At the end of the tour, Mr. B. has given an Itinerary,. and a catalogue of the more uncommon Welsh plants, with their places of growth.' These are useful parts of his book, and appear to be the produce of his own industry and observation. The plates, likewise, are engraved from his own designs, and have considerable merit.

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ART. XII. A Tour through Part of North Wales, in the Year 1798, and at other Times; principally undertaken with a View to Botanical Researches in that Alpine Country: interspersed wsth Observations on the Scenery, Agriculture, Manufactures, Customs, History, and Antiquities. By the Rev. J. Evans, B. A. late of Jesus. College, Oxon. 8vo. pp. 416. 8s. Boards. White. 1800. IN the preface to this volume, Mr. Evans informs his readers. that the chief purpose of the journey here recorded was to collect materials for a Flora Cambrica, which it is his intention. to publish at some future period. The design of the present work, however, is less to convey botanical details, than to déscribe other objects which attracted the author's attention. Every traveller (he remarks) sees, or fancies that he sees, something unobserved before, and that he is capable of communicating knowlege not imparted by others. The desire of relating what was pleasant to behold, or difficult to obtain, induces him to conclude that whatever was important to him, self must be important to mankind.'

The account of this tour is given in the form of letters addressed to a friend. Mr. E.'s route is nearly the inverse of that of Mr. Bingley: (see the preceding article:) he commences from Shrewsbury; whence entering North Wales, he describes a track through Welsh Poole, Powis Castle, Llanvair, Montgomery, Bala, Llyn Tegid or Pimble Meer, Dolgellen, Barmouth Caernarvon, Bangor, Conway, Llanrwst, Corwen, and Chirk. It is a recommendation of the work, that the author does not, like some of our late tourists, labour to excite in himself admiration and enthusiasm: the satisfaction which he expresses appears genuine and spontaneous; and though he sometimes. strays into flowery description, his reflections do not occupy an unreasonable portion of his book, nor are they oppressively sentimental. An extract or two will justify this praise, and gratify our readers.

In passing from Tan-y-Bwlch, over the wild mountains of Merioneth to the towering heights of Caernarvon, we meet with the following description of a storm in these Alpine regions:

* Mr. Evans's account of this place is not materially different from at of Mr. Bingley, though rather more inviting :-see, p. 387. How

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However difficult we found the acclivities, the trouble of descending the Cwms, into the vales, was still more so. Both ourselves and beasts, sometimes up and sometimes down, were glad of every shelf in the rock as a place of halting. Hitherto, we had borne up with tolerable temper, full of the idea, that Pont aber glas Lyn, would more than compensate for any temporary inconvenience; but we were now to encounter a scene that beggars all attempts at description, an Alpine storm.

The morning was lowering, and as we gained the different ascents, the peak of Snowdon, Moel y Wyddfa, capt with clouds, became invisible. The darkness began to gather round, as we proceeded; and we perceived driving clouds passing rapidly beneath our feet, round some of the hills we had just ascended. The sheep were filing down the declivities for shelter, as though apprehensive of danger.

From these appearances our guide prognosticated an approaching storm; we halted and deliberated what was best to be done ; but being rather more than half way towards Bedd Kelert, deliberation only served to remind us of our unpleasant situation. To retread our steps would have been attended with equal inconvenience ás proceeding. The country afforded no shelter; no vestige of a hut ; nor was it to be expected in a country devoid of vegetation.

The darkness momentarily increased, the misty clouds left their towering heights, and gaining strength by approximating towards the heavier ones beneath, soon became formidable from coalition. The winds became clamorous from the West and North; and, meeting with currents from the mountain vistas, soon blew an hurricane. All foreboded a dismal issue. The guide forgot his usual gaiety and loquacity, and began to shake and mutter a few inarticulate sounds. Despairing of making our escape, we relaxed in our exertions, and became less quick and firm in our steps: the very beasts shook their heads and snorted, as though sensible of the perilous situation.

A general torpor at length seized the whole party; and visibly panic-struck we patiently waited the assailing elements; like mariners, who after every effort to save the vessel proves abortive, give up their toil in despair, and patiently look for the coming destruction.

