.980 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804 



parish of Lianrug, inhabited by a 

 lame old woman, named Mary Mor- 

 gan. I mention it only for the pur- 

 pose of relating the singular mode 

 which this old woman invariably 

 adopted, till her lameness rendered 

 it too painful, of getting into her 

 house, Avhenevershe mislaid the key 

 of the door. She mounted the peat 

 stack at tlie end of the building, 

 clambered up from thence to the 

 slates, and descended the chimney. 

 This is an undoubted fa6t." 



In common with all who hare vi- 

 sited this portion of the principality 

 as tourists, Snowdon engages a con- 

 siderable share of our author's at- 

 tention. His description of the 

 view from its summit is striking and 

 impressive!, and the catalogue he 

 gives of the rare and curious plants 

 he found upon this, and the other 

 mountains of CacrnarFon, mark 

 liim as a scientific and eager bota- 

 nist, and will be highly acceptable 

 fo those v.'ho are versed in that 

 branch of natural history. 



The island of Anglesea is IMr. 

 Bingley's next stage, and here he 

 takes occasion to digress upon tlie 

 origin and use of the cromlcchcn, 

 which abound in that island, A 

 snbjcft often debated, but still 

 open to disquisition. And whether 

 they be (as Ilowlandson supposes) 

 considered as the altars of the 

 Druids ; or, (as docs Borlase) be 

 conceived purely sepulchral, is a 

 question that has hitherto divided, 

 and will long divide, the opinions of 

 mankind. 



The vale of Montgomery is ex- 

 cellently well pourtrayed, and the 

 different rural scenes in this beauti- 

 ful part of the country, are deli- 

 neated with the pencil of a master. 



But the most valuable portions of 



the work, are the dissertations 

 which occupy the greater part of the 

 second volume, on the language, 

 the music, and the manners and cus- 

 toms of the Welsh. The first of 

 these subjects is singularly well dis- 

 cussed ; the analogies pointed out 

 close, accurate, and abundant; and 

 the reasoning lucid and conclusive. 

 The second, indepcndantly of tha^ 

 entertainment afi'orded by the Bar- 

 dic anecdotes with which it is di- 

 versified, Is further elucidated by 

 several of the most popular airs be- 

 ing given in score. And the last we 

 shall here transcribe for the instruc- 

 tion and entertainment of our rea- 

 ders, and as a fair specimen of the 

 style and manner of our author, 

 with whom we confess ourselves, 

 upon the whole, to be greatly pleas, 

 ed ; and, abating a little in our esti- 

 mate for a certain vein of good-na- 

 tured credulity, and occasional in- 

 accuracy of expression, which per- 

 vade the volumes before us ; we do 

 not hesitate to pronounce him liv«- 

 ly, ingenious, and amusing, far 

 above the generality of that class of 

 writers in which his present work 

 must place him. 



" From ancient, I now descend 

 to modern times ; and, from de- 

 scribing that hardy race of war- 

 like characters which were with so 

 much difficultj'- subdued by the Eflg- 

 lish monarchs, I proceed to make 

 some remarks on their present state, 

 in which this people enjoy a degree 

 of happiness and tranquillity, that, 

 in feudal times, the country never 

 experienced. 



" While quarrels rage did nourish 

 ruinest wrack, 

 And Owen Glyndore set blopdie broyles 

 abroach J 



Eull 



