯑mand of Edward the Firſt, out of the ruins of the ancient city of Segontium, that ſtood a little be⯑low it;—it is ſituated between two rivers, and has a beautiful proſpect of the Iſle of Angleſea;—it was formerly of very great [61] account when the Princes of Wales kept their Chancery and Exchequer Courts there.—On the weſt ſide of it ſtands the Caſtle, which was built to curb the Welſh moun⯑taineers, and ſecure a paſſage to the oppoſite ſhore—In a part of it, called the Eagle Tower, you are ſhewn the remains of a chamber in which Edward the Second ^* is [62] ſaid to have been born; about ten years after his birth it was beſieged by the Welſh, but was afterwards repaired; and both the town and caſtle had divers Pri⯑vileges confirmed to them by different Sovereigns, down to the reign of Elizabeth; during the laſt civil war they were held for King Charles, but were after⯑wards ſurrendered on conditions to the Parliament. On viewing theſe ſpacious Ruins, I could [63] only ruminate on the Changes they had undergone;—ſtrange Reverſe!—to think that thoſe Walls, which heretofore reſound⯑ed with Acclamations on the Birth of the firſt Engliſh Prince of Wales, ſhould now afford Shelter only to a few miſerable Cottages, from the tempeſtuous Blaſts of the Briſtol channel!

I made ſeveral Excurſions into the Iſle of Angleſea, the well-known Seat of the Druids;— [64] this may now be conſidered as Claſſical Ground; for though Mona is deſtroyed, and her Al⯑tars aboliſhed,—though Fires have conſumed her Groves, and her Prieſts have periſhed by the Sword, yet, like the Phoenix, ſhe riſes more glorious from Decay; her Aſhes have given Birth to the Caractacus of Maſon, and the Fate of her Bards to the Inſpiration of Gray.

[65]Nothing could be more de⯑ [...]ightful than the Ride from Car⯑ [...]arvon to Bangor; to the right [...]and were Snowdon Hills, and to [...]he left the River Menai, or more [...]roperly ſpeaking, the Strait be⯑ [...]ween the Continent and the [...]land of Angleſea; I had now [...]ot into Day-light and the polite World again;—there had been a [...]iverſion the night before at Car⯑ [...]arvon, and the road was covered [...]ver with Carriages.

[66]Bangor lies at the north en [...] of the ſame Frith, or arm of th [...] Sea, which is the paſſage to An⯑gleſea, where it has a Harbo [...] for Boats. It was once ſo lar [...] as to be called Bangor the Grea [...] and was defended with a powe [...] ⯑ful Caſtle, built by Hugh Earl [...] Cheſter, which has long ſin [...] been demoliſhed. The Town [...] now of very little Note, except f [...] being the See of a Biſhop; t [...] Palace is neat, but deplorab [...] [67] [...]ituated;—this is doubly morti⯑ [...]ying in a Country where every [...]art of the neighbourhood is [...]ictureſque and pleaſing; his [...]ordſhip however has the happi⯑neſs of being ſo much beloved in his Dioceſe, that it would have [...]een almoſt Treaſon there to have wiſhed him a Removal.

Between Bangor and Conway I [...]aſſed over the famous Mountain [...]alled Penmaen Mawr—the road [...]uſt formerly have been very [...]ightful, but a Wall is now built [68] to the Sea ſide, to which it is ſaid the City of Dublin very largely contributed;—to form this roa [...] it has already coſt upwards o [...] two thouſand pounds, and it ca [...] be kept open only at a continua [...] expence, for vaſt Fragments o [...] Rock are frequently falling fort [...] fathom from above, which en⯑tirely block it up, till they a [...] forced through the Parapet int [...] the Sea, which lies perpendicu⯑larly full as deep below.

[69]From hence the Country opens into a Plain, which extends as far as the River Conway, the eaſtern Limit of the County of Carnar⯑von. It riſes out of a Lake of the ſame name, and runs with a north-weſt Courſe, receiving in the ſhort ſpace of twelve miles more than as many Rivers, ſo that at Aberconway, where it diſcharges its waters into the Iriſh Sea, it is full a mile broad, and capable of bringing Ships of almoſt any Size up to the Town; [70] at preſent Conway bears only ſome melancholy Marks of wha [...] it once was, and to what a wretch⯑ed State, by a total Decay o [...] Trade, it is now reduced.

