tion, both for its beauty and antiquity. This curious edifice, with its stone roof, supported by sharp intersecting arches, springing from handsome pilasters, adorned with palm capitals, and converging in the centre, is said to have been built by the first earl of Chester, Hugh Lupus. But, according to sir Peter Leicester, by Arundel, earl of Chester, nephew to Hugh, who, after its erection, removed the body of Hugh to this spot. In either case, it is a curious specimen of the early introduction of what is absurdly styled Gothic architecture into England. P. 21, Mr. Bingley inserts an interesting anecdote of the providential escape of the Irish protestants, from the effects of an edict issued by the sanguinary queen Mary.

"To an odd stratagem of a female of this place, of the name of Elizabeth Edmunds, was owing the entire safety of the protestants of Ireland, in the reign of queen Mary. Dr. Cole, a commissioner from the queen, on his way to that country, stopped one night at Chester. The mayor, in his official capacity, waited on him, and he unguardedly spoke of the murderous business in which he was engaged, and took out his commission in the presence of the hostess, who had a brother, a protestant, in Dublin. When the mayor left him, he politely attended him down stairs, and Mrs. Edmunds, in the mean time, took the commission from the box, and substituted for it a pack of cards, with the knave of lubs placed uppermost. The doctor, on his return, put up the box; and, on his arrival at Dublin, presented it in forun at the castle to the lord deputy and privy council. His lordship opened it, and the whole assembly,

as well as the commissioner himself, were in the utmost astonishment at its contents. He assured them that it had contained a commission, but why it was not there then, and how the cards came in its place, he was as ignorant as they. Disappointed and cha grined, he returned to the English court for a fresh commission, which he obtained; but, before he could again arrive in Ireland, the queen died. Her successor, queen Elizabeth,

rewarded the woman for this meritorious act with a pension of forty pounds a year for Jife."

At Holywell, p. 45, the author dwells on the legendary history of St. Winefred's Well; and supposes, because Gyraldus, who, in his journey, slept one night at the adjacent abbey of Basingwerk, is silent respecting it, that therefore the invention of the story is of subsequent date. But there might be a reason for the silence of Gyraldus. Fontains were worshipped at a very early period in the east. They were held, if possessed of

any singular property, sacred to som presiding deity; and it cannot be a posed, that the people who emigrated Britain, did not bring their superstit with them. This heathenish custom pr vailed long after the introduction christianity. In the reign of king E gar, 963, a canon was made, prohibit the worship of wells and fountains. Ar thus, afterwards, perhaps saints w substituted for deities; yet the super tion remained, for, in 1102, An inserted a canon against attribu sanctity to a dead body, a fountai other thing, without the bishop's auth rity. In 1181, Gyraldus accompan Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbur through the principality, to preach the crusade; and he would not therefr be likely to oppose an archiepiscopal c non, by relating the legend. This f tain is of the most importance, as "į ing eighty-four hogsheads of water minute," and furnishing a stream, wi turns a variety of useful machinery. Asaph, p. 75, Mr. Bingley describes being on the banks of the river El but when we were there, it was situ between the rivers Clwyd and Elwyt former passing it on the eastern side; latter running on the western side. I: so marked in Mr. Bingley's map, tho the western river is there called Ait.

The Pass of Penmaen Mawr, p. 14 Mr. Bingley describes as still terr and says, "The present road was about thirty years ago; and that, ps ously, the usual mode of going to gor was in boats, or along the sand. But, in a tour published in 1725, the thor compares this with the Pass of i terk in Scotland, and observes, built all the way for its security. was then, not only a road, but a v does the Crategus aria in any way swer to the, popular description given the lemon-tree, said to grow upon th mountain, though the former is ab dant. Of the improvements of lord P.. rhyn, in his slate quarries, rail-road, pr &c. Mr. Bingley gives a pleasing interesting account.

