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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/77598-0.txt b/77598-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..81efd73 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2410 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77598 *** + + +[Illustration] + + + + + PICTURESQUE VIEWS + + ON THE + + RIVER WYE. + + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: + + _Course of the RIVER WYE from its Source to its junction with the + SEVERN below Chepstow._ +] + + + + + Picturesque Views + ON THE + RIVER WYE, + FROM + Its Source at Plinlimmon Hill, to its Junction + WITH THE + _SEVERN below CHEPSTOW_: + WITH + OBSERVATIONS + ON + THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND OTHER WORKS OF ART, IN ITS VICINITY: + + + BY SAMUEL IRELAND, + + AUTHOR OF + + “A Picturesque Tour through Holland, Brabant, and part of France;” + + AND, + + Of “Picturesque Views on the Rivers Thames, Medway, Warwickshire Avon,” + &c. + +[Illustration] + + =London:= + PUBLISHED BY R. FAULDER, NEW BOND STREET; + AND T. EGERTON, WHITEHALL. + + 1797. + + + + + PREFACE. + + +[Illustration] + +Amongst the numerous rivers with which our Island is so richly +ornamented and fertilized, the Wye, our present subject of +investigation, though in no very widely extended course, and itself only +a tributary stream, is yet in the production of the sublime, of the +grand and majestic proudly eminent above its fellows. In a course of +about eighty miles, the utmost distance it measures from its source, to +its junction with the Severn, so various and such an interesting +picturesque scenery is perhaps no where to be found, either in this or +any other country. + +Nature and Art have most happily combined in opening their richest +stores to diversify and spread fertility, grandeur and beauty over the +country through which it flows: for its environ is not less highly +distinguished and dressed by the hand of art with castles, abbies, and +villas beautifully seated on its banks, than it is itself favoured by +nature, in the striking interchange of shoal and flood, wood and rock, +meadow and precipice. With so much, and in so many various ways to +allure and interest, it was not possible that all its charms could have +escaped either the penetrating eye of Taste and Genius, or the pencil of +the inquisitive, refined, and systematical Amateur, and accordingly many +of its most striking features have employed the pens and the pencils of +our Writers and Artists; but they have, all of them, been either +detached views and single objects, or, if more has been comprehended in +the design of the amateur or artist, the execution has been partial, +imperfect, or foreign to the subject. The whole has never been fully +exhibited to the eye of the lover of the scenes of nature faithfully +delineated. One ingenious author indeed has given observations upon the +river, and such as have unquestionably merited the high commendations +they have received from the admirers of the picturesque and beautiful: +and he has accompanied his observations with drawings. He does not +however profess to give exact representations, or portraits of the +various objects that present themselves, but aims rather at exhibiting +their general effect on the eye, when considered technically, and as +picturesque forms by the learned and professed artist. + +Without interfering therefore with the plan of that much admired writer, +or arrogating to himself superior science or knowledge of his subject, +the author of this work has, in conformity with his original intention, +selected this river from amongst those not yet described, in order to +complete his history of the principal rivers of this country: and, +unable as he feels himself to render justice to the dignity of his +subject, he builds his claim to public favor, on the fidelity with which +he flatters himself he has delineated the scenery. He would wish, and it +is his aim, that his drawings should, like the transparent mirror of his +stream, truly reflect the landscape that exists around, as well as the +objects that decorate its banks. And, content with the simple charms and +varieties of nature, he cannot prevail upon himself to contemplate in +every winding of the stream the forms of his own idea, the image of his +own mind and its complicated sameness, reflected again, and again; but +gives to his reader that, which, if he visits the spot, he trusts he +will find, and, if the spot is known to him already, he assures himself +he will recognize. + +The tremendous floods, which, in the beginning of the year 1795, +subsequent to that, in which these drawings were made, having so +completely swept away several ancient, as well as elegant structures +thrown across this stream, may perhaps give some additional value to the +sketches of them here introduced. If not elsewhere preserved, scarce a +vestige of them remains to be resorted to by the artist or by the +architect, whose profession must peculiarly enable him to do more +justice to the nature of the fabric. + +The History, and Picturesque Views of the River Severn are in great +forwardness, and will, it is presumed, be ready for publication, in Two +Volumes, Royal Octavo, in the course of next year. + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland del.^t_ + + _Source of the Wye, Plinlimmon Hill._ + + _Pub.^d for S. Ireland, March 1, 1797._ +] + + + + + Picturesque Views + + ON THE + + RIVER WYE. + + +[Illustration] + + “Plinlimmon’s high praise no longer Muse defer; + “What once the Druids told, how great those floods should bee, + “That here (most mightie hill) derive themselves from thee. + “The Bards with furie rapt, the British youth among, + “Unto the charming harpe, thy future honor song + “In brave and loftie straines:——” + DRAYTON. + + + + + SECTION I. + + +From a small spring near the summit of Plinlimmon Hill, the boundary of +the northern part of Cardiganshire, our river Wye derives its source. +Issuing from a spacious hollow in this mountain, the water falls in a +narrow streamlet several hundred yards nearly perpendicular, till +meeting with various small currents, it soon presents itself in the +shape of an immense cataract, rolling with astonishing rapidity over the +rocky prominencies which seem to impede its course. The name of this +river appears anciently to have been a common appellation, either for +river or water. Camden says, that the word gwy or wy signifies water, +and instances the following names which have that termination, as proofs +of his opinion; viz. Lhugwy, Dowrdwy, Edwy, Conwy, Elwy, Towy, Tawy, &c. +&c. From the same ridge of mountains, within two miles of the source of +the Wye, the rivers Severn and Rydall derive their origin: the latter of +which empties itself into the Irish sea at Aberystwith. The views from +this huge and dreary hill are wild and extensive beyond description; +they exhibit mountains, rolling as it were, over each other, and under +the most sublime forms and beautiful hues, varying and shifting till +they insensibly lose themselves and melt into the horizon. We were +peculiarly fortunate in having a bright and clear day to view in all its +grandeur this sublime and picturesque scenery; an advantage which an +experienced guide informed us had scarce ever occurred during a course +of many years in those airy regions, where it was almost invariably his +fate to encounter a heavy and hazy atmosphere, commonly attended with +rain. On this lofty mountain the famous Owen Glyndwr, in the summer of +1401, posted himself, says the historian, “with great policy at the head +of a hundred and twenty men of arms.” The situation of Plinlimmon Hill +being on the limits of Cardiganshire and Montgomeryshire, was admirably +adapted for receiving the succours of his vassals and friends from every +part of the principality. From this fastness his adherents, who were the +terror of all that opposed him, were perpetually making excursions, and +plundering the neighbouring counties; amongst which Montgomeryshire +appears to have been the greatest sufferer. + +The birth of this renowned hero, of Wales, which happened on the 28th of +May, 1354, appears by Hollingshed and others, to have been marked with +strange presages of celebrity: he says, that his cruelty was foretold at +his nativity, by the wonderful circumstance of “his father’s horses +being found standing that night in the stable up to their bellies in +blood;” and Shakspeare, in the following lines, put into the mouth of +Glyndwr, thus describes the vain glorious chieftain, + + ————————————“At my birth + “The front of Heav’n was full of fiery shapes; + “The goats ran from the mountains, and the herds + “Were strangely clamorous in the frighted fields: + “These signs have marked me extraordinary, + “And all the courses of my life do shew, + “I am not in the roll of common men.” + +A still more extraordinary circumstance is attached to the history of +this Welch phenomenon. Jolo Goch, a celebrated bard, has not hesitated +to consider the great event of his birth, as equal in importance to +mankind with that of Jesus Christ. + +The river Wye, in this its earliest stage, is peculiarly marked with +features of the grand and sublime: its amazing rapidity is perpetually +interrupted by immense large stones and rocky substances, and the rush +of its waters produces a solemn noise, that seems as if they were + + “Chiding the stones that stopp’d their course.” + +The spots of verdure and broken ground in the vicinity of this rude +scene, the dark shades of rock, and beetling brows of the hills with +which it is bounded on either side, form a spectacle as majestic and +awful as the untaught imagination can paint, or that can present itself +to the eye throughout the range of this island. + +It is simple nature in her purest and grandest form, and without a trace +of her handmaid art, without either castle, church, or ruin: objects +that more than form the beautiful in picture, that are essentially +necessary, and can alone give dignity to the feeble works of man; +without these the scenery is here complete. + +For several miles the country wears nearly the same aspect; one +continued undulating line of hills forms the distance; and the river, +though of no considerable width, continues gently to roll over its rocky +and gravelly bed, “making sweet music with the enamelled stones;” + + “Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge + “He overtaketh in his pilgrimage.” + +At a distance of about six miles from its source, in a village called +Cumergar, the Wye receives a considerable body of water from the river +Castal. This River is full in view, and forms a beautiful object from +the road, on the way to what is called the Devil’s Bridge. At Cumergar +is a wooden bridge called Pont-rhyd Gallad: it is the first that is +thrown across this river, and the scenery around it is extensive and +beautiful. The Wye here loses much of its impetuosity and consequently +of its grandeur: its rocky bed is softened and in many places spread +with a mere gravelly substance, and at this summer season is +considerably narrowed, and frequently left perfectly dry. From the +continual accession, however, of springs and rills, that issue from the +neighbouring mountains, it is not known to remain long in that state. +From hence, on an easy ascent, a tolerable road leading to Llanidlos +runs parallel with the stream, and affords a beautiful ride till we +approach the wretched village of Llangerig: amongst whose clay cottages +without chimneys, churlish boors, and sour milk and black bread, the +only refreshment it supplied, our weary spirits were filled with rapture +at the beauties of that situation, to which extreme penury, savage +nature, or insensibility could alone be indifferent: They were so +impressive, that within a mile of this village we determined to stop, +flattering ourselves with the hope that by the aid of the pencil, we +might be enabled to give the characteristic features of a country, which +we utterly despair by any powers of language that we could command in +any adequate manner to communicate. + +About three miles below Llangerig, in a southern direction, the river +Darnel, which derives its source from the hills that bear its name, +empties itself into the Wye. Pursuing the course of the river, the +Nanerth rocks in an extent of near three miles, form a beautiful screen +to its northern bank. + +On this spot the Wye, in an easy bend, gently rolls over its rugged bed, +while the ascending road, girting the immense hills that are enriched +with spreading oaks and luxuriant underwood, peculiarly invited the +pencil: Through these, the rocks in various fantastic forms, perpetually +break upon the eye, and the cottages interspersed among the distant +hills, relieve the wide-spread and extended scenery. On the brow of a +rising hill, in the fore ground, a group of cattle which covered it, +seemed at the instant, as if placed there by design to complete the +view. Beneath, the gentle river Marteg, the receptacle of many smaller +streams that arise in the vicinity of Llanidlos, rippling over its +pebbly bed, loses its name and its current in the broader channel of the +Wye. + + + + + SECTION II. + + +From Nanerth rocks, after a pleasant ride of about three miles on the +bank of the Wye, we reached Rhaidr Gwy; the word Rhaidr signifies a +cataract, or fall of water, and is frequently applied to those falls, +among the mountains of Snowden in Carnarvonshire. + +Camden seems to think that from the word Rhaidr, the county of Radnor, +through the west angle of which, this river directs its course derived +its name. The bridge at Rhaidr consists of one wide arch, which from its +base forms a very large segment of a circle. It is a plain structure and +has little but its romantic accompaniments to recommend it; the immense +pile of rocks on which it is elevated, carries the arch so high as to +afford from beneath it, an extensive prospect of the adjoining country, +in which a small Welsh building called Cwmtather Church appears in a +whimsical point of view. The annexed sketch was taken from below the +bridge, where the combination of objects is wonderfully grand; and in +this dry season, displays in full force the ponderous rocky substances +of which it is composed. But in consequence of this drought, we had the +misfortune to lose the display and thunder of its cataract, which a less +friendly state of the elements would have exhibited in all its grandeur. +The stones over which the waters in this vicinity roll, are of an +immense size, and in their forms, partake both of the majestic, and the +grotesque; their diversified hues, and vast angular prominencies afford +in certain lights and in some seasons of the day, under the rays of a +bright sun the most brilliant and picturesque effect. Over the bridge +passes the high road that leads to Aberystwith, and a more rugged and +dreary path, is perhaps scarce to be trod in any of the frequented parts +of this principality. Rhaidr, though now but a miserable place, derived +formerly some consequence from its castle, which was advantageously +situated in a nook of the river not far from the bridge, but of which no +trace at present remains. Near the spot whereon the castle stood is a +deep trench cut out of a solid rock, and not far distant, are several +large Tumuli, or Barrows, called in Welsh, Kern, and Keido. These are +conjectured to have been raised as memorials of the dead. Camden +confirms this idea, and observes, not very consistently indeed with the +respect due to the memory of the departed, “that it is still the custom +to cast heaps of stones on the graves of malefactors and self +murderers.” + +At what period the castle at Rhaidr was built is not ascertained, but it +was repaired by Rhys Prince of South Wales in the reign of Richard the +first, and near it says Camden, “is a vast wilderness rendered very +dismal by many crooked ways and high mountains, into which as a proper +place of refuge, that bane of his native country, King Vortigern, whose +very memory the Britons curse, withdrew himself, when he had at last +repented of his abominable wickedness, in calling in the English Saxons, +and incestuously marrying his own daughter.” + +His address to the Barons, on the subject of calling in the aid of the +Saxons, is thus recorded by an anonymous author. + + “My Lords, vain compliment would suit but ill + “The present time, I therefore briefly thank you, + “But e’er we part, fain would I crave your hearing. + “Our Troops have now been long disus’d to War— + “Yet do not think I mean their fame to tarnish, + “Or on a Briton throw the damned slur + “Of shameful cowardice. No, my good Lords,— + “But though their ribs do serve as castle walls, + “And fast imprison their strong Lion hearts, + “Yet e’en the Lion, when full gorg’d with food + “Will bask and tamely lay him down to sleep— + “Then in such sort, hath undisturbed peace, + “And want of custom, (nature’s substitute, + “That changes e’en our very properties) + “Soften’d their manhood. Then t’were policy + “That we should court the Saxons to our aid! + “This too will in our Britons raise the flame + “Of bright and generous emulation. + “Say Lords! doth this my proposition please you? + +Below Rhaidr we soon lost sight of that immense rocky scenery, so +eminently characterizing its neighborhood, and every reach of the river +yielded additional richness and verdure. A detail of each minute change +of prospect that occurs in a tour of this nature, however gratifying at +the moment to the eye of the curious and picturesque traveller, would be +tedious and uninteresting; it is therefore the business of description +to record only the most material objects as they occur, and leave +imagination to paint the rest. About three miles below Rhaidr, the Wye +receives a considerable supply of water from the rivers Eland and +Clanven, which unite at a distance of about four miles from their +conflux with our river. Below this a copious stream called the Ither, +which in its course receives the Dulas and Comar, makes a considerable +addition to the waters of the Wye. From the brow of a hill about two +miles before we reach the town of Builth, the scenery is peculiarly +beautiful, the river spreads itself into a bay, and the immense rocky +substances with which its bed has hitherto been spread, rise here in +various detached forms many yards above its surface, exhibiting so many +small islands, and agreeable breaks in the fore ground of the landscape. + +The annexed view was sketched from this spot, in which it is much to be +regretted that the bridge of Builth could not be introduced, as it would +considerably have added to the beauty of the scenery. Builth is a town +of little consequence, yet from its antiquity, and the salubrity of its +air, it becomes highly deserving our attention. We happened to be there +on a market day, when the town was so thronged with people, that we +could scarcely pass through it. It resembled rather a fair than a +market, and the immense croud collected together, presented to the eye a +scene in effect, similar to that of one continued mass of long blue +cloaks, apparently in perpetual motion. Not a house, nor a stable but +was occupied, and it was really a matter of astonishment, that in so +small a town, and on so common an occasion as that of a weekly market, +such a vast concourse of people should have been assembled; but a market +or fair, is the pride and glory of the Welsh; and, happy souls! why +should they not in a sultry summer’s day, enjoy the suffocating luxury +of a long blue cloak, as well as the Londoner his summer theatre, amidst +“the raging dog star’s heat.” + +In an extensive tour through Wales, I witnessed a scene at Aberystwith +very similar to that I have just described, and as the surrounding +objects were there more peculiarly marked with the picturesque than +those at Builth, a representation of the scene, although at a +considerable distance from hence, may perhaps not prove unacceptable to +the reader. In this view appears part of the castellated dwelling of +Uvedale Price, Esq.; a man not less distinguished for the elegance with +which he cultivates the fine arts, than for his powers of +discrimination, and the accuracy with which he defines them. The house +is recently erected on the shore, and commands an extensive prospect of +the sea, the only one in fact it does command. + +At this market or fair, the usual artifices to amuse and delude, were +exhibited with the usual success; other centuries revolve, and other +generations arise, but rustic manners remain unchanged, the same +pursuits occupy the mind, and the same toys interest and beguile. There +were, “Ribbands of all the colors ith’ rainbow. Dancing and music, +ballads all pitiful and true, one of a fish that appeared upon the +coast, on Wednesday the of April, forty thousand fadom above water.” +Autolicus with all his rhetoric could not more artfully have displayed +his wares, nor could the following lines have had a better effect on his +auditors than the tricks presented here. + + “Lawn as white as driven snow, + “Cyprus, black as e’er was crow; + “Gloves as sweet as damask roses, + “Masks for faces, and for noses; + “Bugle bracelets, necklace amber, + “Perfume for a lady’s chamber; + “Golden quoifs, and stomachers, + “For my lads to give their dears; + “Pins and poking-sticks of steel, + “What maids lack from head to heel: + “Come, buy of me, come: come, buy, come, buy, + “Buy, lads, or else your lasses cry: come buy.” + +Builth is happily encompassed with a range of hills that afford shelter +to the place, and screen the neighbouring woods with which it is +enriched. On the skirt of the town stand the remains of an ancient +castle; they comprise near four acres of ground, and though not +sufficiently massed to form an object for the pencil, yet the remaining +fragments convey a general idea of its former dignity. + +The eminence which is contiguous to the remains of the fortress, denotes +what the Romans called the Presidium. This castle is reported to have +been erected by the Breoses and Mortimers, after the demolition of a +former one by Rhys ap Gryffydh. Ptolomy calls the town of Builth, +Bullæum Silurum, from whence it derived its name, but Doctor Horsely is +inclined to think that the ancient Bullæum of Antoninus, was at Uske in +Monmouthshire, from the ruins of a Roman fort, or city, being found +there. The neighbourhood of that place is still called Bualht. + +Traversing the vicinity of the castle, our Welsh guide pointed out to us +a field at about two miles distance, called Cavan, in which Prince +Llewellyn is reported to have been buried, and so fertile he observed +was the soil, that each stem bore two heads of corn. From the same +authority, we are told that as that Prince was one day crossing the +field in disguise, he asked of an old woman the name of a small brook +that ran across it, who replied, it was called Nantytrrad, then said he, +let it in future be named Cwm Llewellyn, for that shall be the burial +place of that Prince. Where is there a Welchmen who does not deplore the +loss of his brave Llewellyn? but our guide drew much consolation from +there being yet a good Prince of Wales, who in the hour of need, would +certainly defend and fight for his countrymen. Llewellyn is reported to +have been murthered in a small castle that stood at a place called +Llechryd, about one mile from Builth, while he was meditating his escape +into Glamorganshire. A modern house, with a moat surrounding it that +includes about three acres, marks the spot whereon the castle stood. +Builth Castle is well situated for defence, it stands on an eminence, +and the point of land, is in part surrounded by the beautiful river +Irvon, which in a semicircular direction winds its course into the Wye, +about half a mile above the town. This river is of considerable width, +and derives its source from the hills in the vicinity of Strata Florida +in the county of Cardigan; thence after taking a south west direction it +winds towards the north east, and falls into the Wye near Builth. Within +a small distance of its junction with our river, it receives a brook +called the Wevery, which rises on the Brecknockshire hills about eight +miles distant, and produces remarkable high flavoured salmon and trout. + +Near to the Wye a new stone bridge is building over the Irvon, +contiguous to the old one which was of wood. This new structure consists +of six elliptical arches; it is erecting at the joint expence of the +counties of Brecon and Radnor. The elevated span of the upper circle of +this bridge, however necessary here from the great floods that happen in +the winter season, is yet a taste too prevalent in the general +construction of our bridges. The bed of the upper surface is usually so +high as to become a large segment of a circle; this custom militates not +only against every principle of utility to the horse and traveller, but +shuts out the general prospect, which even by an artist whose ideas are +not too narrowly confined to his own science, should in a country like +this be made an object of some consideration. + +In Italy and France, a contrary system has very judiciously been +adopted, by which means, in every point of view the eye finds relief +from the diversified scenery around. This practice is supported by the +classical productions of the elegant Claude Lorraine, who, whether he +designs from nature, or has recourse to his own refined ideas of his +art, always adheres to this principle. Near Builth are the remains of +Llandrindod-wells, once in high esteem, and celebrated for their +excellent medicinal quality. This spring of water issues out of the side +of a rock, which is of the slate kind, it is strongly impregnated with +nitrous salt, sulphur, and steel; and produces an effect similar to the +waters of Scarborough and Cheltenham, but it is of a more powerfully +quality. The wells are now greatly in decay, and consequently are not so +much frequented as formerly. On a high hill named Caven Durris, about a +mile from Builth, David Thomas, Esq.; has erected a handsome stone +residence, which when viewed from the town, appears too much exposed, +but on a near approach, is found to be happily screened from the +northern winds by the surrounding hills: It commands a very noble and +extensive view, as well on its own level towards the South, as from that +part which looks down towards the town of Builth, and at the same time +includes a beautiful command of the meandering course of the rivers Wye +and Irvon, and of the extensive bridge of Builth in the vale beneath. +This bridge is a simple and well constructed modern edifice, consisting +of six arches, within a mile of which a small river called the Dihono +having a small bridge of one arch thrown over it, empties itself into +the Wye. From the ferry a little below, a beautiful reach of the river +terminates in a view of the small remains of Aberadway castle, of which +no history is to be traced. Its ruin is very insignificant, little more +than a stone wall, now over grown with ivy remains. At the extremity of +it are the fragments of two round towers. These rude specimens of art, +are finely contrasted by the adjoining and truly wonderful productions +of nature. These are an immense range of rocks running parallel with the +river, exhibiting a variety of the most strange and fantastic forms +imaginable. In different points of view, they convey to the mind, the +idea of so many towers and castles shouting from amidst the oak coppices +and other shrubs that enrich this majestic scenery. These vast +prominencies in their various shapes, received at the instant of viewing +them, additional grandeur and effect from the solemn shade, produced by +a declining sun, and presented a scene truly worthy the pencil of a +Salvator, or amongst our countrymen, his rival, the late John Mortimer. +Near this charming spot, the river Edwa, from which these rocks derive +their name, empties itself into our river. For a considerable distance +in passing down the Wye, we have on a smaller scale perpetual breaks of +the same rocky kind of scenery till we reach Llangoed, the seat of Mr. +Edwards; from hence we ride through a charming wood of young oaks, +ranged for a considerable distance on an elevated bank of the Wye, they +give at each break and opening, an enchanting view of our beautiful and +picturesque river, which on the approach to a village called Swains, +about a mile distant, wears the appearance of an extensive bay, while +the mountains in the back ground gradually recede, and the general face +of the landscape assumes a new character. In the annexed view of +Glasebury, the scene when contrasted with that at Aberedway or at +Builth, will best illustrate this idea, here all around wears an air of +placidity; the river’s rocky bed no more agitates the water in its +course, it flows a tranquil and a gentle stream, reflected on whose +glassy surface under the evening’s lengthening shade + + “Down bend its banks, the trees depending grow; + “And skies beneath with answ’ring colors glow. + +In the midst of this rich and beautiful valley, an elegant stone bridge +of seven arches is thrown across the river. It was built about fourteen +years ago by the family of Edwards, under the direction of their father, +the celebrated architect of Pont-y-pridd. The adjoining view was made in +August, 1794; in the ensuing winter the bridge was totally destroyed, +which will in some degree give value to this sketch, as a memorial of +that which is at present, little more than a wreck; every arch of it +having been blown up by the torrent of ice, which poured down on the +very sudden thaw, after the long frost in the beginning of 1795. + + + + + SECTION III. + + +On our approach to the town of Hay, we pass its small church, situated +on a high and clayey bank of the river, from whence the town and +adjoining objects, afford little worthy the attention of the artist. To +preface this section, I have therefore selected a general view of the +town and surrounding country, from a spot about a mile below the bridge, +which presents a scene highly enriched by an assemblage of woods, +meadows, and corn fields, at once extensive, and in a peculiar degree +interesting. + +The town is happily situated on the declivity of a hill, on which the +houses rising gradually, convey the idea of a place of infinitely more +consequence than really it possesses, and in no small degree gives the +general outline of an Italian landscape. The face of this scenery and +bridge is fully illustrative of the position laid down in the last +section, of the superior beauty of flat bridges over those that are +elevated. This bridge is formed of seven arches and in the year 1795, +met with a similar fate to the preceding one, and which were thrown +across the torrents that pour themselves along the vallies of this +mountainous country. + +The purple hue of the distance called the black mountains, affords a +good background to this scenery, which is heightened by the rich glow of +a noon-tide sun, darting at the instant, and giving force and relief to +every object. These mountains extend fourteen or fifteen miles towards a +place called Monmouth Cap, about eight miles from Abergavenny. The head +of water in the fore ground of the view, is formed