child was christened in Welsh.
We went down by the stream to see a prospect, in which I had no part. We
then saw a brass work, where the lapis calaminaris[1203] is gathered,
broken, washed from the earth and the lead, though how the lead was
separated I did not see; then calcined, afterwards ground fine, and then
mixed by fire with the copper.
We saw several strong fires with melting pots, but the construction of
the fire-places I did not learn.
At a copper-work which receives its pigs of copper, I think, from
Warrington, we saw a plate of copper put hot between steel rollers, and
spread thin; I know not whether the upper roller was set to a certain
distance, as I suppose, or acted only by its weight.
At an iron-work I saw round bars formed by a knotched hammer and anvil.
There I saw a bar of about half an inch, or more, square cut with shears
worked by water, and then beaten hot into a thinner bar. The hammers all
worked, as they were, by water, acting upon small bodies, moved very
quick, as quick as by the hand.
I then saw wire drawn, and gave a shilling. I have enlarged my
notions[1204], though not being able to see the movements, and having
not time to peep closely, I know less than I might. I was less weary,
and had better breath, as I walked farther.
AUGUST 4.
Ruthin Castle is still a very noble ruin; all the walls still remain, so
that a compleat platform, and elevations, not very imperfect, may be
taken. It encloses a square of about thirty yards. The middle space was
always open.
The wall is, I believe, about thirty feet high, very thick, flanked with
six round towers, each about eighteen feet, or less, in diameter. Only
one tower had a chimney, so that there was[1205] commodity of living. It
was only a place of strength. The garrison had, perhaps, tents in
the area.
Stapylton's house is pretty[1206]: there are pleasing shades about it,
with a constant spring that supplies a cold bath. We then went to see
a Cascade.
I trudged unwillingly, and was not sorry to find it dry. The water was,
however, turned on, and produced a very striking cataract. They are paid
an hundred pounds a year for permission to divert the stream to the
mines. The river, for such it may be termed[1207], rises from a single
spring, which, like that of Winifred's, is covered with a building.
We called then at another house belonging to Mr. Lloyd, which made a
handsome appearance. This country seems full of very splendid houses.
Mrs. Thrale lost her purse. She expressed so much uneasiness, that I
concluded the sum to be very great; but when I heard of only seven
guineas, I was glad to find that she had so much sensibility of money.
I could not drink this day either coffee or tea after dinner. I know not
when I missed before.
AUGUST 5.
Last night my sleep was remarkably quiet. I know not whether by fatigue
in walking, or by forbearance of tea[1208].
I gave the ipecacuanha[1209]. Vin. emet. had failed; so had tartar emet.
I dined at Mr. Myddleton's, of Gwaynynog. The house was a gentleman's
house, below the second rate, perhaps below the third, built of stone
roughly cut. The rooms were low, and the passage above stairs gloomy,
but the furniture was good. The table was well supplied, except that the
fruit was bad. It was truly the dinner of a country gentleman. Two
tables were filled with company, not inelegant.
After dinner, the talk was of preserving the Welsh language. I offered
them a scheme. Poor Evan Evans was mentioned, as incorrigibly addicted
to strong drink. Worthington[1210] was commended. Myddleton is the only
man, who, in Wales, has talked to me of literature. I wish he were truly
zealous. I recommended the republication of David ap Rhees's
Welsh Grammar.
Two sheets of _Hebrides_ came to me for correction to-day, F.G.[1211]
AUGUST 6.
I corrected the two sheets. My sleep last night was disturbed.
Washing at Chester and here, 5_s_. 1_d_.
I did not read.
I saw to-day more of the out-houses at Lleweney. It is, in the whole, a
very spacious house.
AUGUST 7.
I was at Church at Bodfari. There was a service used for a sick woman,
not canonically, but such as I have heard, I think, formerly at
Lichfield, taken out of the visitation.
The Church is mean, but has a square tower for the bells, rather too
stately for the Church.
OBSERVATIONS.
Dixit injustus, Ps. 36, has no relation to the English[1212].
Preserve us, Lord, has the name of Robert Wisedome, 1618.--Barker's
_Bible_[1213].
