wild wales-第103部分

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partake　of　it。　　He　accepted　my　offer　with　many　thanks　and　bows；　and　
as　we　sat　and　drank　our　ale　we　had　a　great　deal　of　discourse　about　
the　places　we　had　visited。　　The　ale　being　finished；　I　got　up　and　
said：

〃I　must　now　be　off　for　the　Devil's　Bridge！〃

Whereupon　he　also　arose；　and　offering　me　his　hand；　said：

〃Farewell；　master；　I　shall　never　forget　you。　　Were　all　the　
gentlefolks　who　come　here　to　see　the　sources　like　you；　we　should　
indeed　feel　no　want　in　these　hills　of　such　a　gentleman　as　is　spoken　
of　in　the　pennillion。〃

The　sun　was　going　down　as　I　left　the　inn。　　I　recrossed　the　
streamlet　by　means　of　the　pole　and　rail。　　The　water　was　running　
with　much　less　violence　than　in　the　morning；　and　was　considerably　
lower。　　The　evening　was　calm　and　beautifully　cool；　with　a　slight　
tendency　to　frost。　　I　walked　along　with　a　bounding　and　elastic　
step；　and　never　remember　to　have　felt　more　happy　and　cheerful。

I　reached　the　hospice　at　about　six　o'clock；　a　bright　moon　shining　
upon　me；　and　found　a　capital　supper　awaiting　me；　which　I　enjoyed　
exceedingly。

How　one　enjoys　one's　supper　at　one's　inn　after　a　good　day's　walk；　
provided　one　has　the　proud　and　glorious　consciousness　of　being　able　
to　pay　one's　reckoning　on　the　morrow！



CHAPTER　LXXXIX



A　Morning　View　…　Hafod　Ychdryd　…　The　Monument　…　Fairy…looking　Place　
…　Edward　Lhuyd。


THE　morning　of　the　sixth　was　bright　and　glorious。　　As　I　looked　from　
the　window　of　the　upper　sitting…room　of　the　hospice　the　scene　which　
presented　itself　was　wild　and　beautiful　to　a　degree。　　The　oak…
covered　tops　of　the　volcanic　crater　were　gilded　with　the　brightest　
sunshine；　whilst　the　eastern　sides　remained　in　dark　shade　and　the　
gap　or　narrow　entrance　to　the　north　in　shadow　yet　darker；　in　the　
midst　of　which　shone　the　silver　of　the　Rheidol　cataract。　　Should　I　
live　a　hundred　years　I　shall　never　forget　the　wild　fantastic　beauty　
of　that　morning　scene。

I　left　the　friendly　hospice　at　about　nine　o'clock　to　pursue　my　
southern　journey。　　By　this　time　the　morning　had　lost　much　of　its　
beauty；　and　the　dull　grey　sky　characteristic　of　November　began　to　
prevail。　　The　way　lay　up　a　hill　to　the　south…east；　on　my　left　was　a　
glen　down　which　the　river　of　the　Monk　rolled　with　noise　and　foam。　　
The　country　soon　became　naked　and　dreary；　and　continued　so　for　some　
miles。　　At　length；　coming　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　I　saw　a　park　before　
me；　through　which　the　road　led　after　passing　under　a　stately　
gateway。　　I　had　reached　the　confines　of　the　domain　of　Hafod。