A general gloom, like that of a total eclipse, pervaded the whole atmosphere: the diversified mountain scenery we had before admired, had entirely vanished. Heaven and earth seemed blended together: the crumbling strata and shivering rock beneath our feet, afforded us the only vestiges of the latter; while in the former cloud dashed against cloud in angry conflict. To this war of elements, succeeded the fiercest torrents of rain that the imagination can conceive: to say it poured, would be to trifle with language: no words are adequate to a description of the storm. To those who have seen a water-spout at sea, the conception may be easy; but to those who have not, we can only say, that we appeared in the situation of per, sons placed under one of those mountain cataracts before described, with its waters rushing down upon our heads. To those who never have visited Alpine countries, no adequate description can be given; and to those who are familiar with them, this colouring will appear extremely faint.

Impelled

Impelled by imperious necessity to adopt every method for selfpreservation, after being frequently beaten down, we had recourse to crossing arms and joining shoulders; closing like wrestlers for support. This, from the violence of the wind, at length failed; and had it not been from a circumstance, otherwise too trifling to mention, it is probable we should have been materially injured, had we escaped with life. A boy, about fifteen, had followed us several miles, to open the gates, in the walls that separate the different lordships, whom we had just before dismissed with a small gratuity. To our surprise he was not gone; but setting up a plaintive cry, he ran towards the south; and instinct induced us to follow. We were not able to keep pace with him, but found him safe lodged behind a vast rock, which raised its head above the other fragments. On a shelf of this, to the leeward, by an habit he had probably learnt of the sheep, he lay rolled up like a sleeping tortoise. Behind the covert of the same rock, we obtained shelter till the violence of the storm was past. In about an hour we were able to proceed through what, in England, would be called heavy rain.'

A pleasant anecdote is thus pleasantly introduced, in relating the incidents which occurred to the author at Corwen, a small town in Merionethshire:

The only inn is the Owen Glyndwr, to which we were directed by a huge figure painted on a sign, having large eyes and a long beard, much like the Saracen's Head, meant as a likeness of the hero of the vale, who still lives in the remembrance and affections of the people of Corwen. The decent accommodations, and the pointed civility of the people, made this a comfortable retreat. Wishing for every kind of refreshment, after a long and toilsome day, I inquired for a Tonsor; after waiting till the supper was ready, and my patience nearly exhausted, I discovered that my meaning was not comprehended; the girl, supposing, from the time of the evening, and the custom of the place, that I must wish for the soothing sounds of music te lull me to repose, introduced a blind harper: I smiled as you may suppose; to have shewn any symptoms of disapprobation would have been calling my own taste in question, and an unfair requital of her well-meant intentious. I retained the village minstrel,. and on further explaining my wants, was informed, there was no barber within many miles; that a woman shaved at Corwen, but she supposed my honour would not like to be shaved by a woman!Smiling at the haughty ideas our sex were supposed to entertain of the fair, and the humble opinion she had of her own, I readily acquiesced. The girl, who understood me rather from my looks than my language, hastened her steps, and, in a few minutes, a tall stout damsel made her appearance, about twenty-five, of a fair and ruddy complexion; who, with the apparatus in her hand, and a smile upon her face, in broken English addressed herself to the company. the one hand was a pewter jug containing hot water, in the other a case of razors and a shaving box: wonder not at the latter, the accommodation of more polished countries; it was a present from a gentleman, whose beard she had taken off with so much dexterity and

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In

ease,

ease, as to leave an impression of gratitude upon his mind, and he had, as a token of it, made this useful acknowledgment. She proceeded to the work. Entertained with the novelty of the thing, and the perfect good humour of the operator, expressed in smiles and the softest sounds of her language, my beard was removed before -I wished, shall I say? certainly before I expected. On inquiry, I learned that Magdalene Hughes was the daughter of a creditable person of the town, possessed, at his death, of a small property, which, while the family remained together, was sufficient to keep them, but that some were married and some dead, and she was left with an aged mother, and had taken up this odd, but profitable trade, as a means of procuring subsistence for both. I never had my beard more easily removed; but, independent of this, from the consideration of the latter circumstance, the man of sensibility will never pass Corwen without contributing a small gratuity to this dutiful daughter of affliction. I presented her with a small piece of silver on the occasion, and we soon learnt the happiness this unexpected event produced was not confined to herself. The generosity of this simple people appeared in this, as in many other instances, of too liberal a nature, to be confined within the narrow limits of self. The joy of the unadulterated Welsh character is the joy of social participation; the harper, who had been playing for us during the hour of supper, was now enlisted in the service of Magdalene; her young acquaintance in the town, and the servants of the house were invited to the feast; the mistress of the house, entering into the spirit of the occasion, contributed her mite also; the merry dance and chearing cwrw went round to an advanced hour, and we had the pleasure of witnessing a large portion of inoffensive mirth, produced by an inconsiderable gratuity.