from a small river +called Boonewayne Brook, which supplies the neighbouring mill with +water; the goat who stood browsing on a high bank of the river before +us, was an object we were not accustomed to meet with even in Wales, as +I do not remember to have seen more than three, in the course of a long +tour through this country. + +The town of Hay was formerly called Hain, it derives its name from the +British word Tregelhi, which, says Camden “may be rendered Hasely, or +Hasleton; it appears to have been well known to the Romans, some remains +of their walls being still visible, and many of their coins having been +found here.” He likewise says “the ancient town was consumed by fire by +the profligate rebel, Owen Glyndwr or Glendower, in his marches through +this country.” Our divine bard has put the following lines into the +mouth of Glendower, when speaking of his antagonist. + + “Three times hath _Henry Bolingbroke_ made head + “Against my pow’r, thrice from the banks of _Wye_, + “And sandy-bottom’d _Severn_, have I sent + “Him bootless home, and weather-beaten back.” + +This place anciently belonged to William de Brus, Lord of Brecknock, and +was nearly destroyed by Lewis, Dauphin of France, in 1216, who had been +invited into England by the Barons disaffected to King John. + +The town of Hay is situated on the extreme angle of Brecknockshire, and +on the borders of Herefordshire. Near the church, on the highest land on +the brink of the river, there anciently stood a castle built by the +Normans, of which little more now remains than a mound of earth, and the +entrenchments that surround it. The present castle stands nearly in the +centre of the town. Its Gothic entrance, and the Ivy over-growing the +remains of the ancient tower, produce a striking effect on the approach +to this venerable ruin. + +A large house adjoining, is the property of Richard Wellington, Esq.; It +is erected on the site of the old castle, and appears to have been the +work of the age of James I. Within a few years, it has been modernized, +by which it has in some degree been stripped of that small share of the +picturesque, that in some instances is to be found even in that +barbarous age of architecture. As the castle is not generally noticed by +the traveller, nor has any print that I can learn, ever yet been given +of it, the annexed view may not prove unacceptable to the curious +enquirer. On quitting Hay, the Wye receives a considerable body of water +from the river Dulas, across which is a stone bridge of one arch. Thus +assisted, our river becomes a copious stream, and has been long rendered +navigable in the winter seasons. For this purpose two statutes were +passed in parliament, the one in the fourteenth of Charles II. the other +in the seventh of William III. + +About two miles below the town, the ruin of the once famous Clifford +castle presents itself; it stands on a considerable eminence on the bank +of the Wye, is well situated for defence, and forms a boundary to the +western part of the county of Hereford. Its walls are not sufficiently +high, nor are the parts so broken and irregular as to afford a complete +picturesque object, but it has yet considerable attractions to merit the +notice of the speculative and inquisitive traveller. Camden says, that +it is recorded in doom’s-day book, to have been built by William +Fitzosborn, Earl of Hereford. It came afterwards to Walter, the son of +Richard de Ponts, a Norman, who came into England with William the +Conqueror. Walter took his name of De Clifford from this castle, and +from him descended the illustrious family of the earls of Cumberland. We +shall not enter into a detail of the warlike exploits performed in this +place, but confine ourselves to the well known story of fair Rosamond, +daughter of an earl of Clifford, who was born in this castle. The story, +whether fabulous or true, has been deemed not unworthy the attention, +both of the poet and historian. Master Hollinshead in his usual +quaintness of style, thus speaks of King Henry the second’s +incontinence, and of his particular attachment to the fair Rosamond, +“for not contented with the use of his wife, he kept many concubines, +but namely he delighted most in the companie of a pleasant damosell, +whome he ’cleped the rose of the world, the common people named hir +_Rosamond_, for hir passing beautie, propernesse of person, and pleasant +wit, with other amyable qualities, being verily a rare and peerelesse +peece in those days. He made for hir an house at Woodstocke in +Oxfordshire, like to a laberinth, that is to meane, wrought like a knot +in a garden, called a maze, with such turnings and windings in and out, +that no creature might finde her nor come to hir, except he were +instructed by the king, or such as were secrete with him in that matter. +But the common report of the people is, that the queene finally found +her out by a silke thread, whiche the king had drawne forth of hir +chamber with his foote, and dealte with hir in such sharpe and cruell +wise, that she lived not long after. She was buried in the Nunrie of +Godstow beside Oxforde, with these verses upon hir tumbe.” + + “Hic jacet in tumulo, Rosamundi non Rosamunda, + “Non redolet sed olet, quæ redolere solet.” + +We cannot quit this subject, the family of the De Cliffords, without +adverting to another of its noble descendants, George Clifford, the +third earl of Cumberland, who in 1525, was advanced to the dignity of an +earl. The seats of this adventurous and renowned warrior, are +transmitted to us by various historians, and though to many persons they +may be well known, yet some mention of him in this place, may not be +thought irrelevant to our subject. This nobleman was one of the peers +who sat in judgment on Mary Queen of Scots, and became afterwards a +great favourite of her cousin Elizabeth. He signalized himself highly at +sea in various engagements against the Spaniards, and behaved with much +intrepidity during the memorable encounter with the invincible Armada. +In consequence of his gallantry the Queen created him an Admiral, and a +few years after, a Knight of the Garter; he was likewise one of the +lords sent out with the forces to reduce the Earl of Essex. He died in +London at the Savoy, at the age of forty seven, in the year 1605. + +We cannot pass over a striking instance of gallantry, in this +extraordinary hero, as recorded by Mr. Pennant, which appears fully to +keep pace with his bravery as a naval commander. “At an audience, which +the earl had after one of his expeditions, Queen Elizabeth, perhaps +designedly, dropped one of her gloves. His lordship took it up, and +presented it to her; upon which she graciously desired him to keep it as +a mark of her esteem. He adorned the glove with diamonds, and wore it in +the front of his high crowned hat on days of tournament.” This +circumstance is recorded in a very curious and rare print of the earl, +engraved by Robert White, in which the glove appears. Another instance +of the queen’s favor to this earl of Cumberland, was, her appointing him +her champion in her tilting matches, in which exercise he excelled all +the nobility of his time. His magnificent armour worn in this age of +chivalry, was adorned with roses and fleur de lis, and is now preserved +at Appleby Castle in Westmoreland. He married Margaret, third daughter +of Francis earl of Bedford, by whom he had three children, two sons who +died young, and a daughter named Anne, who was successively married to +Richard earl of Dorset, and to Philip earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. + + +This lady appears by the following letter to have inherited with the +family estates, all the bravery and spirit of her great ancestors. Sir +Joseph Williamson, when secretary of state to Charles the II. wrote to +the Countess, wishing to name a candidate to her for the borough of +Appleby, to which she returned the following spirited answer “I have +been bullied by an usurper, I have been neglected by a court, but I will +not be dictated to by a subject. Your man shan’t stand.” + + “ANNE, DORSET; + + “Pembroke and Montgomery.” + + +Dr. Campbell, in his Philosophy of Rhetoric, highly commends the +expression of this letter, he says, “an ordinary spirit would have +employed as many pages to express the same thing, as there are +affirmations in this short letter.” Of this extraordinary lady, Dr. +Donne remarked, “that in her younger years, she knew well how to +discourse of all things, from predestination, to slea-silk.” + +From this digression, which we hope will not prove uninteresting, we +return again to the main subject of our enquiry. + +The winding and mazy course of the Wye in about two miles, brings us to +Whitney, where, in 1794, the piers and part of the arches of a new stone +bridge were in great forwardness, but in the succeeding spring, the +whole was swept away by that hidden thaw and torrent, whose devastations +we have more than once had occasion to notice. In this unfinished state, +the busy scenery of the various artificers at work, a ferry boat +perpetually in motion, and the distant village church, peeping above the +hills in the back ground, produced altogether a subject well worthy the +pencil; but from the confined nature of this work, and the abundant +rich, and luxuriant scenery, we have yet to display, we feel it +impossible to insert every object in picture, however highly it may +merit our notice in description. Passing several beautiful villages, we +reach Willersley, in the vicinity of which, the extensive range of +Merbidge Hills afforded us, from their summit, a grand and extensive +view of the surrounding country. Another noble object presents itself in +this neighbourhood, which bears the name of Brobery’s Scar: its +principal attractions are the bold and majestic roughnesses of its form, +that contrast beautifully with the views, more immediately upon the eye, +on the bank of our river. Hence, amidst a profusion of rich and +beautiful scenery, at a place called Rhydspence, the river quits +Radnorshire, and glides its easy course towards Bradwardin. This town +stands on an easy ascent on the bank of the Wye, and presents itself in +a happy point of view above the bridge, the northern bank of the river +rises to a considerable height, and is richly cloathed with shrubbery. +In the annexed view we have aimed at a representation of this beautiful +and romantic scene. The river here acquires a considerable width, and +though in a dry season, has a proportionable depth of water. In this +vicinity there was formerly a castle, of which very little remains. This +place gave birth, and name to the famous Thomas Bradwardin, Archbishop +of Canterbury, who, from his variety of knowledge and proficiency in the +abstruse branches of learning, obtained his title of Doctor Profundus. +Below this village we glided down this deep and majestic stream, amidst +a rich and fertile country, till we reached Mocca’s Court, the seat of +Sir George Cornwall, Bart. It is pleasantly situated on an eminence, on +the southern bank of the Wye, within a spacious park, and commands a +full and extensive view of the beautiful meanderings of the river. + +This place was anciently called Moches, and formed a part of the +possessions of St. Guthlach, in the City of Hereford. The ancient house +stood below the site of the present, which is a modern structure, and +was in part built from the ruin of Bradwardin Castle. In descending +towards Hereford we passed a variety of elegant villas, rich in +situation, and very happily selected as summer residences; amongst these +Belmont, the seat of Dr. Matthews, is peculiarly worthy of attention. +The views from hence, in each direction of the river, are highly +attractive, and art and nature under the guidance of taste, are happily +combined to produce a rich and beautiful effect. + + + + + SECTION IV. + + +This view of the ancient bridge and venerable cathedral of Hereford, +affords the most picturesque, and striking combination of objects, that +came within our observation. The bridge is of stone, and consists of +eight Gothic arches, it is evidently of great antiquity, but at what +period it was built, history affords little information on which we can +rely. Leland conjectures that it was erected about the same time with +the castle, that is, soon after the conquest. + +The present beautiful cathedral, says Camden, “was founded by bishop +Reinelm, in 1079, in the reign of Henry I. and by his successors was +enlarged, by adding to it a neat college and fine houses for the +prebendaries.” The Bishop, he likewise says, “has three hundred and two +churches in his diocese.” The revenues of the bishopric were valued, in +the 26th of Henry VIII. at eight hundred and thirty one pounds fourteen +shillings and a penny. The present venerable structure has undergone +many changes, and has been greatly encreased and beautified by several +of its bishops since its first erection, a circumstance that naturally +followed from the immense expense attending such an undertaking, which +must at any period have greatly exceeded the income, even of the +wealthiest abbot or bishop that the church has yet known. The similarity +of parts in the style of its architecture, has induced some persons to +conjecture that it was all built at the same period: this I judge could +not have been the case, there is more reason to believe that the +earliest forms served as a model for future ages to work upon. It has +undergone shameful depredations: the chief of which were occasioned by +the puritanical principles of the last century, when a blind zeal upon +religious subjects devoted the most beautiful and venerable vestiges of +antiquity to ruin and destruction, as abominations hateful in the eyes +of God and man. The form of the arches seems to indicate that the +earlier part of this building was erected about the æra of the Saxon +architecture; its columns are peculiarly ponderous and massive, they +appear to have been erected “not for an age, but for all time.” Some +monuments of their bishops still remain, amongst which, in the north +wing is the shrine of bishop Cantilupe. The monument of the family of +the Bohuns, in the library is curious, and deserves the attention of the +antiquary: a recumbent figure is laying beneath a pointed Gothic arch, +round which are a number of hogs, covered with a kind of body cloth, on +which are painted the arms of the family, each hog having before him an +apple to which he seems smelling. This ancient family of the Bohuns and +the Lacies earls of Hereford, are said by some writers to have been the +founders of Hereford castle, which Leland asserts “to have been one of +the fairest, largest, and strongest in England.” The preceding view of +Hereford was made in the summer of 1794, at which time the tower of the +cathedral was surrounded with a scaffold, and the whole of the building +under a thorough repair, from the dreadful accident that happened in the +year 1786; On the 17th day of April in that year, about half past six in +the evening, the west tower of the cathedral with part of the body of +the church unfortunately fell down. The above accident did not happen +without giving evident signs of gradual decay, both from the dropping of +many stones, and the settling of the arches, which had been remarked for +two or three years previous to the event. This dreadful catastrophe was +sufficiently foreseen to prevent any fatal consequences. No lives were +lost though many persons were passing the church yard at the time, and +we of this day have the less reason to deplore the accident, as the +rulers of this church, have had the good sense to make use of the rare +talents of an architect, whose knowledge of the Gothic, and natural +taste for grandeur and simplicity, so peculiarly fitted him for the +office of restoring this venerable fabric to its true characteristical +dignity, and who does not appear to have deviated from the original +design, where it was possible to conform to it. One principal +improvement has been the removing some walls that encircled a material +part of the church, by which means a view was opened, of two beautiful +chapels, called Stanbury and Audley, that had been long concealed from +the public eye. + +Mr. Wyat’s estimate of the repair of this building was seven thousand +pounds, five thousand of which was raised by subscription. But I am +informed that to complete this repair, the whole expense will amount to +at least thirteen thousand pounds. + +This magnificent structure has ever been considered by the antiquary, +notwithstanding its irregularity, as a splendid specimen of the piety +and munificence of our early churchmen; and the arched roof of the upper +cross aisle, supported by a single pillar, is peculiarly deserving +attention. Tradition says, it was erected in the reign of William Rufus, +by Robert de Lozinga, second bishop of the see of Hereford. The height +of the tower was one hundred and twenty-five feet, upon which was a +lofty spire, that has, since the accident, been taken down. + +On the site on which this cathedral stands there was anciently a church, +founded during the zenith of the Saxon heptarchy about the ninth +century, soon after which it became a cathedral, and Hereford was made +the see of a bishop. The cathedral was destroyed, and the city sacked in +the reign of Edward the Confessor, by Griffin prince of South Wales who +made the bishop prisoner. At the Norman invasion the city was in ruins, +and within its walls and the suburbs, there were not, according to +doomsday book, more than one hundred and three men. + +At a small distance from the cathedral stands the vicar’s college, it +forms a square, within which is a plain but venerable cloister. From its +elevated situation, it commands a beautiful view of the meandering +course of our river Wye, and its fertile and verdant banks. Although it +is not the professed intention of this work to enter into a minute +history of cities, or towns, yet the antiquity of this venerable place +demands our attention, and cannot be passed over in silence, we shall +therefore mention the once elegant building of the chapter house, of +which, though but a small fragment presents itself, there is yet +sufficient of the picturesque to attract the notice of the curious +traveller, nor can the remains of the Black Fryars with its beautiful +cross, or rather stone pulpit, be passed unnoticed, the latter is here +preserved in a wood cut from a sketch made on the spot in 1794. + +[Illustration: Black-and-white engraving of a small Gothic-style tower +with narrow arched openings and a pointed finial on top. A ladder leans +against the right side. Dense shrubs and a tall tree surround the base.] + +The building is Hexagonal, open at every side, and round it is a flight +of six steps. The shaft of the cross which is broken off, rests on a +table of the same form in the centre of the building, and spreads itself +towards the roof in ramifications that produce a very beautiful effect. +Some of the embattlements yet remain on the upper part of the building, +the whole of which appears to have been finished with great care and +elegance. From this building, sermons were delivered by the fryers, who +were then extremely popular, to the multitude who were sheltered under +the cloister, that it is presumed, surrounded this building. An hospital +in 1614, was founded on the site whereon stood the black fryars, by Sir +Thomas Coningsby of Hampton Court, in this county, who was then +proprietor of the ruins, and by him it was endowed with considerable +estates in Leicestershire, and was intended as a relief to the worn out +soldier and superannuated faithful servant. + +The city of Hereford, appears by its remaining walls, to have been well +and regularly fortified, and its castle must have been a very capital +fortress. The site whereon it stood retains the name of Castle Green, +and affords a pleasant retreat, commanding a very beautiful view of the +river beneath and of the surrounding country. This being a remarkable +dry season, barges have been laying at Hereford for upwards four months, +for want of water to carry them down. + +The principal articles of navigation are timber, bark, and grain, and +the back carriage, is coals from Ledbrook and other places below Ross. +Hereford is not favourably situated for manufactures or commerce. It is +ill supplied with fuel, and that not good, and the uncertain state of +the river, from its shoals and great rapidity, prevents that constant +and uniform navigation which can alone support a regular and extensive +trade. To remove these barriers, several attempts, I am informed, have +been made, but the estimate of expenses has been so enormous, that the +measure has always proved abortive. + +Quitting Hereford, the Wye bends its course round a point of land for a +distance of near two miles, when we are again brought almost as near to +the town, as when we quitted it. The river as we passed down, still +continued its circuitous windings, but with a more placid surface, +seldom meeting any obstruction in its course, from those rocky +substances that formed the grand characteristic of the stream in its +earlier stages. The general face of the country is rich in verdure, and +the cattle grazing on the banks of the river or laving in its stream, +are objects that perpetually contribute to enliven the scene. + +About six miles below Hereford, the Wye receives the river Lug, one of +the three principal rivers in this county; it derives its source from +the mountains in the north east part of Radnorshire, and running east, +through Herefordshire to Leominster, takes a south east direction +towards the Wye; in its course it is joined by several smaller streams, +and on its near approach to our river, becomes a stream of considerable +magnitude. About a mile from the bank of the Wye, this river runs +through the pleasant village of Mordiford, and adds much to the +picturesque scenery of the place. On the east end of the church of +Mordiford is represented in plaster, an enormous dragon or serpent, the +history of which is thus recorded. Some centuries ago, we know not when, +a dragon is reported to have been the devourer of all the cattle on the +adjoining hills called Offwood, and was a monster of such terrific +qualities, that no one could for a great length of time, be found bold +enough to undertake his destruction, till at length a pardon being +granted to a condemned criminal, on condition that he would undertake +it, he achieved his purpose, by slaying the dragon as he was solacing +himself in a cyder hogshead. This wonderful relation, seems to be +generally credited by the people in the neighbourhood, as no doubt it +was at the building of this edifice, or this strange monster would not +have been represented in so terrific a form, and in so conspicuous a +place as the front of the church. After relating this wonderful +circumstance, may we be permitted to quote another, not less so from the +learned Camden. He says, that “near the conflux of the Lug and the Wye, +eastward, a hill which they call Marcley hill, did in the year 1575, +rouse itself as it were out of sleep, and for three days together, +shoving its prodigious body forward with a horrible roaring noise, and +overturning every thing in its way, raised itself (to the great +astonishment of the beholders) to a higher place; by that kind of +earthquake, I suppose, which the Naturalists call Brasmatia.” On a hill +adjoining the village, a large stone house has been recently erected by +a Mr. Hereford, which deserves notice from the extensive and beautiful +view it commands of Hereford and the surrounding country. + +About a mile below Mordiford, we pass a large brick mansion belonging to +the Duke of Norfolk, called Holme Lacy, formerly the seat of the ancient +family of the Scudamores. On this site stood an abbey for +Premonstratensian cannons, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Thomas a +Becket, founded by William Fitzwain in the beginning of the reign of +Henry the third; the house is a flat uninteresting building, but +comprises within its view a beautiful and picturesque prospect on the +opposite side of the river, called Fownhope. The village is situated +amidst a rich thicket of verdant and woody scenery, on an extensive +slope rising from a rocky bank of the Wye. + +This richly diversified hill, is at a proper distance from the eye, to +enable it distinctly to mark the several species of trees of which it is +composed; these cannot be more aptly described, than in the lines of +Dyer, on a similar subject, in his charming poem of Grongar Hill. + + “The gloomy pine, the poplar blue, + “The yellow beech, the sable yew, + “The slender fir, that taper grows, + “The sturdy oak, with broad spread boughs.” + +Amongst the few houses that are scattered on this beautiful scene, the +principal are those of Mr. Lechmere, and Mr. Purchase, who has a +considerable brewery here. A little below the next bend of the river, a +range of hills called Capler hills, form a rich screen to the northern +bank of the Wye. These hills are upwards of a mile and a half in length, +and are principally covered with oak trees, the soil which is of a +reddish cast, frequently breaks through the verdure of its plantations, +and gives a warm and animated tinge to the landscape. A high road passes +the summit of these hills, that commands a beautiful prospect of the +surrounding country, and the meandering river beneath. Near Brookhampton +on Capler hill, is the remain of a very large square camp called Wobury, +it appears to be double trenched, but narrow and near half a mile in +length. About five years ago, near three acres of these hills fell into +the Wye and narrowed its course, but it has from that circumstance, +obtained a more considerable depth than we have before witnessed in this +river, being now in a dry season, upwards of five feet deep. + +On the left of the river, at Aramstone, is a fine view of the village of +King’s Caple situated amidst a beautiful assemblage of woods. Below this +spot on the opposite bank is Harewood, the residence of the Hoskins’s an +ancient family in the county of Hereford. This place is peculiarly +worthy notice, as it composed part of the forest of Harewood, in which +Ethelwold, king Edgar’s minister had a castle. Here Mason fixed the +scene, for his dramatic poem of Elfrida, and thus he describes the scene +before us + + “How nobly does this venerable wood, + “Gilt with the glories of the orient sun + “Embosom yon fair mansion! the soft air + “Salutes me with most cool and temp’rate breath; + “And as I tread, the flow’r besprinkled lawn + “Sends up a gale of fragrance. I should guess, + “If e’er content deign’d visit mortal clime, + “This was her place of dearest residence.” + +From hence amidst a rich and woody country, admitting from its sameness +little variety worthy either the pen or pencil, we pursued our course +down the gentle stream till we reached the pleasant village of Selleck; +its church is of a singular construction, and no less so is that of an +epitaph I copied in the church yard, on the tombstone of one Richard +Addis who died in 1788, aged 80. + + “When Christ come riding on the clouds + “To view the world abroad, + “Angels and saints crying aloud + “Rise dead and meet the Lord.” + +On the opposite side of the river, a little below Harewood, is a fine +grove of trees called Caple Tump, where an annual festival is held from +all the neighbouring towns, and where + + “All the village train, from labor free, + “Lead up their sports beneath the spreading tree.” + +About two miles below Selleck, we were gratified with the most beautiful +and luxuriant view of Ross, that I believe the country from any point +affords. + + + + + SECTION V. + + +On the approach to Ross, a fine amphitheatre of trees called Ashwood +skirts the southern bank of the Wye. From this charming spot, near three +miles above Ross, the annexed view which comprehends the principal +objects that compose the beautiful in picturesque landscape was +sketched. The town is situated on the declivity of a hill at a happy +distance, and not too obtrusive on the eye; the rising hills with which +it is screened give a boldness of character to the situation, nor is the +winding of the river, and verdure of the country that enrich its banks, +less characteristic of this delightful neighbourhood. The hill to the +right of the town is called the Chase, and that on the left, +Penyard-wood, on which formerly stood a castle, said to have been +destroyed in the civil wars. The white spire of Ross church “bosomed +high in tufted trees” has at this distance an effect peculiarly +pleasing, but on a nearer approach, the town obtrudes too much on the +eye, and the picturesque and beautiful, gradually disappear. + +Ross, abstracted from its elevated and delightful situation, has little +to render it worthy attention; the prospect from the church yard a spot +to which the traveller is generally conducted on his arrival, displays a +very extensive and enchanting landscape both above and below the town. + +The beautiful and meandering course of the river beneath, enriched with +pleasure boats constantly in motion, in their passage to and from +Chepstow, gives life and beauty to the scene. These boats are lightly +constructed and are navigated by three men, either with or without a +sail. The heavy mass of building called the Town Hall, from its general +appearance conveys a faint idea of the worst style of Saxon +architecture; it is a ponderous and unmeaning heap of stone, huddled +together in the tasteless reign of James the first, by one John Abel who +erected a similar building at Hereford; they vie with each other in want +of taste, and have nothing to render them worthy notice but their +absurdity, which I believe is not to be equalled by the dullest +architect of that or any other period. At one end of the building, +intended I presume as an ornament, there is a noseless bust, supposed to +be that of the merry monarch Charles the second. In such a state of +decay is the stone of which this edifice is composed, together with the +heavy style of its architecture, that it has every appearance of having +been erected as far back as the time of the Saxons. + +Notwithstanding the disadvantage under which this building labors, I +have yet considered the general view of which it forms a part as not +devoid of interest, it comprises the house in which the man of Ross +resided till his death, now known by the sign of the King’s Arm Inn. As +every the most trifling circumstance relative to a character so highly +distinguished by the pen of Pope, and still more highly dignified by the +general voice of the people of Ross becomes interesting, I have here +thought fit to give a view of the house in which he resided, and the +adjoining buildings. + +To the benevolent John Kyrle, a name almost lost in the superior title +of the Good Man of Ross this town owes most of its improvements and +charitable institutions. + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland del._ + + _Market house &c._ + + _Pub. for S. Ireland Mar. 1, 1797_ +] + +He was born at Whitehouse, in the parish of Dymock, in the county of +Hereford in 1637, served the office of sheriff for the county in 1683, +and died in 1724. + +From an income of only five hundred pounds a