Hafod　Ychdryd；　or　the　summer　mansion　of　Uchtryd；　has　from　time　
immemorial　been　the　name　of　a　dwelling　on　the　side　of　a　hill　above　
the　Ystwyth；　looking　to　the　east。　　At　first　it　was　a　summer　boothie　
or　hunting　lodge　to　Welsh　chieftains；　but　subsequently　expanded　to　
the　roomy；　comfortable　dwelling　of　Welsh　squires；　where　hospitality　
was　much　practised　and　bards　and　harpers　liberally　encouraged。　　
Whilst　belonging　to　an　ancient　family　of　the　name　of　Johnes；　
several　members　of　which　made　no　inconsiderable　figure　in　
literature；　it　was　celebrated；　far　and　wide；　for　its　library；　in　
which　was　to　be　found；　amongst　other　treasures；　a　large　collection　
of　Welsh　manuscripts　on　various　subjects　…　history；　medicine；　
poetry　and　romance。　　The　house；　however；　and　the　library　were　both　
destroyed　in　a　dreadful　fire　which　broke　out。　　This　fire　is　
generally　called　the　great　fire　of　Hafod；　and　some　of　those　who　
witnessed　it　have　been　heard　to　say　that　its　violence　was　so　great　
that　burning　rafters　mixed　with　flaming　books　were　hurled　high　
above　the　summits　of　the　hills。　　The　loss　of　the　house　was　a　matter　
of　triviality　compared　with　that　of　the　library。　　The　house　was　
soon　rebuilt；　and　probably；　phoenix…like；　looked　all　the　better　for　
having　been　burnt；　but　the　library　could　never　be　restored。　　On　the　
extinction　of　the　family；　the　last　hope　of　which；　an　angelic　girl；　
faded　away　in　the　year　1811；　the　domain　became　the　property　of　the　
late　Duke　of　Newcastle；　a　kind　and　philanthrophic　nobleman；　and　a　
great　friend　of　agriculture；　who　held　it　for　many　years；　and　
considerably　improved　it。　　After　his　decease　it　was　purchased　by　
the　head　of　an　ancient　Lancashire　family；　who　used　the　modern　house　
as　a　summer　residence；　as　the　Welsh　chieftains　had　used　the　wooden　
boothie　of　old。

I　went　to　a　kind　of　lodge；　where　I　had　been　told　that　I　should　find　
somebody　who　would　admit　me　to　the　church；　which　stood　within　the　
grounds　and　contained　a　monument　which　I　was　very　desirous　of　
seeing；　partly　from　its　being　considered　one　of　the　masterpieces　of　
the　great　Chantrey；　and　partly　because　it　was　a　memorial　to　the　
lovely　child；　the　last　scion　of　the　old　family　who　had　possessed　
the　domain。　　A　good…looking　young　woman；　the　only　person　whom　I　
saw；　on　my　telling　my　errand；　forthwith　took　a　key　and　conducted　me　
to　the　church。　　The　church　was　a　neat　edifice　with　rather　a　modern　
look。　　It　exhibited　nothing　remarkable　without；　and　only　one　thing　
remarkable　within；　namely；　the　monument；　which　was　indeed　worthy　of　
notice；　and　which；　had　Chantrey　executed　nothing　else；　might　well　
have　entitled　him　to　be　considered；　what　the　world　has　long　
pronounced　him；　the　prince　of　British　sculptors。

This　monument；　which　is　of　the　purest　marble；　is　placed　on　the　
eastern　side　of　the　church；　below　a　window　of　stained　glass；　and　
represents　a　truly　affecting　scene：　　a　lady　and　gentleman　are　
standing　over　a　dying　girl　of　angelic　beauty；　who　is　extended　on　a　
couch；　and　from　whose　hand　a　volume；　the　Book　of　Life；　is　falling。　　
The　lady　is　weeping。

Beneath　is　the　following　inscription　…


To　the　Memory　of
MARY
The　only　child　of　THOMAS　and　JANE　JOHNES
Who　died　in　1811
After　a　few　days'　sickness
This　monument　is　dedicated
By　her　parents。


An　inscription　worthy；　by　its　simplicity　and　pathos；　to　stand　below　
such　a　monument。

After　presenting　a　trifle　to　the　woman；　who；　to　my　great　surprise；　
could　not　speak　a　word　of　English；　I　left　the　church；　and　descended　
the　side　of　the　hill；　near　the　top　of　which　it　stands。　　The　scenery　
was　exceedingly　beautiful。　　Below　me　was　a　bright　green　valley；　at　
the　bottom　of　which　the　Ystwyth　ran　brawling；　now　hid　amongst　
groves；　now　showing　a　long　stretch　of　water。　　Beyond　the　river　to　
the　east　was　a　noble　mountain；　richly　wooded。　　The　Ystwyth；　after　a　
circuitous　course；　joins　the　Rheidol　near　the　strand　of　the　Irish　
Channel；　which　the　united　rivers　enter　at　a　place　called　Aber　
Ystwyth；　where　stands　a　lovely　town　of　the　same　name；　which　sprang　
up　under　the　protection　of　a　baronial　castle；　still　proud　and　
commanding　even　in　its　ruins；　built　by　Strongbow；　the　conqueror　of　
the　great　western　isle。　　Near　the　lower　part　of　the　valley　the　road　
tended　to　the　south；　up　and　down　through　woods　and　bowers；　the　
scenery　still　ever　increasing　in　beauty。　　At　length；　after　passing　
through　a　gate　and　turning　round　a　sharp　corner；　I　suddenly　beheld　
Hafod　on　my　right　hand；　to　the　west　at　a　little　distance　above　me；　
on　a　rising　ground；　with　a　noble　range　of　mountains　behind　it。

