35 A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



ore, which have been fo rich as to produce in 

 time pad ^20,000 pe.t annum, to the old Duke 

 of Povvis, but they are not near fo valuable 

 now. Perhaps, holy father, you will object, 

 that the idea of wealth dug up in this place 

 does not confift with that of retirement. I 

 agree it does not ; but, all the wealth being 

 hid underground, the eye fees nothing there 

 but peace and tranquility. 



The next morning we afcended the moun- 

 tain of Berwin,* one of the higheft in Wales ; 

 and when we came to the top of it, a prof- 

 pet opened to us, which ftruck the mind with 

 awful aftonifhment. Nature is in all her ina- 

 jefty there ; but it is the majefty of a tyrant 

 frowning over the ruins and defolation of a 

 country. The enormous mountains, or ra- 

 ther rocks, of Merionethshire inclofed us all 

 around. There is not upon thefe mountains 

 a tree, a (hrub, or a blade of grafs ; nor did 

 we fee any marks of habitations or culture in 

 the whole fpace. Between them is a folitudc 

 fit for defpair to inhabit ; whereas all we had 

 feen before in Wales feemed formed to in- 

 fpire the meditations of love. We were fome 

 hours in croffing this defart, and then had the 

 view of a fine woody .vale, but narrow and 

 deep, through which a rivulet ran as clear 



* Cader Ferwytv 



and 



