wild wales-第62部分

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streets；　extending　from　north　to　south；　a　few　narrow　cross　ones；　an　
ancient　church；　partly　overgrown　with　ivy；　with　a　very　pointed　
steeple；　and　a　town…hall　of　some　antiquity；　in　which　Welsh　
interludes　used　to　be　performed。　　After　gratifying　my　curiosity　
with　respect　to　the　town；　I　visited　the　mound　…　the　wondrous　Tomen　
Bala。

The　Tomen　Bala　stands　at　the　northern　end　of　the　town。　　It　is　
apparently　formed　of　clay；　is　steep　and　of　difficult　ascent。　　In　
height　it　is　about　thirty　feet；　and　in　diameter　at　the　top　about　
fifty。　　On　the　top　grows　a　gwern　or　alder…tree；　about　a　foot　thick；　
its　bark　terribly　scotched　with　letters　and　uncouth　characters；　
carved　by　the　idlers　of　the　town　who　are　fond　of　resorting　to　the　
top　of　the　mound　in　fine　weather；　and　lying　down　on　the　grass　which　
covers　it。　　The　Tomen　is　about　the　same　size　as　Glendower's　Mount　
on　the　Dee；　which　it　much　resembles　in　shape。　　Both　belong　to　that　
brotherhood　of　artificial　mounds　of　unknown　antiquity；　found　
scattered；　here　and　there；　throughout　Europe　and　the　greater　part　
of　Asia；　the　most　remarkable　specimen　of　which　is；　perhaps；　that　
which　stands　on　the　right　side　of　the　way　from　Adrianople　to　
Stamboul；　and　which　is　called　by　the　Turks　Mourad　Tepehsi；　or　the　
tomb　of　Mourad。　　Which　mounds　seem　to　have　been　originally　intended　
as　places　of　sepulture；　but　in　many　instances　were　afterwards　used　
as　strongholds；　bonhills　or　beacon…heights；　or　as　places　on　which　
adoration　was　paid　to　the　host　of　heaven。

From　the　Tomen　there　is　a　noble　view　of　the　Bala　valley；　the　Lake　
of　Beauty　up　to　its　southern　extremity；　and　the　neighbouring　and　
distant　mountains。　　Of　Bala；　its　lake　and　Tomen；　I　shall　have　
something　to　say　on　a　future　occasion。

Leaving　Bala　I　passed　through　the　village　of　Llanfair　and　found　
myself　by　the　Dee；　whose　course　I　followed　for　some　way。　　Coming　to　
the　northern　extremity　of　the　Bala　valley；　I　entered　a　pass　tending　
due　north。　　Here　the　road　slightly　diverged　from　the　river。　　I　sped　
along；　delighted　with　the　beauty　of　the　scenery。　　On　my　left　was　a　
high　bank　covered　with　trees；　on　my　right　a　grove；　through　openings　
in　which　I　occasionally　caught　glimpses　of　the　river；　over　whose　
farther　side　towered　noble　hills。　　An　hour's　walking　brought　me　
into　a　comparatively　open　country；　fruitful　and　charming。　　At　about　
one　o'clock　I　reached　a　large　village；　the　name　of　which；　like　
those　of　most　Welsh　villages；　began　with　Llan。　　There　I　refreshed　
myself　for　an　hour　or　two　in　an　old…fashioned　inn；　and　then　resumed　
my　journey。

I　passed　through　Corwen；　again　visited　Glendower's　monticle　upon　
the　Dee；　and　reached　Llangollen　shortly　after　sunset；　where　I　found　
my　beloved　two　well　and　glad　to　see　me。

That　night；　after　tea；　Henrietta　played　on　the　guitar　the　old　
muleteer　tune　of　〃El　Punto　de　la　Vana；〃　or　the　main　point　at　the　
Havanna；　whilst　I　sang　the　words　…


〃Never　trust　the　sample　when　you　go　your　cloth　to　buy：
The　woman's　most　deceitful　that's　dressed　most　daintily。
The　lasses　of　Havanna　ride　to　mass　in　coaches　yellow；
But　ere　they　go　they　ask　if　the　priest's　a　handsome　fellow。
The　lasses　of　Havanna　as　mulberries　are　dark；
And　try　to　make　them　fairer　by　taking　Jesuit's　bark。〃