year, this good man appears +to have derived every happiness to himself and to have diffused it with +uncommon benevolence to all around him. This exemplary character has +been so interestingly delineated by the pen of Pope, that the +introduction of the following lines although well known, will need no +apology for their insertion in this work. + + “Rise honest muse! and sing the _Man of Ross_: + “Pleas’d Vaga echoes thro’ her winding bounds, + “And rapid Severn hoarse applause resounds. + “Who hung with woods yon mountain’s sultry brow? + “From the dry rock, who bade the waters flow? + “Not to the skies in useless columns tost, + “Or in proud falls magnificently lost, + “But clear, and artless, pouring thro’ the plain + “Health to the sick, and solace to the swain. + “Whose cause-way parts the vale with shady rows? + “Whose seats the weary traveller repose? + “Who taught the heaven directed spire to rise? + “The _Man of Ross_, each lisping babe replies. + “Behold the market-place with poor o’erspread! + “_The Man of Ross_ divides the weekly bread; + “He feeds yon alms-house, neat, but void of state, + “Where age, and want sit smiling at the gate; + “Him portion’d maids, apprentic’d orphans blest, + “The young who labor, and the old who rest. + “Is any sick? the _Man of Ross_ relieves, + “Prescribes, attends, the medicine makes, and gives.” + “Is there a variance? enter but his door, + “Balk’d are the courts, and contest is no more. + “Despairing Quacks with curses fled the place, + “And vile Attorneys, now an useless race. + + B. “Thrice happy man! enabled to pursue + “What all so wish, but want the power to do! + “Oh say, what sums that gen’rous hand supply? + “What mines to swell that boundless charity? + + P. “Of debts and taxes, wife and children clear, + “This man possest—five hundred pounds a year. + “Blush, grandeur, blush! proud courts withdraw your blaze, + “Ye little stars! hide your diminished rays. + + B. “And what? no monument, inscription, stone? + “His race, his form, his name almost unknown? + + P. “Who builds a church to God, and not to fame, + “Will never mark the marble with his name; + “Go, search it there, where to be born and die, + “Of rich and poor makes all the history; + “Enough that virtue fill’d the space between + “Prov’d by the ends of being, to have been.” + +The allusion of the poet, to a neglect in not raising a monument to the +good man’s name, no longer exists, for in 1776 a neat mural tablet was +erected to his memory in the chancel of the church, by Colonel Money, to +defray the expence of which, the sum of three hundred pounds was +bequeathed by a Lady Kinnoul, whose property devolving to the Colonel, +the good intention of the lady was by him accomplished. On this tablet +the following lines are inscribed. + +“This monument was erected in memory of Mr. John Kyrle, commonly called +the Man of Ross.” + +It is somewhat singular that neither his age, nor the time of his death, +are here mentioned. The design for the monument was made by a Mr. Marsh +of this town, who has introduced a bust of the good man that bears +little resemblance to either of the two portraits I met with in Ross; +one of these is in the possession of Philip Jones Esq.; a gentleman, who +by marriage with a descendant of John Kyrle, enjoys all his property, +and by his urbanity renders himself a worthy representative of that +exemplary character. This picture appears to be that of a person about +thirty six years of age, and is evidently the work of Sir Peter Lely. +The other portrait was at the King’s Arms Inn, formerly the residence of +John Kyrle, as described in the view given in this section, it +represents him at a more advanced period of life, and on that account, +although ill painted, it was preferred to the former as he is exhibited +nearer the close of a life, long and happily spent in the promotion of +virtue, and to the honor of human nature. I flatter myself the annexed +etching from this picture will not prove unacceptable to the admirer and +collector of portraits, as I do not remember to have ever seen a print +of this exalted character. The original is said to have been sketched +from the life unknown to Mr. Kyrle, on a Sunday whilst he was attending +divine service. He had often been solicited to sit for his picture, but +no inducement could prevail on him to comply with the request of his +friends. + +[Illustration: + + _F. Barlow sculp^t._ + + JOHN KYRLE, + + _Commonly called the Man of Ross_. +] + +It is reported of Mr. Kyrle, that his ordinary mode of dress, was very +plain, and so mean as even to suggest the idea of indigence and want. +And even more unfavourable conclusions have been made, from his general +appearance, for upon no better foundation, it is said that when +travelling in Oxfordshire on horseback, he was apprehended near Benson, +upon a suspicion of having committed a robbery in a neighbouring county. +I need not add that this charge was dismissed the instant his name was +made known to the magistracy. + +We cannot quit this town without noticing to the picturesque traveller, +a charming walk made by Mr. Kyrle, which led to what he called his farm, +it commands a beautiful view of the devious windings of the river +beneath, and Wilton castle, bridge, &c. on the opposite shore. + + + + + SECTION VI. + + +About a mile below Ross, Wilton Castle first attracts our attention. +This ruin is situated on the margin of the Wye, and affords with its +surrounding objects in many points of view, scenes not unworthy the +attention of the antiquary or admirer of picturesque objects. Its +western walls and round towers are in the most perfect state of +preservation, but the annexed view, comprising a part of the bridge, is +selected as most appropriate to the design of this work and to exemplify +the course of the river. The castle has formerly covered a considerable +extent of ground, the greater part of which is now used as a garden. +Camden says “that king John gave Wilton with the castle to Henry +Longchamp and that it came by marriage to William Fitzhugh, and not long +after, in King Edward the first’s time, to Reginald Grey, Justice of +Chester, from whom by a long descent it came to Lord Grey of Wilton, +whose son Arthur Lord Grey was Lord Deputy of Ireland.” This noble +person merits particular attention, as having been the early patron of +our Spencer the poet, who accompanied him to Ireland as his secretary. + +In the county of Cork, at a place called Kilcolman, Spencer is reported +to have finished his excellent poem of the Fairy Queen. The River Mulla, +so often mentioned by him, ran through the grounds of the house in which +he resided. His gratitude to his patron is thus recorded, in a sonnet +addressed to him, and is prefixed to the poem. + + “Most noble lord the pillor of my life, + “And patrone of my muses pupillage: + “Through whose large bountie, poured on me rife + “In the first season of my feeble age, + “I nowe doe live bound yours by vassalage;” &c. + +At what period Wilton Castle went out of the family of the Greys is not +mentioned, but it afterwards belonged to the Lord Chandos, from whom it +descended to the duke of Chandos who built Canons in Middlesex. The +remains of this castle, with Aconbury, Dewfall, and other considerable +estates in the neighbourhood belonging to this family, amounting to near +four thousand pounds per annum, were sold some years ago to the +governors of Guy’s Hospital. The castle is reported to have been +principally destroyed by fire, but at what period is not ascertained. In +support of this idea we observed, that towards the ends of the timbers, +many of them appeared to have been much burned. On this spot an +assemblage of rich and woody scenery, forms the leading feature of the +vicinity of our river, and about two miles below Wilton bridge I would +advise the admirer of the truly grand in landscape, to ascend the hill +in the high road to Monmouth, where at a place called Pencreek, the eye +is feasted with one of the most magnificent views this river affords. +The distant church of Ross, its neighboring woods and hills, and the +meandering course of the Wye, all combine from hence to form this +fascinating scene. Here the course of the river is peculiarly marked, +its channel is nobly formed, and wears a grandeur not to be met with in +any other river we have yet seen in this country. + +Amidst a variety of enchanting views, passing from one bend of the river +to another, Goodrich castle, on the summit of a bold promontory, amidst +an elegant woodland scene, nobly raises its ruined battlements, as if +frowning on the stream beneath. + +On ascending the hill to contemplate the spoils of Time, who ravages +alike the forms of beauty and the tower of strength, by leaving for a +moment the ordinary path and passing up what is called Conduit hill, +Walford church, Ross, and the surrounding country, at a happy distance, +combine to form a landscape of peculiar richness and beauty. History +does not inform us at what period this castle was erected, but we find +that early as the fifth year of the reign of King John, William +Marshall, Earl of Pembroke had a grant of it. From this family it came +to Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, in the reign of Edward the third, and in +the twentieth year of Richard the second, Sir John Scudamore of Holme +Lacy was constituted its constable, during the minority of John Lord +Talbot, in whose family it continued till the fourteenth of James the +First; at which period Gilbert Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury died, leaving +three daughters his coheiresses. Elizabeth the second daughter was +married to Henry de Grey, Earl of Kent, by which marriage he became +possessor of this manor, which continued in the family till the death of +Henry Duke of Kent in 1740, after which it was sold to Thomas Griffin, +Esq.; Vice Admiral of the White, whose second son, the Reverend Dr. +Griffin of Hadnock near Monmouth, is its present owner. + +This celebrated castle was nearly square, covering a space of ground +forty eight yards by fifty two; it was defended at each angle by four +large round towers, one of which formed an irregular Heptagon. Through a +perfect Gothic arch, we are led to a spacious hall of good proportion +overgrown with ivy, adjoining which is an area, presenting the remains +of a lofty square building, with circular arched windows in the Saxon +style, resembling Gundulph’s tower at Rochester castle. By the fragment +of a stone staircase, we ascend another embattled tower, through which +at a great depth appears the immense fosse, or trench, which is hewn out +of a solid rock, and is twenty yards in breadth. Here was once a +draw-bridge and two gates with recesses between each, evidently intended +as places of safety for its guards, who unseen might annoy the enemy. +The various points from which this castle may be viewed to advantage, +would afford ample matter for the antiquary, artist, and military +architect. + +Quitting this spot, several views of the castle presented themselves, +but they were all undignified and uninteresting when compared with those +we had before contemplated. The country on the opposite side of the +river towards the village of Walford, is peculiarly beautiful. In the +church of Walford, one of the aisles is now called Kyrle’s chapel; it +was erected by that family for their private use, before it became a +parochial church; about a mile below the castle, is a small remain of +Goodrich priory; a few Gothic windows are yet standing, and part of the +chapel which is now converted to a granary; the whole affords an object +sufficient to attract the notice of the curious. + +[Illustration: Black-and-white engraving of a group of connected +buildings with steep gabled roofs, small arched windows, and two crosses +at the roof peaks. A set of exterior steps and a small platform stand at +the center, with a cart in front. A tall tree rises at the right side.] + +This priory was a monastery of the order of black cannons regular of St. +Augustine, founded and endowed with the king’s licence in the twentieth +year of Edward the fourth, 1347. Its situation corresponds with the +happy choice usually made by the ancient possessors of religious houses, +it stands in a fertile valley, watered by one of the finest rivers in +the kingdom. The building with the lands contiguous to the castle are +occupied by a Mr. Bellamy. From the ascent, approaching the village of +Goodrich a rich and extensive view presents itself across the forest of +Dean, from whence Rure-dean church happily breaks upon the eye. + +Here the Wye in a long and serpentine reach, appears in a perspective +point of view and affords a pleasing and happy termination to the +scenery; its banks are screened on the south, by an extensive coppice +wood, and on the north, by fertile meadows rising towards Bishop’s-wood, +from which a considerable iron furnace in this vicinity derives its +name. From the stone quarries in this neighborhood, the new bridge at +Bristol was principally erected. + +Passing down the river, the next object that attracts our notice is +Courtfield, the seat of the Vaughan family. + +This spot is rendered remarkable from Henry the fifth having been nursed +in the neighbourhood. That prince we are told, was when young of a weak +and sickly habit, and was placed under the care of a countess of +Salisbury, from which circumstance in all probability, the original name +of this place which was Greyfield, was changed to the appellation it now +bears. We next approach Lidbroke colliery and very large and extensive +wharf, from whence a considerable commerce in coals is carried on to +Ross, Hereford and other places. This productive mine is the property of +Lord Gage. With all the dark and dingy attributes of this place, +involved as it is in smoke, and begirt with coal barges, it yet affords +a very pleasing and interesting landscape. The high road that ascends +the woody hill, screening the back ground of this wharf, is perpetually +enlivened by horses and carriages in this sooty sable commerce, while on +the bank of the river beneath, the lading and unlading the vessels, +afford additional business and variety to the scene. This view is finely +contrasted on a sudden bend of the river a little below, where all is +tranquil and serene. The picturesque village of Welch Bicknor presents +itself in a rich valley on the right bank of the Wye, happily overshaded +by a thicket of woods, ranged in a grand and circular sweep. These are +called Hawkwood and Packwood, and extend about a mile along the bank of +the river. The village church and parsonage house, group in a form +peculiarly beautiful and interesting. + +In the body of the church, fronting the reading desk, is a cumbent whole +length female figure, well sculptured in a darkish coloured stone. +Traditional report says it represents the countess of Salisbury, whom we +have just mentioned as having nursed king Henry the fifth. She holds a +child in each arm. This effigy is highly worthy of notice. The drapery +is in a loose and free style, and the general contour of the whole +bespeaks it the work of an artist of talent. A little below this scene, +the Wye is bounded on the opposite shore by a long range of hills, +beautifully cloathed with verdure, and diversified by a rich and broken +soil of a warm and reddish hue, frequently over clouded with shades of +smoak that issue from the various kilns, kept continually burning near +this spot. These circumstances trifling and adventitious as they may +appear, give relief and effect to the picturesque and beautiful in +landscape. Approaching the foot of Cold-well rocks, a scene sublime and +majestic presents itself. The grand prominencies are overhung with +richly varied tufts of oak, and other shrubberies, occasionally +contrasted and relieved by deep and shadowy dells, formed by the various +lime kilns on their surface. Some of the most prominent of Cold-well +rocks, we are informed, have by some gentlemen of the bar, in their +passage down this river, been christened after the names of our +principal council. The connection is not obvious, or readily traced. + +Here we quitted the barge to ascend these majestic rocks, which by an +immense and craggy steep, we with difficulty accomplished, and reached +the summit called Symond’s Gate. This task, arduous as it is should not +deter the traveller from pursuing this course, as by means of it he will +avoid a dull and uninteresting passage on the water of full three miles +to the new Weir, and by passing over these rocks he will enjoy a +sublimity of scenery that will amply repay his toil and labour. As we +ascend these superb masses of stone, the rich and extensive scenery that +surrounds us, is every moment unfolding itself: the summit is richly +overgrown with wild thyme, and variegated flowers, and is crowned with +the rich and deep foliage of the noble oak + + “Here all the air a solemn stillness holds” + +save the distant lowing of cattle, and from his rocky bed, the dirge +like evening song of the owl, that floats along the gale. + +From hence Goodrich castle, which we imagined we had left far behind, +breaks suddenly upon the eye, and appears from the immense winding of +the river to be a near object. The new weir, and adjoining waterfall, +with the surrounding rich and healthy hills afford from this spot a +combination of objects, that deservedly rank among the first views on +the river, or perhaps in this country. + +The village of Whitechurch in the centre of the vale beneath, with the +vast hills beyond it, afford a sublime termination to this reach of the +river. + +At Whitechurch is a second ferry called Hunson’s Rope. This ferry +although seven miles distant by water from that of Goodrich, is only one +mile by land, a striking instance of the very appropriate and +characteristical title of our river, which from its mazy and circuitous +course, is justly denominated the Vaga, or Wye. + + + + + SECTION VII. + + +Descending towards the new Weir by a course not less rugged than that by +which we ascended, the fatigue we had undergone, was amply repaid by the +gratification we received in some of the most beautiful views that can +be imagined. These presented themselves through the various breaks of +the rocks, or openings of the surrounding woods with which they are +enriched. The serpentine winding of the river, and the vast prominencies +and fantastic forms of the rocks in its vicinity, give an air of solemn +gloom and grandeur to the scene. From the approach to the Weir, the +annexed view was selected, it comprises all the principal objects that +could be admitted within the limits of a scale so circumscribed. The +innumerable circumstances that aid this grand and sublime scene, are +such as to render it almost impossible for the pencil, to render it +justice. The iron forges on the opposite side of the river, not less +from their appearance than from the important purposes they answer in +human life, give an interest to this effusion of nature, while the awful +sound of the iron hammers beating the fiery mass, awakens in the mind +new sensations giving dignity and grandeur to the subject. This +picturesque scene is much heightened by the immense volumes of sparkling +smoak that are continually issuing from the forges, these give a +pleasing though transitory relief to the sombre, and distant hills that +terminate the view. Around these works are scattered great masses of +half burned ore, coal, and cinders, and interspersed on the barren and +extensive moor in the vicinity, are many humble cottages of the various +workmen employed in the manufactory. The roaring of the waters from the +cascade of the Weir adjoining to this work has a grand effect, its fall +is precipitate although at no great height, nor is it perceived from +above the stream. + +The river here receives a considerable degree of agitation from the huge +masses of stone, either swept down by the stream, or hurled from the +summit of the neighbouring rocks. Here the Wye increases in width, and +its current is so strong, that it is with extraordinary labour and +difficulty the barges are towed up. I have seen eight or ten men +throwing themselves on the earth on every pull, to give force to their +exertions. + +In this part of the river is frequently seen a small fishing boat on a +singular construction, called a corricle, it is ribbed with laths or +split twigs, and is covered with a strong pitched canvas, to prevent its +leaking, it is about five feet and a half long and four broad. In the +middle is a seat that holds one man, who sits with a paddle in one hand +while he fishes with the other. His labour finished, he throws the +corricle over his shoulder and retires to his home. + +A little below the weir the river scenery is terminated by what is +called King Arthur’s plain, or Doward hills. To the traveller who is +bold enough to attempt the summit of these hills, the views will afford +ample variety both in the beautiful and sublime. Camden conjectures, +that on these hills there has anciently been a fortification, and what +makes it more probable is, that in digging there for iron ore, and lime +stone, he says “broad arrow heads have been found, and not long ago, the +greatest part of the bones of a gigantic person were found here +interred, in a place “that seemed to be arched over.” Whatever may have +been the ancient destination of this spot, its present attractions +proceed from the very extensive and richly diversified prospects that +present themselves from every point of view. On a spot adjoining to the +wood on the extremity of this hill, is a cavern that bears the name of +King Arthur’s Hall; it is said to extend by a passage from hence to the +new weir, a distance of about a mile. Many fabulous and romantic tales +have been attached to the history of this hall, but the fact appears to +be simply this, that it was a cavern, from whence was dug a rich mine of +iron ore, that supplied the adjoining furnaces. + +A detached cluster of rocks called St. Martins’, or the three Sisters, +somewhat resembling but much inferior to those at Cold-well, skirt the +river in passing down, near which at a short reach called St. Martin’s +Well, the stream is supposed to have a greater depth of water than in +any other part. At the extremity of this reach from a beautiful vale, +King Arthur’s plain again presents itself, assuming a new and +castellated form, and here every stroak of the oar gives variety to the +scene, and every object seems to vary its situation. The vast assemblage +of rocks we have just contemplated, appear to vanish and melt into a +distant hill, rising from a craggy base on the margin of the river. + +About two miles before we reach Monmouth, Hadnock house and the beauties +of its situation justly demand our attention. It is situated on the edge +of the forest of Dean, and stands on the brow of a hill, commanding a +fascinating view of the meandering Wye, that gently glides beneath its +rocky hills: these are enriched with verdant coppice woods that screen +this beautiful spot, the residence of the Rev. Dr. Griffin, whom we have +before mentioned. From hence along the base of the hills, a road running +parallel with the river that leads on to Monmouth. + + + + + SECTION VIII. + + +Quitting Hadnock, we are gratified with a distant view of the bridge and +town of Monmouth. The solitary church of Dixton on the opposite bank of +the river, although deficient in accompaniments is yet a characteristic +and interesting feature in the fore ground of the landscape; and it +continues to be such, though since this drawing was executed, its +interior received in the great flood in 1795 very material injury; the +water having forced its way through the windows and doors, and torn up +pulpit, pews and pavement. + +Monmouth bridge is of stone, and consists of six irregular arches. The +town derives its name from its situation at the conflux of the Wye and +Mynwye, generally, and by the Welsh particularly pronounced Monnow. + +A great part of Monmouth is encompassed by this river which empties +itself into the Wye at the lower end of the town; where a very ancient +bridge and gateway, formerly a barrier against the Welsh, is thrown +across this mountain stream. It is somewhat extraordinary, that neither +history or tradition, although they are both mentioned by Leland in his +itinerary, afford any information as to the period in which they were +built. Independent however of historical evidence, they bear such +unequivocal marks of antiquity, that the picturesque effect they +produce, gives them ample claim to a place in this work. The annexed +plate will we flatter ourselves, convey a faithful representation of +this venerable remain, and in some degree illustrate the situation of +the town itself; which though low, is seated in a spot at once both +pleasing and romantic. + +Monmouth had anciently four gates, and the suburb was defended by a wall +and deep ditch on each side, except that next the river. As far back as +Leland’s time, the walls and every other embattled part but the square +tower were in a state of ruin. The church is an entire modern structure. + +Monmouth has high claim to consideration and respect, from its having +given birth to our fifth Henry the conqueror of France, whose active +spirit, warlike qualities, and superior skill in horsemanship, +particularly at a time when to be accomplished, was indispensible to the +character of a gentleman, and the cavalry service began to be in a +manner appropriated to men of this rank, are thus enchantingly, and with +all the ease and grace of the gallant and princely horseman he +describes, delineated by our matchless bard. + + “I saw young Harry with his beaver on, + “His cuiffes on his thighs, gallantly arm’d, + “Rise from the ground like feather’d Mercury, + “And vaulted with such ease into his seat + “As if an angel dropp’d down from the clouds, + “To turn and wind a fiery pegasus, + “And witch the world with feats of horsemanship.” + +Henry was born in the castle of Monmouth, of which little more remains +than a few fragments of walls, and an elevation or mound of earth, just +sufficient to ascertain its site; and to demonstrate how evanescent and +transitory are all human things; the strong embattled fortress as well +as the cradle of princes. Such once were to be found on this spot; and +that this awful truth may be more strongly impressed and exemplified, +though there yet remains more visible and palpable evidence of one than +of the other, let it be remembered, that the record of history will +retain the memory of the birth place of Henry, when all traces of the +castle shall have passed away, and even its site shall as ineffectually +be sought after as at this hour the image of its former splendour. + +In this castle Edward the second, after he had been made prisoner by his +queen Isabella, in 1326, was for a time confined. Having in the south +west direction of the town, with some difficulty obtained a sketch of +the ruin of the castle that partakes much of the picturesque, it is here +given as an illustration of this venerable spot. The river Monnow +beautifully winds beneath its ruined walls, the wooden bridge that is +thrown across the stream, and the rich and verdant scenery of its hilly +bank, all conspire to produce a landscape highly deserving a place in +this work. The remains of the castle, denote it to be of Roman +construction, Camden says that from the king’s records, a castle was +standing here in a flourishing state, as early as the time of William +the Conqueror, and that it was rebuilt by John Baron of Monmouth, about +the year 1240. + +This town has not only the honor of giving birth to a great king, but +likewise to a great historian, Galfredius Arthurius, Bishop of St. +Asaph, better known by the name of Jeffery of Monmouth. He is supposed +to have been educated at this place, which had then a benedictine +monastery, or convent of black monks, founded in 1240 by Wihenoe de +Monemue, or Monmouth. Monasteries were at that time the principal +seminaries for learning in this country, as Oxford and Cambridge had not +then risen to any great celebrity, and were at that period much +depressed in consequence of the Danish invasion. Jeffery was made arch +deacon of Monmouth in 1251, and was soon afterwards created bishop of +St. Asaph. He translated the history of Britain from the British +language into Latin, a work said to have been discovered by Walter +Mapæus while in Armorica, and brought by him into England, where meeting +with Jeffery of Monmouth, a man profoundly versed in the history and +antiquities of Britain, and an elegant writer for the period in which he +lived the task was entrusted to him. Merlin’s prophecies he also +translated from British verse into Latin prose. This work was of +essential service to the Welch chieftain Owen Glyndwr, whose high +pretensions to soveriegnty were constantly favoured and cherished by +these prophecies. The veracity of Jeffery, as an historian, has been +doubted by many; Camden says that his relation of Brutus and his +successors ought to be entirely disregarded. It may however be observed +in favour of this writer, from the testimony of Giraldas Cambrensis his +contemporary, that at that period the Welch bards and minstrels from +early traditional accounts, received and transmitted with a mixture of +religious reverence and awe, solemnly repeated the genealogy of their +princes and heroes, from Roderic the Great to Æneas, and from Æneas +lineally to Adam. + +If this should not altogether be thought to add much to their probable +authenticity, it will serve to warrant the introduction of the history, +to shew at least that he was not the author of the fiction; and, in +tracing the origin of nations, tales to the full as fabulous are to be +met with in the pages of many of our gravest and approved writers. + +To the few early historians of our own we owe much, and amongst these +Jeffery deserves every respect, and we are bound to regret that in +succeeding times, the best histories of this country will be found to +have been the labors of foreigners. A fragment of Monmouth Priory, we +have preserved as a tribute to the memory of the historian who was there +educated: The Gothic window that appears in view remains very perfect, +and appertains to a venerable ancient chamber, which he is reported to +have occupied as a study. From the nature of its foundation, the free +school at Monmouth particularly deserves our notice. Burton, in his +history of Wales, gives this relation of William Jones its founder: he +says, “Wm. Jones was born at Monmouth, and forced to quit his country +for not being able to pay ten groats. Coming to London he became first a +porter, and then a factor; and going over to Hamburgh, had such a vent +for Welch cottons, that he gained a very considerable estate in a short +time. He founded a fair school in Monmouth, allowing fifty pounds yearly +to the master, and a hundred pounds salary to a lecturer, besides a +stately alms-house for twenty poor people, each of them having two rooms +and a garden, and half a crown a week; all which he left to the +oversight of the company of haberdashers in London, who discharge their +trust therein to this day.” Another account of the founder is thus +given, but with less credibility. That he was a native