OF THE WELSH. 26^ 



■lavifo has aiTorded.an irrefiflibie temptation for the 

 lower cjaffis of the inhabitants to pra6life impofi- 

 tions : in faoh fituations the people differ little from 

 the like clcifs amongfl us.. On all the great roads, 

 they feem to pride themfelves in Being fufficiently 

 expert to over-reach their Saxon neighbours in any 

 of their little bargains. A Wellh gentleman of 

 undoubted veracity informed me, (and in various 

 inflances I have myfeif experienced its truth,) that 

 it is a common pra£lice amongfl: his countrymen, to 

 alk for any article they have to offer for fale nearly 

 double the fura they v/ill take; thofe perfons who 

 ^re acquainted v/ith thefe practices never give them 

 ^he full price for v/hat they purchafe. I have good 

 authority for aiferting that at fome of the inferior 

 inns, if an Engiiiliman fits down at table with 

 AVelilimen, the charge for his eatino- will be at leaft 

 one third more than that of each of the rell of the 

 company. This is a provoking impofition. 



A rudic baflifulnefs and referve feem to be gene- 

 ral features in the charafter of the Welfli people, 

 and (Irangers, unaccuftomed to their manners, have 

 often miflaken thefe for indications of fullennefs. — 

 It is ufual to fay of them that they are very irafcible. 

 This may be the cafe, but from what I have myfeif 

 feen, I am inclined to think, that the natural rapi- 

 dity of their exprcffion in a language not underfiood, 

 has often been conftrued into pafiion, without any 

 pther more certain grounds. Perfons who form 

 their ideas from the opinions of others, without 



being 