The Caſtle ſtill remains one o [...] the nobleſt Monuments of Anti⯑quity; it is built in the ſam [...] Style with that of Carnarvon, bu [...] is far more regular. The Out⯑ſide is the ſame as in the tim [...] of Edward the Firſt, except on [...] Tower, and that was not demo⯑liſhed with either battering en⯑gines [71] or cannons, but by the peo⯑ple of the place taking Stones from the foundation of it. Some Remains of the principal Rooms are ſtill to be ſeen, the Dimenſions of which have been accurately given by Lord Lyttelton, and an elegant View of them in Antiqui⯑ties by Mr. Groſe; but I had never ſeen the Outſide of this moſt venerable Ruin to advantage had I not walked over ſome po⯑liſhed Ground about a quarter of a mile from it, which I be⯑lieve [72] belongs to a Gentleman o [...] Conway;—there You ſee the Caſtl [...] finely ſheltered by an Oak Wood—on one ſide the Chief of River, opening into the Iriſh Sea, and on the other the Mountains ſur⯑rounding Penmaen, with a diſtan [...] Country moſt beautifully diver⯑ſified.—Art and Nature cannot combine to form a more various and more delicious Proſpect.

I could not poſſibly leave this part of the Country without ſee⯑ing the Vale of Llanryſt, the [73] Bridge built by Inigo Jones, and the Chapel ſuppoſed to have been planned by him, which con⯑tains the rich monuments of the Guedir Family.—The Vale upon the whole I thought inferior to that I had ſeen in Montgomery⯑ſhire, but the Bridge is certainly a very elegant Structure, and ſpeaks itſelf to be the Work of a great Architect, moſt probably of Jones, for I incline to the opinion that Llanryſt was the Place of his Nativity.

[74]The Chapel which adjoins the Pariſh Church, was erect⯑ed by Sir Richard Wynne, one of the Grooms of the Bed⯑chamber to Charles the Firſt when Prince of Wales, and was chiefly made uſe of for the Alms-Houſe in the neighbourhood, which was endowed by the Guedir Family. I took the Pains of copying the different Inſcriptions in it, and as they are not contained in the Hiſtory of that Family lately pub⯑liſhed, [75] they may not be unaccept⯑able to the curious Antiquary.

On the Floor are four Braſs Plates, with Drawings of Figures upon each of them in the Dreſſes of the Times, one of Maria Moſtyn, Wife of Roger Moſtyn, [78] another of Sir Owen Wynne, an⯑other of Sir John Wynne, and a Fourth of Lady Sydney Wynne, Wife of Sir John Wynne. And in the Corner of the Chapel a Stone Coffin, which was remov⯑ed from the Abbey of Conway, about two miles from hence, on which is the following Inſcrip⯑tion: ‘"This is the Coffin of Leolinus Mag⯑nus Prince of Wales who was bu⯑ried in the Abbey of Conway, and upon the Diſſolution, remov'd from thence."’ [79] On each Side are ſix carved Re⯑ceſſes in the figure of Flower de Luces, which bear evident Marks of having contained Braſs Plates, and two at the bottom of the Coffin.

There is now erected in the Church a Gallery of exquiſite Workmanſhip, which was re⯑moved likewiſe from the Abbey; and I was at the trouble of hav⯑ing a large quantity of Rubbiſh taken away from under an old Staircaſe, that I might inſpect a [80] Stone Effigy, which is ſaid to be of Hoel Coetmore, who ſold the Guedir Eſtate to the Wynne Fa⯑mily; the Word Gwedir is ſup⯑poſed to ſignify Glaſs, and tha [...] Family probably was the firſ [...] who in theſe parts had a Houſe with glazed Windows.

I ought to make ſome Apology for the foregoing heavy Articles but elaborate Inſcriptions fre⯑quently illuſtrate Hiſtory, an [...] Theſe will at leaſt ſhew that Som [...] [81] of the Welſh were not totally re⯑gardleſs of Pedigree.

I made diligent enquiry through all Carnarvonſhire, and this part of Denbighſhire, for the Glyder Mountain, which Gibſon has particularly deſcribed, and which, from its ſingularity, (ſay the Authors of a Tour through Wales,) we more wiſhed to have ſeen, than the Summits of either Plinlimmon or Snow⯑don.

