the great bay of Cardigan, formed by the extreme point of Caernarvonshire terminating in the isle of Bardfea. Acrofs the vast expanse of water feveral of the vast hills near Pwlwhelli, among which the rock of Porthyndyllyn head was moft confpicuous, formed a grand boundary, while at the bottom of the bay, Cader Idris, with many of the mountains of Merionethfhire, elevated their mightier fummits, and welcomed our approach: to the majestic scenery of North Wales. These striking objects, varying alternately with our courfe, amused us for many miles; and indeed we had nothing elfe to observe, for the country immediately furrounding us was as dreary and uninteresting as the extreme points of the peninsulas of Cornwall and Anglefea. Our road too, after a few miles, degenerated into a rugged and uneven track, not unattended with intricacy; and our vicinity to the coaft was the only proof we could obtain of our not hav-ing deviated, there being but few inhabitants. Near the village of Llanarth some few wooded banks intervened, and the prospect from the high hill by which we defcended to Abereiron happily contrasted the general drearinefs of the country, where the Eiron, defcending through a narrow vale between fteep impending hills, fome of which are clothed with wood and intermixed with villages and pastures, tears its way over a pebbly bottom, and falls into the fea a little below a picturesque bridge by which we croffed it. This stripe of romantic scenery in fo bare a country, a little reminded me of the favourite spot of Ivy-bridge in Devonshire, where a fimilar stream passes through a bridge not unlike that of Abereiron, with a neat inn fituated in the fame manner at the foot of it.

The fea views, comprehending the Caernarvonshire hills on the oppofite fide of the bay, continued very fine as we advanced towards Aberystwith, and most agreeably beguiled the labours of the road, which winding over the rocky bases of inceffant hills, forbad any expeditious advance. In a narrow vale we croffed the Yftwith, by a bridge profufely decorated with ivy, and afcending a fteep rock from its banks, foon came in fight of the greater vale of the Rhydol, and the town of Aberystwith, fituated on a bold eminence overhanging the fea close to its mouth. This town, forming a fine object as viewed from a fufficient distance, rather disappointed me when we reached it, the streets being steep and ill-paved, while the houses, built of the black flate-ftone of the country, gave the whole a gloomy and rather dirty appearance. It has long been a favourite refort for fea-bathing to the inhabitants of the neighbouring counties, and we found it full of company, who must have been contented with very moderate ac commodation. The beach is fufficiently convenient, and a public walk, traced with fome taste and ingenuity among the fragments of its caftle, which was built by Gilbert de Strongbow in the reign of Henry I., commands the whole coaft with the contiguous mouths of the Yftwith and the Rhydol, on one fide, and a beautiful view of the vale which defcends with the latter river on the other..

CHAP

CHAP. VI.-Wild romantic Beauties of the Vale of Rhydol.-Distant View of Plinliminon. -The Devil's Bridge.-Falls of the Monach.-Great Pafs of the Mountains towards the Vale of with.-Singular Creation of Havod.-Cwm-Yftwith.-Striking View from the Cwm-tythen Hills over the Plain formed by the Wye.-Rhyadergowy, and the View from the Mountain above it.-Penybont.-Knighton.-Brampton-brian.-Lentwardine Bridge.-Prefteigne.-Kington.-Old and New Radnor.-Radnor Forest and its Waterfall. Bad State of the Roads in that Part of the Country.-Fine Ride on the Banks of the Wye from Builth to the Hay, by Llagoed Castle, and the beautiful Spot of Erwood.-Clyro.-High Character of its Rector, the Archdeacon of Brecknock.—Striking Views from the One-tree-hill in Clyro Foreft, towards Wales and England.-Entrance into the rich Plain of Herefordshire.-Hereford.-Ledbury.-Immenfe. Difplay from the Malvern Hills.-Malvern Wells.-Great Malvern and its Abbey.-Gran deur and Opulence of Worcester.