of Newland, a few +miles distant from Monmouth, and having quitted it when young to seek +his fortune, he returned at an advanced period of life, in an apparent +state of indigence, although very rich, and applied to his native town +for relief as a pauper, which being refused, he took his revenge on the +people by retiring to Monmouth, and there dispensing that wealth, that +was intended to enrich his native place. + +We cannot quit the pleasant town of Monmouth without noticing the +massive pile of its gaol. Built in a lofty and healthy spot, and in the +form of an ancient castle; it frowns over the country, and impresses the +idea of rigorous confinement and the impossibility of escape. At the +time we visited this expensive and spacious work, it contained only one +solitary inhabitant, and he a prisoner for only a very trivial offence. +As our gaols increase in magnitude, it is with pleasure we have +frequently had occasion to remark that there is a decrease of +inhabitants, nor is it less worthy of observation that the humanity of +supplying even those who least deserve it, with decent accommodation, as +well as the blessing of light and air, before denied to them, is now +most liberally granted. + +Perhaps it may not be too much to infer from hence, that the immensity +of the bulk of these buildings, in the conspicuous situation in which +they are now placed, may impress the multitude with such a terror of the +consequence of crimes, as in some degree to prevent a commission of +them. This building stands on an eminence, and commands a fine view of +the town and surrounding country. + + + + + SECTION IX. + + +Quitting Monmouth on an excursion to Rhaglan Castle, we ascended a +considerable hill about a mile from the town, that afforded one of the +most luxuriant landscapes we had witnessed in the course of our route. +From this eminence, the rich valley in which Monmouth is situated, and +the beauties of the surrounding country, are highly illustrative of +Gray’s opinion of the charming situation of this place. He rapturously +describes this scene as “the delight of his eyes and the very seat of +pleasure.” We have attempted to give an idea of this much admired spot +in the annexed plate. + +The ride to Rhaglan Castle, a distance of about six miles, amply +gratified us for this deviation from our main pursuit. + +This magnificent remain of ancient splendor stands on an elevated +situation commonly called Twyn-y-ciros, which signifies in Welch the +cherry hill; and, as we approach it from the village, appears to wear +that solemn and majestic air highly characteristic of the spirit of the +times in which it flourished. The external view here selected, we +flatter ourselves will not only convey the best idea of its extent and +magnificence, but is a point from which we do not remember to have ever +seen it represented. This noble building, which may rather be terminated +a castellated house than a castle, is in many parts, still in good +preservation. It was erected in the reign of Henry VII. and does not +therefore boast of great antiquity; many additions were made to it about +the time of Elizabeth, these constitute, the most elegant parts of this +superb pile, and are to be found in the windows of the grand hall, or +banqueting room; the ornaments of the frieze and cornice are light and +elegant, and in the best taste of that time. To the left of this hall, +was a large court one hundred feet long, and sixty feet broad, well +arched and ornamented, with curious stone work both on the walls and +windows. In the midst of the court was a pleasant marble fountain called +the White Horse: the following remark of Dr. Griffin, relative to the +white horse may not prove uninteresting. “I remember,” says he, “some +years ago, they used to shew here part of the body of a black horse, +which stood in the middle of some water that supplied the castle, and +was a fountain. I was told the parliamentarians poisoned the water +during the siege, and that the stone horse absorbed the poison; it was +very hard, but on being struck, or rubbed with any hard substance, +emitted a very offensive smell. Perhaps I had the legend very +imperfectly, and it should have been added, the poison turned the white +horse into a black one.” The castle is surrounded by a wide fosse thirty +feet broad, wherein was originally placed an artificial water work, +which spouted up water to the height of the castle, and contains within +it two acres, one of which appears to have been encompassed with +domestic offices, such as kitchen, brewhouse, &c. and in which there is +an oven, and fire range of such extraordinary dimensions, as to satisfy +us, that there were times in which they were not wholly occupied in +feats of arms. + +In this building every precaution has been used to guard and secure the +approaches to it; and the utmost magnificence is to be observed in every +part of the interior, even in the domestic offices. The staircase and +ascent to the grand apartments are peculiarly noble; and beneath the +areas which are vaulted, are various subterraneous apartments, and +extensive cellars of the most excellent workmanship. The citadel, which +is octagonal, is surrounded by a moat, and stands at a small distance +from the castle: its principal parts are in a perfect state of +preservation. This noble castle is in the possession of the Duke of +Beaufort, whose ancestor, the Marquis of Worcester in the time of +Charles the first, added and fortified many extensive out works, by +which he was enabled to hold it for the king’s use till his imprisonment +at Holmby. It once contained a garrison of eight hundred men, and was +the last castle that surrendered to the parliament forces, then under +the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax. This event happened on the nineteenth +of August 1646, and is reported to have been effected by a female in the +garrison, and by the use of a very ordinary female engine, the mere +waving a handkerchief, as a signal for the introduction of Cromwell’s +party. If this were so, politics were probably by no means the primary +incentives of this lady’s zeal, and there were doubtless secret articles +in this treaty, unknown to the besieging general. The window at which +she appeared is still shewn. + +The more probable account is, that from the very long siege it +sustained, the upper part was undermined, and the timbers being burnt a +great part of it fell down. Soon after its surrender, the castle was +demolished and left, in nearly the same state in which it now remains. +The loss to the family is supposed to be upwards of a hundred thousand +pounds, besides the forfeiture of an estate of twenty thousand a year. +Three considerable parks of remarkable fertility, and richly stocked +with deer, once appertained to this castle. + +Returning to Monmouth we resumed our passage down the Wye, on a morning, +one of the most beautiful ever beheld. The retrospective view of +Monmouth on passing down, the spire of the church, the town, bridge, and +surrounding scene, though inferior to that above, yet in some respects +exhibited a very picturesque landscape. The hills opposite to Monmouth, +are called the Kemmin Rocks, on the summit of which Mr. Philip Hardwick, +an architect, has erected a stone building for the reception of his +friends, called Philip’s Court. This spot commands a view most extensive +and diversified, and will well repay the labour of climbing up what John +Bunyan would justly call _Hill Difficulty_. To those who visit this spot +it may be worth the trouble of going about a mile further to view, +amongst many others, an immense large rock called the Buck Stone; a name +probably derived from the deer having sheltered themselves under it when +the adjacent country was in the form of a park. Its situation is on the +extreme edge of the hill; and, though of an immense size, it stands on +an angular point, and is so nicely balanced, as to be with a very small +degree of force, set in motion and shaken. Approaching the junction of +the Monnow with the Wye, the side scenes of the river, increase in +richness both of woody, and verdant scenery, and with such agreeable +breaks in the distance as to produce an enchanting effect. + +A little below this point, a small river called the Trothe, or Trothey, +unites itself with our Wye, on whose banks they jointly pass, near a +respectable mansion called Troy house, in the possession of the Duke of +Beaufort, to whom it descended from Sir Charles Somerset. + +Sir Charles was the third son of Edward Earl of Worcester, and married +the daughter and heiress of Sir William Powell of Troy, by whom he +acquired a considerable estate, and added much influence to the house of +Worcester. The present edifice notwithstanding it was designed by Inigo +Jones, has little that can recommend it to notice. It is used merely as +a lodge, and is occasionally only occupied by the family. A few +portraits decorate its walls, but they are not of consequence sufficient +to take the traveller far out of his way. The cradle wherein Harry of +Monmouth is reported to have been rocked is here exhibited as a great +curiosity, but the freshness of its velvet, its nails and appendages, +bespeak it rather to have been the receptacle of one of the Beaufort +family in the time of Charles the second. + +To those however who are fond of cradles (and in their second childhood, +amongst our old lady antiquaries, some such there may be) the annexed +sketch of one, the appearance of which bespeaks it as not unlikely to +have been of that time, and which is in the possession of the Reverend +Mr. Ball of Newlands, a few miles from Monmouth, may not prove an +unacceptable regale. + +[Illustration: Black-and-white engraving of a rectangular cradle with +horizontal banding, set between two fluted columns. A bird perches on +top of each column. Four round openings appear along the lower front of +the cradle. The base extends outward on both sides.] + +It is made of oak without any covering, and is suspended by two iron +rings, by which it receives motion on the least touch or action of the +child; it is three feet long, one foot four deep, and one foot six wide; +it is ornamented at the top of the supporters, which are octagonal, with +two birds, resembling eagles, but their beaks are broken off. The +following anecdote relative to Troy house, extracted from the “Apothegms +of the Earl of Worcester,” it is presumed will be thought not unworthy a +place in this work. + +“Sir Thomas Somerset, brother to the Marquis of Worcester, had a house +which was called Troy, five miles from Rhaglan castle. This Sir Thomas +being a complete gentleman, delighted much in fine gardens and orchards, +where by the benefit of art, the earth was made so grateful to him at +the same time, that the king (Charles the first) happened to be at his +brother’s house, that it yielded him wherewithal to send his brother a +present; and such an one as (the times and the seasons considered) was +able to make the king believe, that the sovereign of the planets had now +changed the poles, and that Wales (the refuse and the outcast of the +fair garden of England) had fairer and riper fruit than England’s bowels +had on all her beds. This present, given to the marquis, he would not +suffer to be presented to the king by any hand but his own. In comes the +marquis then, at the end of the supper, led by the arm, with a slow +pace, expressing much Spanish gravity, with a silver dish in each hand, +filled with rarities; and a little basket on his arm as a reserve, when +making his obeisance he thus speaks: May it please your Majesty, if the +four elements could have been robbed to have entertained your Majesty, I +think I had but done my duty, but I must do as I may. If I had sent to +Bristol for some good things to entertain your Majesty, that would have +been no wonder at all. If I had procured from London, some goodness that +might have been acceptable to your Majesty, that would have been no +wonder. But here I present you, Sir, (placing his dishes upon the table) +with that which came not from Lincoln that was, nor London that is, nor +York that is to be, but from Troy.” Whereupon the king smiled and +answered the marquis; “Truly my Lord, I have heard that corn grows where +Troy town stood; but I never thought there had grown any apricots +before.” Whereupon the marquis replied, “Any thing to please your +Majesty.” When my lord marquis departed the presence, one told him that +he would make a very good courtier; remember well, replied the marquis, +that I said one thing which may give some hopes of me: _Any thing_ to +please your majesty. + +Amidst a rich though hilly scenery, beautiful in its forms and happily +diversified by a multitude of small farms, that exhibit evident marks of +improving cultivation in this, yet very improvable, though fertile +country, we reach Redbrook. Here a considerable manufactory of iron and +tin gives a new and pleasing variety to the scenery and bustle on our +river. Some of the iron ore used here comes from Coldford, and other +places in the neighbourhood of the forest of Dean, but the greater part +is brought from Lancashire. + +About a mile and a half below Redbrook, the Wye receives a further +supply from a small stream called Whitebrook; about the distance of a +mile from whence stands St. Briaval’s Castle. It is situated on an +eminence, and though so near the river, is from the water too indistinct +an object for the pencil. This is to be regretted, as the woody +declivities on each side of it are beautiful in their forms, and display +a scene uncommonly rich and elegant; but on quitting the boat we found a +nearer view of the castle, well worthy a place in this work, and a +proper ornament of its subject. The annexed sketch exhibits a north east +view of the castle, and the remains of the moat that in part surrounded +it. + +The distant Monmouthshire hills form a good termination to the scene, +while the adjoining church and general face of the landscape presents a +view, in its style and character, materially varying from any we have +yet met with. From the remains of this castle it appears to have been a +place of great strength, and of considerable extent; it was built by +Miles, Earl of Hereford, in the reign of King Henry I. whose third son +named Mahel, Camden informs us, was here overtaken by “God’s judgments +for his rapacious ways, inhuman cruelties, and boundless avarice. For +being courteously entertained here by Walter de Clifford, the castle +taking fire, he lost his life by the fall of a stone on his head, from +the highest tower.” The custody of St. Briaval’s, with the Forest of +Dean, was granted to John de Monemouth, in the eighteenth year of King +John. The Earl of Berkeley is the present constable, and the Duke of +Beaufort, under whose direction the castle is kept in a good state of +repair, is lord of the manor. The tower in the west front is now used as +a prison. From hence, the views of the surrounding country are extensive +and beautiful; and here the meandering of the Wye paints the landscape, +as in its general course, and spreads richness and fertility in the +vallies through which it flows. Returning to our boat we passed Big’s +Weir, near which, on the bank of the Wye, is the seat of General Rooke, +whose father captured Gibraltar. + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland del._ + + _Llandogar._ +] + +It is situated in the midst of a rich pasturage, and commands a full +view of the river, and that interesting variety of moving objects, which +its busy commerce here presents. Amidst a range of beautiful scenery, we +pass the pleasant village of Llandogar about a mile below. Here the +river forms a smooth and glassy bay, through which the white sailed +vessel is seen constantly gliding, or lying moored on the shore to take +in her freight. The undulating hills, called the Hudnells, form a +beautiful back ground to this charming scene, of which the annexed view +will give a faint idea. + +A little below is Cadithil Weir, from whence we dropped pleasantly down +the stream to another village called Brook’s Weir, which is considered a +half way distance from Monmouth to Chepstow. At this place the goods +sent from Monmouth are shipped and conveyed in larger vessels to +Bristol. The river, in an easy meandering course, soon brought us within +view of the most picturesque object on its banks, the splendid and very +elegant ruin of Tintern Abbey, + + “These are fair scenes where if art whilom trod, + “Led by the worst of guides fell tyranny, + “And with less superstition, we now trace + “Her footsteps with delight; and pleas’d revere + “What once we should have hated.” + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland del._ + + _Tintern Abbey._ +] + +Approaching this sublime and sequestered spot, the enthusiastic lover of +simplicity in art and nature, the admirer of the picturesque and +beautiful, the antiquary and the moralist will feel the effect, as it +were, of enchantment, and become lost almost in a pleasing melancholy. +The steepy hills, the hanging woods, the rolling stream, the nodding +ruin, the surviving monuments of fallen grandeur and beauty in decay; +the constructed space, the stillness and retirement, all conspire to +impress the mind with awe, and for a moment withdraw from its vain +pursuit of wealth and power, and abstract it from the world. On this +remain, a very able writer has remarked, that “were the building ever so +beautiful, encompassed as it is with shabby houses, it could make no +appearance from the river.” In this we essentially differ, and present +the annexed view in support of our opinion. Here every cottage appears +as it really exists on the spot; and the petty, or if you please paltry +accompaniments to which he alludes, appear to us so far from diminishing +the grandeur of the general effect, that they serve rather on the +contrary as a scale, and give magnitude to the principal object. + +The ruined windows, pillars, and mouldings are all of them very elegant +specimens of the most perfect style of Gothic architecture. That wreck +and desolation to which the revolution of opinion, the wasteful rapacity +and tyranny of Henry, had subjected this lovely spot, would have +presented only marks of violence, and under the pretence of religion, +the ravaging arm of an unprincipled barbarian. It is to the gentler +tyranny, the silent and progressive ravages, of time, that we owe many +of those delicate touches and features of beauty that embellish this +elegant and interesting ruin. These have contributed to soften down the +sharper edges of the chissel, and, by blending its variegated tufts of +moss, and spreading and overhanging with its loose drapery, and many +tinted greens, the highly wrought ornaments and sculpture of the place, +have given to the whole a richness and mellowness, far beyond the reach +of art. + +The small gothic Gate at the entrance from the water, was evidently an +adjunct of the abbey, and the remaining small buildings adjoining, +formed part of its out-offices. The abbey was founded A. D. 1131, by +Walter de Clare, for monks of the Cistercian order; and dedicated to +Saint Mary. About the time of the revolution, here were thirteen +religious houses, whose estates were estimated according to Dugdale at +one hundred and ninety-two pounds, one shilling and four pence per +annum. The site was granted in the twenty-eighth of Henry the VIII. to +Henry Earl of Worcester, from whom it has descended to the present Duke +of Beaufort. + +On entering this sublime ruin the mind is struck with a reverential and +religious awe: a sensation which can be no more expressed by words, than +it can in this full extent be excited by all the graces of Grecian +proportions, and all the decencies of orthodox worship. The noble +clustered columns form a beautiful scene in perspective; and, while some +of the rich Gothic ornaments and pointed arches above, present +themselves as if magically suspended, and raise an idea of grandeur, +accompanied, if not with alarm with some degree of surprise, the various +ruinated fragments of capitals and pillars below, which lie scattered +indiscriminately and in part overgrown and buried in beds of wild +flowers and verdant tendrils, create an interesting disorder, and +suggest ideas, though perhaps of a melancholy tinge, yet so far from a +distressing nature as to lull the mind to a repose, congenial to the +general turn of the surrounding scenery. + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland del._ + + _Interior of Tintern Abbey._ +] + +The smooth and trim manner in which the ground is here kept, is not, +according to our conception, very much in unison with the assemblage of +objects around, where brokenness and irregularity are the principal and +leading features of the place, the tameness and uniformity produced by +it, are incongruous and out of character. + +The western window, although in point of proportion rather too wide for +its height, is yet a curious specimen of the ancient Gothic, and no +contemptible study for one who is smitten with a true passion for the +antique. The roof of the building is entirely fallen in, and with it +some of the pillars are lost, but their bases still remain above the +surface of the ground, so as to enable the antiquary, if he has the +least of the architect about him, very easily to give a ground plot of +the whole. + +In the middle of the nave, the lofty arches which once supported the +steeple, rise high above the rest; but though they retain their forms, +they are reduced to a mere ridge of stone. + +The neighbouring iron works belonging to Mr. Tanner of Monmouth, will +afford a different scene, and should be visited by every traveller. Here +the quiet and repose of the cottage is happily contrasted by the +activity and bustle of the forge. + +In passing along the river side to the iron works, many beautiful +passages in landscape present themselves; they are composed of woody and +diversified hills, similar to those adjoining to the abbey, but +heightened by the busy scenes of the labourer and artificer, constantly +employed in the adjacent manufactory. The iron works are principally +supplied from Furness in Lancashire with ore, which is dissolved by the +blasts of immense bellows that are worked by means of cylinder pumps. +The best qualities of the ore are separated from the dross by a water +wheel and hammers, by which operation considerable quantities of pure +metal are collected, and the powder is sold to the glass houses. Various +forges are here contrived for the purpose of forming the mutilated ore +into proper sizes, from the largest bar of iron, to the smallest wire. + + + + + SECTION X. + + +Bending our course down the Wye we pass a promontory, from whence the +eastern extremity of the abbey presents itself; but here all is flat and +uninteresting, compared with the scene we have just quitted. In this +point of view the tottering and solitary pillar, remaining in the centre +of the great east window, appears to be scarce able to support itself; +thus circumstanced it is fortunate for the antiquary that very little of +the fabric depends upon it, or a great part of that venerable structure +would, ere long, inevitably come to the ground with it. + +We were soon deprived of any further view of this elegant remain by a +strong wind and tide, which quickly hurried us down the stream; but +scenes like these, on which the mind has long dwelt in pleasing +meditation, are not easily effaced by a mere change of place: they on +the contrary are rather cherished by the preceding scenery, by the gloom +of the rock, the repose of the meadow, and the stillness of the gliding +stream; nor do they disappear till we mix in the busy hum of men, till +we plunge into the more tumultuous scene of human life and human +passions. + +Having passed much beautiful scenery nearly of the style and character +of that which we witnessed about Tintern, here we again discover the +eastern bank of the Wye screened with rocky substances, not unlike those +at Cold-well. These substances are called the Thorn, and Black Cliffs. +The water at this place is much discoloured, and acquires a thick and +clayey hue, evidently produced by the influx of the tide, which is here +very visible, and which from the Severn sea, and the low marshy land on +its shores is so impregnated with mud, and imports it in such quantities +as to foul the pearly tresses of the Wye, even to a degree of deformity. + + ——“The torrent flood, + “Thy molten chrystal fills with mud, + “Tho’ thy lofty head be crown’d + “With many a tower and terras round.” + +We now approach the rocks that terminate the grounds of Persfield; these +are tremendous projections hanging over the river, and in their form +resemble so many bastions of a castle. They are twelve in number, and +bear the name of the Twelve Apostles; a thirteenth in the same range is +terminated by a slender stone about five feet in height, which is called +St. Peter’s Thumb. In this spot we are struck with a wonderful +reverberation of sound, such as must afford a curious speculation to the +philosophical inquirer into the nature and properties of air, and that +conformation of earth and rock and woody accompaniment, which are +necessary to produce with such continued repercussion, an echo so clear +and distinct. A little below these rocks a person, some years ago, fell +unhurt from an immense height into the woods on the margin of the river. +This almost miraculous interposition on his behalf, wrought very little +effect upon his life and manners, for so hardened and incapable was he +of being acted upon, either by the recollection of mercies or the dread +of punishment, that, having not long after attended the execution of a +friend for a robbery, he conceived in his mind the plan of a similar +crime, perpetrated it, and suffered the same fate. So that his rescue +from a watery grave seems to have served little purpose beyond that of +verifying the adage, that he, who is destined to the halter, may brave +the precipice and the flood. A little lower down the river we pass the +rocks, from the sudden and precipitate fall they present, called the +Lover’s Leap. Had he not happily been caught by the shrubbery planted +below, Mr. Morris the former possessor, had here fallen a sacrifice to +his passion for those simple charms of nature, which he explored and +dressed with a correspondent taste. He added to their variety without +lessening their interest. Since that time a professed improver has been +let in, and the consequence, not the _natural_ consequence, has been +that with his roller and shears, insipid uniformity has identified the +ever changeful scene; and the slime of this snail has scarce less +deformed its dells, its craggy hills, and its groves, than has the mud +of the Severn that polluted its waters. To prevent any such accident in +future this gentleman soon after fixed a rail on the edge of the +precipice. By a steep and unpleasant path, the traveller, from these +rocks, has sometimes ascended to the grounds of Persfield. A circular +bend of the river now displayed to our view the noble ruin of Chepstow +castle. The situation of this venerable building is striking. It is +built on the summit of an immense perpendicular rock, into which it +appears rivetted, or rather to be growing out of it; as from the top of +the battlements, down to the base of the cliff on the margin of the +river, it is one continued range of precipice. + +This majestic remain, is from the present point of view peculiarly +interesting, and in its effect highly picturesque. The ancient Gothic +entrance partly in ruin, the irregular breaks and prominencies in the +general form of the building, which is a mixture of the Norman and Saxon +style, are in many parts overgrown with large clumps of ivy and +variegated shrubs, sometimes beautifully clustered among the fragments +of the castle, and again falling down and enriching the white and awful +cliff below. + +[Illustration: + + _S. Ireland Del^t._ + + _Chepstow Castle & bridge._ +] + +The adjoining bridge from its height, singular construction, and +relative situation to the castle has a romantic air, and is well +calculated to give general effect to the landscape. + +On the opposite shore, the different forms of the cliffs and rich +verdure with which they are cloathed, and the masts of the vessels from +behind the bridge breaking on the eye, complete the scene, and render it +altogether a happy group of objects for the pencil. This bridge is built +with timber, and the boards which compose the floor, are so laid as to +yield to the water and play some inches. It is seventy feet above the +surface of the river, and is so constructed in consequence of the +impetuosity of the tide, which, just as it rushes in from the Severn +sea, being here suddenly confined within a narrow channel, is frequently +known to have risen forty feet. As it divides the counties of Gloucester +and Monmouth, it is kept in repair at their joint expence. + +According to some accounts, Chepstow castle appears formerly to have +occupied a considerable space of ground, not less it is presumed than +five acres. About six hundred years since, it was rebuilt by Gilbert +Earl of Pembroke, surnamed Strongbow. This Gilbert was second son of +Gilbert de Clare, from him it came after various grants to Charles +Somerset, a son of the third Duke of Beaufort, afterwards Earl of +Worcester, and from him it descended to the present duke. + +The premises have been for many years under a lease for lives, the last +of which is at present in 1794, an aged woman who shews the castle in +which she was born. Amongst the several buildings still remaining, the +chapel demands attention, it is spacious and has been much ornamented. +Twelve large niches with semicircular arches over them, are formed in +the walls. They have seats which are chair high above the floor. The +uses to which they were appropriated is not clearly ascertained. The +grand entrance on the east side, is a noble and venerable remain of the +Norman stile of building, it stands between two lofty towers, and is in +a good state of preservation. Much of the Roman wall, in the north west +angle of the chapel, appears in the courses of bricks between the stone +facings. + +In the civil dissentions of the last century, this castle was considered +of great importance to both parties, and a garrison was continued here +after the restoration. A spacious apartment is still shewn in which +Henry Martin, one of the king’s judges, was confined a sole prisoner for +twenty seven years. + +The life of this remarkable man was spared, he having surrendered +himself conformable to the proclamation issued, when that event took +place. His estates in Berkshire, which were considerable, were +sequestered, and here he resided till 1680, when according to Anthony +Wood, he died suddenly while at dinner, at the age of 78. He was buried +in Chepstow church, and on his tomb stone were engraved the following +lines. As they are now obliterated and are said to have been written by +himself, they may be thought worth preserving. The Epitaph is an +Acrostic. + + HERE, SEPTEMBER THE NINTH, + WAS BURIED + A TRUE ENGLISHMAN, + + Who in Berkshire, was well known + To love his country’s freedom ’bove his own; + But being immured full twenty