tread on it, the houses are in excellent repair, and feem, like thofe that refide in them, to fet winds and waves at defiance. The villagers are, probably, more hardy than their native mountains-much more fo, I should judge, than their crumbling rocks, if their weather beaten complexions, and hard hands, which, in my familiar, character-exploring way, I have fometimes fhaken-may be confidered as famples. You feem to be careffing a man of iron, and that iron appears to be covered with a leather, that has undergone the process, and taken the tan, of the material, with which our English waggon whips are commonly made. The chief food of the peasantry is fish, which is had in the greatest abundance; and it may be reckoned amongst the pleafant objects of the place, to fee the natives in their little fishing boats, on a fine morning, when the fea is calm. If you look at them from the rocky fide of the village, the boats feem like buoys, and the people that guide them are fcarcely perceptible. The village itself, viewed on the contrary, from the ocean, is the most picturesque you can imagine, On account of the excellence of the beach, it is an admirable watering place, and a good bath may be had almoft every day. In tempestuous weather, the affemblage of objects, are, taken together, the

mcft

moft fublime of any in the principality. The dark fhading, and ftupendous height of thefe rocks, which overhang the ocean, the mountain billows, that, afcending midway, dafh against them, as if disappointed in their ambition to reach the fummit. The veffels that seem crouding into the harbour, and almoft taking fhelter in the houses upon the beach. The buildings on the rocks, meanwhile, feeming to demand no protection, but to mock the ftorm-the innumerable quantity of fea-birds that enjoy it--all these go towards the fcenery-and if thunder and lightning are added to it, which are very frequent accompaniments, the reverberation of the found amongst the rocks, the terrific charms of the flashes on the objects, both on fea and fhore, with the intermingled roar of the waves, finifh the climax, if I may fo call it, of the true fublime. You may, per+ haps, afk, if this fcenery is not in every mountainous country, near the fea, pretty much the fame? I anfwer, certainly in a des gree but it is the fuperlative degree of awful grandeur, you find in this place, and all I have hitherto seen of the magnificence of nature, in the time of her trouble, has been comparatively feeble, to her exhibitions in and about Barmouth.

But it is time, that I bring both you and myfelf, fafe down from thefe Alps of Cambria, where you may, perhaps, think I have ftaid, with you, too long, particularly when the black mountains were wrapt in ftorm, and the nature of the furrounding objects made me in danger of becoming poetical, which, is a rock worfe to the fober minded reader, than any I have mentioned; yet on which, too many travellers fplit. Nevertheless, I have only cropp'd a few of the flowers, which others failed to gather. In traverfing a spacious garden, even with avowed intent of forming a bouquet, it is impoffible, amidst a profufion of fweets, beftowed in the prodigality of nature," not to leave or overlook many flowerets, and particular fpots of exquifite beauty and fragrance. To pluck and to examine these, and occafionally to borrow from others, what may be honourable to them in the repetition, as authors, and agreeable to you, as a reader, is the "head and front" of my office as a Gleaner.

From the labours of the late Mr. Groffe, you, and every reader of tafte, are fo well acquainted with the abbeys, caftles, and other reliques of that time, and of the time of more deftructive men, in the fhapes of Kings, Protectors, &c. who, like death, "put all things under their feet,"

that

that I fhall not attempt to re-conduct you to these remains of power, prieft-craft, and fuperftition: Indeed, were I inclined to fearch diligently, it is doubtful, whether I fhould be able to pick up a fingle ruin; that accurate antiquarian having left nothing for my gleaning. Neither fhall I say any thing of Snowden, you to accompany me to the coun

nor afk

try, where

Huge Plinlimmon rears his cloud topp'd head." both of which have been introduced to you in the best manner, by Mafon and Gray, the latter of whom poffeffed a genius loftier, and more fublime, than the mountains he described.

A few objects, however, nearer the ground, remain for me; and if you will condescend to accept fuch humble offerings, after the giddy heights, and fearful precipices, from which I have just let you down, they are at your fervice. A quiet walk in the valley, after clambering hills, and buffeting with ftorms, may relieve you.

Suppofe, therefore, by way of fhewing you a specimen of the hardy manner in which the poor natural inhabitants of these craggy abodes live, you step with me into a hut belonging to one of the Barmouth peasants. In point of fituation

fituation it might vie with any hermitage, cot, or palace, that prieft, peasant, or prince ever fixed on for refidence. A noble beach of the finest fand spreads itself at the bottom; the ocean yet nobler extends in front, with all the scenery that moves on the face of the waters: the cliffs of Cardiganfhire bounds the prospect to the right, to the left are seen those of Caernarvonshire. Clofe at its foot a rill, which is for ever heard but never feen, the fhrub wood and weeds of a little half-cultivated piece of garden ground bidding defiance to the most narrow infpection; and close at its back is part of that immenfe and continuous rock on which one half of the village is erected but as thofe are on the fummit, this is at the bottom. The fides, and far the greater part of this hovel (for it is little better) are fo thick with ivy, that, at a small distance, nothing but that romantic evergreen is to be discovered. A novel writer, or a lover, or a mifanthrope, could imagine nothing half fo congenial to their penfive difpofitions: it belongs to neither of these perfonages. Enter it, and furvey the inhabitants. Perhaps there never was contained, in fo fmall a fpace, fuch a variety of occupations going on at the fame time: nor, probably, fuch a number of living beings crouded into one cottage, confifting not only

of