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The view of the county of Brecon you see before you gives an excellent idea 
of its richness and interest. Poetry and romance are necessarily allied to such 
varied beauty of scenery. It has often been observed that this country is cele- 
brated for the numerous streams which arise amidst its mountains. Springs, 
streamlets, brooks, rivulets, and rivers abound on all sides, and their names, in 
the expressive language of the country, always convey some meaning, which, if 
not descriptive of the stream itself, usually has reference to some person or some 
event of local interest. 
The poet Michael Drayton gives a pretty allegorical conceit with reference to 
their origin in these lines, albeit a little varying in detail :— 
‘* Brecknock, long time known a county of much worth, 
Unto this conflict brings her goodly fountains forth, 
For almost not a brook of Morgany or Gwent 
But from her fruitful wemb do fetch their high descent : 
For Brecon was a prince once fortunate and great, 
Who, dying, lent his name to that his noble seat, 
By thrice twelve daughters blessed by one and only wife, 
Who, for their beauties rare and sanctity of life 
To rivers were transformed, whose presence doth declare 
How excellent they were, by being what they are.” 
The Legend created much amusement and helped to draw attention from the 
damp mist of a passing cloud that at the time enfolded the visitors and the 
summit of the mountain. It did not really rain at the top, but it is curious to 
notice that it was afterwards found that it had done so slightly at the inn at the foot 
of the mountain, and still more abundantly at the fir wood lower down. The Presi- 
dent thanked Dr. Bull for his paper, and wondered that he should have found out 
that the Cornish St. Keyne was a true Breconshire saint. It was quite new to 
himself, and he thought to many of them. He then called on Dr. Chapman, who 
pointed out how glacier action had been the means of forming the small mountain 
tarn immediately below by depositing a bank of moraine on the lower side. The 
geological formation of the Brecon mountains is that of the Old Red Sandstone, 
but the strata at the very top lie horizontally, and the wonder is how so small a 
portion of rock could be left, where so much must have been removed all round it. 
The horizontal position of the strata explains the reason why there should be 
boggy ground on the surface of the summit, although it is so small; and it ex- 
plains, too, the origin of the small spring of delicious water that flows out on the 
very high ground between the lofty peaks. All parties who have shared in pic nic 
parties there on a hot day, have pleasant recollections of this spring. 
‘« Safe on the summit, near that famous well, 
Our bottles cooled within its rushy cell, 
The social meal is shared, the wine is quaffed, 
The speeches spoken, and the laughter laughed." 
Giraldus Cambrensis and Leland in describing the Beacons both notice this spring 
on thesummit. The well, however, is very boggy and difficult of approach, and it 
might very easily be improved. The Woolhope Club, ever ready with a beneficent 
suggestion, calls upon some of the gallant young men of Brecon to take a spade 
and pick-axe up to clear away the bog and rushes from its outlet. The stones are 
