wild wales-第94章

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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　these　prefaces　the　one　to　the　Irish　is　the　most　
curious　and　remarkable。　　The　first　part　of　the　Archaeologia　was　
published　at　Oxford　in　1707；　two　years　before　the　death　of　the　
author。　　Of　his　correspondence；　which　was　very　extensive；　several　
letters　have　been　published；　all　of　them　relating　to　philology；　
antiquities；　and　natural　history。



CHAPTER　XC



An　Adventure　…　Spytty　Ystwyth　…　Wormwood。


SHORTLY　after　leaving　the　grounds　of　Hafod　I　came　to　a　bridge　over　
the　Ystwyth。　　I　crossed　it；　and　was　advancing　along　the　road　which　
led　apparently　to　the　south…east；　when　I　came　to　a　company　of　
people　who　seemed　to　be　loitering　about。　　It　consisted　entirely　of　
young　men　and　women；　the　former　with　crimson　favours；　the　latter　in　
the　garb　of　old　Wales；　blue　tunics　and　sharp　crowned　hats。　　Going　
up　to　one　of　the　young　women；　I　said；　〃Petti　yw？　what's　the　
matter！〃

〃Priodas　（a　marriage）；〃　she　replied；　after　looking　at　me　
attentively。　　I　then　asked　her　the　name　of　the　bridge；　whereupon　
she　gave　a　broad　grin；　and　after　some；　little　time　replied：　　〃Pont　
y　Groes　（the　bridge　of　the　cross）。〃　　I　was　about　to　ask　her　some　
other　question　when　she　turned　away　with　a　loud　chuckle；　and　said　
something　to　another　wench　near　her；　who；　grinning　yet　more　
uncouthly；　said　something　to　a　third；　who　grinned　too；　and　lifting　
up　her　hands　and　spreading　her　fingers　wide；　said：　　〃Dyn　oddi　dir　y　
Gogledd　…　a　man　from　the　north　country；　hee；　hee！〃　　Forthwith　there　
was　a　general　shout；　the　wenches　crying：　　〃A　man　from　the　north　
country；　hee；　hee！〃　and　the　fellows　crying：　　〃A　man　from　the　north　
country；　hoo；　hoo！〃

〃Is　this　the　way　you　treat　strangers　in　the　south？〃　said　I。　　But　I　
had　scarcely　uttered　the　words　when　with　redoubled　shouts　the　
company　exclaimed：　　〃There's　Cumraeg！　there's　pretty　Cumraeg。　　Go　
back；　David；　to　shire　Fon！　　That　Cumraeg　won't　pass　here。〃

Finding　they　disliked　my　Welsh　I　had　recourse　to　my　own　language。　　
〃Really；〃　said　I　in　English；　〃such　conduct　is　unaccountable。　　What　
do　you　mean？〃　　But　this　only　made　matters　worse；　for　the　shouts　
grew　louder　still；　and　every　one　cried：　　〃There's　pretty　English！　　
Well；　if　I　couldn't　speak　better　English　than　that　I'd　never　speak　
English　at　all。　　No；　David；　if　you　must　speak　at　all；　stick　to　
Cumraeg。〃　　Then　forthwith；　all　the　company　set　themselves　in　
violent　motion；　the　women　rushing　up　to　me　with　their　palms　and　
fingers　spread　out　in　my　face；　without　touching　me；　however；　as　
they　wheeled　round　me　at　about　a　yard's　distance；　crying：　　〃A　man　
from　the　north　country；　hee；　hee！〃　and　the　fellows　acting　just　in　
the　same　way；　rushing　up　with　their　hands　spread　out；　and　then　
wheeling　round　me　with　cries　of　〃A　man　from　the　north　country；　hoo；　
hoo！〃　　I　was　so　enraged　that　I　made　for　a　heap　of　stones　by　the　
road…side；　intending　to　take　some　up　and　fling　them　at　the　company。　　
Reflecting；　however；　that　I　had　but　one　pair　of　hands　and　the　
company　at　least　forty；　and　that　by　such　an　attempt　at　revenge　I　
should　only　make　myself　ridiculous；　I　gave　up　my　intention；　and　
continued　my　journey　at　a　rapid　pace；　pursued　for　a　long　way　by　
〃hee；　hee；〃　and　〃hoo；　hoo；〃　and：　　〃Go　back；　David；　to　your　goats　in　
Anglesey；　you　are　not　wanted　here。〃

I　began　to　descend　a　hill　forming　the　eastern　side　of　an　immense　
valley；　at　the　bottom　of　which　rolled　the　river。　　Beyond　the　valley　
to　the　west　was　an　enormous　hill；　on　the　top　of　which　was　a　most　
singular…looking　crag；　seemingly　leaning　in　the　direction　of　the　
south。　　On　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road　were　immense　works　of　
some　kind　in　full　play　and　activity；　for　engines　were　clanging　and　
puffs　of　smoke　were　ascending　from　tall　chimneys。　　On　inquiring　of　
a　boy　the　name　of　the　works　I　was　told　that　they　were　called　the　
works　of　Level　Vawr；　or　the　Great　Level；　a　mining　establishment；　
but　when　I　asked　him　the　name　of　the　hill　with　the　singular　peak；　
on　the　other　side　of　the　valley；　he　shook　his　head　and　said　he　did　
not　know。　　Near　the　top　of　the　hill　I　came　to　a　village　consisting　
o