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me if there was any good modern Gaelic poetry。 〃None very modern；〃
said I： 〃the last great poets of the Gael were Macintyre and
Buchanan； who flourished about the middle of the last century。 The
first sang of love and of Highland scenery； the latter was a
religious poet。 The best piece of Macintyre is an ode to Ben
Dourain； or the Hill of the Water…dogs … a mountain in the
Highlands。 The master…piece of Buchanan is his La Breitheanas or
Day of Judgment； which is equal in merit； or nearly so； to the
Cywydd y Farn； or Judgment Day of your own immortal Gronwy Owen。
Singular that the two best pieces on the Day of Judgment should
have been written in two Celtic dialects； and much about the same
time； but such is the fact。〃
〃Really；〃 said the old church clerk； 〃you seem to know something of
Celtic literature。〃
〃A little；〃 said I； 〃I am a bit of a philologist； and when studying
languages dip a little into the literature which they contain。〃
As I had heard him say that he had occasionally given lessons in
the Welsh language； I inquired whether any of his pupils had made
much progress in it。 〃The generality；〃 said he； 〃soon became tired
of its difficulties； and gave it up without making any progress at
all。 Two or three got on tolerably well。 One； however； acquired
it in a time so short that it might be deemed marvellous。 He was
an Oxonian； and came down with another in the vacation in order to
study hard against the yearly collegiate examination。 He and his
friend took lodgings at Pengwern Hall； then a farm…house； and
studied and walked about for some time； as other young men from
college； who come down here； are in the habit of doing。 One day he
and his friend came to me； who was then clerk； and desired to see
the interior of the church。 So I took the key and went with them
into the church。 When he came to the altar he took up the large
Welsh Common Prayer…Book； which was lying there； and looked into
it。 'A curious language this Welsh；' said he； 'I should like to
learn it。' 'Many have wished to learn it； without being able；'
said I； 'it is no easy language。' 'I should like to try；' he
replied； 'I wish I could find some one who would give me a few
lessons。' 'I have occasionally given instructions in Welsh；' said
I； 'and shall be happy to oblige you。' Well； it was agreed that he
should take lessons of me； and to my house he came every evening；
and I gave him what instructions I could。 I was astonished at his
progress。 He acquired the pronunciation in a lesson； and within a
week was able to construe and converse。 By the time he left
Llangollen； and he was not here in all more than two months； he
understood the Welsh Bible as well as I did； and could speak Welsh
so well that the Welsh； who did not know him； took him to be one of
themselves； for he spoke the language with the very tone and manner
of a native。 Oh； he was the cleverest man for language that I ever
knew； not a word that he heard did he ever forget。〃
〃Just like Mezzofanti；〃 said I； 〃the great cardinal philologist。
But whilst learning Welsh； did he not neglect his collegiate
studies？〃
〃Well； I was rather apprehensive on that point；〃 said the old
gentleman； 〃but mark the event。 At the examination he came off
most brilliantly in Latin； Greek； mathematics； and other things
too； in fact； a double first…class man； as I think they call it。〃
〃I have never heard of so extraordinary an individual；〃 said I。 〃I
could no more have done what you say he did； than I could have
taken wings and flown。 Pray； what was his name？〃
〃His name；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃was Earl。〃
I was much delighted with my new acquaintance； and paid him
frequent visits； the more I saw him the more he interested me。 He
was kind and benevolent； a good old Church of England Christian；
was well versed in several dialects of the Celtic； and possessed an
astonishing deal of Welsh heraldic and antiquarian lore。 Often
whilst discoursing with him I almost fancied that I was with Master
Salisburie； Vaughan of Hengwrt； or some other worthy of old； deeply
skilled in everything remarkable connected with wild 〃Camber's
Lande。〃
CHAPTER XIX
The Vicar and his Family … Evan Evans … Foaming Ale … Llam y
Lleidyr … Baptism … Joost Van Vondel … Over to Rome … The Miller's
Man … Welsh and English。
WE had received a call from the Vicar of Llangollen and his lady；
we had returned it； and they had done us the kindness to invite us
to take tea with them。 On the appointed evening we went； myself；
wife； and Henrietta； and took tea with the vicar and his wife；
their sons and daughters； all delightful and amiable beings … the
eldest son a fine intelligent young man from Oxford； lately
admitted into the Church； and now assisting his father in his
sacred office。 A delightful residence was the vicarage； situated
amongst trees in the neighbourhood of the Dee。 A large open window
in the room； in which our party sat； afforded us a view of a green
plat on the top of a bank running down to the Dee； part of the
river； the steep farther bank covered with umbrageous trees； and a
high mountain beyond； even that of Pen y Coed clad with wood。
During tea Mr E。 and I had a great deal of discourse。 I found him
to be a first…rate Greek and Latin scholar； and also a proficient
in the poetical literature of his own country。 In the course of
discourse he repeated some noble lines of Evan Evans； the
unfortunate and eccentric Prydydd Hir； or tall poet； the friend and
correspondent of Gray； for whom he made literal translations from
the Welsh； which the great English genius afterwards wrought into
immortal verse。
〃I have a great regard for poor Evan Evans；〃 said Mr E。； after he
had finished repeating the lines； 〃for two reasons： first； because
he was an illustrious genius； and second； because he was a South…
Wallian like myself。〃
〃And I；〃 I replied； 〃because he was a great poet； and like myself
fond of a glass of cwrw da。〃
Some time after tea the younger Mr E。 and myself took a walk in an
eastern direction along a path cut in the bank； just above the
stream。 After proceeding a little way amongst most romantic
scenery； I asked my companion if he had ever heard of the pool of
Catherine Lingo … the deep pool； as the reader will please to
remember； of which John Jones had spoken。
〃Oh yes；〃 said young Mr E。： 〃my brothers and myself are in the
habit of bathing there almost every morning。 We will go to it if
you please。〃
We proceeded； and soon came to the pool。 The pool is a beautiful
sheet of water； seemingly about one hundred and fifty yards in
length； by about seventy in width。 It is bounded on the east by a
low ridge of rocks forming a weir。 The banks on both sides are
high and precipitous； and covered with trees； some of which shoot
their arms for some way above the face of the pool。 This is said
to be the deepest pool in the whole course of the Dee； varying in
depth from twenty to thirty feet。 Enormous pike； called in Welsh
penhwiaid； or ducks…heads； from the similarity which the