don-some of our fair companions, I mean, had luckily stowed in the carriage. A decent and rather antique matron, and a sort of house-steward, (a cool, shrewd, calculating Scotchman,) who were left in charge of the premises, supplied us with abundance of capital cwrw, and some of the best porter I ever tasted, and we found ourselves very comfortably situated after our long and toilsome walk. We remained at Peniarth more than two hours, and, having sufficiently refreshed ourselves, Postquam exempta fames, et amor compressus edendi. we recommenced our journey, the ladies by the turnpike road,— Mr. Edward Owen, Mr. Harper, and I through the marshes. Before our arrival at Towyn, we again joined our party, and, twelve in number, entered the town, and drew up to the door of the Raven Inn, amidst the wondering gaze of every inhabitant of the place, and, doubtless, to the most cordial satisfaction of mine host.' "Having ordered supper, we left the ladies at the inn, and set off for the well, (a very pool of Bethesda, by the way, in the estimation of the natives,) celebrated for the miraculous cures, which it performs on the persons who bathe in it. Here the athritic, the rheumatic, and the phthisicky, cum multis aliis, find a sure remedy for their diseases; and the number of people, who resort to it, all of the lower class, is astonishing. While we were there, and it was then late in the evening, we saw three patients undergoing ablution, and in a field, on one side, were several more preparing to perform the same ceremony. On our return to the inn we found the ladies listening to the music of their national instrument, the harp, which was played by the landlord, Griffith Owen, deservedly esteemed one of the best performers in North Wales. Passionately fond of music, and of the airs of my native country in particular, I listened with attention and pleasure to the old man's performances, and, as he swept the strings of his instrument to the bold and inspiring air of The March of the Men of Harlech, or to the milder and more soothing strains of Pen Rhaw and Codiad yr Hedydd, every feeling, save that of the purest delight, was chased away by the pleasing and impressive melody. His performance, however, was not confined to Welsh *This is one reason, perhaps, that no knight of the pestle has yet ventured to take up his abode at Towyn. If I mistake not, the inhabitants are equally fortunate with respect to those "learned in the law." Happy, happy, Towyn! to be unencumbered with either lawyer or doctor. pieces. He played several of the favourite airs of the old masters, and some with accompaniments of his own. He used formerly to compose a good deal; but the indolence, natural to old age, (for he has numbered more than seventy years,) has deprived him, he told me, of "all relish for composing." In the morning his son played to us, and, although his execution is far inferior to that of his father, whose very touch is harmony, it is by no means despicable. He is unhappily subject to fits of mental alienation, and his performance denotes the wild and hurried state of his intellect. The next morning I accompanied two of our fair compagnons de voyage to view the town, which, to speak candidly, is hardly worthy of an appellation so lofty. As for streets, it has none; and what the inhabitants would willingly term such are merely lanes, adorned with wide and dirty ditches, meandering placidly along their centre. It contains about half a dozen good houses, and a church with no great pretensions to elegancet. After we had inspected the town, we strolled towards the beach, about half a mile distant, which affords a pleasant and firm walk. On our return we passed by a cottage, the door of which stood open, and some fine healthy looking children were gambolling on the threshold. We were tempted to peep in, and our curiosity was rewarded with a view of the humble interior of a Welsh cottage, rendered as neat as manual labour could make it. The happy little rogues, who were playing by the door, suspended their sports, and regarded us with amazement, mingled, perhaps, with something like fear. A decent, good looking, woman now addressed us from within, and very cordially invited us, in good English, to enter and "sit down a bit." We declined her invitation, and a small douceur, as an atonement for our intrusion, made the little folk very happy, while their parent's fond eye glistened with delight and gratitude, and we left the cottage amidst the repeated thanks of this civil and contented cottager." MERVINIUS. * Some account of the popular tunes above mentioned may be found in the first volume of this work, at pages 95, 332, and 173.—ED. + This church is dedicated to St. Cadvan, a native of Armorica, who came over to this country, with other religious persons, in the beginning of the sixth century. He is supposed to have been buried on this spot. Some years ago there were in the church-yard two rude pillars, one of which, of the form of a wedge, about seven feet high, and having a cross and inscription upon it, went by the name of St. Cadvan's Stone, and may have been a part of his tomb. This ancient relic now decorates a grotto, belonging to a neighbouring gentleman, who took the liberty of removing it.-ED. VOL. II. R CRITICISM. HORE BRITANNICE; or, STUDIES in ANCIENT BRITISH HISTORY, containing various Disquisitions on the national and religious Antiquities of GREAT BRITAIN, in two Volumes. By JOHN HUGHES. LONDON. 