312 Excursion thr<iv{rh North Wales 



r^yrrt^d iTiifi.;.. 

 tor, ami a powerfully expressive head 

 by Ilembraiult. But lu a retrospective 

 point of view, this castlo bceoines an 

 object of no tritlius; importance. Tlie 

 various savage and sanguinary feuds 

 which it has Avitnessed ; its numerous 

 and stubborn con tests, to which its pos- 

 session has given birth, and the mirth 

 and revelj-y to which its massy walls 

 have echoed, will afford an ample and 

 interesting subject for reflection. But 

 a long succession of ages hath rolled 



[May I, 

 Their cold peaks bathe in the rich getting 



of ages 



on : tranquillity hath supplanted anar- 

 chy and bloodshed ; and the last scene 

 of war and tumult in which (his fortress 

 was engaged, happened in the civil 

 wars of 1644, when its brave and loyal 

 owner, Percy Lord Powis, was taken 

 prisoner by the Parliamentary soldiers, 

 after a gallant resistance of some days 

 against a superior force; his pjoperty 

 was confiscated, and his life only pre- 

 served by tlie influence and interces- 

 sion of some jjowerful friends. The 

 grounds belonging to the estate are ex- 

 tensive, and the park, which is well 

 stocked with venison, is one of the 

 largest in North Wales. Le;iving the 

 castle we regained the road and soon 

 reached the summit of a chain of hills 

 extending in a western direction along 

 the northern extremity of Montgomei-y- 

 shire. From one of the highest eleva- 

 tions on this ridge we obtained a most 

 beautiful and extended i)rospect. 

 Now we gain the moimtnin's brow 

 What a landscape lies below ! 

 No clouds— no vapours iniervene, 

 But the gay, tlie open scene 

 Does the face of Nature show 

 In all the hues of lieaven's bow, 

 And swelling to embrace the light 

 Spreads around beneath the sight! 

 Dyer. 

 Rocks, woods, and meadows, inter- 

 sected by a river, and "sprinkled o'er" 

 with several picturesque liabitations, 

 formed a delightful scene, which it is 

 impossible to describe either by pen or 

 pencil ; and seen as it was by us illu- 

 mined by the ruddy tints of the setting 

 siui, it presented so rich a tout ensemble, 

 that we tarried for a long time gazing 

 on the glowing landscape before us. 

 Beneath us in the soft and silent light 

 Spread the fair valleys ; mead, and flow- 

 ery lawn, 

 With their calm verdure interspers'd, allay 

 1 . The forest's ponderous blackness, or retire 

 Uuder the chequering umbrage of deep 



groves, 

 Whose sliadows almost slumber ; far be- 

 yond 

 Huge mountains, brightening in their 

 secret glens, 



Sweeps through the midst broad Severn, 



deep and dark, 

 His monarchy of waters, its full flow 

 Still widening, as he scorned to bear the 



main 

 Less tribute than a sea. 



Millnian's Samor. 



Bu t the sun was fast descending beh ind 

 the blue mount^iins in tlie west ; the 

 shades of eve were gradually falling on 

 the woods and hills around us; and the 

 liquid melody, which had enlivened 

 our walk during the day, was sinking 

 into silence. It behoved us, therefore, 

 to regain the high road ere we were 

 benighted on the hills, and leaving the 

 mountain paths we had hithertii tra- 

 versed, we soon reached it, and fol- 

 lowing its course, quickly arrived at 

 the little village of Llanerfil, where we 

 found very comfortable accommodation 

 at the Cross Foxes. And we sojourned 

 there till the morning. 



The night we sojourned at Llanerfil 

 WAS boisterotjs and stormy : as Mr. 

 AVordsworfh says — 

 There was a roariug- in the wind all ni|»bt. 

 The rain came heavily and fell in floods. 



and although the rain had cesised be- 

 fore morning, the sky still looked very 

 gloomy, and indicative of wet. We 

 debated, therefore, whetlier we should 

 continue our journey, or tarry at Lla- 

 nerfil for the day. A chaise could not 

 be procured, as the only one belonging 

 to the house hail gone to Shrewsbury 

 the day before, and would not return 

 till the evening, so that if we went we 

 must pedestrianise it, find, as our host 

 informed us, we shotdd find the roads 

 very uncomfortable for walking. Un- 

 fortunately we liad sent our books (for 

 we very seldom travel without a fa- 

 vourite author or two in our trunk) 

 with the rest of our luggage to Dolgel- 

 ley, and it was in no good numour that 

 we stood watching the progress of the 

 murky clouds, which the wind from 

 the south-west spread sullenly over the 

 heavens. However, before we came to 

 any determination on the point, we re- 

 solved to breakfast, and sat down ac- 

 cordingly to a very sturdy repast — such 

 an one as would not have disgraced the 

 hospitable board of our good friend 

 the Laird of Fillaway. We had finished 

 our Jentacidum, and were bemoaning 

 our unhappy lot, when a rich and 

 sparkling gleam of sunsliine peered 

 through the window of the little par- 

 lour where we sat, and, like that 



igaift 