[82]

I was equally unfortunate i [...] not being able to ſee this Moun⯑tain, but in croſſing the wid [...] Ferry at Conway, I by acciden [...] [85] gained ſuch Information, that I am confident any future Traveller may very readily ſatisfy his Cu⯑rioſity; an old Boatman there informed me, that he had fre⯑quently ſeen it,—that in his younger days indeed it was ſome⯑times termed the Glyder, but was now known only by the name of Wythwar,—that it was within a mile or two of a Village, called Clynog, and upon the Shore almoſt oppoſite to Carnar⯑von.

[86]On my way to St. Aſaph, I paſſed over the top of Penmaen Roſs, a ſteep and formidable Mountain; this is by far the worſt part of the road between Holyhead and Cheſter;—a nearer Path was ſome time ſince cut along the ſide of the ſea cliff, but a Man and Horſe had lately been killed, and by order of the Com⯑miſſioners it is now entirely broken up.

The City of St. Aſaph is called in Britiſh Llan Elwy, on account [87] of its ſituation at the Conflux of the River Elwy with the Clwyd; and St. Aſaph by the Engliſh, from its Patron Aſaph, who in the year 560 erected a Biſhop's See there. The Biſhop of this Dioceſe has no entire County un⯑der his Juriſdiction, but Parts only of the Counties of Flint, Denbigh, Montgomery, Merio⯑neth, and Salop. The Cathedral is a mean Structure, and the Houſes in general but ill built, St. Aſaph however may boaſt that [88] it ſtands in the delightful Vale of Clwyd, though by no means in the fineſt part of it.

About five miles from thence, near the road to Holywell, You have the beſt View I think of that fertile and delicious Vale;—it is of an oval ſhape, about 25 miles in length, and about eight miles wide in its broadeſt part; it lies open only to the Ocean, and to the clearing North Wind, being elſewhere guarded with high mountains, which towards [89] the Eaſt eſpecially are like Battle⯑ments or Turrets, for by an ad⯑mirable Contrivance of Nature, ſays Camden, the tops of theſe Mountains reſemble the Turrets of Walls. Upon the whole however I think that there are other cultivated Scenes in North Wales equal, if not ſuperior; in the Vale of Clwyd indeed You have the Lively and the Beauti⯑ful, but in Montgomeryſhire the Awful and Sublime.

[90]Holywell, and the Hiſtory of its Virgin Saint, would require at leaſt a Folio. I ſhall only ſay that I was truly ſorry to find that blaſphemous Papers ſhould ſtill be ſuffered to be publicly ſold at the Spring there, which compare the ludicrous Legend of Winefrid with the moſt ſacred Truths of the Goſpel.

It was my Intention to have ſeen Winſtay, Erthig, and Chirk Caſtle^*, [91] and afterwards to have traced the River Dee to Bala, but I was unexpectedly called off from my Tour; I had the good fortune however to join Party with the Biſhop of Kildare, whoſe eaſy Manners and refined Converſa⯑tion left me no room to regret a Diſappointment.

To the foregoing Account, which was in part printed off for the Uſe and Amuſement of ſome ſelect Friends only, I ſhall now add a few general Remarks on [92] the Hiſtory of the Country and the Manners of its Inhabitants.

The Origin of every Nation is neceſſarily obſcure, and always loſt in a pretended Antiquity. On the Authority of Bochart we may trace the Welſh from Japhet, the Son of Noah; according to Others, from Trojans and Phoe⯑nicians, who were the Offspring of Gods; and one Writer I think has aſſerted that a True Briton is a Compound of all Nations under Heaven. That Britain [93] however was peopled from Gaul 1000 years before Chriſt, appears very probable,—the arguments in favour of this opinion are de⯑duced from the State of Popula⯑tion on the Continent, and from the Progreſs of it in the Iſland it⯑ſelf. It has been well obſerved ^* that Names deſcriptive of na⯑tional Manners cannot be the original Appellations of any peo⯑ple, they reſult from the inter⯑courſe [94] and experience of the States around them, on whoſe territories they have dared to en⯑croach; the Appellation of Bri⯑gantes, according to Strabo, came to ſignify a turbulent and plun⯑dering race, and the Denomina⯑tions of Celtae and Gael came to import, even amongſt themſelves, the Ferocious and the Stranger.

The Name of Cymri appears to have been the great hereditary Diſtinction of the Gauls upon the Continent, and to have been car⯑ried [95] with them into all their Con⯑queſts; it was not retained in our Iſland merely by the Natives of Wales, but was equally the Appellation of a Nation in the South-Weſt of Somerſetſhire and the North-Eaſt of Cornwall.

