and ought to be the fole end of all governments; but the facred principles of the focial compact are no longer regarded, and that which should be the firft is now become the last care or confideration of legislative fcience. To say that the state of society cannot be improved, is either to affert its perfection, to confefs that all exertions to improve that state would be vain, or that thefe political evils are either necessary or irremediable. To the first of these arguments, if they can be deemed worthy of fuch a denomination, there is no neceffity to reply, because it carries with it its own conviction; and with respect to the last, no one will hesitate to pronounce it an impious reflection upon the benevolence of the Creator, whofe intention could never be to fubject man to any species of political tyranny whatever; and well indeed might this fair creation and celestial C harmony

harmony be called a Manichean system, or work of a malevolent being, if he could fanction upon this globe the deteftable crimes, and abhorred impieties committed under the patronage, and often the immediate confequence, of vicious and corrupted governments; or if he could fix fo narrow and confined a boundary to human happiness.

The face of the country, as far as this place, is for the most part dull and uninteresting, our road lying chiefly over long and barren mountains, which is pretty much the general appearance of the interior part of North Wales, of which Bala is nearly the center; few living creatures cheer thefe dreary scenes, but here and there amiferable hut, that ill conceals its wretched inhabitants, and a few poor fheep, thinly fcattered over the steep fides of the mountain, or picking the fhort grafs from the

almost

almost naked fummit of the fhaggy rock, we congratulate ourselves, therefore, on our prefent fituation, and on having left behind us the worst part of our tour; but there are fome places which must be excepted from this general cenfure, and these I shall briefly take notice of. We slept at the King's Arms at Rofs, which was formerly the habitation of that celebrated character who ufually goes by the name of the "Man of Rofs." He was truly a friend to the human kind.-He gave his wordly goods, as far as they would go, to the unfortunate; and his best wishes and unqualified compaffion to all; his memory is ftill revered, and his lofs still lamented. I cannot omit fending you a few lines which my fellow traveller fcribbled upon a window fhutter, unlike the general style of compofition which fuch places abound with : C 2

"Richer

"Richer than mifers o'er their countless hoards, Nobler than kings or king-polluted lords;

Here dwelt the Man of Rofs. O traveller hear,
Departed merit claims the rev'rend tear;

Friend to the friendless, to the fick man health,
With generous joy he viewed his modeft wealth:
He heard the widow's heav'n-breath'd prayer of
praife,

He mark'd the fhelter'd orphan's tearful gaze;
And o'er the dowried virgins fnowy cheek,

Bade bridal love fuffufe its blushes meek.

If 'neath this roof thy wine cheer'd moments pass,
Fill to the good man's name one grateful glass,
To higher zeft shall mem'ry wake thy foul,
And virtue mingle in the ennobled bowl.
But if like me thro' life's distressful scene,
Lonely and fad thy pilgrimage hath been,
And if thy breaft with heart-fick anguish fraught,
Thou journeyeft onward tempeft-toft in thought,
Here cheat thy cares-in generous vifions melt,
And dream of goodness thou haft never felt."

Montgomery is a neat town, and pleafantly fituated; but except St. Asaph, it is one of the smallest capital towns in the king's dominions. In the neighbourhood of Welsh Pool, upon a most beautiful eminence, stands Powis caftle, formerly called Pool

Pool castle, from its vicinity to Welsh Pool; it was built A. D. 1110, by Cadogan ap Bledhyn, who was not long fuffered to enjoy it, before he was murdered by his nephew Madoc. Such horrid crimes, however, were fo familiar to thofe days, and so little regarded, that they were frequently committed with impunity, and the offenders might always escape by a fine or difpenfation. The caftle commands an extensive view of a fertile vale, through which the Severn, yet in its infancy, rolls gently along. The road from thence to Llanvilling is very intricate, and we contrived to lofe our way more than once, notwithstanding we had been told it was as ftraight as an arrow; we wanted about five miles of the latte place, when we met with an honest Cambrian of a very refpectable appearancewe did not fail to make fome enquiry of