him concerning our road; he stopped his horse very politely, and informed us that he was then returning from Llanvilling, the place of his nativity, which he had not seen for more than twenty years before; he added that we should find an excellent inn, and plenty of the best ale in Wales; he then wished us a pleasant walk, affuring us we should meet with princely accommodations, and earnestly recommending the fign of the goat, at the fame time advifing us to make ufe of his name, for Owen ap Jones ap Evans was as well known as any name in Wales. I relate this little anecdote to you, because I think the character of a people is best delineated by their actions, and their leading features are as completely developed by an action, or an anecdote of themselves, apparently infignificant, as they could poffibly be in five hundred philofophical pages

upon

upon the nature of climate, fituation, or government, and the physical causes and effects they may have upon the human genius and difpofition. We were much diverted with the whole of our walk to Llanvilling, particularly with the small but pleasant river Verniew, which we croffed. It was late when we arrived, and were much disappointed with respect to thofe excellent accommodations our honest friend had hinted at, for we could get nothing but dry bread and bad cheese, poor cheer for two hungry travellers that had scarcely eat any thing fince breakfast.

Llangunnog is fingularly fituated, furrounded on all fides by barren and fandy hills. The place confifts only of a few houses, amongst which there is a small building ycleped a church, where once a week a fermon is delivered in the Welsh

language.

language. Whilft we were at dinner in a little ale-houfe (which by the bye was the only one in the place), we had a glance at the clergyman, who happened to enter the house at that very time; his appearance altogether befpoke an inferiority of condition, difgraceful to that refpectable body of which he was a mem ber; upon obferving us, he abruptly went out, while our landlady informed us, with an air of triumph, as if he was fomething fuperior to the reft of mankind, that "that was the parfon." He was standing near the house when we went out, and wishing to enter into converfation with him, I defired him to inform me which was the direct road to Bala; he appeared fomewhat confufed, and waving his hand towards the way we had enquired for, anfwered only by the monofyllable "that," and walked haftily away. I felt much

hurt,

hurt, and at the fame time a great degree of admiration, both at his truly laconic anfwer, as well as at his manner of addrefs, in which pride feemed to be struggling with poverty; in such a fituation any degree of fenfibility would be to him rather a misfortune than a bleffing. Fixed to a spot in which there could be no one proper for his company, or capable of his conversation, he might be driven to pafs his evenings, for the fake of fociety, with people very far inferior to him, and by degrees lose those finer qualities of the mind, that refinement of action as well as of thought, which properly distinguish the gentleman from the honeft but blunt. peasant, or the industrious mechanic. I fhould not have mentioned this circumstance, but that it bears fome credible teftimony to the common report of the shameful and scanty provision made for the Welsh clergy; which by no means enables them

7

to.

to affume that character fo effentially neceffary to the minifters of christianity. I do not wish to infinuate that there is any dif grace in poverty, but certainly the ignorant and uninstructed too frequently treat their teachers with a refpect proportioned to their appearance; and if this be true, it calls loudly for laws and regulations which fhall be more favourable to the lower

clergy in general. The act of parlia

ment confines the falaries of curates within twelve and fifty pounds per annum, whereas it ought to have been proportioned either to the duty performed, or the value of the benefice itfelf. Let us take one instance-a curate ferves two churches ten miles diftant from each other; whilst the incumbent, or vicar, who holds them both, and receives for the joint value of the tithes, five hundred pounds per annum, allows his curate, who does all the

duty,