The firſt Denomination of our Iſland was certainly Albion, a name given before the Country was inhabited; it was the Celtic Term for Heights or Eminences; the Alps ſome ages before the Days of Strabo were called Al⯑bia, [96] and in his time there remain⯑ed two tribes on the Mountains that bore the Names of Albioeci, and Albienſes.

The ſecond Denomination was that of Britain, derived from a Celtic Word likewiſe ſignifying Divided, not Painted; this Etymo⯑logy has lately been proved not to have been applied to the Re⯑gion, but beſtowed on the Inhabi⯑ters; not previouſly borne on the Continent by the original Settlers of the Country, but aſſumed o [...] [97] received at their firſt Removal into the Iſland.

The Title of Welſh ſeems to ariſe from the Word Wall or Gall, an appellation which the Britons frequently gave each other; nor will this Derivation appear forced if we add, that the Channel be⯑twixt France and England was denominated Sinus Vallicus, or the Gallick Strait, ſo late as the eighth Century, and that the Dutch and Germans call the [98] French by the Name of Walls and Walloons to this very Day.

The general Denomination of Wales was not impoſed on the Country by the Saxons, but was the acknowledged Appellation of the Region as early as the ſixth Century, if we may believe a Quotation from Talieſſin, as cited by Dr. Davies.

Nor were ſome plain and cer⯑tain Derivations of Names till of late only unknown to us,—we [99] have not always had either juſt Ideas of Britiſh Manners or Britiſh Antiquities; this ample Field of Hiſtory has been greatly laid open by an Individual^*, and a [...]ich Produce will continually [...]riſe from the judicious Publica⯑ [...]ions of a moſt reſpectable So⯑ [...]iety^†.

Our Knowledge of the Druids [...] ſtill vague and unſatisfying, [...]nd muſt ever remain ſo, as they [100] committed few things, if any, to Writing, though they were cer⯑tainly not unacquainted with Let⯑ters; for among the Maxims col⯑lected by Gollet, there is one tha [...] forbids their Myſteries to be wri [...] ⯑ten, a Prohibition which coul [...] never have been given had Le [...] ⯑ters been entirely unknown; ſom [...] curious Particulars however ma [...] at leaſt be traced from Traditio [...] and others from Specimens [...] their Poetry that have been recit [...] by the Natives. As Guardia [...] [101] of what They called True Reli⯑gion, they of courſe poſſeſſed the greateſt authority among the peo⯑ple; No Laws were inſtituted by the Princes without their Advice, no Plunder taken in War without their partaking of it. They held the Diſſolution of the World by Fire and Water, they taught the Immortality, and ſome ſay the Tranſmigration of the Soul, a Doctrine borrowed from the Py⯑thagoreans, though Clemens A⯑lexandrinus expreſsly aſſerts that [102] the Pythagoreans borrowed that Doctrine from them; in my own opinion they never believed the Tranſmigration of the Soul at all; and I found this opinion on ſome late Accounts of Gauliſh Funerals, which certainly cor⯑reſponded with the Britiſh ones, the Cuſtoms and Ceremonials of which were abſolutely incompa⯑tible with that Doctrine.

They ſacrificed human Victims to propitiate the Gods; and pro⯑pheſied future Events from the [103] falling of the Body, and the Man⯑ner in which the Members were convulſed;—they believed there was a divine Myſtery in Miſleto, but took their firſt Diſtinction from the Oak, to which the Jews paid the ſame regard during their Idolatry, according to a Paſ⯑ſage in Ezekiel, ‘"under every thick Oak did they offer ſweet Sa⯑crifice to their Idols."’ Once a, year They, with their Chief, an Arch-Druid, aſſembled at a fixed time and place to hear Cauſes, [104] and determine all Diſputes; where their deciſive Court was held has never been determined, but moſt probably in Angleſea, as that Iſland was certainly their Metropolis. So great was the Power of the Druids, that not only the Property, but alſo the Lives of the People were entirely at their Diſpoſal, and this Power continued abſolute till the time of Tiberius;—it was afterwards ſuppreſſed by Claudius, under the fair Pretext of aboliſhing human [105] ſacrifices, but the Prieſts them⯑ſelves, their Gods and their Al⯑tars ſubſiſted, though in obſcurity, till the final Deſtruction of Paga⯑niſm.

