278 KURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



nication, and among these two railroads, have at last 

 penetrated this mass of mountains, and opened up chan- 

 nels for importation and export. Agriculture, as a trade, 

 has become practicable ; and wages, which had fallen to 

 the level of Ireland, have risen. No doubt, something 

 more remains to be done, for the remoter districts still 

 conceal much distress ; but assimilation of habits and 

 ideas is being rapidly accomplished. The Druidical 

 island of Anglesea, the last refuge of the Celtic religion 

 and nationality, is now joined to the mainland by two 

 bridges, one of which, the celebrated tubular bridge, a 

 marvel of modern art, forms part of the railroad between 

 London and Dublin. Throughout the country there are 

 visible indications of a healthy revolution. Everything 

 is improving, even to the coarsest and wildest races of 

 animals. Those half- wild sheep, with hairy wool and 

 straight horns, a kind of animal between the sheep and 

 chamois, giving at most 20 Ib. or 25 Ib. of mutton, 

 are gradually increasing in weight, and losing their 

 coarseness, either through crossing with the Scotch 

 breeds, or by simply improving their food ; and with 

 the cattle and horses it is the same they gain in 

 height and breadth without losing their hardiness. One 

 step more remains to be taken : most of the mountain 

 pastures are still used as commons that is to say, they are 

 entirely neglected. When this ceases to be the case, the 

 problem for Wales will be solved. 



As compared to England, Wales is a mixture of Scot- 

 land and Ireland. For a long time it leaned to the 

 worse, or Irish side ; but now it decidedly inclines to the 

 good, bearing more resemblance to Scotland. 



Our peninsula of Brittany, which is the counterpart 

 of Wales, has fewer mountains. It contains, besides, im- 



