WALES. 



as England. In North Wales, the firft projeft which en- 

 gaged the attention of the landed intereft, was the junftion 

 of the navigation on the rivers Severn and Dec, by opening 

 an aquatic communication through the counties of Denbigh ' 

 and Flint, with various ramifications into the mining and 

 manufadluring diftriets in the adjacent covuities. This is 

 called the EUefmcre canal, connefted with which is the 

 Montgomery canal. Thofc in South Wales are the Kid- 

 welly, Cardiff and Merthyr Tydvil, Aberdare, Neath, 

 Brecknock, and Svvanfey canals. For a particular defcrip- 

 tion of each, Ice their refpeftive names under the article 

 Canal. 



Mnnufaclurrs, till within thefe few years, were not very 

 extenfively diffnfed, nor could be confidered of much ac- 

 count in the general fcale of produtlive indullry. Wales, 

 however, has for centuries been celebrated for its flannels, 

 and may be confidered as Handing unrivalled in this ufeful 

 article. The woollen fubftances manufaftured are webs, 

 flannels, ftockings, wigs, gloves, and focks. Webs are dif- 

 tinguiflied by the trade into two forts ; the ftrong or high 

 country cloth, and the fmall or low country cloth. Strong 

 doth is made in Merioncthlhire, and principally in the vi- 

 cinity of Dolgelly and Machynlleth : at the latter place is 

 a nianufaftory upon a fmall fcale, a circumltance only 

 worthy of notice, as forming the commencement of a change 

 in preparing the wool, which will probably foon become 

 general. The ftandard width of this cloth is feven-eighths of 

 a yard ; the length of a piece, or what is emphatically ilyled 

 a web, is about 200 yards ; the quality is of various degrees. 

 Small cloth is the produce of Denbighfliire ; it is chiefly 

 manufafturcd within the parifh of the Glynn, a large traft 

 of country including Llangollen and Corwen. This article 

 is about one-eighth of a yard narrower than llrong cloth ; 

 the length is the fame. Flaimel conftitutes the mofl: im- 

 portant of the Wehli manufaftures : it is chiefly the pro- 

 duce of Montgomery fliire ; but by no means confined to 

 that county, being made in vario\is places within a circle of 

 about twenty miles round Welflipool. A manufaftory of 

 note has been ellabhflred a confiderable time at Dolobran ; 

 and two on a large fcale have been recently erefted near 

 Llanydloes, where the various machines, ufed in the woollen 

 trade by the Englifh, are applied to the purpofes of manual 

 labour. The principal markets for webs and flannels are 

 Welfhpool and Shrewfbury ; the quantity made is not 

 eafdy afcertained. Mr. Pennant, in his Snowdonia, pub- 

 liflied in 1781, mentions, th.at there were brought " annually 

 to Salop 700,000 yards of webs ; and to Welfhpool an- 

 nually between 7 and 8oo,oco yards of flannel." Stock- 

 ings, wigs, locks, gloves, and other fmall knit articles, are fold 

 chiefly at Bala, Merionethfliire, being made in that town 

 and neighbourhood. Stockings, to the amount of from two 

 to five hundred pounds worth, are fold each weekly market- 

 day. Very confiderable manufactories of cottons and cot- 

 ton twiil have been eflablifhed in the counties of Flint and 

 Denbigh, the principal of which are Northop, Greenfield, 

 Sceiving, Newmarket, and Denbigh. In fome of thefe 

 faftories cotton yarn is fpun of fo fine a texture, that 130 

 hanks, each being S30 yards in length, make but a pound 

 weight. Numerous manufaftures of copper, iron, lead, tin- 

 plates, &c. have alfo been recently fet up in various towns 

 both in North and South Wales. Commerce may juilly be 

 confidered at prefent in its infancy, being chiefly confined to 

 the coafting trade. Except Caernarvon and Swanfea, 

 which have lately extended their views to Spain, Portugal, 

 and the Weft Indies, few of the Welfh ports poffefs veflels 

 of very confiderable tonnage ; though no part of the ifland 

 contains a greater proportion of harbours and roads, fome 



7t 



of which are fafe and good, and more might foon be made 

 fo, by the building of piers and other improvements, which 

 are obvious at tlie refpeftive places. 