Battologiam ab iteratione, recte distinguit Erasmus.--_Mod. Orandi
Deum_, p. 56-144[1214].
Southwell's Thoughts of his own death[1215].
Baudius on Erasmus[1216].
AUGUST 8.
The Bishop and much company dined at Lleweney. Talk of Greek--and of the
army[1217]. The Duke of Marlborough's officers useless. Read
_Phocylidis_[1218], distinguished the paragraphs. I looked in Leland: an
unpleasant book of mere hints.
Lichfield School, ten pounds; and five pounds from the Hospital[1219].
AUGUST 10.
At Lloyd's, of Maesmynnan; a good house, and a very large walled garden.
I read Windus's Account of his _Journey to Mequinez_, and of Stewart's
Embassy[1220]. I had read in the morning Wasse's _Greek Trochaics to
Bentley_. They appeared inelegant, and made with difficulty. The Latin
Elegy contains only common-place, hastily expressed, so far as I have
read, for it is long. They seem to be the verses of a scholar, who has
no practice of writing. The Greek I did not always fully understand. I
am in doubt about the sixth and last paragraphs, perhaps they are not
printed right, for [Greek: eutokon] perhaps [Greek: eustochon.] q?
The following days I read here and there. The _Bibliotheca Literaria_
was so little supplied with papers that could interest curiosity, that
it could not hope for long continuance[1221]. Wasse, the chief
contributor, was an unpolished scholar, who, with much literature, had
no art or elegance of diction, at least in English.
AUGUST 14.
At Bodfari I heard the second lesson read, and the sermon preached in
Welsh. The text was pronounced both in Welsh and English. The sound of
the Welsh, in a continued discourse, is not unpleasant.
[Greek: Brosis oligae][1222].
The letter of Chrysostom, against transubstantiation. Erasmus to the
Nuns, full of mystick notions and allegories.
AUGUST 15.
Imbecillitas genuum non sine aliquantulo doloris inter ambulandum quem a
prandio magis sensi[1223].
AUGUST 18.
We left Lleweney, and went forwards on our journey.
We came to Abergeley, a mean town, in which little but Welsh is spoken,
and divine service is seldom performed in English.
Our way then lay to the sea-side, at the foot of a mountain, called
Penmaen Rhos. Here the way was so steep, that we walked on the lower
edge of the hill, to meet the coach, that went upon a road higher on the
hill. Our walk was not long, nor unpleasant: the longer I walk, the less
I feel its inconvenience. As I grow warm, my breath mends, and I think
my limbs grow pliable.
We then came to Conway Ferry, and passed in small boats, with some
passengers from the stage coach, among whom were an Irish gentlewoman,
with two maids, and three little children, of which, the youngest was
only a few months old. The tide did not serve the large ferry-boat, and
therefore our coach could not very soon follow us. We were, therefore,
to stay at the Inn. It is now the day of the Race at Conway, and the
town was so full of company, that no money could purchase lodgings. We
were not very readily supplied with cold dinner. We would have staid at
Conway if we could have found entertainment, for we were afraid of
passing Penmaen Mawr, over which lay our way to Bangor, but by bright
daylight, and the delay of our coach made our departure necessarily
late. There was, however, no stay on any other terms, than of sitting up
all night.
The poor Irish lady was still more distressed. Her children wanted rest.
She would have been content with one bed, but, for a time, none could be
had. Mrs. Thrale gave her what help she could. At last two gentlemen
were persuaded to yield up their room, with two beds, for which she gave
half a guinea. Our coach was at last brought, and we set out with some
anxiety, but we came to Penmaen Mawr by daylight; and found a way,
lately made, very easy, and very safe.[1224] It was cut smooth, and
enclosed between parallel walls; the outer of which secures the
passenger from the precipice, which is deep and dreadful. This wall is
here and there broken, by mischievous wantonness.[1225] The inner wall
preserves the road from the loose stones, which the shattered steep
above it would pour down. That side of the mountain seems to have a
surface of loose stones, which every accident may crumble. The old road
was higher, and must have been very formidable. The sea beats at the
bottom of the way.