year, + Had time to write as doth appear. + + HIS EPITAPH. + + H ere or elsewhere, (all’s one to you), to me + E arth, air, or water, gripes my ghostly dust, + N one knows how soon to be by fire set free: + R eader if you an oft try’d rule will trust, + Y ou’ll gladly do and fuller what you must. + + M y time was spent in serving you, and you + A nd death’s my pay, it seems, and welcome too, + R evenge destroying but itself, while I, + T o birds of prey leave my old cage and fly. + E xamples preach to the eye: care then, mine says, + N ot how you end, but how you spend your days. + +Some years after its interment, by order of the then clergyman, the body +was removed to an obscure situation, that the church might not be +disgraced by containing the ashes of a regicide. Chepstow parish church, +formed a part of the old priory belonging to the Benedictine monks +founded in the reign of King Stephen. Leland says this was a cell to +Bermondsey abbey, but it does not appear to be so in the First Fruits +Office; as no rent, or pension by way of acknowledgement, is there +recorded to that abbey. + +The style of building of this church is pure Norman, the arches of the +nave are circular, which are supported by square massive pillars in a +very perfect state. The entrance to the west front is in a very fine +style, of the same architecture, the proportions are just, and the +pillars and mouldings are richly decorated in the taste of that period. +As we have quoted one monumental inscription, from this ancient +receptacle of the dead, we flatter ourselves that we may without making +an obituary of this work, be permitted to contrast the two following. +The first was on a sea captain, who died in 1774. + + The blusterous blasts, and Neptune’s waves, + Have tost me to, and fro; + In spite of all, by God’s decree + I harbour here below. + Here I am anchor’d with many of our fleet, + But we shall sail again, our Admiral Christ to meet. + +The following is on John Davis, a jockey of this town, who seems +determined in his technical phrases to outdo, not only the captain, but +to distance all that may hereafter be said on the subject. + + ’Tis vain to trust to human strength, or art, + When God doth strive, ye will small aid impart + As my mishap, ’tho skill’d in riding, shows + That the Almighty, horse and rider throws. + Be then prepar’d, my friends, since accidents + May in an instant hurry you from hence. + +From Chepstow by a very pleasant ride we visited the charming grounds of +Persfield, a spot where nature has been uncommonly profuse, not only in +the disposition of the beautiful slopes and waving lawns that enrich and +compose the grounds themselves, but in the extensive and diversified +scenery that strikes the eye, from every point of view. I have here +selected from amidst a profusion of magnificent and fascinating objects, +rarely to be met with in this or any other country, a very extensive +sketch that includes Chepstow castle, and the town beneath, together +with the rocky cliffs designed as it were by nature to bound the course +of the Wye, whose beautiful meandering extends for a distance of three +miles, and then loses itself in the greater waters of the Severn. Here + + ——“Pleas’d _Vaga_ pour’d + His sea green streams, deep murmuring beneath + The hanging bowers and glittering rocks; while wide + The rougher Severn stretch’d his arm, bestrew’d + With shining sails, to the capacious ocean.” + +This enchanting scene is bounded by the Gloucestershire and +Somersetshire hills, and affords a subject for landscape, more sublime +and picturesque than the most fertile imagination can conceive. An +attempt to describe every beautiful object that presents itself within +the circuit of these grounds, would in the recital be tedious and +uninteresting, I shall therefore only observe, that the scenery on this +spot is perpetually diversified, and nature every where rises beyond the +reach of art. The enclosed view, though I may in my attempt have merited +the praise of fidelity, will I hear convey but a faint and unimpressive +idea of that scenery which is adapted only to the talent and pencil of a +Claude Lorraine. + +In contemplating this magnificent and stupendous assemblage of nature +and art, we are led as it were instinctively to deplore the melancholy +reverse of fortune, that saddened the last days of the original designer +and owner of this charming spot; of him whose elegant mind and +munificent hand could, out of the rude uncultivated mass, project and +raise to the highest state of perfection a monument of taste, that must +remain an ornament to his country. + +We could not take our leave of Chepstow, without giving a retrospective +view of the castle, and its tremendous rocky base and distant scenery +over which we had just passed. The romantic bridge and busy scene on the +water, all combined to aid the landscape, and to give a further +illustration of this fascinating place. Chepstow, the grand and central +port of the commerce of our river, is here finely displayed by the +throng that lined the wharf, and the grove of trading vessels through +which we passed. The lofty and high impending screen of rocks, on either +side the river, rendered our passage down the stream delightful. Amongst +these the red rocks and Hardwick cliff are peculiarly attractive, in the +latter many large apertures have been dug that are passable, and extend +forty, or fifty yards from the entrance, and in the vicinity is a +remarkable fine well of water, that gives the name of Thornwell to a +beautiful range of woods, adjoining the termination of Hardwick cliff. + +The annexed view of what are called the Red Rocks, will give a general +idea of the face of the river, in our passage down to the mouth of the +Wye, where we found the tide uncommonly rapid, and where if the wind is +brisk, the waters are troublesomely rough. + +It is here matter of much regret, that we cannot with fidelity introduce +the distant Severn, which would have rendered the view more complete. At +Ewen’s rocks, about a mile below, that noble river breaks extensively on +the eye, and presents a beautiful scene, but it is altogether an +inferior one to that before us. + +At the conflux of the Wye, or in the vicinity of Beachley, (the old +passage house) the Severn is seen to greater advantage. The distant +hills of Gloucestershire and Somersetshire, beautifully intersecting +each other in varied tints, while intervening objects of castles, +villages, and mansions of the wealthy and great on the opposite shore, +richly diversify and compleat the whole. The distance, composed of +Walton hills about ten miles below, breaks beautifully on the eye, and +forms a happy termination across King’s-road and the Bristol channel. + +From hence the groups of vessels that are constantly moored near the +mouth of the Bristol Avon, although at a distance of near three miles, +are perfectly distinguishable. The immense quantity of shipping +perpetually passing and repassing before the eye, convey a magnificent +idea, both of that celebrated mart of our country, the city of Bristol, +and of the extensive commerce of the Severn, a river, memorable and +sacred almost as the wizard Dee in ancient song; a torrent before the +grandeur of whose flood, our more beautiful Wye feels diminished and +submits her humbler and tributary stream, a torrent whose guardian +spirit we shall at another, and we trust no very distant day hope to +invoke, and with + + “Shepherds in the festival of peace + “Carol her goodness loud in rustic lays, + “And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream + “Of pansies, pinks, and gaudy daffodils. + + + FINIS. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES + + + Page Changed from Changed to + + 24 not only against every principal not only against every principle + of utility to of utility to + + 87 licence in the twentieth of licence in the twentieth year of + Edward the Edward the + + 96 in human life, give an interest in human life, give an interest + to this ef- to this effusion + + 113 of its goal. Built in a lofty of its gaol. Built in a lofty + and healthy spot and healthy spot + + 113 As our goals increase in As our gaols increase in + magnitude, it is magnitude, it is + + ● Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. + ● Enclosed blackletter font in =equals=. + ● The caret (^) serves as a superscript indicator, applicable to + individual characters (like 2^d) and even entire phrases (like + 1^{st}). + ● HTML alt text was added for non-decorative images that lacked + captions. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77598 *** diff --git a/77598-h/77598-h.htm b/77598-h/77598-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5935ed --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/77598-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3857 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + <head> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title>Picturesque Views on the River Wye | Project Gutenberg</title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + body { margin-left: 8%; 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} + body {font-family: Garamond, Georgia, serif; text-align: justify; } + table {font-size: .9em; padding: 1.5em .5em 1em; page-break-inside: avoid; + clear: both; } + div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; } + div.titlepage p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 3em; } + .ph1 { text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-size: xx-large; + margin: .67em auto; page-break-before: always; } + .ph2 { text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; + page-break-before: always; } + .blackletter {font-family: 'Old English Text MT', serif; font-weight:bold; + font-style: normal; } + .x-ebookmaker p.dropcap:first-letter { float: left; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77598 ***</div> + +<div class='tnotes covernote'> + +<p class='c000'><strong>Transcriber’s Note:</strong></p> + +<p class='c000'>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p> + +</div> + +<div class='c001 figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/half-title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='chapter ph1'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c002'> + <div>PICTURESQUE VIEWS</div> + <div class='c003'>ON THE</div> + <div class='c003'>RIVER WYE.</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div class='c001 figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/half-title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id002'> +<img src='images/frontis.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>Course of the <span class='fss'>RIVER WYE</span> from its Source to its junction with the <span class='fss'>SEVERN</span> below Chepstow.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<div class='titlepage'> + +<div> + <h1 class='c004'><span class='xlarge'>Picturesque Views</span><br> <span class='large'>ON THE</span><br> RIVER WYE,<br> <span class='large'>FROM</span><br> <span class='large'>Its Source at Plinlimmon Hill, to its Junction</span><br> <span class='small'>WITH THE</span><br> <span class='large'><i><em class='gesperrt'>SEVERN</em> below <em class='gesperrt'>CHEPSTOW</em></i>:</span><br> <span class='small'>WITH</span><br> <span class='xlarge'>OBSERVATIONS</span><br> <span class='small'>ON</span><br> <span class='small'>THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND OTHER WORKS OF ART, IN ITS VICINITY:</span></h1> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div><span class='large'>BY SAMUEL IRELAND,</span></div> + <div class='c003'>AUTHOR OF</div> + <div class='c003'><span class='small'>“A Picturesque Tour through Holland, Brabant, and part of France;”</span></div> + <div class='c003'>AND,</div> + <div class='c003'><span class='small'>Of “Picturesque Views on the Rivers Thames, Medway, Warwickshire Avon,” &c.</span></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div><span class='large'><span class='blackletter'>London:</span></span></div> + <div>PUBLISHED BY R. FAULDER, NEW BOND STREET;</div> + <div>AND T. EGERTON, WHITEHALL.</div> + <div class='c003'>1797.</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_v'>v</span> + <h2 class='c005'>PREFACE.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='c001 figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Amongst the numerous rivers with +which our Island is so richly ornamented +and fertilized, the Wye, our present subject +of investigation, though in no very widely +extended course, and itself only a tributary +stream, is yet in the production of the sublime, +of the grand and majestic proudly +eminent above its fellows. In a course of +about eighty miles, the utmost distance it +measures from its source, to its junction +with the Severn, so various and such an interesting +picturesque scenery is perhaps no +<span class='pageno' id='Page_vi'>vi</span>where to be found, either in this or any +other country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Nature and Art have most happily +combined in opening their richest stores to +diversify and spread fertility, grandeur and +beauty over the country through which it +flows: for its environ is not less highly distinguished +and dressed by the hand of art +with castles, abbies, and villas beautifully +seated on its banks, than it is itself favoured +by nature, in the striking interchange of +shoal and flood, wood and rock, meadow +and precipice. With so much, and in +so many various ways to allure and interest, +it was not possible that all its charms could +have escaped either the penetrating eye of +Taste and Genius, or the pencil of the inquisitive, +refined, and systematical Amateur, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_vii'>vii</span>and accordingly many of its most striking +features have employed the pens and the +pencils of our Writers and Artists; but they +have, all of them, been either detached +views and single objects, or, if more has +been comprehended in the design of the +amateur or artist, the execution has been +partial, imperfect, or foreign to the subject. +The whole has never been fully exhibited to +the eye of the lover of the scenes of nature +faithfully delineated. One ingenious author +indeed has given observations upon +the river, and such as have unquestionably +merited the high commendations they have +received from the admirers of the picturesque +and beautiful: and he has accompanied +his observations with drawings. He +does not however profess to give exact representations, +or portraits of the various objects +<span class='pageno' id='Page_viii'>viii</span>that present themselves, but aims rather +at exhibiting their general effect on +the eye, when considered technically, and as +picturesque forms by the learned and professed +artist.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Without interfering therefore with +the plan of that much admired writer, or +arrogating to himself superior science or +knowledge of his subject, the author of +this work has, in conformity with his original +intention, selected this river from +amongst those not yet described, in order to +complete his history of the principal rivers +of this country: and, unable as he feels +himself to render justice to the dignity of +his subject, he builds his claim to public +favor, on the fidelity with which he flatters +himself he has delineated the scenery. He +<span class='pageno' id='Page_ix'>ix</span>would wish, and it is his aim, that his +drawings should, like the transparent mirror +of his stream, truly reflect the landscape +that exists around, as well as the objects +that decorate its banks. And, content with +the simple charms and varieties of nature, +he cannot prevail upon himself to contemplate +in every winding of the stream the +forms of his own idea, the image of his +own mind and its complicated sameness, +reflected again, and again; but gives to his +reader that, which, if he visits the spot, +he trusts he will find, and, if the spot is +known to him already, he assures himself +he will recognize.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The tremendous floods, which, in the +beginning of the year 1795, subsequent to +that, in which these drawings were made, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_x'>x</span>having so completely swept away several ancient, +as well as elegant structures thrown +across this stream, may perhaps give some +additional value to the sketches of them here +introduced. If not elsewhere preserved, +scarce a vestige of them remains to be resorted +to by the artist or by the architect, +whose profession must peculiarly enable him +to do more justice to the nature of the +fabric.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The History, and Picturesque Views of +the River Severn are in great forwardness, +and will, it is presumed, be ready for publication, +in Two Volumes, Royal Octavo, in +the course of next year.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/fp1.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland del.<sup>t</sup></i><br> <br> <i>Source of the Wye, Plinlimmon Hill.</i><br> <br> <i>Pub.<sup>d</sup> for S. Ireland, March 1, 1797.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter ph1'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c002'> + <div>Picturesque Views</div> + <div class='c003'>ON THE</div> + <div class='c003'>RIVER WYE.</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div class='c001 figcenter id001'> +<span class='pageno' id='Page_1'>1</span> +<img src='images/title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Plinlimmon’s high praise no longer Muse defer;</div> + <div class='line'>“What once the Druids told, how great those floods should bee,</div> + <div class='line'>“That here (most mightie hill) derive themselves from thee.</div> + <div class='line'>“The Bards with furie rapt, the British youth among,</div> + <div class='line'>“Unto the charming harpe, thy future honor song</div> + <div class='line'>“In brave and loftie straines:——”</div> + <div class='line in48'><span class='sc'>Drayton.</span></div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION I.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>From a small spring near the summit of +Plinlimmon Hill, the boundary of the northern +part of Cardiganshire, our river Wye +derives its source. Issuing from a spacious +hollow in this mountain, the water falls in +a narrow streamlet several hundred yards +<span class='pageno' id='Page_2'>2</span>nearly perpendicular, till meeting with various +small currents, it soon presents itself in +the shape of an immense cataract, rolling +with astonishing rapidity over the rocky +prominencies which seem to impede its +course. The name of this river appears +anciently to have been a common appellation, +either for river or water. Camden +says, that the word gwy or wy signifies +water, and instances the following names +which have that termination, as proofs of +his opinion; viz. Lhugwy, Dowrdwy, Edwy, +Conwy, Elwy, Towy, Tawy, &c. &c. +From the same ridge of mountains, within +two miles of the source of the Wye, the +rivers Severn and Rydall derive their origin: +the latter of which empties itself into the +Irish sea at Aberystwith. The views from +this huge and dreary hill are wild and extensive +beyond description; they exhibit +mountains, rolling as it were, over each +other, and under the most sublime forms and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span>beautiful hues, varying and shifting till they +insensibly lose themselves and melt into the +horizon. We were peculiarly fortunate in +having a bright and clear day to view in all +its grandeur this sublime and picturesque +scenery; an advantage which an experienced +guide informed us had scarce ever occurred +during a course of many years in those airy +regions, where it was almost invariably his +fate to encounter a heavy and hazy atmosphere, +commonly attended with rain. On +this lofty mountain the famous Owen Glyndwr, +in the summer of 1401, posted himself, +says the historian, “with great policy +at the head of a hundred and twenty men +of arms.” The situation of Plinlimmon +Hill being on the limits of Cardiganshire and +Montgomeryshire, was admirably adapted +for receiving the succours of his vassals and +friends from every part of the principality. +From this fastness his adherents, who were +the terror of all that opposed him, were perpetually +<span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>making excursions, and plundering +the neighbouring counties; amongst which +Montgomeryshire appears to have been the +greatest sufferer.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The birth of this renowned hero, of +Wales, which happened on the 28th of +May, 1354, appears by Hollingshed and +others, to have been marked with strange +presages of celebrity: he says, that his cruelty +was foretold at his nativity, by the +wonderful circumstance of “his father’s +horses being found standing that night in +the stable up to their bellies in blood;” +and Shakspeare, in the following lines, put +into the mouth of Glyndwr, thus describes +the vain glorious chieftain,</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>————————————“At my birth</div> + <div class='line'>“The front of Heav’n was full of fiery shapes;</div> + <div class='line'>“The goats ran from the mountains, and the herds</div> + <div class='line'>“Were strangely clamorous in the frighted fields:</div> + <div class='line'>“These signs have marked me extraordinary,</div> + <div class='line'>“And all the courses of my life do shew,</div> + <div class='line'>“I am not in the roll of common men.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span>A still more extraordinary circumstance +is attached to the history of this Welch +phenomenon. Jolo Goch, a celebrated bard, +has not hesitated to consider the great event +of his birth, as equal in importance to mankind +with that of Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The river Wye, in this its earliest stage, +is peculiarly marked with features of the +grand and sublime: its amazing rapidity is +perpetually interrupted by immense large +stones and rocky substances, and the rush of +its waters produces a solemn noise, that +seems as if they were</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Chiding the stones that stopp’d their course.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>The spots of verdure and broken ground +in the vicinity of this rude scene, the dark +shades of rock, and beetling brows of the +hills with which it is bounded on either side, +form a spectacle as majestic and awful as +<span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>the untaught imagination can paint, or that +can present itself to the eye throughout +the range of this island.</p> + +<p class='c006'>It is simple nature in her purest and +grandest form, and without a trace of her +handmaid art, without either castle, church, +or ruin: objects that more than form the +beautiful in picture, that are essentially necessary, +and can alone give dignity to the +feeble works of man; without these the +scenery is here complete.</p> + +<p class='c006'>For several miles the country wears +nearly the same aspect; one continued undulating +line of hills forms the distance; +and the river, though of no considerable +width, continues gently to roll over its +rocky and gravelly bed, “making sweet +music with the enamelled stones;”</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge</div> + <div class='line'>“He overtaketh in his pilgrimage.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>At a distance of about six miles from +its source, in a village called Cumergar, the +Wye receives a considerable body of water +from the river Castal. This River is full in +view, and forms a beautiful object from the +road, on the way to what is called the Devil’s +Bridge. At Cumergar is a wooden bridge +called Pont-rhyd Gallad: it is the first that +is thrown across this river, and the scenery +around it is extensive and beautiful. The +Wye here loses much of its impetuosity and +consequently of its grandeur: its rocky bed +is softened and in many places spread with a +mere gravelly substance, and at this summer +season is considerably narrowed, and frequently +left perfectly dry. From the continual +accession, however, of springs and +rills, that issue from the neighbouring mountains, +it is not known to remain long in +that state. From hence, on an easy ascent, +a tolerable road leading to Llanidlos runs parallel +with the stream, and affords a beautiful +<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>ride till we approach the wretched village of +Llangerig: amongst whose clay cottages +without chimneys, churlish boors, and sour +milk and black bread, the only refreshment +it supplied, our weary spirits were +filled with rapture at the beauties of that +situation, to which extreme penury, savage +nature, or insensibility could alone be indifferent: +They were so impressive, that +within a mile of this village we determined +to stop, flattering ourselves with the hope +that by the aid of the pencil, we might be +enabled to give the characteristic features of +a country, which we utterly despair by any +powers of language that we could command +in any adequate manner to communicate.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About three miles below Llangerig, in a +southern direction, the river Darnel, which +derives its source from the hills that bear its +name, empties itself into the Wye. Pursuing +<span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>the course of the river, the Nanerth +rocks in an extent of near three miles, form +a beautiful screen to its northern bank.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On this spot the Wye, in an easy bend, +gently rolls over its rugged bed, while the ascending +road, girting the immense hills that +are enriched with spreading oaks and luxuriant +underwood, peculiarly invited the pencil: +Through these, the rocks in various +fantastic forms, perpetually break upon the +eye, and the cottages interspersed among the +distant hills, relieve the wide-spread and extended +scenery. On the brow of a rising +hill, in the fore ground, a group of cattle +which covered it, seemed at the instant, as +if placed there by design to complete the +view. Beneath, the gentle river Marteg, the +receptacle of many smaller streams that arise +in the vicinity of Llanidlos, rippling over its +pebbly bed, loses its name and its current in +the broader channel of the Wye.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION II.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>From Nanerth rocks, after a pleasant +ride of about three miles on the bank of the +Wye, we reached Rhaidr Gwy; the word +Rhaidr signifies a cataract, or fall of water, +and is frequently applied to those falls, +among the mountains of Snowden in Carnarvonshire.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Camden seems to think that from the +word Rhaidr, the county of Radnor, through +the west angle of which, this river directs +its course derived its name. The bridge at +Rhaidr consists of one wide arch, which from +its base forms a very large segment of a circle. +It is a plain structure and has little but +its romantic accompaniments to recommend +it; the immense pile of rocks on which it +is elevated, carries the arch so high as to +<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>afford from beneath it, an extensive prospect +of the adjoining country, in which a small +Welsh building called Cwmtather Church +appears in a whimsical point of view. The +annexed sketch was taken from below the +bridge, where the combination of objects is +wonderfully grand; and in this dry season, +displays in full force the ponderous rocky +substances of which it is composed. But in +consequence of this drought, we had the +misfortune to lose the display and thunder +of its cataract, which a less friendly state +of the elements would have exhibited in all +its grandeur. The stones over which the +waters in this vicinity roll, are of an immense +size, and in their forms, partake both of the +majestic, and the grotesque; their diversified +hues, and vast angular prominencies afford +in certain lights and in some seasons of the +day, under the rays of a bright sun the most +brilliant and picturesque effect. Over the +bridge passes the high road that leads to Aberystwith, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>and a more rugged and dreary path, +is perhaps scarce to be trod in any of the frequented +parts of this principality. Rhaidr, +though now but a miserable place, derived +formerly some consequence from its castle, +which was advantageously situated in a nook +of the river not far from the bridge, but +of which no trace at present remains. Near +the spot whereon the castle stood is a deep +trench cut out of a solid rock, and not far +distant, are several large Tumuli, or Barrows, +called in Welsh, Kern, and Keido. +These are conjectured to have been raised as +memorials of the dead. Camden confirms +this idea, and observes, not very consistently +indeed with the respect due to the memory +of the departed, “that it is still the +custom to cast heaps of stones on the +graves of malefactors and self murderers.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>At what period the castle at Rhaidr was +<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>built is not ascertained, but it was repaired +by Rhys Prince of South Wales in the reign +of Richard the first, and near it says Camden, +“is a vast wilderness rendered very +dismal by many crooked ways and high +mountains, into which as a proper place +of refuge, that bane of his native country, +King Vortigern, whose very memory the +Britons curse, withdrew himself, when he +had at last repented of his abominable +wickedness, in calling in the English +Saxons, and incestuously marrying his own +daughter.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>His address to the Barons, on the subject +of calling in the aid of the Saxons, is +thus recorded by an anonymous author.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“My Lords, vain compliment would suit but ill</div> + <div class='line'>“The present time, I therefore briefly thank you,</div> + <div class='line'>“But e’er we part, fain would I crave your hearing.</div> + <div class='line'>“Our Troops have now been long disus’d to War—</div> + <div class='line'>“Yet do not think I mean their fame to tarnish,</div> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>“Or on a Briton throw the damned slur</div> + <div class='line'>“Of shameful cowardice. No, my good Lords,—</div> + <div class='line'>“But though their ribs do serve as castle walls,</div> + <div class='line'>“And fast imprison their strong Lion hearts,</div> + <div class='line'>“Yet e’en the Lion, when full gorg’d with food</div> + <div class='line'>“Will bask and tamely lay him down to sleep—</div> + <div class='line'>“Then in such sort, hath undisturbed peace,</div> + <div class='line'>“And want of custom, (nature’s substitute,</div> + <div class='line'>“That changes e’en our very properties)</div> + <div class='line'>“Soften’d their manhood. Then t’were policy</div> + <div class='line'>“That we should court the Saxons to our aid!