CHAPTER　LI



The　Ladies　of　Llangollen　…　Sir　Alured　…　Eisteddfodau　…　Pleasure　and　
Care。


SHORTLY　after　my　return　I　paid　a　visit　to　my　friends　at　the　
Vicarage；　who　were　rejoiced　to　see　me　back；　and　were　much　
entertained　with　the　account　I　gave　of　my　travels。　　I　next　went　to　
visit　the　old　church　clerk　of　whom　I　had　so　much　to　say　on　a　former　
occasion。　　After　having　told　him　some　particulars　of　my　expedition；　
to　all　of　which　he　listened　with　great　attention；　especially　to　
that　part　which　related　to　the　church　of　Penmynydd　and　the　tomb　of　
the　Tudors；　I　got　him　to　talk　about　the　ladies　of　Llangollen；　of　
whom　I　knew　very　little　save　what　I　had　heard　from　general　report。　　
I　found　he　remembered　their　first　coming　to　Llangollen；　their　
living　in　lodgings；　their　purchasing　the　ground　called　Pen　y　maes；　
and　their　erecting　upon　it　the　mansion　to　which　the　name　of　Plas　
Newydd　was　given。　　He　said　they　were　very　eccentric；　but　good　and　
kind；　and　had　always　shown　most　particular　favour　to　himself；　that　
both　were　highly　connected；　especially　Lady　Eleanor　Butler；　who　was　
connected　by　blood　with　the　great　Duke　of　Ormond　who　commanded　the　
armies　of　Charles　in　Ireland　in　the　time　of　the　great　rebellion；　
and　also　with　the　Duke　of　Ormond　who　succeeded　Marlborough　in　the　
command　of　the　armies　in　the　Low　Countries　in　the　time　of　Queen　
Anne；　and　who　fled　to　France　shortly　after　the　accession　of　George　
the　First　to　the　throne；　on　account　of　being　implicated　in　the　
treason　of　Harley　and　Bolingbroke；　and　that　her　ladyship　was　
particularly　fond　of　talking　of　both　these　dukes；　and　relating　
anecdotes　concerning　them。　　He　said　that　the　ladies　were　in　the　
habit　of　receiving　the　very　first　people　in　Britain；　〃amongst　
whom；〃　said　the　old　church　clerk；　〃was　an　ancient　gentleman　of　most　
engaging　appearance　and　captivating　manners；　called　Sir　Alured　C…。　　
He　was　in　the　army；　and　in　his　youth；　owing　to　the　beauty　of　his　
person；　was　called　；　'the　handsome　captain。'　　It　was　said　that　one　
of　the　royal　princesses　was　desperately　in　love　with　him；　and　that　
on　that　account　George　the　Third　insisted　on　his　going　to　India。　　
Whether　or　not　there　was　truth　in　the　report；　to　India　he　went；　
where　he　served　with　distinction　for　a　great　many　years。　　On　his　
return；　which　was　not　till　he　was　upwards　of　eighty；　he　was　
received　with　great　favour　by　William　the　Fourth；　who　amongst　other　
things　made　him　a　field…marshal。　　As　often　as　October　came　round　
did　this　interesting　and　venerable　gentleman　make　his　appearance　at　
Llangollen　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　ladies；　especially　to　Lady　
Eleanor；　whom　he　had　known　at　Court　as　far　back　they　say　as　the　
American　war。　　It　was　rumoured　at　Llangollen　that　Lady　Eleanor's　
death　was　a　grievous　blow　to　Sir　Alured；　and　that　he　would　never　be　
seen　there　again。　　However；　when　October　came　round　he　made　his　
appearance　at　the　Vicarage；　where　he　had　always　been　in　the　habit　
of　taking　up　his　quarters；　and　called　on　and　dined　with　Miss　
Ponsonby　at　Plas　Newydd；　but　it　was　observed　that　he　was　not　so　gay　
as　he　had　formerly　been。　　In　the　evening；　on　his　taking　leave　of　
Miss　Ponsonby；　she　said　that　he　had　used　her　ill。　　Sir　Alured　
coloured；　and　asked　her　what　she　meant；　adding　that　he　had　not　to　
his　knowledge　used　any　person　ill　in　the　course　of　his　life。　　'But　
I　say　you　have　used　me　ill；　very　ill；'　said　Miss　Ponsonby；　raising　
her　voice；　and　the　words　'very　ill'　she　repeated　several　times。　　At　
last　the　old　soldier　waxing　rather　warm　demanded　an　explanation。　　
'I'll　give　it　you；'　said　Miss　Ponsonby；　'were　you　not　going　away　
after　having　only　kissed　my　hand？'　　'Oh；'　said　the　general；　'if　
that　is　my　offence；　I　will　soon　make　you　reparation；'　and　instantly　
gave　her　a　hearty　smack　on　the　lips；　which　ceremony　he　never　forgot　
to　repeat　after　dining　with　her　on　subsequent　occasions。〃

