FIRST LITERARY EFFORTS 221 



that the animal excitement which makes them groan and shriek and 

 leap like madmen in the place of worship, is the true religion which will 

 conduce to their happiness here, and lead them to heavenly joys in a 

 world to come. 



Among the youth of both sexes, however, the chapel and prayer- 

 meeting is considered more in the light of a " trysting " place than as a 

 place of worship, and this is one reason of the full attendance espe- 

 cially at the evening services. And as the meetings are necessarily in a 

 thinly populated country, often distant, the journey, generally performed 

 on horseback, affords opportunities for converse not to be neglected. 



Thus it will not be wondered at, even by those who affirm the con- 

 nection between religion and morality, that the latter is, as I said before, 

 at a very low ebb. Cheating of all kinds, when it can be done without 

 being found out, and all the lesser crimes are plentiful enough. The 

 notoriety which Welsh juries and Welsh witnesses have obtained (not 

 unjustly) shows how little they scruple to break their word or oath. 

 Having to give their evidence through the medium of an interpreter 

 gives them the advantage in court, as the counsel's voice and manner 

 have not so much effect upon them. They are, many of them, very good 

 witnesses as far as sticking firmly to the story they have been instructed 

 in goes, and returning the witticisms of the learned counsel so as often 

 to afford much mirth. To an honest jury a Welsh case is often very 

 puzzling, on account of its being hardly possible to get a single fact 

 but what is sworn against by an equal number of witnesses of the 

 opposite side ; but to a Welsh jury, who have generally decided on 

 their verdict before the trial commences, it does not present any 

 serious difficulty. 



The morals and manners of the females, as might be expected from 

 entire ignorance, are very loose, and perhaps in the majority of cases a 

 child is born before the marriage takes place. 



But let us not hide the poor Welshman's virtues while we expose 

 his faults. Many of the latter arise from his desire to defend his fellow 

 countrymen from what he considers unfair or unjust persecution, and 

 many others from what he cannot himself prevent — his ignorance. He 

 is hospitable even to the Saxon, his fire, jug of milk, and bread and 

 cheese being always at your service. He works hard and lives poorly. 

 He bears misfortune and injury long before he complains. The late 

 Rebecca disturbances, however, show that he may be roused, and his 

 ignorance of other effectual measures should be his excuse for the illegal 

 and forcible means he took to obtain redress — means which, moreover, 

 have been justified by success. It is to be hoped that he will not have 

 again to resort to such outrages as the only way to compel his rulers to 

 do him justice. 



A broader system of education is much needed in the Principality. 

 Almost all the schools, it is true, teach the English language, but the 