Here the author enters the mountai ous part of the country, called by Pennant Snowdonia, comprehend the pricipal part of Caernarvonshir and still denominated the Forest Snowdon. In this district Mr. Bingley seems to be perfectly at home; and thi as it is the most particular and ar part of his book, and, the most valuabl

gleam of light that came down the chimney, This was at least equal to what the six small panes of glass in the window afforded. On the open hearth were a few peat-ashes, the remains of a fire with which the old man had a little while before cooked his dinner. The frame of the roof was formed by branches of trees, fixed to larger timbers by straw or haybands. This frame was covered with sods; and the whole with slates, which, in the mountains, are obtained in great plenty. The furniture consisted of an old bed, an oak chest, a range of shelves, for such poor eating utensils as were necessary in this lowly

habitation; some old earthen vessels, some dingy pewter dishes, and a few other things, which, from the darkness of the place, were rendered indistinguishable to me. The whole character of this dwelling was such, as clearly to prove the truth of Goldsmith's observation,

that

"Man wants but little here below.
Cheerful at morn, he wakes from short re-
pose,

Breathes the keen air, and carols as he goes.
At night returning, every labour sped,
He sits him down-the monarch of a shed."

"The day that I visited this cottage, I was

taken to another about two miles distant, in

the same parish of Llanrug, inhabited by a lame old woman, named Mary Morgan. I mention it only for the purpose of relating the singular mode which this old woman invariably adopted, till her lameness rendered it too painful, of getting into her house whenever she mislaid the key of the door. She mounted the peat-stack at the end of the building, clambered up from thence to the slates, and descended the chimney. This is an undoubted fact."

An account of the peculiarity of a Welsh funeral occurs, p. 241, but Mr. Bingley might have recollected, that the circumstance he mentions was a Roman

custom.

Almost every tourist seems to have experienced the enviable pleasure of a view from the summit of Snowdon; while we very much doubt the accuracy of some accounts, we have every reason to believe that our auther actually ascended the mountain, and feasted his bodily eyes with the delicious prospect from Meel yr Wyddfa.

Amidst the Caernarvonshire moun tains, Mr. Bingley found a variety of rare and curious plants, and the habitats, with the notices that he has given, will be a treat to the botanist; but it would have afforded an additional pleasure to the scientific reader, had the tourist been sufficiently acquainted with the useful science of mineralogy, to have furnished

us with some account of the rare and va luable productions with which this part of the kingdom abounds. From Caurnarvon Mr. Bingley passes into Anglesea, and, on the sight of the cromlechen, which are numerous in that island, he digresses on their use, and, adopting the opinion of Borlase, supposes them sepulchral monuments; while the venerable author of Mona antiqua considers them druidical altars, on which they offered their victims. The matter is, we think, (lis sub judice), a subject worthy of the most minute investigation, and demands a more rational inquiry than has ever yet been bestowed on it. It is singular that they are found in almost every county of Wales, and also in many parts of England. The form of all these is nearly similar: an ovate or oblong flat stone, lying upon three or more supporters and they often stand near, or enclosed within, stone circles. Gwyndy, page 305, is translated wine-house; and an im probable account taken from Pennant is mology. Wine was not a liquor of the adduced to support an insupportable etycountry; and, when scarcely used in England, it is highly improbable that the sale of it should have given denominations to numerous houses in Wales. Gwyn is white, and ty, or in composi tion dy, a house, i. e. the white-house. At Llanelian, Mr. Bingley mentions the following singular superstition:

"Near the door of the church in this parish is placed Cyff Elian, Elian's Chest, of poor box. People out of health, even to this day, send their offering to the saint, which they put through a hole into the box. A silver groat, though not a very common coin, is said to be a present peculiarly acceptable, and has been known to procure his intercession, when all other kinds of coin have failed! The sum thus deposited, which, in the course of the churchwardens annually divide among a year, frequently amounts to several pounds, the poor of the parish.

