RESIDENCE AT NEATH 247 



There was also in Neath a Philosophical Society with a 

 small library and reading room, in connection with which 

 occasional lectures were given. Sir G. B. Airy, the Astrono- 

 mer Royal, gave a lecture there on the return of Halley's 

 Comet shortly before we came to Neath. He recommended 

 them to purchase a good telescope of moderate size and have 

 it properly mounted, so as to be able to observe all the more 

 remarkable astronomical phenomena. A telescope was actually 

 obtained with, I think, a four- or five-inch object glass, and 

 as there was no good position for it available, a kind of square 

 tower was built attached to the library, high enough to obtain 

 a clear view, on the top of which it was proposed to use the 

 telescope. But the funds for a proper mounting and observa- 

 tory roof not being forthcoming, the telescope was hardly 

 ever used, owing to the time and trouble always required to 

 carry upstairs and prepare for observation any astronomical 

 telescope above the very smallest size. 



During the two summers that I and my brother John lived 

 at Neath we spent a good deal of our leisure time in wandering 

 about this beautiful district, on my part in search of insects, 

 while my brother always had his eyes open for any uncommon 

 bird or reptile. One day when I was insect hunting on 

 Crymlyn Burrows, a stretch of very interesting sand-hills, 

 rock, and bog near the sea, and very rich in curious plants, 

 he came upon several young vipers basking on a rock. They 

 were about eight or nine inches long. As they were quite still, 

 he thought he could catch one by the neck, and endeavoured 

 to do so, but the little creature turned round suddenly, bit his 

 finger, and escaped. He immediately sucked out the poison, 

 but his whole hand swelled considerably, and was very pain- 

 ful. Owing, however, to the small size of the animal the 



the same Mr. Alfred Wallace who taught in the evening science classes 

 to the Neath Abbey artificers. He writes — " I have often had a desire 

 to know, as I benefited more while in your class — if you are the same 

 Mr. A. Wallace — than I ever was taught at school. I have often wished 

 I knew how to thank you for the good I and others received from your 

 teaching. — (Signed) Matthew Jones." 



