offices they perform for one, and add the force of an obligation even to a common act of servitude."

Wales has been famous, from time immemorial, for the excellence of its ale, here called cwrw. It is made from barley, but the grain is dried in a peculiar way, which gives it rather a smoky taste. The Llangollen ale is perhaps the most celebrated. The peasantry in some parts of Wales gather the berries of the mountain-ash, and brew from them a liquor which they call diod griafol. Its flavour bears some resemblance to that of perry.

EXPENSE OF LIVING.

The expense of living in Wales is moderate; and families wishing for retirement would find this portion of the kingdom a desirable residence. The following statement of the price of provisions in Pembrokeshire was recently given in a respectable periodical work :

Prime beef, mutton (perhaps the finest in the world), veal, from 4d. to 6d per lb.; live pork, 2d. per lb.; fowls, 1s. 8d. per pair; turkey, 4s.; goose, 2s. 6d. ; eggs, twenty-four for 1s. ; butter, 10d. per lb.; flour, 3 d. per lb.; codfish, 2s. 6d. each; fresh salmon, 4d. per lb.; oysters, 10d. per 100; soles, whitings, lobsters, &c. in proportion; grocery, at the London prices.

Draught ale, 1s. per gallon; Dublin porter, for bottling, at 3 d. per bottle; Irish malt whisky, 22 over proof, duty included, 14s. per gallon; wine, about the same price as in England, but may be imported direct to the spot in vessels belonging to the port of Milford, consequently the gain is in quality.

Oak, fir, and other wood, in choppings, clumps, &c. sold at the Royal Dock Yard, Pembroke, once a month; coals, 17. 4s. per chaldron. Rent, remarkably cheap; genteel residences may be had in Milford, at from 147. to 20l. per annum, containing dining, drawing, and breakfast-rooms, seven or eight bed-rooms, garden, kitchen, and stabling. The poorrates are very low. There are several schools in the neigh

bourhood: good music-master, at 3s. per lesson; dancingmaster, 2s. per lesson. The climate, about 20° milder than in any part of England.

STAGE-COACHES.

The Principality is not so well furnished with these useful vehicles as other parts of the kingdom; and the traveller who wishes to pursue his journey by their means must frequently lose time in waiting for the period of their departure, as on many roads they only go once or twice a week. Of course, they travel more frequently during the summer than the winter.

On the great Irish road, however, from Shrewsbury to Holyhead, there are stages several times in the day, passing through Llangollen, Corwen, and Bangor; and there are also two stages daily from Chester to Holyhead, passing through Holywell, Abergeley, Conway, and Bangor.

From Bristol, likewise, there is a coach daily to Milford, passing through Caerdiff, Swansea, Caermarthen, and Haverfordwest; and another daily from Gloucester to Caermarthen, passing through Ross, Monmouth, Abergavenny, Brecon, Llandovery, and Llandilo Vawr.

On most of the other roads throughout Wales, the stages travel less frequently.

STEAM-BOATS.

The facilities afforded for the conveyance of passengers, by the employment of steam-vessels, has tended greatly to increase the number of travellers into Wales during the last few years. In the summer, there is one daily from Liverpool to Bangor, which at once introduces the tourist into the midst of the beautiful scenery of North Wales; and there are steamvessels also from Bristol to Chepstow daily, to Newport daily, to Swansea two or three times a-week, and to Tenby once a week. (See the descriptions of these places in the succeeding part of the work.)

REMARKS ON WALES.*

"I never entered Wales in my life without a feeling of reverence for the soil on which I trod; or rather, should I say, for that ancient race, and those heroic deeds, which have consecrated their soil in my imagination. Not only is it the majesty of nature in this country, whose charm is spread around one; but it is man, the spirit of freedom, the struggle for country, for home, which warms, which animates the heart, and excites the most thrilling sensations. If we admire the heroism of the Grecian commonwealth in defending their independence against the despot of Persia, or other tyrants, we may gather matter for the like wonder, for similar enthusiasm, nearer home, in the history of the ancient Britons, whose claim to renown is founded on grounds that are equally indisputable. They contended for their own institutions for nine hundred years; and the remembrance of this struggle for liberty is dearly cherished among all their ranks to the present hour. Well may they cherish it! It is unexampled in the history of any people! Nor is this the boast of a nation altogether rude and barbarous ;-the Welsh were never so. There is reason to believe that the Britons flourished as a nation before the Romans visited the island. The records of their early times are at least as remarkable and as mysterious, though not so costly, as those which distinguish Egypt. And however abject their condition might be during the times of Roman or of Saxon, of Danish or of Norman aggression, yet their national character always was respectable; and they continue to the present hour conspicuous for their honesty, their courtesy, their hospitality, their devotion, and their general freedom from crime.