"The wakes of Llaneliah were formerly held on the three first Friday evenings in Au gust; but they are now confined to only one of those days. Young persons from all parts of the adjacent country, and even from distant counties, assemble here, most of whom have along with them sorite offering for the saint to offences, and secure blessings on their formis ensure their future prosperity, palliate theit lies, their cattle, and corn."

This weak and superstitious custom is evidently derived from demon worship, though thus glossed over with the name of a Christian saint during the ages of

popery. Mr. Bingley says it is still prevalent in the principality.

The author gives a pleasing account of a moonlight scene at Pont aber glaslyn, and his description of Bardsey Island is new and interesting. After leaving Caernarvonshire, our tourist seems to relax in his energies of research, and his details become less particular, and less interesting.

P. 34, (vol. ii.) the author mistakes Commer Abbey for that of Cwmhir, in the northern part of Radnorshire, affixing the story of a deceiving monk, and the consequent dissolution of the abbey by Llewelyn ap Jorwerth to the former, which properly belonged to the latter. Mr. Bingley, not having time to visit a cataract in the vicinity of Machynlleth, being in haste to arrive at Llanydloes, yet contrives to drag in an account of Aberystwith and the Devil's Bridge, from Aikin's tour, although he promised not to "put a foot in the southern part of the principality." In this journey too he says that he saw Plynlimmon, which we should never have supposed from the following remark: "The adjacent mountains being all low, render Plynlimmon, in appearance, much higher than it really is." Had not Mr. Bingley's vision been injured by the prodigious heights of Snowdon and Cader Idris, he might easily have seen the adjacent mountains, almost equalling in height the mountain in question, which is, in many points of view, only to be distinguished by its forked summit: nor do we wonder, as Mr. Bingley did not ascend it, that he thought it would not compensate for his trouble. He, how ever, publishes a short account, neither particular nor accurate, except that, at the source of the Severn," the stream is so small, that a child may stride across it." In passing the road our tourist sees a water-fall, and yet does not notice the remarkable lead-mines, abounding with silver, which are to the right and left, and in sight of the road: nor is the account of Llanydloes correct; many of the houses are now built of brick, and, for a Welsh town, it is particularly clean. The church too is remarkable, not only for the six arches brought from the abbey of Cwmkir, but also for the columns of its nave ending in curious capitals.

Montgomery is better described; and his delineation of a rural scene, p. 73, is highly descriptive of its lovely vale. A

great part of this volume is occupied with a dissertation on the manners and customs of the Welsh, some of which are almost inconceivably different from those of their near neighbours, the English, and with whom, for centuries, they have had more or less intercourse. The ac count of the knockers, a species of fairies, that perform their exploits in mines, is taken from a letter of Mr. Lewis Morris, who believed in the existence of these protean, pigmæan, and aërial beings; and Mr. Bingley, after examining the evidence, seems half a convert. Of the origin of wearing the leek on St. David's day our author gives an account, which rests principally on the authority of the prince of poets. If conjecture be admissible where history is silent, we should suppose it was adopted in consequence of the victory obtained by St. David over the arch-heresiarch Pelagius; when the leek, like the shamrick among the Irish, worn on St. Patrick's day, was considered an emblem of the trinity; and the wearing it a proof of belonging to the faith. Mr. Bingley's remarks on the Welsh language, appear derived from some person more than usually ac quainted with that ancient dialect; but from whom we must beg leave to differ, when he asserts, that the Saxons, on their arrival in this country, were "ignorant of letters, and without an alphabet." Whether they afterwards adopted that of the Britons, and if so, whether what is called the Saxon be really the British alphabet, is a subject which merits discussion. In many of his remarks on Welsh music, Mr. Bingley will find few of the Cymri to join him in opinion.

