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found my family and dinner awaiting me。
CHAPTER IX
The Dinner … English Foibles … Pengwern … The Yew…Tree … Carn…
Lleidyr … Applications of a Term。
FOR dinner we had salmon and leg of mutton； the salmon from the
Dee； the leg from the neighbouring Berwyn。 The salmon was good
enough； but I had eaten better； and here it will not be amiss to
say； that the best salmon in the world is caught in the Suir； a
river that flows past the beautiful town of Clonmel in Ireland。 As
for the leg of mutton it was truly wonderful； nothing so good had I
ever tasted in the shape of a leg of mutton。 The leg of mutton of
Wales beats the leg of mutton of any other country； and I had never
tasted a Welsh leg of mutton before。 Certainly I shall never
forget that first Welsh leg of mutton which I tasted； rich but
delicate； replete with juices derived from the aromatic herbs of
the noble Berwyn； cooked to a turn； and weighing just four pounds。
〃O its savoury smell was great；
Such as well might tempt； I trow；
One that's dead to lift his brow。〃
Let any one who wishes to eat leg of mutton in perfection go to
Wales； but mind you to eat leg of mutton only。 Welsh leg of mutton
is superlative； but with the exception of the leg； the mutton of
Wales is decidedly inferior to that of many other parts of Britain。
Here； perhaps； as I have told the reader what we ate for dinner； it
will be as well to tell him what we drank at dinner。 Let him know
then； that with our salmon we drank water； and with our mutton ale；
even ale of Llangollen； but not the best ale of Llangollen； it was
very fair； but I subsequently drank far better Llangollen ale than
that which I drank at our first dinner in our cottage at
Llangollen。
In the evening I went across the bridge and strolled along in a
south…east direction。 Just as I had cleared the suburb a man
joined me from a cottage； on the top of a high bank； whom I
recognised as the mower with whom I had held discourse in the
morning。 He saluted me and asked me if I were taking a walk； I
told him I was； whereupon he said that if I were not too proud to
wish to be seen walking with a poor man like himself； he should
wish to join me。 I told him I should be glad of his company； and
that I was not ashamed to be seen walking with any person； however
poor； who conducted himself with propriety。 He replied that I must
be very different from my countrymen in general； who were ashamed
to be seen walking with any people； who were not； at least； as
well…dressed as themselves。 I said that my country…folk in general
had a great many admirable qualities； but at the same time a great
many foibles； foremost amongst which last was a crazy admiration
for what they called gentility； which made them sycophantic to
their superiors in station； and extremely insolent to those whom
they considered below them。 He said that I had spoken his very
thoughts； and then asked me whether I wished to be taken the most
agreeable walk near Llangollen。
On my replying by all means； he led me along the road to the south…
east。 A pleasant road it proved： on our right at some distance
was the mighty Berwyn； close on our left the hill called Pen y
Coed。 I asked him what was beyond the Berwyn？
〃A very wild country； indeed；〃 he replied； 〃consisting of wood；
rock； and river； in fact； an anialwch。〃
He then asked if I knew the meaning of anialwch。
〃A wilderness；〃 I replied； 〃you will find the word in the Welsh
Bible。〃
〃Very true； sir；〃 said he； 〃it was there I met it； but I did not
know the meaning of it； till it was explained to me by one of our
teachers。〃
On my inquiring of what religion he was； he told me he was a
Calvinistic…Methodist。
We passed an ancient building which stood on our right。 I turned
round to look at it。 Its back was to the road： at its eastern end
was a fine arched window like the oriel window of a church
〃That building；〃 said my companion； 〃is called Pengwern Hall。 It
was once a convent of nuns； a little time ago a farm…house； but is
now used as a barn； and a place of stowage。 Till lately it
belonged to the Mostyn family； but they disposed of it； with the
farm on which it stood； together with several other farms； to
certain people from Liverpool； who now live yonder；〃 pointing to a
house a little way farther on。 I still looked at the edifice。
〃You seem to admire the old building；〃 said my companion。
〃I was not admiring it；〃 said I； 〃I was thinking of the difference
between its present and former state。 Formerly it was a place
devoted to gorgeous idolatry and obscene lust； now it is a quiet
old barn in which hay and straw are placed； and broken tumbrels
stowed away： surely the hand of God is visible here？〃
〃It is so； sir；〃 said the man in a respectful tone； 〃and so it is
in another place in this neighbourhood。 About three miles from
here； in the north…west part of the valley； is an old edifice。 It
is now a farm…house； but was once a splendid abbey； and was called
… 〃
〃The abbey of the vale of the cross；〃 said I； 〃I have read a deal
about it。 Iolo Goch； the bard of your celebrated hero； Owen
Glendower； was buried somewhere in its precincts。〃
We went on： my companion took me over a stile behind the house
which he had pointed out； and along a path through hazel coppices。
After a little time I inquired whether there were any Papists in
Llangollen。
〃No；〃 said he； 〃there is not one of that family at Llangollen； but
I believe there are some in Flintshire； at a place called Holywell；
where there is a pool or fountain； the waters of which it is said
they worship。〃
〃And so they do；〃 said I； 〃true to the old Indian superstition； of
which their religion is nothing but a modification。 The Indians
and sepoys worship stocks and stones； and the river Ganges； and our
Papists worship stocks and stones； holy wells and fountains。〃
He put some questions to me about the origin of nuns and friars。 I
told him they originated in India； and made him laugh heartily by
showing him the original identity of nuns and nautch…girls； begging
priests and begging Brahmins。 We passed by a small house with an
enormous yew…tree before it； I asked him who lived there。
〃No one；〃 he replied； 〃it is to let。 It was originally a cottage；
but the proprietors have furbished it up a little； and call it Yew…
tree Villa。〃
〃I suppose they would let it cheap；〃 said I。
〃By no means；〃 he replied； 〃they ask eighty pounds a year for it。〃
〃What could have induced them to set such a rent upon it？〃 I
demanded。
〃The yew…tree； sir； which is said to be the largest in Wales。 They
hope that some of the grand gentry will take the house for the
romance of the yew…tree； but somehow or other nobody has taken it；
though it has been to let for three seasons。〃
We soon came to a road leading east and west。
〃This way；〃 said he； pointing in the direction of the west； 〃leads
back to Llangollen； the other to Offa's Dyke and England。〃
We turned to the west。 He inquired if I had ever heard before of
Offa's Dyke。
〃Oh yes；〃 said I； 〃it wa