The Manners of the People were naturally tinged with the Diſcipline of their Teachers; in proportion to their ignorance they were ſuperſtitious, and in proportion to their zeal they committed Cruelties and Fraud; I ſhall not raiſe Diſguſt by a recital of Barbarities, but rather refer my [106] Readers to the Journals of mo⯑dern Voyages, where they will find, that there is a Sameneſs in the primaeval State of every ſa⯑vage Nation: a few other Particu⯑lars however may not be uninte⯑reſting. The Britons lived in Tribes or Clans, under the Ariſto⯑cratical rule of their ſeveral Lords; their Villages were a con⯑fuſed Parcel of Huts placed at a ſmall diſtance from each other, and, generally ſpeaking, in the middle of a Wood, whereof the [107] Avenues were defended with Trees, that were cut down to clear the ground.

Their Trade was very inconſi⯑derable, notwithſtanding the con⯑venient ſituation of the Iſland for carrying on an extenſive Com⯑merce; Their veſſels were very ſmall, with their Keels and Ribs made of ſlight Timber, inter⯑woven with Wicker, and covered with Hides, which ſhews that they never undertook long Voy⯑ages, moſt probably never ven⯑tured [108] to Sea beyond the Coaſts of Gaul.

The Britons were not ſo total⯑ly deſtitute of Defence as has been imagined; the Iſland is of itſelf a Shield, and they certainly made uſe of the Battle-axe, as well as Military Chariot; theſe Chariots were drawn by Horſes, and the Axle-trees were generally furniſh⯑ed with Scythes; but the People were not united under a well re⯑gulated government, or they would always have continued [109] formidable to their Enemies;—a number of petty Communities will never act in concert with each other; tho' Hiſtory informs us that upon great and extraordi⯑nary Dangers a Chief Commander was always choſen by common conſent; but what State or Co⯑lony will acquieſce even with the Leader themſelves have choſen? and in the end, if unſucceſsful, he muſt always fall a Sacrifice to thoſe Miſeries their own Incon⯑ſiſtencies alone have occaſioned.

[111]When that part of Britain which comprehends the preſent Kingdom of England and Prin⯑cipality of Wales, was divided into ſeveral petty Kingdoms, the Inhabitants were all diſtinguiſhed by different names. The Prin⯑cipality of Wales, formerly com⯑prehending the whole Country beyond the Severn, was in the Roman times occupied by the Silures, the Dimetae, and Ordo⯑vices; to theſe belonged not only the twelve Counties of Wales, [110] but likewiſe the two others ly⯑ing beyond the Severn, Hereford⯑ſhire and Monmouthſhire, which in the reign of Charles the Second were firſt reckoned amongſt the Engliſh Counties.

The Country now known by the name of North Wales was in⯑habited by the Ordovices only, who held out firſt againſt the Romans, and afterwards againſt the Engliſh, after the other Bri⯑tons were ſubdued; for by the Romans they were not reduced [112] till the time of Domitian, nor by the Engliſh till the Reign of Henry the Firſt.

About forty-five years before the Chriſtian Aera, Britain was firſt invaded by the Romans un⯑der Julius Caeſar,—afterwards by Claudius, and at length became a Province under the Roman em⯑pire; it was governed by Lieute⯑nants, or Deputies, ſent from Rome, as Ireland is now by De⯑puties from England; and con⯑tinued thus under the Romans [113] for upwards of 400 years; till that Empire being invaded by the Goths and Vandals, the Romans were forced not only to recall their own armies, but alſo to draw from hence the braveſt of the Britons, for their aſſiſtance againſt thoſe Barbarians.

The Country being left in a defenceleſs State, was invaded by the Scots, who were ſo rapacious, that the Britons ſent over a miſer⯑able application for relief to Aetius, the Roman General, who [114] by ſeveral famous Succeſſes, for a time, had repelled the violence of the Gothick Arms, but receiving no hopes of any Succours from that General, the South Britons invited over the Saxons, who no ſooner delivered them from their ancient Foes the Picts and Scots, than they ſtrengthened their own Numbers, turned their Arms a⯑gainſt the Natives, and conquer⯑ed them, ſome few excepted, who ſecured themſelves in their Moun⯑tains of Wales; whence their De⯑ſcendants [115] have always been diſtinguiſhed by the Title of Ancient Britons.