From the preceding specimens and observations it will be apparent, that the author has collected a considerable portion of information, respecting the country he professes to describe; for, where he has not had an opportunity of seeing objects, or visiting places, that have lain near or distant from his route, he has not failed to quote a description of them from other authors. Among the number, he has taken abundant liberty with the labours of Pennant : and we were not a little surprised at being informed by our tourist, that he had nearly performed his first journey, before he had seen or heard of any tours later than that of the abovenamed gentleman,-" Warner, Shrine, and Aikin, being then to him unknown." Mr. Bingley, however, in the present work, takes the advantage of these and

subsequent publications; levying contributions on others to constitute a more valuable treasury of his own. This perhaps is allowable; but the authorities should have been mentioned at the places; as a mere list of authors at the beginning or end of a book is not sufficiently discriminating or satisfactory: Mr. Bingley's adopting the sentiments of others, in language of his own, would have been certainly preferable to quotatior. Though the information exhibited is not less valuable to the general reader, yet, to us who not only wish for, but expect originality, it was matter of regret. The author has greatly amplified his narration, by biographical sketches of Welsh bards and saints; and appears too credulous in relating traditionary and local

stories. While he asserts of Gyraldus, "that he believed all the Welsh people told him," he does not appear to have been sufficiently cautious, in avoiding the conduct which extorted the following admonition from the monk's commentator: "Fabulæ aniles & ineptæ vitandæ sunt."

Though the author frequently gives translations of Welsh terms, he appears totally unacquainted with the language; nor are his etymological authorities al ways accurate. These, however, are small blemishes. In a word, though we cannot place Mr. Bingley among philosophical travellers, yet we gladly acknow. ledge that he furnishes information sometimes new, sometimes useful, often amusing, and, on the whole, calculated to please.

IN this volume the author professes to describe the scenery, antiquities, and biography of the six southern counties of Wales:" and varying, from all former tourists, has endeavoured to systematize his work, by first giving a separate his tory and description of each county, and secondly procceding to develope the most prominert features and facts relating to every principal place in that coun

ty.

Had this plan been fully accomplished, it would have formed an interesting, though concise, topographical view of a large portion of the principality. How far it has been effected, we shall endeavour to prove in the sequel.

Mr. Malkin cominences his work with a copious dissertation on the legends, traditions, and history of Wales: and amplifies his own observations by long illustrative quotations from Selden, Drayton, Lidgat, Gildas, Snowdon, Spencer, and Hoole. This is followed by chronological and historical accounts of the kings and princes of Wales, from the year 516 to 1282; to which is subjoined some delineations of Welsh manners in the successive ages.

Leaving the general face of the country, the author proceeds (chap. 2.) to delineate its individual features by some descriptive and historical particulars of Glamorganshire, the southern maritime county of Wales. Picturesque scenery, peculiarity of sirnames, agriculture, morals of the inhabitants, local literature

and customs, weddings, burials, Roman stations, and roads, constitute the leading features of this chapter.

In the five following are particularized the several places and circumstances worthy of note in the eastern part of this county.

Chapter 3 comprehends the histories, with descriptions, of Aburthin, Welsh St. Donats, Pendoylan, Hensol, Ystradowen, Ashall, and Lantrisent. The author introduces a sketch of the life of sir Lhewelin Jenkins, who, from an hom ble state, progressively obtained many distinguished posts in government.

The fourth chapter is chiefly occupied by a description of the celebrated Pont y Prydd, or New Bridge, thrown across the rapid stream of the Taff. This extraordinary structure is reckoned among the wonders of modern architecture; and its celebrity is much enhanced from having been erected by a self-taught mason. The name of William Edwards is in high repute among the South Wa lians; and as his history is curious, and tends greatly to elucidate the efforts of human genius contending with difficul ties, and as it has never before been so fully detailed, we shall extract the whole of Mr. Malkin's narrative.

"William Edwards was the son of a farmer, who had two other sons and a daugh ter. The family lived in the parish of Ezlwysilan, in the county of Glamorgan, very near the spot which was hereafter to by the