282 THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 



The peafantry of part of Caernarvonfhire, Angle- 

 fea, and Merionethfhire, adopt a mode of courtjhipy 

 which till within the laft few years was fcarcely e.ven 

 heard of in England. It is the fame that is common 

 in many parts of America, and termed by the in- 

 habitants of that continent bundling. The lover 

 fteals, under the fhadow of the night, to the 'bed of 

 his fair one, into which (retaining an effential part 

 of his drefs) he is admitted without any fhynefs or 

 referve. Saturday or Sjunday nights are the princi- 

 pal times when this courtfhip takes pIaG€, and on 

 thefe nights the m^jn fometimes walk from a diftance 

 of ten miles or more to vifit their favourite dam- 

 fels. — This fir ange cuftom feems to have originated 

 m the fcarc'^ty of fuel, and in the confequent unplea- 

 fantnefs q'x fitting together, in the colder parts of the 

 year, Vyji-^Q^^ ^ f^j.^^ Much has been faid of the 

 innocjence with which thefe meetings are conducted. 

 Th' ,s may be the cafe in fome inftances, but it is 

 ^ very common thing for the confequence of the 

 •\ntercourfe to make its appearance in the Vorld 

 yithin two or three months after the marriage cere- 

 mony has taken place. The fubjed excites no par- 

 ticular attention among the neighbours, provided 

 the marriage be made good before the living witnefs 

 is brought to light. — Since this cuftom is entirely 

 confined to the labouring clafles of the community, 

 it is not fo pregnant with danger as on a firfl fup- 

 pofition it might feem. Both parties are fo poor, 

 that they are neceflarily conflrained to render their 

 ^ ' ilTue 