A　truly　fairy　place　it　looked；　beautiful　but　fantastic；　in　the　
building　of　which　three　styles　of　architecture　seemed　to　have　been　
employed。　　At　the　southern　end　was　a　Gothic　tower；　at　the　northern　
an　Indian　pagoda；　the　middle　part　had　much　the　appearance　of　a　
Grecian　villa。　　The　walls　were　of　resplendent　whiteness；　and　the　
windows；　which　were　numerous；　shone　with　beautiful　gilding。　　Such　
was　modern　Hafod；　a　strange　contrast；　no　doubt；　to　the　hunting　
lodge　of　old。

After　gazing　at　this　house　of　eccentric　taste　for　about　a　quarter　
of　an　hour；　sometimes　with　admiration；　sometimes　with　a　strong　
disposition　to　laugh；　I　followed　the　road；　which　led　past　the　house　
in　nearly　a　southerly　direction。　　Presently　the　valley　became　more　
narrow；　and　continued　narrowing　till　there　was　little　more　room　
than　was　required　for　the　road　and　the　river；　which　ran　deep　below　
it　on　the　left…hand　side。　　Presently　I　came　to　a　gate；　the　boundary　
in　the　direction　in　which　I　was　going　of　the　Hafod　domain。

Here；　when　about　to　leave　Hafod；　I　shall　devote　a　few　lines　to　a　
remarkable　man　whose　name　should　be　ever　associated　with　the　place。　　
Edward　Lhuyd　was　born　in　the　vicinity　of　Hafod　about　the　period　of　
the　Restoration。　　His　father　was　a　clergyman；　who　after　giving　him　
an　excellent　education　at　home　sent　him　to　Oxford；　at　which　seat　of　
learning　he　obtained　an　honourable　degree；　officiated　for　several　
years　as　tutor；　and　was　eventually　made　custodiary　of　the　Ashmolean　
Museum。　　From　his　early　youth　he　devoted　himself　with　indefatigable　
zeal　to　the　acquisition　of　learning。　　He　was　fond　of　natural　
history　and　British　antiquities；　but　his　favourite　pursuit；　and　
that　in　which　he　principally　distinguished　himself；　was　the　study　
of　the　Celtic　dialects；　and　it　is　but　doing　justice　to　his　memory　
to　say；　that　he　was　not　only　the　best　Celtic　scholar　of　his　time；　
but　that　no　one　has　arisen　since　worthy　to　be　considered　his　equal　
in　Celtic　erudition。　　Partly　at　the　expense　of　the　university；　
partly　at　that　of　various　powerful　individuals　who　patronized　him；　
he　travelled　through　Ireland；　the　Western　Highlands；　Wales；　
Cornwall　and　Armorica；　for　the　purpose　of　collecting　Celtic　
manuscripts。　　He　was　particularly　successful　in　Ireland　and　Wales。　　
Several　of　the　most　precious　Irish　manuscripts　in　Oxford；　and　also　
in　the　Chandos　Library；　were　of　Lhuyd's　collection；　and　to　him　the　
old　hall　at　Hafod　was　chiefly　indebted　for　its　treasures　of　ancient　
British　literature。　　Shortly　after　returning　to　Oxford　from　his　
Celtic　wanderings　he　sat　down　to　the　composition　of　a　grand　work　in　
three　parts；　under　the　title　of　Archaeologia　Britannica；　which　he　
had　long　projected。　　The　first　was　to　be　devoted　to　the　Celtic　
dialects；　the　second　to　British　Antiquities；　and　the　third　to　the　
natural　history　of　the　British　Isles。　　He　only　lived　to　complete　
the　first　part。　　It　contains　various　Celtic　grammars　and　
vocabularies；　to　each　of　which　there　is　a　preface　written　by　Lhuyd　
in　the　particular　dialect　to　which　the　vocabulary　or　grammar　is　
devoted。　　Of　all　thes