At evening the moon shone eminently bright; and our thoughts of danger
being now past, the rest of our journey was very pleasant. At an hour
somewhat late, we came to Bangor, where we found a very mean inn, and
had some difficulty to obtain lodging. I lay in a room, where the other
bed had two men.
AUGUST 19.
We obtained boats to convey us to Anglesey, and saw Lord Bulkeley's
House, and Beaumaris Castle.
I was accosted by Mr. Lloyd, the Schoolmaster of Beaumaris, who had seen
me at University College; and he, with Mr. Roberts, the Register of
Bangor, whose boat we borrowed, accompanied us. Lord Bulkeley's house
is very mean, but his garden garden is spacious, and shady with large
trees and smaller interspersed. The walks are straight, and cross each
other, with no variety of plan; but they have a pleasing coolness, and
solemn gloom, and extend to a great length.
The castle is a mighty pile; the outward wall has fifteen round towers,
besides square towers at the angles. There is then a void space between
the wall and the Castle, which has an area enclosed with a wall, which
again has towers, larger than those of the outer wall. The towers of the
inner Castle are, I think, eight. There is likewise a Chapel entire,
built upon an arch as I suppose, and beautifully arched with a stone
roof, which is yet unbroken. The entrance into the Chapel is about eight
or nine feet high, and was, I suppose, higher, when there was no rubbish
in the area.
This Castle corresponds with all the representations of romancing
narratives. Here is not wanting the private passage, the dark cavity,
the deep dungeon, or the lofty tower. We did not discover the Well. This
is the most compleat view that I have yet had of an old Castle.[1226] It
had a moat.
The Towers.
We went to Bangor.
AUGUST 20.
We went by water from Bangor to Caernarvon, where we met Paoli and Sir
Thomas Wynne. Meeting by chance with one Troughton,[1227] an intelligent
and loquacious wanderer, Mr. Thrale invited him to dinner. He attended
us to the Castle, an edifice of stupendous magnitude and strength; it
has in it all that we observed at Beaumaris, and much greater
dimensions: many of the smaller rooms floored with stone are entire; of
the larger rooms, the beams and planks are all left: this is the state
of all buildings left to time. We mounted the Eagle Tower by one hundred
and sixty-nine steps, each of ten inches. We did not find the Well; nor
did I trace the Moat; but moats there were, I believe, to all castles on
the plain, which not only hindered access, but prevented mines. We saw
but a very small part of this mighty ruin, and in all these old
buildings, the subterraneous works are concealed by the rubbish.
To survey this place would take much time: I did not think there had
been such buildings; it surpassed my ideas.
AUGUST 21.
We were at Church; the service in the town is always English; at the
parish Church at a small distance, always Welsh. The town has by
degrees, I suppose, been brought nearer to the sea side.
We received an invitation to Dr. Worthington. We then went to dinner at
Sir Thomas Wynne's,--the dinner mean, Sir Thomas civil, his Lady
nothing.[1228] Paoli civil.
We supped with Colonel Wynne's Lady, who lives in one of the towers of
the Castle.
I have not been very well.
AUGUST 22.
We went to visit Bodville, the place where Mrs. Thrale was born; and the
Churches called Tydweilliog and Llangwinodyl, which she holds by
impropriation.
We had an invitation to the house of Mr. Griffiths of Bryn o dol, where
we found a small neat new built house, with square rooms: the walls are
of unhewn stone, and therefore thick; for the stones not fitting with
exactness, are not strong without great thickness. He had planted a
great deal of young wood in walks. Fruit trees do not thrive; but having
grown a few years, reach some barren stratum and wither.
We found Mr. Griffiths not at home; but the provisions were good. Mr.
Griffiths came home the next day. He married a lady who has a house and
estate at [Llanver], over against Anglesea, and near Caernarvon, where
she is more disposed, as it seems, to reside than at Bryn o dol.
I read Lloyd's account of Mona, which he proves to be Anglesea.
