A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 163 



Saxons, their cuftom was firft to kifs the 

 earth, and then all devoutly to drink of 

 the river, expevting moft probably that 

 it's facred influence muft infpire them in 

 battle*. It's name is certainly not, as 

 many have conjectured, derived from Dii, 

 black ; for, except when tinged by the 

 torrents from the mountains, it's waters 

 are perfectly bright and clear ; and 

 Spenferf- feems to have entertained this 

 opinion in his defcription of the Dwell- 

 ing of old Timon, the fofler-father of 

 King Arthur : 



lowe in a valley green, 



Under the foot of Rawran Mofile hore, 

 From whence the river D.-e, as filver dene, 

 His tumbling billows rolls with gentle rcre. 



From the bottom of the lake, the di- 

 verfified (bores prelent to the eye a 

 pleafing fcene. From hence, Aran Ben- 

 ilyn is feen ftretching his black and 



* Gi-bfon's Carndcn, p. 5^6. 



t Fner : e Queene, be 6k I. canto vx, 



M 2 jocky 



