404 
Mr, W illicit s proposed Fire Escape. [Dec. 
the history of Harlech Castle, now 
slumbering in age—a heap of time-worn 
ruins. Yet to how many scenes of 
mirth and joyous festivity have its 
massy walls echoed! and hoAv many 
rude assaults have they repulsed ?—but 
now 
Look on its broken arch,—its ruined wall, 
Its chambers desolate—its portals foul, 
Yes—this was once ambition’s airy hall, 
The dome of thought—the palace of the 
soul I 
The pleasure arising from the inspec¬ 
tion ofruined palaces,castles and monas¬ 
teries is not so much excited by the ar- 
chitectural beauty of the pile, as by the 
events it has witnessed and given birth 
to. There is a delightful association— 
a powerful retrospective influence, by 
which the mind recurs willingly to the 
historical scenes connected with it, and 
by which the imagination is carried 
back to the ages of rudeness, bar¬ 
barity, and uncouth splendour, in 
which our ancestors were actively and 
variously engaged. The gratification, 
then, engendered by contemplating de¬ 
caying grandeur is more ideal than ac¬ 
tual—more imaginary than positive; 
and, in viewing the remains of our an¬ 
cient castles, one can almost think he 
hears “the loud trumpets ring,” and 
fancy he sees, 
—In long procession ranged, fair dames, 
Heralds and steel-clad knights, and plumed 
steeds, 
Move on in chivalry’s emblazoned pomp. 
And the mind can never be idly or un¬ 
worthily employed, when such a theme 
is the subject of its meditations. 
Near Harlech was discovered many 
years ago, a beautiful golden Torques, in 
excellent preservation. Camden des¬ 
cribes it as a “ wreathed rod of gold, 
about four feet long, with three spiral 
furrows,having sharp intervening edges, 
forces, and after a bloody couflict of two 
hours duration, the royal army was com¬ 
pletely routed, about 3000 slain, and as 
many taken prisoners. Sir Nicholas Ke- 
myss retired to Chepstow Castle, which he 
vigorously defended for nearly three 
weeks. Col. Pride, however, arriving with 
the artillery, a breach was made, and the 
castle carried by assault. Sir Nicholas 
was put to death there in a barbarous man¬ 
ner. This battle made not less than fifty- 
six widows in the small parish of St. Fa¬ 
gan's, and lost more than 700 men to the 
county of Glamorgan. About fifty years 
ago, several old people lived in the village, 
who solemnly asserted that the river Ely 
wqs ruddered with tinman blood ! 
running its whole length to the ends, 
which are truncated, and turned back 
like pot-hooks.” Our classical readers 
are well acquainted with the use the Ro¬ 
mans made of it—VirgiLPropertius, and 
Livy have frequent allusions to it, and 
it appears to have been an indispensable 
ornament of the noble Roman youths. 
It has been debated whether the Tor¬ 
ques was ever used by the ancient Bri¬ 
tons. We are inclined to think that it 
was, as the old British bards make fre¬ 
quent mention of it. Those who are 
curious about the matter will find some 
information on the subject in a modern 
periodical publication, devoted to the 
dissemination of Welsh literature, and 
entitled “ The Cambro Briton,” vol. 1, 
p. 292. The Torques found near Har¬ 
lech, is now in the possession of Sir 
Thomas Mostyu, of Mostyn, in Flint¬ 
shire. 
-■■■■♦—- 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
S?R, 
HE recent escape of the young lady 
from destruction at the fire in the 
Surry Road, by descending from the 
second floor on a blanket fortunately 
procured in time, induces me to beg 
you will insert in your Magazine the 
following suggestions as to a fire escape. 
In most of the plans hitherto proposed, 
either the apparatus has been found 
too bulky and expensive, or, by being 
fixed in the house itself, comparatively 
useless, as the fire might break out in 
the room in which it is placed ; in ad¬ 
dition to which, how difficult it is to 
induce individuals to adopt a general 
plan. I am not aware of so many in¬ 
stances of lives being saved by the fire 
escapes hitherto in use, as by a common 
blanket. 
My idea is to place a fire escape under 
charge of each watchman, and that he 
should be responsible for its immediate 
production in time of need. It might 
also form an appendage to each fire en¬ 
gine. Under such an arrangement, no 
delay could possibly arise. My fire 
escape net I would construct of horse¬ 
hair rope, in order that it might not be 
injured by damp. Its durability is of 
great consequence, both as regards ex¬ 
pence, and its being in a fit state when¬ 
ever it may be wanted. The size might 
be about 14 feet long, by eight or nine 
wide; the meshes about three inches 
apart. Such a net, when extended, 
would be amply large enough to receive 
any one obliged to descend. 
I have in vain solicited the attention 
of 