</div> + <div class='line'>“This too will in our Britons raise the flame</div> + <div class='line'>“Of bright and generous emulation.</div> + <div class='line'>“Say Lords! doth this my proposition please you?</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Below Rhaidr we soon lost sight of that +immense rocky scenery, so eminently characterizing +its neighborhood, and every reach +of the river yielded additional richness and +verdure. A detail of each minute change +of prospect that occurs in a tour of this +nature, however gratifying at the moment +to the eye of the curious and picturesque +traveller, would be tedious and uninteresting; +it is therefore the business of description +<span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>to record only the most material objects +as they occur, and leave imagination +to paint the rest. About three miles below +Rhaidr, the Wye receives a considerable +supply of water from the rivers Eland and +Clanven, which unite at a distance of about +four miles from their conflux with our river. +Below this a copious stream called the +Ither, which in its course receives the Dulas +and Comar, makes a considerable addition to +the waters of the Wye. From the brow of +a hill about two miles before we reach the +town of Builth, the scenery is peculiarly +beautiful, the river spreads itself into a bay, +and the immense rocky substances with +which its bed has hitherto been spread, rise +here in various detached forms many yards +above its surface, exhibiting so many small +islands, and agreeable breaks in the fore +ground of the landscape.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The annexed view was sketched from +<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>this spot, in which it is much to be regretted +that the bridge of Builth could not be +introduced, as it would considerably have +added to the beauty of the scenery. Builth +is a town of little consequence, yet from its +antiquity, and the salubrity of its air, it becomes +highly deserving our attention. We +happened to be there on a market day, when +the town was so thronged with people, that +we could scarcely pass through it. It resembled +rather a fair than a market, and the +immense croud collected together, presented +to the eye a scene in effect, similar to that of +one continued mass of long blue cloaks, +apparently in perpetual motion. Not a +house, nor a stable but was occupied, and it +was really a matter of astonishment, that in +so small a town, and on so common an occasion +as that of a weekly market, such a +vast concourse of people should have been +assembled; but a market or fair, is the pride +<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>and glory of the Welsh; and, happy souls! +why should they not in a sultry summer’s +day, enjoy the suffocating luxury of a long +blue cloak, as well as the Londoner his +summer theatre, amidst “the raging dog +star’s heat.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>In an extensive tour through Wales, I +witnessed a scene at Aberystwith very similar +to that I have just described, and as the surrounding +objects were there more peculiarly +marked with the picturesque than those +at Builth, a representation of the scene, +although at a considerable distance from +hence, may perhaps not prove unacceptable +to the reader. In this view appears part of +the castellated dwelling of Uvedale Price, +Esq.; a man not less distinguished for the +elegance with which he cultivates the fine +arts, than for his powers of discrimination, +and the accuracy with which he defines them. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>The house is recently erected on the shore, +and commands an extensive prospect of +the sea, the only one in fact it does command.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At this market or fair, the usual artifices +to amuse and delude, were exhibited +with the usual success; other centuries +revolve, and other generations arise, but +rustic manners remain unchanged, the +same pursuits occupy the mind, and the +same toys interest and beguile. There were, +“Ribbands of all the colors ith’ rainbow. +Dancing and music, ballads all pitiful +and true, one of a fish that appeared +upon the coast, on Wednesday the +of April, forty thousand fadom +above water.” Autolicus with all his +rhetoric could not more artfully have displayed +his wares, nor could the following +lines have had a better effect on his auditors +than the tricks presented here.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>“Lawn as white as driven snow,</div> + <div class='line'>“Cyprus, black as e’er was crow;</div> + <div class='line'>“Gloves as sweet as damask roses,</div> + <div class='line'>“Masks for faces, and for noses;</div> + <div class='line'>“Bugle bracelets, necklace amber,</div> + <div class='line'>“Perfume for a lady’s chamber;</div> + <div class='line'>“Golden quoifs, and stomachers,</div> + <div class='line'>“For my lads to give their dears;</div> + <div class='line'>“Pins and poking-sticks of steel,</div> + <div class='line'>“What maids lack from head to heel:</div> + <div class='line'>“Come, buy of me, come: come, buy, come, buy,</div> + <div class='line'>“Buy, lads, or else your lasses cry: come buy.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Builth is happily encompassed with a +range of hills that afford shelter to the place, +and screen the neighbouring woods with +which it is enriched. On the skirt of the +town stand the remains of an ancient castle; +they comprise near four acres of ground, +and though not sufficiently massed to form +an object for the pencil, yet the remaining +fragments convey a general idea of its former +dignity.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The eminence which is contiguous to +<span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>the remains of the fortress, denotes what the +Romans called the Presidium. This castle is +reported to have been erected by the Breoses +and Mortimers, after the demolition of a +former one by Rhys ap Gryffydh. Ptolomy +calls the town of Builth, Bullæum Silurum, +from whence it derived its name, but Doctor +Horsely is inclined to think that the ancient +Bullæum of Antoninus, was at Uske in +Monmouthshire, from the ruins of a +Roman fort, or city, being found there. +The neighbourhood of that place is still +called Bualht.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Traversing the vicinity of the castle, +our Welsh guide pointed out to us a field +at about two miles distance, called Cavan, in +which Prince Llewellyn is reported to have +been buried, and so fertile he observed was +the soil, that each stem bore two heads of +corn. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>From the same authority, we are told that +as that Prince was one day crossing the field +in disguise, he asked of an old woman the +name of a small brook that ran across it, +who replied, it was called Nantytrrad, +then said he, let it in future be named +Cwm Llewellyn, for that shall be the burial +place of that Prince. Where is there a +Welchmen who does not deplore the loss of +his brave Llewellyn? but our guide drew +much consolation from there being yet a +good Prince of Wales, who in the hour of +need, would certainly defend and fight for +his countrymen. Llewellyn is reported to +have been murthered in a small castle that +stood at a place called Llechryd, about +one mile from Builth, while he was meditating +his escape into Glamorganshire. A +modern house, with a moat surrounding it +that includes about three acres, marks the +spot whereon the castle stood. Builth Castle +is well situated for defence, it stands on an +<span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>eminence, and the point of land, is in part +surrounded by the beautiful river Irvon, +which in a semicircular direction winds its +course into the Wye, about half a mile +above the town. This river is of considerable +width, and derives its source from +the hills in the vicinity of Strata Florida +in the county of Cardigan; thence after +taking a south west direction it winds towards +the north east, and falls into the Wye +near Builth. Within a small distance of +its junction with our river, it receives a +brook called the Wevery, which rises on the +Brecknockshire hills about eight miles +distant, and produces remarkable high flavoured +salmon and trout.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Near to the Wye a new stone bridge is +building over the Irvon, contiguous to the +old one which was of wood. This new +structure consists of six elliptical arches; it +is erecting at the joint expence of the counties +<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>of Brecon and Radnor. The elevated +span of the upper circle of this bridge, however +necessary here from the great floods +that happen in the winter season, is yet a taste +too prevalent in the general construction of +our bridges. The bed of the upper surface +is usually so high as to become a large +segment of a circle; this custom militates +not only against every <a id='t24'></a>principle of utility to +the horse and traveller, but shuts out the general +prospect, which even by an artist whose +ideas are not too narrowly confined to his +own science, should in a country like this +be made an object of some consideration.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In Italy and France, a contrary system +has very judiciously been adopted, by which +means, in every point of view the eye finds +relief from the diversified scenery around. +This practice is supported by the classical +productions of the elegant Claude Lorraine, +who, whether he designs from nature, or has +<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>recourse to his own refined ideas of his art, +always adheres to this principle. Near Builth +are the remains of Llandrindod-wells, once in +high esteem, and celebrated for their excellent +medicinal quality. This spring of water +issues out of the side of a rock, which is of +the slate kind, it is strongly impregnated with +nitrous salt, sulphur, and steel; and produces +an effect similar to the waters of Scarborough +and Cheltenham, but it is of a more powerfully +quality. The wells are now greatly in +decay, and consequently are not so much frequented +as formerly. On a high hill named +Caven Durris, about a mile from Builth, +David Thomas, Esq.; has erected a handsome +stone residence, which when viewed from the +town, appears too much exposed, but on +a near approach, is found to be happily +screened from the northern winds by the surrounding +hills: It commands a very noble +and extensive view, as well on its own level +towards the South, as from that part which +<span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>looks down towards the town of Builth, and +at the same time includes a beautiful command +of the meandering course of the rivers +Wye and Irvon, and of the extensive bridge +of Builth in the vale beneath. This bridge +is a simple and well constructed modern edifice, +consisting of six arches, within a mile of +which a small river called the Dihono having +a small bridge of one arch thrown over it, +empties itself into the Wye. From the ferry +a little below, a beautiful reach of the river +terminates in a view of the small remains of +Aberadway castle, of which no history is to +be traced. Its ruin is very insignificant, little +more than a stone wall, now over grown with +ivy remains. At the extremity of it are the +fragments of two round towers. These +rude specimens of art, are finely contrasted +by the adjoining and truly wonderful +productions of nature. These are an immense +range of rocks running parallel with +the river, exhibiting a variety of the most +<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>strange and fantastic forms imaginable. In +different points of view, they convey to the +mind, the idea of so many towers and castles +shouting from amidst the oak coppices and +other shrubs that enrich this majestic scenery. +These vast prominencies in their various +shapes, received at the instant of viewing +them, additional grandeur and effect +from the solemn shade, produced by a declining +sun, and presented a scene truly worthy +the pencil of a Salvator, or amongst our +countrymen, his rival, the late John Mortimer. +Near this charming spot, the river +Edwa, from which these rocks derive their +name, empties itself into our river. For +a considerable distance in passing down the +Wye, we have on a smaller scale perpetual +breaks of the same rocky kind of +scenery till we reach Llangoed, the seat of +Mr. Edwards; from hence we ride through +a charming wood of young oaks, ranged +for a considerable distance on an elevated +<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>bank of the Wye, they give at each break +and opening, an enchanting view of our +beautiful and picturesque river, which on +the approach to a village called Swains, +about a mile distant, wears the appearance +of an extensive bay, while the mountains in +the back ground gradually recede, and the +general face of the landscape assumes a new +character. In the annexed view of Glasebury, +the scene when contrasted with that +at Aberedway or at Builth, will best illustrate +this idea, here all around wears an +air of placidity; the river’s rocky bed no +more agitates the water in its course, it flows +a tranquil and a gentle stream, reflected on +whose glassy surface under the evening’s +lengthening shade</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Down bend its banks, the trees depending grow;</div> + <div class='line'>“And skies beneath with answ’ring colors glow.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>In the midst of this rich and beautiful +valley, an elegant stone bridge of seven +<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>arches is thrown across the river. It was +built about fourteen years ago by the family +of Edwards, under the direction of their +father, the celebrated architect of Pont-y-pridd. +The adjoining view was made in +August, 1794; in the ensuing winter the +bridge was totally destroyed, which will in some degree give value to this sketch, +as a memorial of that which is at present, +little more than a wreck; every arch of +it having been blown up by the torrent +of ice, which poured down on the very sudden +thaw, after the long frost in the beginning +of 1795.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_31'>31</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION III.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>On our approach to the town of Hay, +we pass its small church, situated on a high +and clayey bank of the river, from whence +the town and adjoining objects, afford little +worthy the attention of the artist. To preface +this section, I have therefore selected a +general view of the town and surrounding +country, from a spot about a mile below the +bridge, which presents a scene highly enriched +by an assemblage of woods, meadows, +and corn fields, at once extensive, and in a +peculiar degree interesting.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The town is happily situated on the +declivity of a hill, on which the houses rising +gradually, convey the idea of a place of infinitely +more consequence than really it possesses, +and in no small degree gives the general +<span class='pageno' id='Page_32'>32</span>outline of an Italian landscape. The +face of this scenery and bridge is fully illustrative +of the position laid down in the last +section, of the superior beauty of flat bridges +over those that are elevated. This bridge +is formed of seven arches and in the year +1795, met with a similar fate to the preceding +one, and which were thrown across +the torrents that pour themselves along the +vallies of this mountainous country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The purple hue of the distance called +the black mountains, affords a good background +to this scenery, which is heightened +by the rich glow of a noon-tide sun, darting +at the instant, and giving force and relief +to every object. These mountains extend +fourteen or fifteen miles towards a +place called Monmouth Cap, about eight +miles from Abergavenny. The head of +water in the fore ground of the view, is +formed from a small river called Boonewayne +<span class='pageno' id='Page_33'>33</span>Brook, which supplies the neighbouring mill +with water; the goat who stood browsing +on a high bank of the river before us, was +an object we were not accustomed to meet +with even in Wales, as I do not remember +to have seen more than three, in the course +of a long tour through this country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The town of Hay was formerly called +Hain, it derives its name from the British +word Tregelhi, which, says Camden “may +be rendered Hasely, or Hasleton; it appears +to have been well known to the +Romans, some remains of their walls +being still visible, and many of their coins +having been found here.” He likewise +says “the ancient town was consumed +by fire by the profligate rebel, Owen +Glyndwr or Glendower, in his marches +through this country.” Our divine bard +has put the following lines into the mouth +<span class='pageno' id='Page_34'>34</span>of Glendower, when speaking of his antagonist.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Three times hath <i>Henry Bolingbroke</i> made head</div> + <div class='line'>“Against my pow’r, thrice from the banks of <i>Wye</i>,</div> + <div class='line'>“And sandy-bottom’d <i>Severn</i>, have I sent</div> + <div class='line'>“Him bootless home, and weather-beaten back.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>This place anciently belonged to William +de Brus, Lord of Brecknock, and was +nearly destroyed by Lewis, Dauphin of +France, in 1216, who had been invited into +England by the Barons disaffected to King +John.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The town of Hay is situated on the extreme +angle of Brecknockshire, and on the +borders of Herefordshire. Near the church, +on the highest land on the brink of the river, +there anciently stood a castle built by +the Normans, of which little more now +remains than a mound of earth, and the entrenchments +<span class='pageno' id='Page_35'>35</span>that surround it. The present +castle stands nearly in the centre of the +town. Its Gothic entrance, and the Ivy +over-growing the remains of the ancient +tower, produce a striking effect on the approach +to this venerable ruin.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A large house adjoining, is the property +of Richard Wellington, Esq.; It is +erected on the site of the old castle, and appears +to have been the work of the age of +James I. Within a few years, it has been +modernized, by which it has in some degree +been stripped of that small share of the picturesque, +that in some instances is to be +found even in that barbarous age of architecture. +As the castle is not generally noticed +by the traveller, nor has any print that +I can learn, ever yet been given of it, the +annexed view may not prove unacceptable to +the curious enquirer. On quitting Hay, +the Wye receives a considerable body of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_36'>36</span>water from the river Dulas, across which is +a stone bridge of one arch. Thus assisted, +our river becomes a copious stream, and has +been long rendered navigable in the winter +seasons. For this purpose two statutes +were passed in parliament, the one in the +fourteenth of Charles II. the other in the +seventh of William III.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About two miles below the town, the +ruin of the once famous Clifford castle presents +itself; it stands on a considerable eminence +on the bank of the Wye, is well situated +for defence, and forms a boundary to +the western part of the county of Hereford. +Its walls are not sufficiently high, nor are +the parts so broken and irregular as to afford +a complete picturesque object, but it has yet +considerable attractions to merit the notice +of the speculative and inquisitive traveller. +Camden says, that it is recorded in doom’s-day +book, to have been built by William +<span class='pageno' id='Page_37'>37</span>Fitzosborn, Earl of Hereford. It came afterwards +to Walter, the son of Richard de +Ponts, a Norman, who came into England +with William the Conqueror. Walter took +his name of De Clifford from this castle, and +from him descended the illustrious family +of the earls of Cumberland. We shall not +enter into a detail of the warlike exploits +performed in this place, but confine ourselves +to the well known story of fair Rosamond, +daughter of an earl of Clifford, +who was born in this castle. The story, +whether fabulous or true, has been deemed +not unworthy the attention, both of the +poet and historian. Master Hollinshead in +his usual quaintness of style, thus speaks of +King Henry the second’s incontinence, and +of his particular attachment to the fair +Rosamond, “for not contented with the +use of his wife, he kept many concubines, +but namely he delighted most in the companie +<span class='pageno' id='Page_38'>38</span>of a pleasant damosell, whome he +’cleped the rose of the world, the common +people named hir <i>Rosamond</i>, for hir passing +beautie, propernesse of person, and pleasant +wit, with other amyable qualities, +being verily a rare and peerelesse peece in +those days. He made for hir an house +at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire, like to a +laberinth, that is to meane, wrought like +a knot in a garden, called a maze, with +such turnings and windings in and out, +that no creature might finde her nor +come to hir, except he were instructed by +the king, or such as were secrete with him +in that matter. But the common report +of the people is, that the queene finally +found her out by a silke thread, whiche +the king had drawne forth of hir chamber +with his foote, and dealte with hir in such +sharpe and cruell wise, that she lived not +long after. She was buried in the Nunrie +<span class='pageno' id='Page_39'>39</span>of Godstow beside Oxforde, with these +verses upon hir tumbe.”</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“<span lang="la">Hic jacet in tumulo, Rosamundi non Rosamunda,</span></div> + <div class='line'><span lang="la">“Non redolet sed olet, quæ redolere solet.</span>”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>We cannot quit this subject, the family +of the De Cliffords, without adverting to +another of its noble descendants, George Clifford, +the third earl of Cumberland, who in +1525, was advanced to the dignity of an earl. +The seats of this adventurous and renowned +warrior, are transmitted to us by various +historians, and though to many persons they +may be well known, yet some mention of +him in this place, may not be thought irrelevant +to our subject. This nobleman was +one of the peers who sat in judgment on +Mary Queen of Scots, and became afterwards +a great favourite of her cousin Elizabeth. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_40'>40</span>He signalized himself highly at sea +in various engagements against the Spaniards, +and behaved with much intrepidity +during the memorable encounter with the +invincible Armada. In consequence of his +gallantry the Queen created him an Admiral, +and a few years after, a Knight of +the Garter; he was likewise one of the +lords sent out with the forces to reduce the +Earl of Essex. He died in London at +the Savoy, at the age of forty seven, in +the year 1605.</p> + +<p class='c006'>We cannot pass over a striking instance +of gallantry, in this extraordinary hero, as +recorded by Mr. Pennant, which appears +fully to keep pace with his bravery as a +naval commander. “At an audience, +which the earl had after one of his +expeditions, Queen Elizabeth, perhaps +designedly, dropped one of her gloves. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_41'>41</span>His lordship took it up, and presented it +to her; upon which she graciously desired +him to keep it as a mark of her +esteem. He adorned the glove with diamonds, +and wore it in the front of his +high crowned hat on days of tournament.” +This circumstance is recorded +in a very curious and rare print of the earl, +engraved by Robert White, in which the +glove appears. Another instance of the +queen’s favor to this earl of Cumberland, +was, her appointing him her champion in +her tilting matches, in which exercise he +excelled all the nobility of his time. His +magnificent armour worn in this age of chivalry, +was adorned with roses and fleur de +lis, and is now preserved at Appleby Castle +in Westmoreland. He married Margaret, +third daughter of Francis earl of Bedford, +by whom he had three children, two sons +who died young, and a daughter named +<span class='pageno' id='Page_42'>42</span>Anne, who was successively married to Richard +earl of Dorset, and to Philip earl of +Pembroke and Montgomery.</p> + +<p class='c009'>This lady appears by the following +letter to have inherited with the family +estates, all the bravery and spirit of her +great ancestors. Sir Joseph Williamson, +when secretary of state to Charles the II. +wrote to the Countess, wishing to name a +candidate to her for the borough of Appleby, +to which she returned the following +spirited answer “I have been bullied by an +usurper, I have been neglected by a court, +but I will not be dictated to by a subject. +Your man shan’t stand.”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>“ANNE, DORSET;</div> + <div class='c003'>“Pembroke and Montgomery.”</div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c009'><span class='pageno' id='Page_43'>43</span>Dr. Campbell, in his Philosophy of +Rhetoric, highly commends the expression +of this letter, he says, “an ordinary spirit +would have employed as many pages to +express the same thing, as there are affirmations +in this short letter.” Of this +extraordinary lady, Dr. Donne remarked, +“that in her younger years, she knew well +how to discourse of all things, from predestination, +to slea-silk.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>From this digression, which we hope will +not prove uninteresting, we return again to +the main subject of our enquiry.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The winding and mazy course of the +Wye in about two miles, brings us to +Whitney, where, in 1794, the piers and +part of the arches of a new stone bridge +were in great forwardness, but in the succeeding +spring, the whole was swept away +<span class='pageno' id='Page_44'>44</span>by that hidden thaw and torrent, whose devastations +we have more than once had occasion +to notice. In this unfinished state, +the busy scenery of the various artificers +at work, a ferry boat perpetually in motion, +and the distant village church, peeping above +the hills in the back ground, produced altogether +a subject well worthy the pencil; but +from the confined nature of this work, and +the abundant rich, and luxuriant scenery, we +have yet to display, we feel it impossible to +insert every object in picture, however highly +it may merit our notice in description. Passing +several beautiful villages, we reach Willersley, +in the vicinity of which, the extensive +range of Merbidge Hills afforded us, from +their summit, a grand and extensive view of +the surrounding country. Another noble +object presents itself in this neighbourhood, +which bears the name of Brobery’s Scar: its +principal attractions are the bold and majestic +<span class='pageno' id='Page_45'>45</span>roughnesses of its form, that contrast +beautifully with the views, more immediately +upon the eye, on the bank of our river. +Hence, amidst a profusion of rich and beautiful +scenery, at a place called Rhydspence, +the river quits Radnorshire, and glides its +easy course towards Bradwardin. This town +stands on an easy ascent on the bank of +the Wye, and presents itself in a happy point +of view above the bridge, the northern bank +of the river rises to a considerable height, +and is richly cloathed with shrubbery. In +the annexed view we have aimed at a representation +of this beautiful and romantic +scene. The river here acquires a considerable +width, and though in a dry season, +has a proportionable depth of water. In +this vicinity there was formerly a castle, of +which very little remains. This place gave +birth, and name to the famous Thomas +Bradwardin, Archbishop of Canterbury, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_46'>46</span>who, from his variety of knowledge and +proficiency in the abstruse branches of learning, +obtained his title of Doctor Profundus. +Below this village we glided down this deep +and majestic stream, amidst a rich and fertile +country, till we reached Mocca’s Court, the +seat of Sir George Cornwall, Bart. It is pleasantly +situated on an eminence, on the southern +bank of the Wye, within a spacious +park, and commands a full and extensive +view of the beautiful meanderings of the +river.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This place was anciently called Moches, +and formed a part of the possessions of +St. Guthlach, in the City of Hereford. +The ancient house stood below the site of +the present, which is a modern structure, +and was in part built from the ruin of +Bradwardin Castle. In descending towards +Hereford we passed a variety of elegant +<span class='pageno' id='Page_47'>47</span>villas, rich in situation, and very happily +selected as summer residences; amongst these +Belmont, the seat of Dr. Matthews, is peculiarly +worthy of attention. The views from +hence, in each direction of the river, are +highly attractive, and art and nature under +the guidance of taste, are happily combined +to produce a rich and beautiful effect.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_49'>49</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION IV.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>This view of the ancient bridge and +venerable cathedral of Hereford, affords the +most picturesque, and striking combination +of objects, that came within our observation. +The bridge is of stone, and consists of eight +Gothic arches, it is evidently of great antiquity, +but at what period it was built, history +affords little information on which we +can rely. Leland conjectures that it was +erected about the same time with the castle, +that is, soon after the conquest.