1822.] 
merating them to one whose feelings 
were less liberal than yourown. But, 
as I know you believe me to be inca- 
pable of deceiving you, I will venture 
to affirm, that there is no tongue, an- 
cient or modern, that unites so many 
extraordinary characteristics as the 
Welsh. Its elementary foundation, 
the simplicity and uniformity of its su- 
perstructure, its copiousness, its ex- 
pressiveness, its poetical flexibility, 
and the inexhaustible nature of its re- 
sources, combine to raise it to an envi- 
able eminence among the languages of 
the world ; and, to this let me add, that, 
as far as high antiquity is a merit, it 
possesses the strongest claims to it, as 
may be proved, not only by some of the 
qualities I have enumerated, but by 
other collateral circumstances, which 
convey to my mind all the evidence of 
demonstration. You will now con- 
elude, I doubt not, notwithstand- 
ing your “liberal feelings,” that I 
am nothing more nor less than a 
downright enthusiast: be it so; but 
admit, at the same time, that there 
may be some ground for my enthusi- 
asm. Atleast, I know you will not 
condemn me without hearing the evi- 
dence, and it forms a part of my de- 
sign-to submit this evidence occasion- 
ally to your consideration, though I 
foresee that an adequate discussion of 
all the varieties of the subject would 
be more suitable to a grave disserta- 
tion than to the light freedoms of a 
familiar correspondence. Yet, do not 
think, that this mode of treating the 
matter will be without its advantages, 
since it will allow of that excursiveness 
of thought, and that boldness of con- 
jecture, which, if not the surest, are 
among the pleasantest, aids of philo- 
sophieal speculation. : 
Such, my dear Wilmot, is a hasty 
annonce of the banquet I propose to 
provide for you. Not, indeed, that 
any more than the principal dishes 
are particularized : the rest, as well as 
the arrangement of the table, you must 
leave to the judgment of the cook, 
whose first aim it will be to conciliate 
your taste by the variety, and, if pos- 
sible, by the novelty of his fare. Ina 
word, leaving metaphors aside, I have 
no other wish in this correspondence 
than to remove the prejudices which 
you have contracted, as, I think, with- 
out any just cause. My design, you 
will allow, is at least patriotic ; and, 
even if I should fail in its accomplish- 
On the Building of New Churches. 
211 
ment, it will be some merit, I trust, to 
have conceived it. 
Est quodam prodire tenis, si non 
datur ultra. Pardon my pedantry, 
from which even this pure mountain air 
has not yet freed me; and believe me, 
my dear Frank, to be, 
As ever, yours, 
GRIFFITH TuporR. 
Festiniog ; July 1, 1822. 
—a 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
S every thing relating to the ma- 
nagement of a great national 
concern must be interesting to the 
public ; and as a sum of one million is 
placed at the entire disposal of the 
commissioners for building additional 
churches, it is important not only that 
such an immense sum should be ex- 
pended withcare, but that the proceed- 
ings before the Board should be con- 
ducted, not with a spirit of arbitrary 
favouritism, but with that upright 
measure of equal justice, which can 
alone preserve them from injurious re- 
flections. How far their conduct, in 
the present instance, has been coin- 
cident with these principles, the reader 
will determine for himself. 
Mr. Busby, the architect, was lately 
employed to prepare plans, &c. for 
two churches at Leeds and Oldham: 
his beautiful designs (in the gothic 
style,) met with universal approbation; 
and, being forwarded by the local 
committees in the country to the 
Board in London, were, by the latter, 
referred to Mr. Soane, Mr. Nash, and 
Mr. Smirke, for their opinions on the 
proposed construction. After a. te- 
dious interval, a report, signed by 
Messrs. Nash and Smirke alone (who, 
being themselves professionally em- 
ployed to build many churches under 
the direction of the Board, thus fill the 
double office of censorial and co-act- 
ing architects,) declared the roofs of 
Mr. Busby’s churches to be ‘“ ex- 
tremely weak and insecure.” 
Satisfied that the roofs, constructed 
principally of iron, did not merit the 
censure thus unceremoniously passed 
upon them, Mr. Busby immediately 
took the opinions of eight of the first 
scientific and practical architects and 
engineers on them, who thus expressed 
themselves on the occasion. Mr, 
Maudslay, proprietor of the extensive 
jron-works at Lambeth, says, ‘he has 
no doubt Mr. Busby’s roofs are more 
than 