During the Saxon Heptarchy [...]ived the renowed Prince Arthur, whoſe Valour would have re⯑trieved the miſerable ſtate of the Britons, had Valour only been wanting; his Hiſtory has been ſo blended with Fable, that ſome have doubted the real exiſtence of ſuch a Perſon; but it ſeems ra⯑ther hard becauſe Stories have been invented concerning the Ac⯑tions [116] of his Life, that he ſhould not be allowed to have lived at all; it is true that the Saxon An⯑nals make no mention of this King, but it was not probable that the Saxons would be fond of recording Exploits, which re⯑dounded only to their own diſ⯑credit; an ancient Engliſh Hiſto⯑rian ſpeaking of Cerdic, mentions his fighting ſeveral Battles with King Arthur; and William of Malmeſbury owns, that though the Britons had vented innu⯑merable [117] Fables concerning this Prince, he certainly was a Hero worthy to be celebrated in True Hiſtory. The Britons bewailed ‘"their long loſt Arthur"’ for ſe⯑veral Ages after his Death;—they believed he was ſtill alive in Fairy Land, and that he would return once more to reign over them; nor was this notion rooted out till the reign of Henry the Second, about ſix hundred years after⯑wards, when his Coffin was dug up at Glaſtenbury in Somerſet⯑ſhire, [118] with the following Inſcrip⯑tion, ‘"Here lies buried the re⯑nowned King Arthur in the Iſland Avalonia."’ The Exploits of this Warrior have not only been ſung by Talieſſin and other Britiſh Bards, but have been ce⯑lebrated by one of the greateſt of our Engliſh Poets; it ſeems by ſome Hints given by Spenſer, that he intended a Poem whoſe title was to be expreſsly, King Ar⯑thur;—Dryden tells us that he had ſome thoughts of making [119] choice for the ſubject of an He⯑roic Poem, King Arthur's Con⯑queſts over the Saxons; Milton, in a Latin Addreſs to Manſus, has likewiſe intimated the ſame Intention.

Wales was anciently bounded by the Iriſh Seas, and by the Ri⯑vers Severn and Dee, till the Saxons became Maſters of all the level Countries over thoſe Rivers; and till Offa, king of Mercia, made the celebrated Trench, which is ſtill called by [120] his Name. This Trench, which extended from North to South,—from the mouth of the River Dee to that of the Wye, has been thought to have been an Imita⯑tion of the Ramparts, which were thrown up by Agricola, Adrian, and Severus, to guard the Romans againſt the Incurſions of the Nor⯑thern Barbarians; but from ſome Remains of it, as well as for ſe⯑veral other Reaſons, it ſeems more probable, that it was not in⯑tended by Offa as a Fortification, [121] but rather as a Boundary betwixt his Kingdom and the Cambrian Province.

When after many Events be⯑tween the ſeveral Races of the Heptarchy, Ecbert became the ſole King of England, as it was now diſtinguiſhed from the Prin⯑cipality of Wales, he poſſeſſed himſelf alſo of Mona, the Capi⯑tal of the Cambrian Province; but the Saxons ſome time after⯑wards being driven out of it, it was from them called Angleſea, [122] Engliſhman's Iſland, a name which it has retained ever ſince.

In the year eight hundred and forty-three all Wales was united under the Dominion, of Roderic, ſurnamed the Great; who, by a teſtamentary Settlement, made a new Diviſion between three Sons into three Diſtricts, which were called Kingdoms, and diſtinguiſh⯑ed by the Names of South Wales, Powis Land, and North Wales this Partition gave riſe to many Wars, which cauſed the King⯑dom [123] of Powis Land to be por⯑tioned among the Conquerors, and annexed partly to South Wales, and partly to North Wales, Diviſions which ſubſiſt to this Day.

No ſooner were the Saxons ſet⯑tled under one Monarch, than the Danes began to trouble them, as they (the Saxons) had before done the Britons, till, after many In⯑vaſions, Edgar King of England ſet forth the firſt Navy, made Peace with the Danes, and allow⯑ed [124] them to live in his Dominions mixed with the Engliſh;—at this time we read of five Kings in Wales, who all did him Ho⯑mage for their Country.

Notwithſtanding many At⯑tempts of the Engliſh, the Welſh enjoyed their own Laws, and lived under their own Princes, till in the year 1282 Llewellin loſt both his Principality and Life; in the reign of Henry the Eighth Wales was incorporated and united with England; and [125] by a Statute of the 27th of that Reign, all Laws and Liberties of England were to take place there; from which time the Welſh have approved themſelves truly wor⯑thy of their high Origin, loyal and dutiful to their King, and always zealous for the Welfare of the Community.