1818. AMONG the literary desiderata of the present day there is none more obvious than a national History of the early Britons, and of their descendants, who now occupy Wales. Much, it is true, has already been written on this subject; and several works, somewhat rashly dignified with the title of histories, have at various intervals been produced. But, from the days, in which Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote his celebrated romance, down to the present, none has appeared of that liberal and enlightened character, which might claim for it a rank among the standard productions of English, literature. The Genius of History, who, in other countries, has been admired for her temperate and majestic demeanour, has appeared, amidst the mountains of Wales, either as the minion of prejudice, or the slave of enthusiasm. Nor has the fantastic wildness of her manners acquired any advantages from the acknowleged poverty of her attire. In a word, to descend from the language of metaphor, in the Histories of Wales, hitherto produced, little or no attempt has been made, in the investigation of the early records of the country, to separate the gold from the dross, or to extricate truth from the mazes of error. Yet, while the historian has thus blindly abandoned himself to the guidance of his own wayward notions, or to the misconceptions of others, it must be admitted to his credit, that he has rarely endeavoured, by the seductions of his style, to make any proselytes to his cause. He has seldom resorted to that adscititious aid, which the elevation of sentiment or the splendour of diction might be presumed to contribute. Whatever justice there may be in the preceding remarks, it would, perhaps, be too much to affirm, that the historian of Wales ought, any more than the historians of other countries, to be, in the language applied by Cicero to an orator, omni laude cumulatus. But, if it be not necessary, that he should be possessed of every merit, he ought, at least, to be exempt from every gross fault he should neither be warped by prejudice, nor blinded by enthusiasm. While thoroughly conversant with the literary remains of his own country, he ought also to be generally acquainted with the ancient productions of other nations, so as to be able, by a judicious comparison of various authorities, to select such facts only, as wear the semblance of truth, or, at least, of probability. He ought to be able to investigate with judgment, and to decide with liberality. But, that his work might secure a popular reputation, it ought, above every thing, to be free from that inflated language, which a pretension to exclusive erudition, too common to our Welsh literati, is so prone to engender. The style of the historian, if we may judge from the most eminent examples, is certainly various; but in all its varieties,-from the chaste and simple brevity of Sallust to the copious splendour of Gibbon, there is nothing to sanction those peculiarities, which characterize the affectation of learning, or the presumption of ignorance. In what has now been hazarded as to the qualifications of the writer, who should undertake a History of Wales, at once classical and popular, there has been no wish to delineate what Scaliger has called sine labe monstrum, or, as the English poet more elegantly expresses it, "A faultless monster, which the world ne'er saw," but rather, by representing the reverse of the portrait, to describe the perils, which may be avoided, and the prejudices, which must be renounced. However, it is too probable, that the desideratum, at first alluded to, will not very speedily be supplied, unless, under the auspices of the patriotic associations now formed, some new flame may, phoenix-like, be kindled in Wales from the embers of her former renown*. But, until this prodigy may appear,―an event rather to be wished than expected,-every encouragement ought to be afforded to those writers, who discharge the very useful task of exploring out ancient records, and of extricating the materials of history from the darkness and confusion of past ages. If the merit of originality or of any tran ⚫ It is now somewhat more than a year since a “Prospectus of Collections for a new History of Wales" was published under the patronage of the Cambrian Society in Dyfed. It is to be hoped, that the design has not been abandoned, since, from the acknowleged qualifications of the celebrated projector, the most important benefits to the cause of Welsh literature, and particularly with a view to the subject now under discussion, may be expected from these promised "Collections." - scendant talent do not obviously belong to this branch of literature, its claim to the highest praise, that can be bestowed on patient and laborious research, must, of necessity, be conceded. Authors of this description, without any disparagement be it said, -act the part of pioneers in the grand march of historical inquiry, and without whose assistance the progress of the more regular historian would often be interrupted by many disheartening impediments. The work, of which the title is prefixed to this article, comes properly, perhaps, within the description of publications just adverted to, though in some parts of it, and especially of the second volume, the writer evidently soars to a higher distinction. Yet, however he may pride himself on these occasional flights, he must not consider it the least portion of his merit, that he has condensed, in these volumes, a great variety of interesting and valuable information, which a reference to many ponderous, and some scarce, tomes could only before have supplied. If, indeed, to a person, habitually acquainted with Welsh literature, this performance may but seldom convey the charm of novelty, the advantages, which it presents to the student, are obvious and great. And, at all events, the motives of the author in this laborious undertaking, considering the general ability, with which it has been executed, ought to ensure for him the patronage of his countrymen. The following extract from the Preface to the first volume explains briefly the arrangement of the work, as well as the view taken by Mr. Hughes of the nature of his design. "The work, as it now stands, is divided into three departments; and each of these may, in some respects, be considered separate, although, the whole being taken together, each part seems necessary to form a complete view of our national antiquities. Thus, in pursuing the history of the British churches, under the Roman government, it is desirable to be acquainted with the relative situation of the different tribes; their ancient superstitions; their laws, customs, and language; their particular genius as a people; and their moral character, previous to their coming under the Roman yoke. Further than this, an inquiry has been instituted as to the remote origin of the primordial Britons, and the period of the first population of the Queen of Isles. "To give such an enlarged illustration of our ancient history, within a moderate compass, was found to be no easy task; and the author grew apprehensive that he had undertaken what would prove too heavy a weight for him. To accomplish his design required. |