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The present beautiful cathedral, says +Camden, “was founded by bishop Reinelm, +in 1079, in the reign of Henry I. and by +his successors was enlarged, by adding to it +a neat college and fine houses for the prebendaries.” +The Bishop, he likewise says, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_50'>50</span>“has three hundred and two churches in his +diocese.” The revenues of the bishopric were +valued, in the 26th of Henry VIII. at eight +hundred and thirty one pounds fourteen shillings +and a penny. The present venerable +structure has undergone many changes, and +has been greatly encreased and beautified by +several of its bishops since its first erection, +a circumstance that naturally followed from +the immense expense attending such an undertaking, +which must at any period have +greatly exceeded the income, even of the +wealthiest abbot or bishop that the church +has yet known. The similarity of parts in +the style of its architecture, has induced some +persons to conjecture that it was all built at +the same period: this I judge could not +have been the case, there is more reason to +believe that the earliest forms served as a +model for future ages to work upon. It has +undergone shameful depredations: the chief +of which were occasioned by the puritanical +<span class='pageno' id='Page_51'>51</span>principles of the last century, when a blind +zeal upon religious subjects devoted the +most beautiful and venerable vestiges of antiquity +to ruin and destruction, as abominations +hateful in the eyes of God and man. +The form of the arches seems to indicate +that the earlier part of this building was +erected about the æra of the Saxon architecture; +its columns are peculiarly ponderous +and massive, they appear to have +been erected “not for an age, but for all +time.” Some monuments of their bishops +still remain, amongst which, in the north +wing is the shrine of bishop Cantilupe. +The monument of the family of the Bohuns, +in the library is curious, and deserves +the attention of the antiquary: a recumbent +figure is laying beneath a pointed Gothic +arch, round which are a number of hogs, +covered with a kind of body cloth, on +which are painted the arms of the family, +each hog having before him an apple to +<span class='pageno' id='Page_52'>52</span>which he seems smelling. This ancient family +of the Bohuns and the Lacies earls of +Hereford, are said by some writers to have +been the founders of Hereford castle, which +Leland asserts “to have been one of the +fairest, largest, and strongest in England.” +The preceding view of Hereford was made +in the summer of 1794, at which time the +tower of the cathedral was surrounded with +a scaffold, and the whole of the building +under a thorough repair, from the dreadful +accident that happened in the year 1786; +On the 17th day of April in that year, +about half past six in the evening, the west +tower of the cathedral with part of the +body of the church unfortunately fell down. +The above accident did not happen without +giving evident signs of gradual decay, +both from the dropping of many stones, +and the settling of the arches, which had +been remarked for two or three years previous +to the event. This dreadful catastrophe +<span class='pageno' id='Page_53'>53</span>was sufficiently foreseen to prevent +any fatal consequences. No lives were +lost though many persons were passing the +church yard at the time, and we of this day +have the less reason to deplore the accident, +as the rulers of this church, have had the +good sense to make use of the rare talents of +an architect, whose knowledge of the Gothic, +and natural taste for grandeur and simplicity, +so peculiarly fitted him for the office +of restoring this venerable fabric to its true +characteristical dignity, and who does not +appear to have deviated from the original +design, where it was possible to conform to it. +One principal improvement has been the +removing some walls that encircled a material +part of the church, by which means +a view was opened, of two beautiful chapels, +called Stanbury and Audley, that had +been long concealed from the public eye.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Mr. Wyat’s estimate of the repair of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_54'>54</span>this building was seven thousand pounds, five +thousand of which was raised by subscription. +But I am informed that to complete +this repair, the whole expense will amount to +at least thirteen thousand pounds.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This magnificent structure has ever been +considered by the antiquary, notwithstanding +its irregularity, as a splendid specimen of the +piety and munificence of our early churchmen; +and the arched roof of the upper cross +aisle, supported by a single pillar, is peculiarly +deserving attention. Tradition says, it +was erected in the reign of William Rufus, +by Robert de Lozinga, second bishop of the +see of Hereford. The height of the tower +was one hundred and twenty-five feet, upon +which was a lofty spire, that has, since the +accident, been taken down.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On the site on which this cathedral +stands there was anciently a church, founded +<span class='pageno' id='Page_55'>55</span>during the zenith of the Saxon heptarchy +about the ninth century, soon after which +it became a cathedral, and Hereford was +made the see of a bishop. The cathedral +was destroyed, and the city sacked in the +reign of Edward the Confessor, by Griffin +prince of South Wales who made the +bishop prisoner. At the Norman invasion +the city was in ruins, and within its walls +and the suburbs, there were not, according +to doomsday book, more than one hundred +and three men.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At a small distance from the cathedral +stands the vicar’s college, it forms a square, +within which is a plain but venerable cloister. +From its elevated situation, it commands a +beautiful view of the meandering course of +our river Wye, and its fertile and verdant +banks. Although it is not the professed intention +of this work to enter into a minute +history of cities, or towns, yet the antiquity +<span class='pageno' id='Page_56'>56</span>of this venerable place demands our +attention, and cannot be passed over in +silence, we shall therefore mention the once +elegant building of the chapter house, of +which, though but a small fragment presents +itself, there is yet sufficient of the +picturesque to attract the notice of the +curious traveller, nor can the remains of +the Black Fryars with its beautiful cross, or +rather stone pulpit, be passed unnoticed, +the latter is here preserved in a wood cut +from a sketch made on the spot in 1794.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id002'> +<img src='images/i56.jpg' alt='Black-and-white engraving of a small Gothic-style tower with narrow arched openings and a pointed finial on top. A ladder leans against the right side. Dense shrubs and a tall tree surround the base.' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_57'>57</span>The building is Hexagonal, open at +every side, and round it is a flight of six +steps. The shaft of the cross which is broken +off, rests on a table of the same form +in the centre of the building, and spreads +itself towards the roof in ramifications +that produce a very beautiful effect. Some +of the embattlements yet remain on the +upper part of the building, the whole +of which appears to have been finished +with great care and elegance. From this +building, sermons were delivered by the +fryers, who were then extremely popular, +to the multitude who were sheltered under +the cloister, that it is presumed, surrounded +this building. An hospital in +1614, was founded on the site whereon +stood the black fryars, by Sir Thomas +Coningsby of Hampton Court, in this +county, who was then proprietor of the +ruins, and by him it was endowed with +considerable estates in Leicestershire, and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_58'>58</span>was intended as a relief to the worn out +soldier and superannuated faithful servant.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The city of Hereford, appears by its +remaining walls, to have been well and +regularly fortified, and its castle must have +been a very capital fortress. The site +whereon it stood retains the name of Castle +Green, and affords a pleasant retreat, commanding +a very beautiful view of the river +beneath and of the surrounding country. +This being a remarkable dry season, barges +have been laying at Hereford for upwards +four months, for want of water to carry +them down.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The principal articles of navigation are +timber, bark, and grain, and the back carriage, +is coals from Ledbrook and other +places below Ross. Hereford is not favourably +situated for manufactures or commerce. +It is ill supplied with fuel, and that not +<span class='pageno' id='Page_59'>59</span>good, and the uncertain state of the river, +from its shoals and great rapidity, prevents +that constant and uniform navigation which +can alone support a regular and extensive +trade. To remove these barriers, several attempts, +I am informed, have been made, but +the estimate of expenses has been so enormous, +that the measure has always proved +abortive.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Quitting Hereford, the Wye bends its +course round a point of land for a distance +of near two miles, when we are again +brought almost as near to the town, as +when we quitted it. The river as we +passed down, still continued its circuitous +windings, but with a more placid surface, +seldom meeting any obstruction in its +course, from those rocky substances that +formed the grand characteristic of the +stream in its earlier stages. The general +face of the country is rich in verdure, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_60'>60</span>and the cattle grazing on the banks of +the river or laving in its stream, are objects +that perpetually contribute to enliven the +scene.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About six miles below Hereford, the +Wye receives the river Lug, one of the +three principal rivers in this county; it derives +its source from the mountains in the +north east part of Radnorshire, and running +east, through Herefordshire to Leominster, +takes a south east direction towards the +Wye; in its course it is joined by several +smaller streams, and on its near approach +to our river, becomes a stream of considerable +magnitude. About a mile from +the bank of the Wye, this river runs +through the pleasant village of Mordiford, +and adds much to the picturesque scenery of +the place. On the east end of the church +of Mordiford is represented in plaster, an +enormous dragon or serpent, the history of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_61'>61</span>which is thus recorded. Some centuries ago, +we know not when, a dragon is reported +to have been the devourer of all the cattle +on the adjoining hills called Offwood, and +was a monster of such terrific qualities, that +no one could for a great length of time, be +found bold enough to undertake his destruction, +till at length a pardon being granted +to a condemned criminal, on condition +that he would undertake it, he achieved his +purpose, by slaying the dragon as he was solacing +himself in a cyder hogshead. This +wonderful relation, seems to be generally credited +by the people in the neighbourhood, +as no doubt it was at the building of this +edifice, or this strange monster would not +have been represented in so terrific a form, +and in so conspicuous a place as the front of +the church. After relating this wonderful +circumstance, may we be permitted to quote +another, not less so from the learned Camden. +He says, that “near the conflux of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_62'>62</span>the Lug and the Wye, eastward, a hill +which they call Marcley hill, did in the +year 1575, rouse itself as it were out of +sleep, and for three days together, shoving +its prodigious body forward with a horrible +roaring noise, and overturning every +thing in its way, raised itself (to the +great astonishment of the beholders) to a +higher place; by that kind of earthquake, +I suppose, which the Naturalists call Brasmatia.” +On a hill adjoining the village, +a large stone house has been recently erected +by a Mr. Hereford, which deserves notice +from the extensive and beautiful view it +commands of Hereford and the surrounding +country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About a mile below Mordiford, we +pass a large brick mansion belonging to the +Duke of Norfolk, called Holme Lacy, formerly +the seat of the ancient family of the +Scudamores. On this site stood an abbey +<span class='pageno' id='Page_63'>63</span>for Premonstratensian cannons, dedicated to +the Virgin Mary and Thomas a Becket, +founded by William Fitzwain in the beginning +of the reign of Henry the third; +the house is a flat uninteresting building, +but comprises within its view a beautiful +and picturesque prospect on the opposite +side of the river, called Fownhope. The +village is situated amidst a rich thicket of +verdant and woody scenery, on an extensive +slope rising from a rocky bank of the +Wye.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This richly diversified hill, is at a proper +distance from the eye, to enable it distinctly +to mark the several species of trees +of which it is composed; these cannot be +more aptly described, than in the lines of +Dyer, on a similar subject, in his charming +poem of Grongar Hill.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_64'>64</span>“The gloomy pine, the poplar blue,</div> + <div class='line'>“The yellow beech, the sable yew,</div> + <div class='line'>“The slender fir, that taper grows,</div> + <div class='line'>“The sturdy oak, with broad spread boughs.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Amongst the few houses that are scattered +on this beautiful scene, the principal +are those of Mr. Lechmere, and Mr. Purchase, +who has a considerable brewery here. +A little below the next bend of the river, a +range of hills called Capler hills, form a rich +screen to the northern bank of the Wye. +These hills are upwards of a mile and a half +in length, and are principally covered with +oak trees, the soil which is of a reddish +cast, frequently breaks through the verdure +of its plantations, and gives a warm and +animated tinge to the landscape. A high +road passes the summit of these hills, that +commands a beautiful prospect of the surrounding +country, and the meandering river +beneath. Near Brookhampton on Capler +hill, is the remain of a very large square +<span class='pageno' id='Page_65'>65</span>camp called Wobury, it appears to be double +trenched, but narrow and near half a +mile in length. About five years ago, near +three acres of these hills fell into the Wye +and narrowed its course, but it has from +that circumstance, obtained a more considerable +depth than we have before witnessed +in this river, being now in a dry season, upwards +of five feet deep.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On the left of the river, at Aramstone, +is a fine view of the village of King’s Caple +situated amidst a beautiful assemblage of +woods. Below this spot on the opposite +bank is Harewood, the residence of the Hoskins’s +an ancient family in the county of +Hereford. This place is peculiarly worthy +notice, as it composed part of the forest of +Harewood, in which Ethelwold, king Edgar’s +minister had a castle. Here Mason fixed the +scene, for his dramatic poem of Elfrida, and +thus he describes the scene before us</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_66'>66</span>“How nobly does this venerable wood,</div> + <div class='line'>“Gilt with the glories of the orient sun</div> + <div class='line'>“Embosom yon fair mansion! the soft air</div> + <div class='line'>“Salutes me with most cool and temp’rate breath;</div> + <div class='line'>“And as I tread, the flow’r besprinkled lawn</div> + <div class='line'>“Sends up a gale of fragrance. I should guess,</div> + <div class='line'>“If e’er content deign’d visit mortal clime,</div> + <div class='line'>“This was her place of dearest residence.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>From hence amidst a rich and woody +country, admitting from its sameness little +variety worthy either the pen or pencil, we +pursued our course down the gentle stream +till we reached the pleasant village of Selleck; +its church is of a singular construction, +and no less so is that of an epitaph I +copied in the church yard, on the tombstone +of one Richard Addis who died in +1788, aged 80.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“When Christ come riding on the clouds</div> + <div class='line'>“To view the world abroad,</div> + <div class='line'>“Angels and saints crying aloud</div> + <div class='line'>“Rise dead and meet the Lord.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>On the opposite side of the river, a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_67'>67</span>little below Harewood, is a fine grove of +trees called Caple Tump, where an annual +festival is held from all the neighbouring +towns, and where</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“All the village train, from labor free,</div> + <div class='line'>“Lead up their sports beneath the spreading tree.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>About two miles below Selleck, we +were gratified with the most beautiful and +luxuriant view of Ross, that I believe the +country from any point affords.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_69'>69</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION V.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>On the approach to Ross, a fine amphitheatre +of trees called Ashwood skirts the +southern bank of the Wye. From this +charming spot, near three miles above Ross, +the annexed view which comprehends the +principal objects that compose the beautiful +in picturesque landscape was sketched. +The town is situated on the declivity of a +hill at a happy distance, and not too obtrusive +on the eye; the rising hills with which +it is screened give a boldness of character to +the situation, nor is the winding of the river, +and verdure of the country that enrich +its banks, less characteristic of this delightful +neighbourhood. The hill to the right of +the town is called the Chase, and that on the +left, Penyard-wood, on which formerly stood +a castle, said to have been destroyed in the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_70'>70</span>civil wars. The white spire of Ross +church “bosomed high in tufted trees” +has at this distance an effect peculiarly +pleasing, but on a nearer approach, the +town obtrudes too much on the eye, and +the picturesque and beautiful, gradually +disappear.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Ross, abstracted from its elevated and +delightful situation, has little to render it +worthy attention; the prospect from the +church yard a spot to which the traveller +is generally conducted on his arrival, displays +a very extensive and enchanting landscape +both above and below the town.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The beautiful and meandering course of +the river beneath, enriched with pleasure +boats constantly in motion, in their passage +to and from Chepstow, gives life and beauty +to the scene. These boats are lightly constructed +and are navigated by three men, either +<span class='pageno' id='Page_71'>71</span>with or without a sail. The heavy +mass of building called the Town Hall, +from its general appearance conveys a faint +idea of the worst style of Saxon architecture; +it is a ponderous and unmeaning +heap of stone, huddled together in the +tasteless reign of James the first, by one +John Abel who erected a similar building at +Hereford; they vie with each other in want +of taste, and have nothing to render them +worthy notice but their absurdity, which I +believe is not to be equalled by the dullest +architect of that or any other period. At +one end of the building, intended I presume +as an ornament, there is a noseless bust, supposed +to be that of the merry monarch +Charles the second. In such a state of decay +is the stone of which this edifice is composed, +together with the heavy style of its +architecture, that it has every appearance of +having been erected as far back as the +time of the Saxons.</p> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_72'>72</span>Notwithstanding the disadvantage +under which this building labors, I have +yet considered the general view of which it +forms a part as not devoid of interest, it +comprises the house in which the man of +Ross resided till his death, now known by +the sign of the King’s Arm Inn. As every +the most trifling circumstance relative to a +character so highly distinguished by the pen +of Pope, and still more highly dignified by +the general voice of the people of Ross becomes +interesting, I have here thought fit +to give a view of the house in which he +resided, and the adjoining buildings.</p> + +<p class='c006'>To the benevolent John Kyrle, a name +almost lost in the superior title of the +Good Man of Ross this town owes most +of its improvements and charitable institutions.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/fp72.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland del.</i><br> <br> <i>Market house &c.</i><br> <br> <i>Pub. for S. Ireland Mar. 1, 1797</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>He was born at Whitehouse, in the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_73'>73</span>parish of Dymock, in the county of Hereford +in 1637, served the office of sheriff for +the county in 1683, and died in 1724.</p> + +<p class='c006'>From an income of only five hundred +pounds a year, this good man appears to +have derived every happiness to himself and +to have diffused it with uncommon benevolence +to all around him. This exemplary +character has been so interestingly +delineated by the pen of Pope, that the introduction +of the following lines although +well known, will need no apology for their +insertion in this work.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in3'>“Rise honest muse! and sing the <i>Man of Ross</i>:</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Pleas’d Vaga echoes thro’ her winding bounds,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“And rapid Severn hoarse applause resounds.</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Who hung with woods yon mountain’s sultry brow?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“From the dry rock, who bade the waters flow?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Not to the skies in useless columns tost,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Or in proud falls magnificently lost,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“But clear, and artless, pouring thro’ the plain</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Health to the sick, and solace to the swain.</div> + <div class='line in3'><span class='pageno' id='Page_74'>74</span>“Whose cause-way parts the vale with shady rows?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Whose seats the weary traveller repose?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Who taught the heaven directed spire to rise?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“The <i>Man of Ross</i>, each lisping babe replies.</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Behold the market-place with poor o’erspread!</div> + <div class='line in3'>“<i>The Man of Ross</i> divides the weekly bread;</div> + <div class='line in3'>“He feeds yon alms-house, neat, but void of state,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Where age, and want sit smiling at the gate;</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Him portion’d maids, apprentic’d orphans blest,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“The young who labor, and the old who rest.</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Is any sick? the <i>Man of Ross</i> relieves,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Prescribes, attends, the medicine makes, and gives.”</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Is there a variance? enter but his door,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Balk’d are the courts, and contest is no more.</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Despairing Quacks with curses fled the place,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“And vile Attorneys, now an useless race.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>B. “Thrice happy man! enabled to pursue</div> + <div class='line in3'>“What all so wish, but want the power to do!</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Oh say, what sums that gen’rous hand supply?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“What mines to swell that boundless charity?</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>P. “Of debts and taxes, wife and children clear,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“This man possest—five hundred pounds a year.</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Blush, grandeur, blush! proud courts withdraw your blaze,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Ye little stars! hide your diminished rays.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>B. “And what? no monument, inscription, stone?</div> + <div class='line in3'>“His race, his form, his name almost unknown?</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>P. “Who builds a church to God, and not to fame,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Will never mark the marble with his name;</div> + <div class='line in3'><span class='pageno' id='Page_75'>75</span>“Go, search it there, where to be born and die,</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Of rich and poor makes all the history;</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Enough that virtue fill’d the space between</div> + <div class='line in3'>“Prov’d by the ends of being, to have been.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>The allusion of the poet, to a neglect in +not raising a monument to the good man’s +name, no longer exists, for in 1776 a neat +mural tablet was erected to his memory in +the chancel of the church, by Colonel Money, +to defray the expence of which, the sum +of three hundred pounds was bequeathed by +a Lady Kinnoul, whose property devolving +to the Colonel, the good intention of the +lady was by him accomplished. On this +tablet the following lines are inscribed.</p> + +<p class='c006'>“This monument was erected in memory +of Mr. John Kyrle, commonly called +the Man of Ross.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>It is somewhat singular that neither his +age, nor the time of his death, are here +<span class='pageno' id='Page_76'>76</span>mentioned. The design for the monument +was made by a Mr. Marsh of this town, +who has introduced a bust of the good man +that bears little resemblance to either of +the two portraits I met with in Ross; one +of these is in the possession of Philip Jones +Esq.; a gentleman, who by marriage with +a descendant of John Kyrle, enjoys all his +property, and by his urbanity renders himself +a worthy representative of that exemplary +character. This picture appears to be that +of a person about thirty six years of age, +and is evidently the work of Sir Peter Lely. +The other portrait was at the King’s Arms +Inn, formerly the residence of John Kyrle, +as described in the view given in this section, +it represents him at a more advanced period +of life, and on that account, although ill +painted, it was preferred to the former as +he is exhibited nearer the close of a life, +long and happily spent in the promotion +of virtue, and to the honor of human +nature. I flatter myself the annexed etching +from this picture will not prove unacceptable +to the admirer and collector of portraits, as +I do not remember to have ever seen a +print of this exalted character. The original +is said to have been sketched from the +life unknown to Mr. Kyrle, on a Sunday +whilst he was attending divine service. He +had often been solicited to sit for his picture, +but no inducement could prevail on +him to comply with the request of his +friends.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id002'> +<img src='images/fp76.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>F. Barlow sculp<sup>t</sup>.</i><br> <br> <span class='sc'>John Kyrle</span>,<br> <br> <i>Commonly called the Man of Ross</i>.</p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_77'>77</span>It is reported of Mr. Kyrle, that his +ordinary mode of dress, was very plain, and +so mean as even to suggest the idea of indigence +and want. And even more unfavourable +conclusions have been made, from +his general appearance, for upon no better +foundation, it is said that when travelling +in Oxfordshire on horseback, he was apprehended +near Benson, upon a suspicion of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_78'>78</span>having committed a robbery in a neighbouring +county. I need not add that this +charge was dismissed the instant his name +was made known to the magistracy.</p> + +<p class='c006'>We cannot quit this town without noticing +to the picturesque traveller, a charming +walk made by Mr. Kyrle, which led to +what he called his farm, it commands a +beautiful view of the devious windings of +the river beneath, and Wilton castle, bridge, +&c. on the opposite shore.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_79'>79</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION VI.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>About a mile below Ross, Wilton +Castle first attracts our attention. This +ruin is situated on the margin of the Wye, +and affords with its surrounding objects in +many points of view, scenes not unworthy +the attention of the antiquary or admirer of +picturesque objects. Its western walls and +round towers are in the most perfect state +of preservation, but the annexed view, comprising +a part of the bridge, is selected as +most appropriate to the design of this work +and to exemplify the course of the river. +The castle has formerly covered a considerable +extent of ground, the greater part of +which is now used as a garden. Camden +says “that king John gave Wilton with +the castle to Henry Longchamp and that +<span class='pageno' id='Page_80'>80</span>it came by marriage to William Fitzhugh, +and not long after, in King Edward +the first’s time, to Reginald Grey, +Justice of Chester, from whom by a long +descent it came to Lord Grey of Wilton, +whose son Arthur Lord Grey was Lord +Deputy of Ireland.” This noble person +merits particular attention, as having been +the early patron of our Spencer the poet, +who accompanied him to Ireland as his +secretary.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the county of Cork, at a place called +Kilcolman, Spencer is reported to have finished +his excellent poem of the Fairy Queen. +The River Mulla, so often mentioned by +him, ran through the grounds of the house +in which he resided. His gratitude to his +patron is thus recorded, in a sonnet addressed +to him, and is prefixed to the poem.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_81'>81</span>“Most noble lord the pillor of my life,</div> + <div class='line'>“And patrone of my muses pupillage:</div> + <div class='line'>“Through whose large bountie, poured on me rife</div> + <div class='line'>“In the first season of my feeble age,</div> + <div class='line'>“I nowe doe live bound yours by vassalage;” &c.