Peculiar CuJIoms, SuperJVihons, i^c. — Among' a variety of 

 Welfh cufloms, thofe in courtfhip, marriage, and at fune- 

 rals, excite particular attention. Hymeneal negociations 

 are frequently carried on by the Welfli peafantry in bed : 

 the young fwain goes fometimcs feveral miles to vifit the 

 objeft of his choice at her refidence ; the lovers retire to a. 

 bed-chamber, and between the blankets converfe on thofe 

 fubjefts which the occafion fuggefts. This ufage is con- 

 fined to the labouring claffes of the community ; and is 

 fcarcely ever produftive of thofe improprieties which might 

 naturally be expefted. Previous to the celebration of a 

 wedding, a friend undertakes the office of a bidder ; who 

 goes round the neighbourhood to invite all perfons of nearly 

 the fame fltuation of life as the contrafting parties : in con- 

 fequence, the friends and neighbours for a great extent 

 make a point of attending the wedding, laden with prefents 

 of money, butter, cheefe, and other provifions ; thefe are 

 carefully recorded by the clerk of the wedding, oppofite to 

 each refpeftive name, and are to be repaid in the fame pub- 

 lic maimer, on fimilar occafions, whenever demanded. This 

 cuilom is called pivrs a gwregys ; and making the pre- 

 fents is termed paying pwyddion. As an ancient ufage, it 

 is confidered as recoverable by law ; but a fenfe of the re- 

 ciprocal duty generally prevents litig.ation. Funerals in 

 Wales are attended by greater crowds of people than even 

 their weddings. When the proceflion fets out, every perfon 

 kneels, and the minifter repeats the Lord's prayer. At 

 every crofs-way, the fame ceremony is repeated, till they ar- 

 rive at the church ; the intervals of time being filled up by 

 finging pfnlms and hymns. A remarkable cuftom prevails, 

 in fome parts of Wales, of planting the graves of departed 

 friends with various evergreens and flowers. Box-thrift, and 

 other plants fit for edging, are planted round in the fhape 

 of the grave for a border, and the flowers are placed within, 

 fo that the talle of the living may be known by the manner 

 of embellifliing thefe manfions of the dead. The fnow-drop, 

 violet, and primrofe, denote the infant dull ; the rocket, 

 rofe, and woodbine, fhew maturer years ; while tanfey, rue, 

 and ftar-wort, mark declining life. Each has its little ever- 

 green, fond emblem of that perennial ilate where change is 

 known no more. It has been obferved, that mountainous 

 fcenery is peculiarly friendly to thofe aerial and imaginary 

 exiflences which conftitute the objefts of fuperflition. This 

 is exemplified in Wales. The belief of witchcraft is ftill 

 ftrong, and many are the fatal efFefts fuppofed to be pro- 

 duced by fupernatural agents : at every houfe may be feen a 

 horfe-flioe, a crofs, or fome charm of defence. Many old 

 women, on account of their age, and perhaps deformity, 

 bear the odium of preventing ttie cows from yielding milk, 

 and of inflifting diforders on men and cattle. The fup- 

 pofed witches find it their intereft to deny nothing that is 

 alleged to them ; and thus become held in fuperftitious fear 

 by the people, and obtain .a hvelihood from their imagined 

 extent of power. The belief of thofe elvine beings called 

 fairies appears to have been ancient and general, and is not 

 yet wholly eradicated. In fome degree conr.efted with 

 fairies, is another fpecies of fuppofed aerial beings, called 

 knockers : thefe, the Welili miners fay, are not to be feen, 

 but are heard under ground, in or near mines, and by their 

 noifes, which reprefent the dilferent flages in the progrefs ot 

 mining, generally point out to the workmen a rich vein of 

 ore. An opinion is prevalent witliin the diocefe of St. 

 David's, that previous to the death of a perfon, a light is 

 fometimes feen to proceed from the houfe, and purfue its 



way 