In our way to Bryn o dol, we saw at Llanerk a Church built crosswise,
very spacious and magnificent for this country. We could not see the
Parson, and could get no intelligence about it.
AUGUST 24.
We went to see Bodville. Mrs. Thrale remembered the rooms, and wandered
over them with recollection of her childhood. This species of pleasure
is always melancholy. The walk was cut down, and the pond was dry.
Nothing was better.[1229]
We surveyed the Churches, which are mean, and neglected to a degree
scarcely imaginable. They have no pavement, and the earth is full of
holes. The seats are rude benches; the Altars have no rails. One of them
has a breach in the roof. On the desk, I think, of each lay a folio
Welsh Bible of the black letter, which the curate cannot easily
read.[1230]
Mr. Thrale purposes to beautify the Churches, and if he prospers, will
probably restore the tithes. The two parishes are, Llangwinodyl and
Tydweilliog.[1231] The Methodists are here very prevalent. A better
church will impress the people with more reverence of publick worship.
Mrs. Thrale visited a house where she had been used to drink milk, which
was left, with an estate of two hundred pounds a year, by one Lloyd, to
a married woman who lived with him.
We went to Pwllheli, a mean old town, at the extremity of the country.
Here we bought something, to remember the place.
AUGUST 25.
We returned to Caernarvon, where we ate with Mrs. Wynne.
AUGUST 26.
We visited, with Mrs. Wynne, Llyn Badarn and Llyn Beris, two lakes,
joined by a narrow strait. They are formed by the waters which fall from
Snowdon and the opposite mountains. On the side of Snowdon are the
remains of a large fort, to which we climbed with great labour. I was
breathless and harassed. The Lakes have no great breadth, so that the
boat is always near one bank or the other.
_Note_. Queeny's goats, one hundred and forty-nine, I think.[1232]
AUGUST 27.
We returned to Bangor, where Mr. Thrale was lodged at Mr. Roberts's, the
Register.
AUGUST 28.
We went to worship at the Cathedral. The quire is mean, the service was
not well read.
AUGUST 29.
We came to Mr. Myddelton's, of Gwaynynog, to the first place, as my
Mistress observed, where we have been welcome.
_Note_. On the day when we visited Bodville, we turned to the house of
Mr. Griffiths, of Kefnamwycllh, a gentleman of large fortune, remarkable
for having made great and sudden improvements in his seat and estate. He
has enclosed a large garden with a brick wall. He is considered as a man
of great accomplishments. He was educated in literature at the
University, and served some time in the army, then quitted his
commission, and retired to his lands. He is accounted a good man, and
endeavours to bring the people to church.
In our way from Bangor to Conway, we passed again the new road upon the
edge of Penmaen Mawr, which would be very tremendous, but that the wall
shuts out the idea of danger. In the wall are several breaches, made, as
Mr. Thrale very reasonably conjectures, by fragments of rocks which roll
down the mountain, broken perhaps by frost, or worn through by rain.
We then viewed Conway.
To spare the horses at Penmaen Rhos, between Conway and St. Asaph, we
sent the coach over the road across the mountain with Mrs. Thrale, who
had been tired with a walk sometime before; and I, with Mr. Thrale and
Miss, walked along the edge, where the path is very narrow, and much
encumbered by little loose stones, which had fallen down, as we thought,
upon the way since we passed it before.
At Conway we took a short survey of the Castle, which afforded us
nothing new. It is larger than that of Beaumaris, and less than that of
Caernarvon. It is built upon a rock so high and steep, that it is even
now very difficult of access. We found a round pit, which was called the
Well; it is now almost filled, and therefore dry. We found the Well in
no other castle. There are some remains of leaden pipes at Caernarvon,
which, I suppose, only conveyed water from one part of the building to
another. Had the garrison had no other supply, the Welsh, who must know
where the pipes were laid, could easily have cut them.
AUGUST 29.
We came to the house of Mr. Myddelton, (on Monday,) where we staid to
September 6, and were very kindly entertained. How we spent our time, I
am not very able to tell[1233].
We saw the wood, which is diversified and romantick.
SEPTEMBER 4, SUNDAY.