THROUGH the vale of Rhydol we were deftined to pursue our courfe, being now arrived at the boundary of North Wales, and bidding our farewell to the coast we took an eastward direction. The road conveyed us for many miles over a ridge of wild hills, forming the fouthern barrier of that romantic diftrict, and commanding all its beauties in great perfection. Elevated almost into the clouds, we looked down on the coaft, where Aberystwith feemed, like Venice, rifing out of the fea, and the decayed town and church of Llanbadern Vawr, formerly a Roman station and the fee of a Britifh bishop, occupied an eminence fomewhat higher in the valley. Beneath us a few fcattered cottages, and fome houses of a higher order, rofe on each fide under neat plantations and tufted groves, while the rapid Rhydol interfected a range of the greeneft meadows with its manifold windings. At length the vale contracted itself as it grew wilder, the river became engulphed within deep banks fringed with wood, the habitations of men and all traces of cultivation vanishing, while every thing around us affumed the most favage appearance that nature can impress on her rudeft regions. The high mountains of Cwm-yft with bounding Radnorfhire, rofe in a number of unequal points before us, while on our left, towards the county of Montgomery, and the confines of North Wales, the mighty Plinlimmon, the lord of this extenfive defert, fwelled into a pile of mountains from its extended bafe, and crowned the whole with one lofty fummit, fpreading widely like a dome above the reft.

At length we began to defcend, and taking the Llanidloes road, foon reached the hollow formed by the Rhydol near that fingular edifice which bears the name of the Devil's bridge. However celebrated the original structure might be from the magic powers with which its fabulous builder has been graced, it seems to have been superfeded by fome happier architect, as the modern bridge exhibits a finer curve, and avoids a very steep defcent on each fide, by which the older was approached. Both the arches remain, and it is not one of the leaft fingular circumftances attending this fpot, that two bridges over the fame chafin are to be feen in the fame point of view, one being built perpendicularly over the other. Each of thefe arches fpring from rock to rock over a deep abyfs, under which the dark stream of the Monach is with difficulty diftinguished, working its way through the hollow with great impetuofity. Immedi ately below the bridge it iffues again into light, and precipitates itfelf with wonderful force in a fucceffion of falls almolt perpendicular for near 200 feet through a thick wood, from fome of the lower parts of which this grand cataract is to be viewed with confiderable

confiderable advantage. Immediately below the fall, the Rhydol receives the Monach, being there itself little other than a torrent forcing its paffage between deep banks fringed with wood, from its native caverns in the base of Plinlimmon.

Leaving here the courfe of the Rhydol, we foon regained the ridge we had quitted, and proceeding on the Cwnyftwith road, rofe by a fucceflion of ftages impending over frightful precipices through the hollows of the mountains almoft to their fummit, from whence all the wild hills encompaffing the vale we had quitted, appeared far below us, bounded by the fea, which feemed like a curtain let down before them. This vaft ridge feparates the parallel vallies of the Rhydol and the Yftwith, to the latter of which we defcended through the rifing plantations of Havod, with which its owner, Mr. Johnes, has decorated an immense tract of country. The furprise is scarcely to be described with which his highly ornamented territory burfts upon our view, teem ing with every elegance of art and nature, and rifing, like another paradife, in the midft of a profound defert. The fteep banks of the Yftwith are here fringed with the fineft wood, and the house, a fuperb ftructure imitating the Gothic, occupies an, elevated spot commanding the whole of the vale, with the river winding finely below. A well formed lawn extends far beneath the houfe, beyond which the woods rife in great beauty, and through them a number of walks are formed with confiderable tafte, being conducted by the fide of fuch cataracts as abound in this hilly region, improved by every addition of art.-After all, this place, though so far perfected, may yet be confidered as in its infancy, when we contemplate the various plans perpetually forming and carrying into execution by the active genius of its proprietor, who finds employment for a whole country in the extent of his works. For this he has ample fcope in the number of roads he is now conducting through his territory, and the various additional buildings with which he is obliged to encompafs his house, as every trade neceffary to the existence, and even to many of the luxuries of life, muft be exercised within his own walls, there being no towns, and very fcanty villages, in this district, within the distance of fifteen miles.--Thus, notwithstanding the many natural and artificial beauties of Havod, a ftranger, while he commends the taste with which it is embellifhed, cannot but admire the fingularity of this undertaking, in the wilds of an uninhabited defert, far from any practicable neighbourhood, and at a distance from the common reforts of mankind.

