I cannot do better than quote, upon this occafion, a couple of ftanzas from Churchyard, who has been a constant companion in my walks, and has better expreffed in poetry the character of the people in this particular, than I could have done, had I attempted it, in profe:

Like brethren now doe Welshmen still agree,
In as much love as any men alive;
The friendship there and concord that I fee,
I do compare to bees in honey hive ;
Which keep in fwarme and hold together ftill,
Yet gladly showe to ftraunger great good will
A corteous kynd of love in every place,

A man may find in fimple peoples face.

Paffe where you please on plaine or mountain wilde,

And bear yourselfe in fweete and civil fort,

And
you fhall fure be haulft with man or childe,
Who will falute with gentle comely port
The paffers by: on braves they ftand not fo,
Without good speech to let a trav❜ler go:
They think it dett and duetie franke and free,
In towne or fielde to yeeld you cap and knee.

In Wales, pride and poverty go hand in hand, and the difpofition of the people is strongly blended with fuperftition. When we were at the top of Cader Idris (the etimology of which fignifies the chair of the giant Idris), the guide fhewed us the giant's bed, at which we could not help laughing; the honest fellow, however, rebuked us for fuch levity, and expreffed his belief as to the identity and existence of the giant, at the fame time justifying himself from the authority of a clergyman, who had lately made a pilgrimage to the fame fpot; and, immediately falling down on his knees, began to fay his prayers in a devout manner, and an audible voice; without doubt to appease the manes of this tremendous giant, and breathe out a pious requiem to his foul.

The general character of the people is certainly

certainly amiable-their attachments are ftrong and fincere; their paffions and refentments violent, but tranfitory, which is always the characteristic of an unpolished people. The ingenuoufnefs of nature is shewn in its real colours, and displayed in all their actions. They do not trouble themselves with the politics of the times, or addict themselves to the habits of thinking, and the cares of the world they have little concern with; for they are free from those occupations, those tremulous folicitudes, which engross the attention of a commercial people. With respect to their language, I am not fufficiently acquainted to give any opinion; to my ear, I must confefs, it is not very harmonious; but resembles rather the ravishing sounds of a cat-call, or the mufical clack of a flock of geefe when highly irritated. The dialects are extremely various, and the N 2 difference

difference is often obfervable, even between adjacent counties; but in North and South Wales, there is fo great a variation, that they may almost be faid to be different languages. Yet, notwithstanding, I feel much pleafure whenever I hear it spoken, being the old. Celtic dialect, which, together with the fimplicity of the country people, brings back to my mind the memory of former times; but my ideas of them are fo imperfect, and our knowledge in general, of the relative virtue and happiness of our Celtic ancestors, fo confused, that I scarcely know whether to rejoice that those times are paft, or wifh that they may again return; with respect to them, and the Welsh, as they are at this day, there appears to me to be this material diftinction: the former knew not what wealth (in the modern acceptation of the word) was ; and confequently

confequently were strangers to many vices attendant upon it. The latter, from their intercourse with the rich and mercantile parts of Great Britain, have unfortunately acquired a relifh for riches without the means of procuring them: hence arifes. that pride which prompts them to conceal their poverty, and that jealousy of their national character and fituation, which breaks out almost upon every occafion. The children are remarkably beautiful, and usually well made, but this only continues during their infancy; for,. from the age of ten and upwards, they begin to bear the marks of hard labour, and ftill more precarious fubfiftence.A haggard countenance, a reduced appearance, and, in short, all the traces of a premature old age*: fad proofs these of

* Poverty, though it does not prevent the genera tion, is extremely unfavourable to the rearing of chil

N. 3.

dren;