We　got　on　the　subject　of　bards；　and　I　mentioned　to　him　Gruffydd　
Hiraethog；　the　old　poet　buried　in　the　chancel　of　Llangollen　church。　　
The　old　clerk　was　not　aware　that　he　was　buried　there；　and　said　that　
though　he　had　heard　of　him　he　knew　little　or　nothing　about　him。

〃Where　was　he　born？〃　said　he。

〃In　Denbighshire；〃　I　replied；　〃near　the　mountain　Hiraethog；　from　
which　circumstance　he　called　himself　in　poetry　Gruffydd　Hiraethog。〃

〃When　did　he　flourish？〃

〃About　the　middle　of　the　sixteenth　century。〃

〃What　did　he　write？〃

〃A　great　many　didactic　pieces；〃　said　I　in　one　of　which　is　a　famous　
couplet　to　this　effect：


〃He　who　satire　loves　to　sing
On　himself　will　satire　bring。〃


〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　William　Lleyn？〃　said　the　old　gentleman。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃he　was　a　pupil　of　Hiraethog；　and　wrote　an　elegy　on　
his　death；　in　which　he　alludes　to　Gruffydd's　skill　in　an　old　Welsh　
metre；　called　the　Cross　Consonancy；　in　the　following　manner：


'〃In　Eden's　grove　from　Adam's　mouth
Upsprang　a　muse　of　noble　growth；
So　from　thy　grave；　O　poet　wise；
Cross　Consonancy's　boughs　shall　rise。'〃


〃Really；〃　said　the　old　clerk；　〃you　seem　to　know　something　about　
Welsh　poetry。　　But　what　is　meant　by　a　muse　springing　up　from　Adam's　
mouth　in　Eden？〃

〃Why；　I　suppose；〃　said　I；　〃that　Adam　invented　poetry。〃

I　made　inquiries　of　him　about　the　eisteddfodau　or　sessions　of　
bards；　and　expressed　a　wish　to　be　present　at　one　of　them。　　He　said　
that　they　were　very　interesting；　that　bards　met　at　particular　
periods　and　recited　poems　on　various　subjects　which　had　been　given　
out　beforehand；　and　that　prizes　were　allotted　to　those　whose　
compositions　were　deemed　the　best　by　the　judges。　　He　said　that　he　
had　himself　won　the　prize　for　the　best　englyn　on　a　particular　
subject　at　an　eisteddfod　at　which　Sir　Watkin　Williams　Wynn　
presided；　and　at　which　Heber；　afterwards　Bishop　of　Calcutta；　was　
present；　who　appeared　to　understand　Welsh　well；　and　who　took　much　
interest　in　the　proceedings　of　the　meeting。

Our　discourse　turning　on　the　latter　Welsh　poets　I　asked　him　if　he　
had　been　acquainted　with　Jonathan　Hughes；　who　the　reader　will　
remember　was　the　person　whose　grandson　I　met　and　in　whose　arm…chair　
I　sat　at　Ty　yn　y　pistyll；　shortly　after　my　coming　to　Llangollen。　　
He　said　that　he　had　been　well　acquainted　with　him；　and　had　helped　
to　carry　him　to　the　grave；　adding；　that　he　was　something　of　a　poet；　
but　that　he　had　always　considered　his　forte　lay　in　strong　good　
sense　rather　than　poetry。　　I　mentioned　Thomas　Edwards；　whose　
picture　I　had　seen　in　Valle　Crucis　Abbey。　　He　said　that　he　knew　him　
tolerably　well；　and　that　the　last　time　he　saw　him　was　when　he；　
Edwards；　was　about　seventy　years　of　age；　when　he　sent　him　in　a　cart　
to　the　house　of　a　great　gentleman　near　the　aqueduct　where　he　was　
going　to　stay　on　a　visit。　　That　Tom　was　about　five　feet　eight　
inches　high；　lusty；　and　very　strongly　built；　that　he　had　something　
the　matter　with　his　right　eye；　that　he　was　very　satirical　and　very　
clever；　that　his　wife　was　a　very　clever　woman　and　satirical