Afcending a little again through the woods of Havod, we foon regained the road, and reached the miferable village of Cwm-yftwith, almost buried beneath the high hills which divide this part of the country from Radnorfhire.

We foon entered that county, and after coafting the river Eilon for feveral miles on a deplorable road abounding in precipices, we attained the fummit of the Cwmtythen hills, commanding an uninterrupted view over the dreary expanfe we had paffed, which exhibited extreme wildness without majefty, the mountains in this country abounding in a variety of graffy fummits not unlike a fpecies of coarfe downs, but far inferior both in height and fhapes to those of Cardiganfhire. Still, however, the banks of the Eilon, with its attendant vallies, have their peculiar lines of beauty, and the ftriking example of Mr. Johnes has induced Mr. Grove to build a houfe, and form an ornamented territory, with confiderable taste, in one of these deserts, which he prefers to his fine feat in Wiltshire.

Except this place, the whole country appeared bare and uncultivated; nor do I ever remember a more dreary folitude than that which prevailed on the Cwm-tythen hills, where not a fingle tree varied the scene, and no human habitation was diftinguishable. Over their gloomy hollows we proceeded in mournful filence, till reach

ing their extreme point, a glorious view burft upon us in front, where the Wye, emerging from a deep and narrow channel fringed with wood, iffued forth into the fpacious plain in which Rhyadergowy is fituated, and then pursued its course through a fine vale beneath immenfe hills to Builth, beyond which fome of the Brecknockfhire mountains closed the profpect at a great diftance. The road now became fcarcely paffable, as a dangerous and rocky defcent kept us in perpetual alarm for feveral miles till we croffed the roaring torrent of the Wye, by a fine fingle arch thrown from rock to rock, and entered the little town of Rhyadergowy.

An air of greater neatnefs than might be expected prevails in this remote place, which is regularly laid out in four ftreets, with a market-house in the centre, after the manner of the towns of North Wales. The inn, though fmall and ruftic, is fufficiently commodious, and the obliging attentions of its landlord, with the fimplicity of his manners, cannot fail to recommend it to a stranger; the buildings of the town alfo, though mean, are not ruinous, and throughout the whole, the poverty of a wild district, very difficult of accefs, is relieved by an appearance of comfort and cleanlinefs.

The mountains furrounding the plain in which this town is placed, almost rival thofe of North Wales in majefty, and from one of the higheft of them, which I afcended with much difficulty, I enjoyed a profpect which cannot easily be surpassed either for its beauty or grandeur.

An amphitheatre of mighty hills furrounded the plain in which Rhyadergoway, with its two churches, formed the principal feature; feveral vaft chasms interfected this barrier, through one of which the Wye rolled its rapid ftream, paffing under a noble arch fpringing from cliff to cliff close beneath the town, and foon afterwards received the acceffion of the Eilon iffuing from another cleft in the chain of mountains. Immediately after this the river engulphed itf If between two impending rocks, pursuing a narrow channel for feveral miles; foon after which it emerged in fight into the fpacious and highly cultivated vale in which Builth is fituated. Towards the north dark and craggy mountains obftructed the view, finely contrafted with the graffy hills of the foreft of Radnor, which exalted themfelves in the east at a confiderable diftance, beyond a pleafant valley interfperfed with pastures, villages, and cornfields, and diftinguifhed by feveral waving eminences tufted with wood.—Through this valley we purfued our courfe from Rhyadergowy to Penybont, leaving the wells of Llandrindod, a few miles on the right, approachable on this fide by a road even lefs practicable than that from Builth.- At the little obfcure hamlet of Penybont we croffed the Ithon, and leaving the fmooth and pointed fummits of Radnor foreft on the right, purfued a rugged tract over a wild range of downifh hills to a deep vale, from the head of which Knighton, defcending in feveral fteep ftreets, prefents a picturesque object to the adjacent country. This romantic valley, furrounded by high hills, and well clothed with wood, is formed by the winding courfe of the river Teme, near the banks of which thea road is in a great measure carried.Great and memorable are the remnants of antiquity to be found in this district, the camp of Caractacus being yet in high preservation on the hills towards Clunn, and that of Cæfar eafily to be traced on an eminence impending over the valley; Offa's dyke alfo pafles by Knighton, extending from the mouth of the Dee in a flant direction acrofs the kingdom to Weymouth.