The Welſh Language is ſtill the Gomerian or Old Celtic, the ſame that was once ſpoken throughout Europe, except that through length of time, and In⯑termixture [126] of the people with the Scythians and other nations, it has ſplit into a variety of Dialects. No Tongue, either ancient or mo⯑dern, I believe, bears greater Marks of antiquity; its ſtrong reſem⯑blance to the Hebrew has been generally admitted, inſomuch that one Author of great Learning has given a Specimen of a conſider⯑able number of Phraſes out of the Old Teſtament, which are ſo alike in both, that they ſeem to have been originally the ſame. It is [127] no uncommon Error to give the Name of Mother Tongue to thoſe Languages, from which ſome known Idioms only are derived; the Hebrew has been conſidered as a Mother Tongue, but was evidently borrowed from the Phoenician; the Latin is called the Mother tongue to the Italian, the Spaniſh, and the French, but the Latin itſelf was derived from the Tuſcan, and the Tuſcan from the Celtic and the Greek. It will reaſonably be aſked, how the Go⯑merians [128] have preſerved their Lan⯑guage almoſt entire, whilſt the Jews have ſuffered theirs to be corrupted, and blended with thoſe of their Conquerors?—for this, many reaſons may be aſſigned; the Former have not been ſo fre⯑quently ſubdued, and they have always preſerved a conſiderable Regard for what They conceived to be a Mother tongue; a regard greatly kept up perhaps by the Cuſtom which the Loweſt of the People had, of reciting their Ge⯑nealogies. [129] This ancient Lan⯑guage is ſpoken the neareſt to its original purity in the uncul⯑tivated parts of North Wales, but the Welſh in general ſtill retain ſo high a veneration for it, that I am confident they will never readily ſuffer the Engliſh to be entirely made uſe of in their Churches, or taught ſolely in their Schools.

Much has been ſaid of thoſe Druidical Remains, which by many Authors have been indiſ⯑criminately [130] called Carns, Car⯑nedds, and Cromlechs; but of their original meaning, I ſhall venture the following Conjecture,—that by the word Carn, which ſignified a Rock, the Britons ſim⯑ply implied one large broad Stone, as a covering for a Grave^*; [131] by a Carnedd, a heap of Stones thrown rudely together to com⯑memorate an event; and by a Cromlech, an huge, broad, flat Stone raiſed high on other Stones, where the ancient Bri⯑tons, like the Hebrews, made Sacrifices or paid religious Ado⯑ration.

Thoſe nice Diſtinctions that have been formed of the Druids, the Bards and the Vates, ſub⯑ſiſted only, I think, in particular Societies; the Druids in general [132] compoſed and recited Hymns, as worſhip to their Deities; the Bards ^* certainly compoſed [133] Hymns likewiſe; but it was in the hour of Battle that their labours were chiefly celebrated, by ſinging the Exploits of de⯑ceaſed Heroes; while the Vates were principally engaged in the Rites of Sacrifice, or the Arts of Divination.

The Welſh have always laid claim to the Diſcovery of Ame⯑rica, in preference to the Great Co⯑lumbus, but this claim has hither⯑to been ſupported with little more than bare Conjecture; in the [134] twelfth Century, according to Powell, there was a War in Wales for the Succeſſion, upon the Death of Owen Guinneth; and a Baſt⯑ard having carried it from the lawful Heirs, one of the latter, called Madoc, put to Sea, and ſailing weſt from Spain, diſco⯑vered a new world of wonderful Fertility;—to prove that a coun⯑try was thus diſcovered, the Welſh have recourſe to the Au⯑thority of Meridith ap Rhees, who compoſed an Ode in honour [135] Prince Madoc and his new-found Land; and that this Country was America they have alledged on the credit of Peter Martyr, that the Natives of Virginia celebrated the memory of one Madoc, as a great and ancient Hero; and al⯑ways ſuppoſed their Anceſtors to have come thither at firſt, from ſome very diſtant Countries on the other ſide the great Water, at the time that has been aſ⯑ſerted, and from the ſame point of the Compaſs. The af⯑finity [136] of Language has ſince been frequently urged by modern Travellers, and Biſhop Nicholſon in particular, ſpeaks confidently that the Britiſh makes a conſiderable part of ſeveral of the American Tongues; in an⯑ſwer to theſe Aſſertions, the in⯑genious Dr. Robertſon has juſt now declared, that he conceives the ſkill of the Welſh in the twelfth Century, not to have been equal to ſuch a Voyage; and that the inſtances given of [137] the affinity of Language are ſo obſcure and fanciful, that no concluſion can be drawn from them; to theſe remarks he adds, that if the Welſh towards the Cloſe of the twelfth Century had ſettled in any part of America, ſome remains of the Chriſtian doctrine muſt have been after⯑wards found among their Deſ⯑cendants, when they were diſ⯑covered three hundred years after their migration;—but here I muſt entirely diſagree with the learned Author,—three hundred [138] years cannot in this caſe be called a ‘"ſhort period;"’—one Century would probably have been ſuf⯑cient to have obliterated every mark of a Religion, that had to combat with the prejudices of an unlettered people; that did not addreſs itſelf immediately to their Intereſts, and through a Mode of Civilization, teach them at firſt only, as Warburton well expreſſes it, ^* the emollient Arts of Life.

