352 



TOUR IN WALES. 



PART VJir. 



lines, whereby the effect of the whole was considerably 

 improved. He had the poem printed privately, merely 

 for distribution amongst friends ; " being careful," as he 

 said, that " no copies should be smuggled and sold." 

 Later in the year we find him, on his way to London on 

 business, sparing a day or two for the purpose of visiting 

 the Duke of Buckingham's palace and treasures of art 

 at Stowe ; afterwards writing out an eight-page descrip- 

 tion of it for the perusal of his friend at Langholm. At 

 another time, when engaged upon the viaduct at Pont- 

 Cysylltau, he snatched a few days' leisure to run through 

 North Wales, of which he afterwards gave a glowing 

 account to his correspondent. He passed by Cader Idris, 

 Snowdon, and Penmaen Mawr. " Parts of the country we 

 passed through," he says, " very much resemble the lofty 

 green hills and woody vales of Eskdale. In other parts 

 the magnificent boldness of the mountains, the torrents, 

 lakes, and waterfalls, give a special character to the 

 scenery, unlike everything of the kind I had before seen. 

 The vale of Llanrwst is peculiarly beautiful and fertile. 

 In this vale is the celebrated bridge of Inigo Jones ; * but 

 what is a much more delightful circumstance, the in- 

 habitants of the vale are the most beautiful race of people 

 I have ever beheld ; and I am much astonished that this 

 never seems to have struck the Welsh tourists. The 

 vale of Llangollen is very fine, and not the least interest- 

 ing object in it, I can assure you, is Davidson's 2 famous 

 aqueduct, which is already reckoned amongst the wonders 

 of Wales. Your old acquaintance thinks nothing of 

 having three or four carriages at his door at a time." 



It seems that, besides attending to the construction 

 of the works at this time, Telford had to organise the 

 conduct of the navigation at those points at which the 

 canal was open for traffic. By the middle of 179 7 he 



1 See Vol. I., p. 252. 



2 See note l , p. 347. 



3 Letter to Mr. Andrew Meikle, 



Langholm, dated Salop, 20th August, 

 1797. 