"The Welsh, united as they have been by adversity, continue to be faithful and attached to each other in an eminent degree. This does not hinder their shewing rare and unsoughtfor kindness to strangers. Whatever may have been reported

From Rev. G. J. Freeman's "Sketches in Wales."

of them by superficial observers, I am confident that they are violent only to the violent, but gentle and obliging to persons of moderation and good sense, and will perform laborious services for trifling reward. They are, indeed, capable of the most generous actions, and sometimes discover a trust and candour bordering on rashness and credulity. I do not say this without experience, having thrown myself among the people at various times, and seen them in their natural state. Their virtues, however, are seldom to be found on the great Irish roads, or at the watering places, where they have acquired mercenary ideas from the English, and have been taught to make a harvest of their summer company. Though living under the government of the English, they are very cautious in admitting English habits, and exceedingly shy of all that comes from their conquerors. This is the consequence of their national prejudice, which, indeed, is not to be wondered at. English settlers often meet with great obstacles and vexations among them; but this is no more than what frequently happens in England itself, where provincial jealousies are often to be met with; but they make every distinction between a settler and a visiter: the latter will, at any rate, experience the most hospitable attention, unless he forfeit his claim to it by affecting to despise their poverty or depreciate their reputation.

"North Wales is the most truly Welsh. This was the superior country formerly. South Wales and Powys, the intermediate state, were tributary to it. To an English eye, South Wales is the most eligible and improvable country; and here, accordingly, English arts have made the most progress. Pembrokeshire has been called 'Little England beyond Wales.' The inhabitants of that country are descendants of a colony of Flemings, driven by inundation from their own soil, in the times of Henry the First. The Welsh regard them as an inferior race. The commerce of South Wales is by far the most considerable; it has fertile vales, numerous towns and villages, collieries and iron factories of the most extensive description, and seats of rich gentlemen, either indigenous or alien, and is

altogether the most Anglicised country. The Welsh, in their true and original character, are now only to be found in the retreats of their highest mountains, where many little societies live, and have lived for centuries, in total seclusion from the bustle, and in almost total ignorance of the arts of mankind, and in the silent and undisturbed enjoyment of their beloved prejudices and their old national habits.

"The Welsh are not a tall race, but they are generally of a robust form and of a healthy constitution. They have usually an open and rounded countenance, with dark gray eyes, and sometimes light hair. I cannot agree in the eulogy which some writers have bestowed on the beauty of the females. A very fine and sensible countenance, lighted up by sparkling dark eyes, may sometimes be seen, with great cleanliness of complexion; but I think the masse of Welsh women are plain; their forms are by no means advantageously displayed; they are concealed by an uncouth dress, which has endured among them for ages-namely, the bed-gown with sleeves, the broad handkerchief over the shoulders, the mob cap and handkerchief round the head, or the round beaver hat alone. This last, with the natural hair in ringlets, is exceedingly becoming. The men's dress is not singular, except that by some their own country flannels are worn. They live very abstemiously potatoes and sour milk, bacon and oat-porridge, a dark heavy bread or cake, with various admixtures of vegetable and farinaceous substances, compose the usual food of the people. They seldom drink malt liquor, except at weddings, funerals, and fairs; on all which occasions they are inclined to excess. In South Wales, cider is a common beverage; but in the fields, during harvest, they prefer drinking sour milk, or butter-milk, to any thing. Provisions are, for the most part, much cheaper than in England, except in the neighbourhood of places of public resort, or in those parts of the country which feel the influence of the great towns of Liverpool and Bristol."