Early in the morning we were awaked before we wished by a number of voices singing; the cause of this unwelcome serenade, we found, was a congregation of Dissenters assembled in a chapel opposite the inn, before they went to their respective employments, to pray for the prosperity of their country, and supplicate the Divine Being for a speedy restoration of peace among the ambitious and contending powers of Europe. This matin service was performed for this patriotic purpose at the same hour once a week. There was something so truly philanthropic in this work of supererogation, as some might be inclined to term it, that, however we might differ in some points from this people, this called loudly for imitation, and we could not help furnishing our quota of approbation,'

Mr. Evans animadverts on some mistakes committed by late travellers; and he defends Gyraldus from the charge of being an unfaithful topographer :

Entering the pleasing vale of Colwyn, (he says) we came to the source of the river Llyn y Cader. On our left was Llyn y Dywarchen, or the Lake of the Sod; celebrated by Gyraldus for its Insula erratica, or wandering island. He says, "it is set in motion by the winds towards the shore, and sometimes rejoins its native banks: that cattle have been surprized on it by a contrary gale, and carried a short voyage from the shore." Gyraldus has been considered as an unfaithful

unfaithful topographer; and this, amidst a variety of others, has been one of the errors set in array against him. It is with pleasure I assert, that the fact corroborates the statement of his always lively, and often accurate pen. It is a piece of land, which consists of turf and peat, torn off by some convulsion, and kept compact by the thick entangling roots that abound in this species of soil. It is of an irregular shape,, about 30 fect long.'

If this loose floating piece of land be the Insula Erratica of Gyraldus, it probably was considerably larger in his time. Mr. Evans's account is doubtless good evidence in favour of that writer.

In describing the scenes before him, the author delights to conduct his reader into times of old; and perhaps no country affords fairer or more frequent opportunities of indulging such a propensity. In this particular, indeed, his book is very entertaining; and Mr. Evans appears to be well studied in the history and antiquities of this part of our island. The accounts, which are interspersed in his tour, exhibit a natural and interesting picture of the manners of the Welsh, during the time of their struggles to maintain their independance against their encroaching and more powerful neighbours.

Mr. Evans remarks, in drawing the character of the present inhabitants of North Wales, that refinement has not yet deadened their natural feelings, nor produced that apathy of behaviour which prevails among a more polished people. The fondness they evince for their country, and tenacious adherence to their native language, are not more remarkable than their singular attachment for each other.'-He considers their knowlege and practice in husbandry as very indifferent: but their conduct towards each other, at the season of Harvest, is kind and generous:

In consequence of the poverty of the soil and state of husbandry, the harvest is very late; and frequently, from the uncertain state of the weather, a difficulty occurs of procuring the scanty crops upon which their existence depends. It often happens, that the strength of hands is not adequate to the labour, and a poor farmer is in danger of being ruined. But there is a natural sympathy amongst the Welsh, that provides for this adverse circumstance. Sensible of the evit arising from a scanty crop badly housed, they form societies of assist auce, called Cymmorthean Cynhauaf. As soon as one or two farmers have finished their own, or what portion is ready, they immediately repair, with their servants and horses, to assist their backward neighbour. This they do without any other fee or reward than their maintenance, and the consciousness that arises from the performance of an act of brotherly kindness. We have seen numbers engaged in this amiable occupation, and the pleasure they felt might be deduced from their clamorous exultation. If the sky lowers, and gathering clouds forbode a storm, likely to mar their friendly intentions, the noise increases, exertion is redoubled, and they seem more anxious

to