[139]Chriſtianity ſeems to have been introduced into Britain, as early as the firſt Century, but of this great Event our Accounts muſt neceſſarily be very imper⯑fect, as the Saxons deſtroyed al⯑moſt all the Writings in which it was recorded; Mona, we read, had certainly a School of Chriſ⯑tian [140] Learning many years before 182, when there was an Arch⯑biſhop of Caerleon, and Suffra⯑gans under him; but the Clergy had no diſtinct Pariſhes either in Angleſea or any other part of the kingdom, till many years afterwards. About the year 600, Pope Gregory ſent Auſtin the Monk to preach the Goſpel in England to the Heathen Saxons, who was received by Ethelbert; and being admitted to explain the Doctrine and [141] Myſteries of it, ſo well ſucceeded that he converted great numbers, and at length the King himſelf. Thus the Chriſtian Religion came to be eſtabliſhed in England under the Rites and Authority of the Romiſh Church, by which Auſtin was inſtituted Chief Biſhop, and ſeated by the Saxon king at Canterbury; but his Juriſdiction, though admitted in all the Saxon Territories, was not received by the Britiſh Prieſts or People in Wales.—In the [142] reign of Elizabeth the Bible and Common Prayer were firſt tranſ⯑lated into the Welſh Tongue, and at that time the People are ſaid to have adhered to the Ru⯑brick and Conſtitution of the Church with a ſcrupulous exact⯑neſs; how far the Doctrines and Worſhip of Chriſtianity may have deviated from their origi⯑nal purity, or how far the Welſh may have been affected by the refined Tenets of their Engliſh Neighbours, I ſhall not preſume [143] to determine, at preſent I think there is every where much to be feared, from the Growth of Enthuſiaſm, the ſubtleties of In⯑fidelity, and the Neceſſity, as well as Danger of Innovation.

Many Popiſh cuſtoms are ſtill retained in Wales, particularly Offerings made to the Dead,—theſe Offerings muſt of courſe vary according to the Rank of the Perſons deceaſed, as well as the Affection that is borne to their Memories; I was at a [144] Pauper's Funeral where the Do⯑nations amounted to half a Crown, and I met with a Clergyman afterwards who had once re⯑ceived ninety Guineas.

Great complaints are made in many parts of this Country of the exorbitant Demands of Land⯑lords, and that the Rent of Ground is now advanced much higher than it will bear;—ſuch Complaints muſt of courſe be expected from the Sufferers, but I believe, they are here in [145] ſome inſtances made with reaſon; the landlords on the contrary may urge perhaps, that they act with ſtrict Juſtice, and that they have a Right at leaſt to try the experiment; but it ſhould be remembered that the Extreme of Right is Wrong, and there is a Tribute of Hu⯑manity due from the Superior, that He ſhould be always on a Certainty that he does not exact too much.

[146]National Characters ſhould always be read with Exceptions; but if I muſt give my opinion of the Inhabitants of North Wales, I ſhall ſay, that the common people in general are civil and grateful, the Farmers rather ſlow and ſuſpicious, a Few of the inferior 'Squires re⯑tain ſomewhat of the ſottiſh and the brutal, but among the higher Ranks, I have found, in the ſame proportion as in [147] England, lettered Society, hoſpi⯑table Reception, and refined Addreſs.