WALES. 



THOUGH this principality is politically included in England, yet, 

 as it has distinction in language and manners, we have, in conformity 

 with common custom, assigned it a separate article. 



EXTENT AND SITUATION. 



Miles. 



Length 130? , C 5-1° 20' and 53° 25' North latitude. 



Breadth 96 5 Detween £ 2° 41' and 5° 20' West longitude. 



Wales contains 7011 square miles, with 77 inhabitants to each. 



Name. ...The Welch are supposed to be the descendants of the 

 Cimbrian or Cymraig Gauls, who made a settlement in England about 

 fourscore years before the first descent of Julius Caesar, and thereby 

 obtained the name of Gallies or Wallies (the G and W being promis- 

 cuously used by the ancient Britorrs)*that is, Strangers. In the time 

 of the Romans, Wales contained three nations, called the Demetse, 

 the Ordovices, and the Silures. 



Boundaries, divisions. ...Wales was formerly of greater extent 

 than it is at present, being bounded only by the Severn and the Dee ; 

 but after the Saxons had made themselves masters of all the plain, 

 country, the Welch, or ancient Britons, were shut up within more nar- 

 row bounds, and obliged gradually to retreat westward. It does not, 

 however, appear that the Saxons ever made any further conquests in 

 their country than Monmouthshire and Herefordshire, which are now 

 reckoned part of England. This country is divided into four cir- 

 cuits, comprehending twelve counties. See England. 



Mountains, lakes, rivers. ...Wales abounds in mountains, espe- 

 cially in the northern part. Snowdon in Caernarvonshire, and Plin- 

 limmon, which lies partly in Montgomery and partly in Cardigan- 

 shire, and forms a boundary of North Wales, are the principal. The 

 height of Snowdon is 3568 feet above the level of the sea. The 

 mountainous situation of the country greatTy assisted the natives to 

 make so noble and long a struggle against the Romans, Saxons, and 

 Normans. 



There are several lakes in Wales, though not remarkable for their 

 size ; as Llynn Tigid, or Pimple Mere ; and Lynn Savedhan, or 

 Brecknock Mere ; the latter of which is.so full of fish, that the inha* 

 bitants say two-thirds of it is water and the rest fish. 



The principal rivers of Wales are the Severn, the Chvyd, the 

 Wheeler, the Dee, the Elwy, and the Alen. 



Metals, minerals. ...Wales contains many quarries of free-stone 

 and slate, several mines of lead, and abundance of coal-pits. The 

 Parrys mountain in Anglesea is. a rich mine of copper, not found in 



Vol. I, K k 