In this valley the rich groves of Brampton Bryan, on old feat of the Oxford family, used to adorn the steep fides of its extenfive park; but thefe have lately been defpoiled of their grandeur by the ruthless axe, leaving a naked territory to bewail

the

the lofs of its chief ornament. At the pleasant village and bridge of Lentwardine we left the Ludlow road, and croffing feveral hills on the right of the valley of the Teme, foon came to Prefteigne, the modern capital of Radnorfhire. This place exhibits ftrong traces of an original extent and grandeur, far fuperior to its prefent appearance; its few remaining ftreets are neat and well-formed, and a pleafant public walk is traced round the eminence which was the fite of its caftle, from whence the little vale enclosing Prefteigne, and watered by the Lug, appears to great advantage, with an ancient Gothic manfion rifing from a rock in its centre.

The first confiderable afcent from Prefteigne brought us into the righ plain of Herefordshire, and paffing under Lord Oxford's extenfive park and sheep-walks at Eywood, we came to Kington, a confiderable market town at the edge of the county, obfervable only for the pleafing view from its church-yard. Here we turned again into Radnorfhire, purfuing a romantic defcent beneath the lofty rock of Stanner, till the high church of Old Radnor appeared on a fummit above a fmall plain, which we croffed between two handfome feats belonging to two families bearing the name of Lewis, to arrive at the county town of New Radnor. Old Radnor, though formerly a Roman ftation, has little to boaft of except its church, fcarcely equalling the dignity of a village, though I believe it fhares in the privileges of a borough with New Radnor, which is very little its fuperior. A more beggarly place indeed than the latter can hardly be imagined, confifting of a few miferable cottages which form an irregular ftreet, with a building like a barn for its county hall, and almost buried within that verdant chain of hills which, rifing in a variety of high points, covered with grafs to the top, enclose the diftrict bearing the name of Radnor foreft. Winding for a long time within their hollows, we vifited the cataract, which, from its precipitous defcent, has obtained the name of "Water breaks its neck." Our expectations were perhaps raised too high from the fame this waterfall had acquired; but when we faw it, neither the body of water nor its pofition appeared very remarkable. At length we emerged from this confined pass, and leaving the direct tract to Rhyadergowy on the right, entered a wild plain not unmixed with fine features, but almoft impervious to a carriage.

The public ways of Radnorfhire may indeed be juftly cenfured, and their turnpike roads may rank among the worst in the kingdom; for, notwithstanding the frequency of their tolls, and the abundance of good materials in the country, they are generally fuffered to languish in a fhameful state of neglect, for want of a little public fpirit. The track which we pursued now, finking from a bad turnpike-road into a rugged cart-way, led us with fome hazard and confiderable inconvenience to the banks of the Wye, which we croffed to re-enter the town of Builth in Brecknockfhire.

Having taken a farewell view of the charming vicinage of this place from its bridge, and the mount of its caftle, we proceeded on the banks of the Wye down one of the moft beautiful vallies in the kingdom, to the Hay. That noble river rolling with majestic rapidity, and fometimes precipitating itself over great ledges of rock, formed the courfe of the valley with inexpreffible grandeur, frequently difporting itself in broad curves, and fweeping all the level. The road, formed principally on a high bank, difclofed all the beauties of this enchanting diftrict, where the bold rocks of Abereddo, with the grafly and wooded hills of Radnorfhire, contrasted the wilder eminences of Brecknockshire, which terminated proudly in the broad expanse, deep furrows, and abrupt points, of the black mountain, bounding the horizon at a confiderable distance.

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