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>At what period Wilton Castle went out +of the family of the Greys is not mentioned, +but it afterwards belonged to the Lord +Chandos, from whom it descended to the +duke of Chandos who built Canons in +Middlesex. The remains of this castle, with +Aconbury, Dewfall, and other considerable +estates in the neighbourhood belonging to +this family, amounting to near four thousand +pounds per annum, were sold some +years ago to the governors of Guy’s Hospital. +The castle is reported to have been +principally destroyed by fire, but at what +period is not ascertained. In support of this +idea we observed, that towards the ends of +the timbers, many of them appeared to have +<span class='pageno' id='Page_82'>82</span>been much burned. On this spot an assemblage +of rich and woody scenery, forms the +leading feature of the vicinity of our river, +and about two miles below Wilton bridge +I would advise the admirer of the truly +grand in landscape, to ascend the hill in +the high road to Monmouth, where at a +place called Pencreek, the eye is feasted +with one of the most magnificent views +this river affords. The distant church of +Ross, its neighboring woods and hills, and +the meandering course of the Wye, all combine +from hence to form this fascinating +scene. Here the course of the river is peculiarly +marked, its channel is nobly formed, +and wears a grandeur not to be met with +in any other river we have yet seen in this +country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Amidst a variety of enchanting views, +passing from one bend of the river to another, +Goodrich castle, on the summit of a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_83'>83</span>bold promontory, amidst an elegant woodland +scene, nobly raises its ruined battlements, +as if frowning on the stream beneath.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On ascending the hill to contemplate +the spoils of Time, who ravages alike the +forms of beauty and the tower of strength, +by leaving for a moment the ordinary path +and passing up what is called Conduit hill, +Walford church, Ross, and the surrounding +country, at a happy distance, combine to +form a landscape of peculiar richness and +beauty. History does not inform us at what +period this castle was erected, but we find +that early as the fifth year of the reign +of King John, William Marshall, Earl of +Pembroke had a grant of it. From this +family it came to Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, +in the reign of Edward the third, and +in the twentieth year of Richard the second, +Sir John Scudamore of Holme Lacy was +constituted its constable, during the minority +<span class='pageno' id='Page_84'>84</span>of John Lord Talbot, in whose family +it continued till the fourteenth of James +the First; at which period Gilbert Talbot, +Earl of Shrewsbury died, leaving three +daughters his coheiresses. Elizabeth the +second daughter was married to Henry de +Grey, Earl of Kent, by which marriage he +became possessor of this manor, which continued +in the family till the death of Henry +Duke of Kent in 1740, after which it was +sold to Thomas Griffin, Esq.; Vice Admiral +of the White, whose second son, the Reverend +Dr. Griffin of Hadnock near Monmouth, +is its present owner.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This celebrated castle was nearly square, +covering a space of ground forty eight yards +by fifty two; it was defended at each angle +by four large round towers, one of which +formed an irregular Heptagon. Through a +perfect Gothic arch, we are led to a spacious +hall of good proportion overgrown with ivy, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_85'>85</span>adjoining which is an area, presenting the +remains of a lofty square building, with circular +arched windows in the Saxon style, +resembling Gundulph’s tower at Rochester +castle. By the fragment of a stone staircase, +we ascend another embattled tower, through +which at a great depth appears the immense +fosse, or trench, which is hewn out of a +solid rock, and is twenty yards in breadth. +Here was once a draw-bridge and two gates +with recesses between each, evidently intended +as places of safety for its guards, who +unseen might annoy the enemy. The various +points from which this castle may be +viewed to advantage, would afford ample +matter for the antiquary, artist, and military +architect.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Quitting this spot, several views of +the castle presented themselves, but they +were all undignified and uninteresting when +compared with those we had before contemplated. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_86'>86</span>The country on the opposite side of +the river towards the village of Walford, is +peculiarly beautiful. In the church of Walford, +one of the aisles is now called Kyrle’s +chapel; it was erected by that family for +their private use, before it became a parochial +church; about a mile below the castle, is a +small remain of Goodrich priory; a few Gothic +windows are yet standing, and part of +the chapel which is now converted to a granary; +the whole affords an object sufficient +to attract the notice of the curious.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/i86.jpg' alt='Black-and-white engraving of a group of connected buildings with steep gabled roofs, small arched windows, and two crosses at the roof peaks. A set of exterior steps and a small platform stand at the center, with a cart in front. A tall tree rises at the right side.' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_87'>87</span>This priory was a monastery of the order +of black cannons regular of St. Augustine, +founded and endowed with the king’s +licence in the twentieth <a id='t87'></a>year of Edward the +fourth, 1347. Its situation corresponds with +the happy choice usually made by the ancient +possessors of religious houses, it stands +in a fertile valley, watered by one of the +finest rivers in the kingdom. The building +with the lands contiguous to the castle are +occupied by a Mr. Bellamy. From the +ascent, approaching the village of Goodrich +a rich and extensive view presents +itself across the forest of Dean, from whence +Rure-dean church happily breaks upon the +eye.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Here the Wye in a long and serpentine +reach, appears in a perspective point of view +and affords a pleasing and happy termination +to the scenery; its banks are screened on the +south, by an extensive coppice wood, and on +<span class='pageno' id='Page_88'>88</span>the north, by fertile meadows rising towards +Bishop’s-wood, from which a considerable +iron furnace in this vicinity derives its name. +From the stone quarries in this neighborhood, +the new bridge at Bristol was principally +erected.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Passing down the river, the next object +that attracts our notice is Courtfield, +the seat of the Vaughan family.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This spot is rendered remarkable from +Henry the fifth having been nursed in the +neighbourhood. That prince we are told, +was when young of a weak and sickly habit, +and was placed under the care of a countess +of Salisbury, from which circumstance +in all probability, the original name of this +place which was Greyfield, was changed to +the appellation it now bears. We next approach +Lidbroke colliery and very large and +extensive wharf, from whence a considerable +<span class='pageno' id='Page_89'>89</span>commerce in coals is carried on to Ross, +Hereford and other places. This productive +mine is the property of Lord Gage. With +all the dark and dingy attributes of this +place, involved as it is in smoke, and begirt +with coal barges, it yet affords a very pleasing +and interesting landscape. The high +road that ascends the woody hill, screening +the back ground of this wharf, is perpetually +enlivened by horses and carriages +in this sooty sable commerce, while on the +bank of the river beneath, the lading and +unlading the vessels, afford additional business +and variety to the scene. This view +is finely contrasted on a sudden bend of the +river a little below, where all is tranquil and +serene. The picturesque village of Welch +Bicknor presents itself in a rich valley on +the right bank of the Wye, happily overshaded +by a thicket of woods, ranged in a +grand and circular sweep. These are called +<span class='pageno' id='Page_90'>90</span>Hawkwood and Packwood, and extend about +a mile along the bank of the river. The +village church and parsonage house, group +in a form peculiarly beautiful and interesting.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the body of the church, fronting the +reading desk, is a cumbent whole length female +figure, well sculptured in a darkish coloured +stone. Traditional report says it represents +the countess of Salisbury, whom +we have just mentioned as having nursed +king Henry the fifth. She holds a child in +each arm. This effigy is highly worthy of +notice. The drapery is in a loose and free +style, and the general contour of the whole +bespeaks it the work of an artist of talent. +A little below this scene, the Wye is bounded +on the opposite shore by a long range of +hills, beautifully cloathed with verdure, and +diversified by a rich and broken soil of a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_91'>91</span>warm and reddish hue, frequently over +clouded with shades of smoak that issue +from the various kilns, kept continually +burning near this spot. These circumstances +trifling and adventitious as they may +appear, give relief and effect to the picturesque +and beautiful in landscape. Approaching +the foot of Cold-well rocks, a +scene sublime and majestic presents itself. +The grand prominencies are overhung with +richly varied tufts of oak, and other shrubberies, +occasionally contrasted and relieved +by deep and shadowy dells, formed by the +various lime kilns on their surface. Some +of the most prominent of Cold-well rocks, +we are informed, have by some gentlemen +of the bar, in their passage down this +river, been christened after the names of +our principal council. The connection is +not obvious, or readily traced.</p> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_92'>92</span>Here we quitted the barge to ascend +these majestic rocks, which by an immense +and craggy steep, we with difficulty accomplished, +and reached the summit called Symond’s +Gate. This task, arduous as it is +should not deter the traveller from pursuing +this course, as by means of it he will +avoid a dull and uninteresting passage on +the water of full three miles to the new +Weir, and by passing over these rocks he +will enjoy a sublimity of scenery that will +amply repay his toil and labour. As we +ascend these superb masses of stone, the rich +and extensive scenery that surrounds us, is +every moment unfolding itself: the summit +is richly overgrown with wild thyme, and +variegated flowers, and is crowned with the +rich and deep foliage of the noble oak</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Here all the air a solemn stillness holds”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c010'>save the distant lowing of cattle, and from +<span class='pageno' id='Page_93'>93</span>his rocky bed, the dirge like evening song +of the owl, that floats along the gale.</p> + +<p class='c006'>From hence Goodrich castle, which +we imagined we had left far behind, breaks +suddenly upon the eye, and appears from +the immense winding of the river to be a +near object. The new weir, and adjoining +waterfall, with the surrounding rich and +healthy hills afford from this spot a combination +of objects, that deservedly rank +among the first views on the river, or perhaps +in this country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The village of Whitechurch in the centre +of the vale beneath, with the vast hills +beyond it, afford a sublime termination to +this reach of the river.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At Whitechurch is a second ferry called +Hunson’s Rope. This ferry although seven +<span class='pageno' id='Page_94'>94</span>miles distant by water from that of Goodrich, +is only one mile by land, a striking instance +of the very appropriate and characteristical +title of our river, which from its +mazy and circuitous course, is justly denominated +the Vaga, or Wye.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_95'>95</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION VII.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>Descending towards the new Weir +by a course not less rugged than that by +which we ascended, the fatigue we had undergone, +was amply repaid by the gratification +we received in some of the most beautiful +views that can be imagined. These +presented themselves through the various +breaks of the rocks, or openings of the surrounding +woods with which they are enriched. +The serpentine winding of the +river, and the vast prominencies and fantastic +forms of the rocks in its vicinity, give +an air of solemn gloom and grandeur to the +scene. From the approach to the Weir, +the annexed view was selected, it comprises +all the principal objects that could +be admitted within the limits of a scale so +circumscribed. The innumerable circumstances +<span class='pageno' id='Page_96'>96</span>that aid this grand and sublime +scene, are such as to render it almost impossible +for the pencil, to render it justice. +The iron forges on the opposite side of the +river, not less from their appearance than +from the important purposes they answer +in human life, give an interest to this <a id='t96'></a>effusion +of nature, while the awful sound of the +iron hammers beating the fiery mass, awakens +in the mind new sensations giving +dignity and grandeur to the subject. This +picturesque scene is much heightened by +the immense volumes of sparkling smoak +that are continually issuing from the forges, +these give a pleasing though transitory relief +to the sombre, and distant hills that +terminate the view. Around these works +are scattered great masses of half burned +ore, coal, and cinders, and interspersed on +the barren and extensive moor in the vicinity, +are many humble cottages of the various +workmen employed in the manufactory. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_97'>97</span>The roaring of the waters from the +cascade of the Weir adjoining to this work +has a grand effect, its fall is precipitate although +at no great height, nor is it perceived +from above the stream.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The river here receives a considerable +degree of agitation from the huge masses of +stone, either swept down by the stream, or +hurled from the summit of the neighbouring +rocks. Here the Wye increases in +width, and its current is so strong, that +it is with extraordinary labour and difficulty +the barges are towed up. I have seen +eight or ten men throwing themselves on +the earth on every pull, to give force to their +exertions.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In this part of the river is frequently +seen a small fishing boat on a singular construction, +called a corricle, it is ribbed with +laths or split twigs, and is covered with a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_98'>98</span>strong pitched canvas, to prevent its leaking, +it is about five feet and a half long +and four broad. In the middle is a seat +that holds one man, who sits with a paddle +in one hand while he fishes with the other. +His labour finished, he throws the corricle +over his shoulder and retires to his home.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A little below the weir the river scenery +is terminated by what is called King Arthur’s +plain, or Doward hills. To the traveller +who is bold enough to attempt the +summit of these hills, the views will afford +ample variety both in the beautiful and sublime. +Camden conjectures, that on these +hills there has anciently been a fortification, +and what makes it more probable is, that +in digging there for iron ore, and lime +stone, he says “broad arrow heads have +been found, and not long ago, the greatest +part of the bones of a gigantic person +were found here interred, in a place +<span class='pageno' id='Page_99'>99</span>“that seemed to be arched over.” Whatever +may have been the ancient destination +of this spot, its present attractions proceed +from the very extensive and richly diversified +prospects that present themselves from every +point of view. On a spot adjoining to the +wood on the extremity of this hill, is a cavern +that bears the name of King Arthur’s +Hall; it is said to extend by a +passage from hence to the new weir, a distance +of about a mile. Many fabulous +and romantic tales have been attached to +the history of this hall, but the fact appears +to be simply this, that it was a cavern, +from whence was dug a rich mine of +iron ore, that supplied the adjoining furnaces.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A detached cluster of rocks called St. +Martins’, or the three Sisters, somewhat resembling +but much inferior to those at Cold-well, +skirt the river in passing down, near +<span class='pageno' id='Page_100'>100</span>which at a short reach called St. Martin’s +Well, the stream is supposed to have a greater +depth of water than in any other part. +At the extremity of this reach from a beautiful +vale, King Arthur’s plain again presents +itself, assuming a new and castellated form, +and here every stroak of the oar gives variety +to the scene, and every object seems to +vary its situation. The vast assemblage of +rocks we have just contemplated, appear +to vanish and melt into a distant hill, rising +from a craggy base on the margin of +the river.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About two miles before we reach Monmouth, +Hadnock house and the beauties of +its situation justly demand our attention. +It is situated on the edge of the forest of +Dean, and stands on the brow of a hill, +commanding a fascinating view of the meandering +Wye, that gently glides beneath its +rocky hills: these are enriched with verdant +<span class='pageno' id='Page_101'>101</span>coppice woods that screen this beautiful +spot, the residence of the Rev. Dr. +Griffin, whom we have before mentioned. +From hence along the base of the hills, a +road running parallel with the river that +leads on to Monmouth.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_103'>103</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION VIII.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>Quitting Hadnock, we are gratified +with a distant view of the bridge and town +of Monmouth. The solitary church of +Dixton on the opposite bank of the river, +although deficient in accompaniments is yet +a characteristic and interesting feature in the +fore ground of the landscape; and it continues +to be such, though since this drawing +was executed, its interior received in the +great flood in 1795 very material injury; +the water having forced its way through the +windows and doors, and torn up pulpit, +pews and pavement.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Monmouth bridge is of stone, and +consists of six irregular arches. The town +derives its name from its situation at the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_104'>104</span>conflux of the Wye and Mynwye, generally, +and by the Welsh particularly pronounced +Monnow.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A great part of Monmouth is encompassed +by this river which empties itself +into the Wye at the lower end of the town; +where a very ancient bridge and gateway, +formerly a barrier against the Welsh, is +thrown across this mountain stream. It is +somewhat extraordinary, that neither history +or tradition, although they are both +mentioned by Leland in his itinerary, afford +any information as to the period in which +they were built. Independent however of +historical evidence, they bear such unequivocal +marks of antiquity, that the picturesque +effect they produce, gives them ample claim +to a place in this work. The annexed plate +will we flatter ourselves, convey a faithful +representation of this venerable remain, and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_105'>105</span>in some degree illustrate the situation of the +town itself; which though low, is seated in a +spot at once both pleasing and romantic.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Monmouth had anciently four gates, +and the suburb was defended by a wall and +deep ditch on each side, except that next the +river. As far back as Leland’s time, the +walls and every other embattled part but the +square tower were in a state of ruin. The +church is an entire modern structure.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Monmouth has high claim to consideration +and respect, from its having given +birth to our fifth Henry the conqueror of +France, whose active spirit, warlike qualities, +and superior skill in horsemanship, particularly +at a time when to be accomplished, +was indispensible to the character of a +gentleman, and the cavalry service began to +be in a manner appropriated to men of this +<span class='pageno' id='Page_106'>106</span>rank, are thus enchantingly, and with all +the ease and grace of the gallant and princely +horseman he describes, delineated by our +matchless bard.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“I saw young Harry with his beaver on,</div> + <div class='line'>“His cuiffes on his thighs, gallantly arm’d,</div> + <div class='line'>“Rise from the ground like feather’d Mercury,</div> + <div class='line'>“And vaulted with such ease into his seat</div> + <div class='line'>“As if an angel dropp’d down from the clouds,</div> + <div class='line'>“To turn and wind a fiery pegasus,</div> + <div class='line'>“And witch the world with feats of horsemanship.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Henry was born in the castle of Monmouth, +of which little more remains than a +few fragments of walls, and an elevation or +mound of earth, just sufficient to ascertain +its site; and to demonstrate how evanescent +and transitory are all human things; the +strong embattled fortress as well as the cradle +of princes. Such once were to be found +on this spot; and that this awful truth may +be more strongly impressed and exemplified, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_107'>107</span>though there yet remains more visible and +palpable evidence of one than of the other, +let it be remembered, that the record of +history will retain the memory of the birth +place of Henry, when all traces of the castle +shall have passed away, and even its site shall +as ineffectually be sought after as at this +hour the image of its former splendour.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In this castle Edward the second, after +he had been made prisoner by his queen +Isabella, in 1326, was for a time confined. +Having in the south west direction of the +town, with some difficulty obtained a sketch +of the ruin of the castle that partakes much +of the picturesque, it is here given as an illustration +of this venerable spot. The river +Monnow beautifully winds beneath its +ruined walls, the wooden bridge that is +thrown across the stream, and the rich and +verdant scenery of its hilly bank, all conspire +to produce a landscape highly deserving a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_108'>108</span>place in this work. The remains of the +castle, denote it to be of Roman construction, +Camden says that from the king’s records, +a castle was standing here in a flourishing +state, as early as the time of William +the Conqueror, and that it was rebuilt by +John Baron of Monmouth, about the year +1240.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This town has not only the honor of +giving birth to a great king, but likewise +to a great historian, Galfredius Arthurius, +Bishop of St. Asaph, better known by the +name of Jeffery of Monmouth. He is supposed +to have been educated at this place, +which had then a benedictine monastery, or +convent of black monks, founded in 1240 +by Wihenoe de Monemue, or Monmouth. +Monasteries were at that time the principal +seminaries for learning in this country, as +Oxford and Cambridge had not then risen +to any great celebrity, and were at that period +much depressed in consequence of the Danish +<span class='pageno' id='Page_109'>109</span>invasion. Jeffery was made arch deacon +of Monmouth in 1251, and was soon afterwards +created bishop of St. Asaph. He translated +the history of Britain from the British +language into Latin, a work said to have +been discovered by Walter Mapæus while in +Armorica, and brought by him into England, +where meeting with Jeffery of Monmouth, +a man profoundly versed in the history +and antiquities of Britain, and an elegant +writer for the period in which he lived +the task was entrusted to him. Merlin’s +prophecies he also translated from British +verse into Latin prose. This work was of +essential service to the Welch chieftain Owen +Glyndwr, whose high pretensions to soveriegnty +were constantly favoured and cherished +by these prophecies. The veracity of +Jeffery, as an historian, has been doubted by +many; Camden says that his relation of +Brutus and his successors ought to be entirely +disregarded. It may however be observed +<span class='pageno' id='Page_110'>110</span>in favour of this writer, from the +testimony of Giraldas Cambrensis his contemporary, +that at that period the Welch +bards and minstrels from early traditional accounts, +received and transmitted with a mixture +of religious reverence and awe, solemnly +repeated the genealogy of their princes and +heroes, from Roderic the Great to Æneas, +and from Æneas lineally to Adam.</p> + +<p class='c006'>If this should not altogether be thought +to add much to their probable authenticity, +it will serve to warrant the introduction of +the history, to shew at least that he was not +the author of the fiction; and, in tracing +the origin of nations, tales to the full as fabulous +are to be met with in the pages of +many of our gravest and approved writers.</p> + +<p class='c006'>To the few early historians of our own +we owe much, and amongst these Jeffery +deserves every respect, and we are bound to +<span class='pageno' id='Page_111'>111</span>regret that in succeeding times, the best +histories of this country will be found to +have been the labors of foreigners. A fragment +of Monmouth Priory, we have preserved +as a tribute to the memory of the +historian who was there educated: The +Gothic window that appears in view remains +very perfect, and appertains to a venerable +ancient chamber, which he is reported +to have occupied as a study. From +the nature of its foundation, the free school +at Monmouth particularly deserves our notice. +Burton, in his history of Wales, +gives this relation of William Jones its founder: +he says, “Wm. Jones was born at +Monmouth, and forced to quit his country +for not being able to pay ten groats. +Coming to London he became first a +porter, and then a factor; and going +over to Hamburgh, had such a vent for +Welch cottons, that he gained a very +considerable estate in a short time. He +<span class='pageno' id='Page_112'>112</span>founded a fair school in Monmouth, allowing +fifty pounds yearly to the master, +and a hundred pounds salary to a lecturer, +besides a stately alms-house for +twenty poor people, each of them having +two rooms and a garden, and half a +crown a week; all which he left to the +oversight of the company of haberdashers +in London, who discharge their trust +therein to this day.” Another account of +the founder is thus given, but with less +credibility. That he was a native of Newland, +a few miles distant from Monmouth, +and having quitted it when young to seek +his fortune, he returned at an advanced period +of life, in an apparent state of indigence, +although very rich, and applied to +his native town for relief as a pauper, +which being refused, he took his revenge on +the people by retiring to Monmouth, and +there dispensing that wealth, that was intended +to enrich his native place.</p> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_113'>113</span>We cannot quit the pleasant town of +Monmouth without noticing the massive pile +of its <a id='t113'></a>gaol. Built in a lofty and healthy spot, +and in the form of an ancient castle; it +frowns over the country, and impresses the +idea of rigorous confinement and the impossibility +of escape. At the time we visited +this expensive and spacious work, it contained +only one solitary inhabitant, and he +a prisoner for only a very trivial offence. +As our <a id='t113a'></a>gaols increase in magnitude, it is +with pleasure we have frequently had occasion +to remark that there is a decrease of +inhabitants, nor is it less worthy of observation +that the humanity of supplying even +those who least deserve it, with decent accommodation, +as well as the blessing of light +and air, before denied to them, is now most +liberally granted.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Perhaps it may not be too much to +infer from hence, that the immensity of the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_114'>114</span>bulk of these buildings, in the conspicuous +situation in which they are now placed, may +impress the multitude with such a terror of +the consequence of crimes, as in some degree +to prevent a commission of them. +This building stands on an eminence, and +commands a fine view of the town and surrounding +country.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_115'>115</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION IX.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>Quitting Monmouth on an excursion +to Rhaglan Castle, we ascended a +considerable hill about a mile from the +town, that afforded one of the most luxuriant +landscapes we had witnessed in the +course of our route. From this eminence, +the rich valley in which Monmouth is situated, +and the beauties of the surrounding +country, are highly illustrative of Gray’s +opinion of the charming situation of this +place. He rapturously describes this scene +as “the delight of his eyes and the very +seat of pleasure.” We have attempted to +give an idea of this much admired spot in the +annexed plate.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The ride to Rhaglan Castle, a distance of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_116'>116</span>about six miles, amply gratified us for this +deviation from our main pursuit.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This magnificent remain of ancient +splendor stands on an elevated situation +commonly called Twyn-y-ciros, which signifies +in Welch the cherry hill; and, as we +approach it from the village, appears to +wear that solemn and majestic air highly +characteristic of the spirit of the times in +which it flourished. The external view +here selected, we flatter ourselves will not +only convey the best idea of its extent and +magnificence, but is a point from which +we do not remember to have ever seen it represented. +This noble building, which may +rather be terminated a castellated house than +a castle, is in many parts, still in good preservation. +It was erected in the reign of +Henry VII. and does not therefore boast of +great antiquity; many additions were made +to it about the time of Elizabeth, these +<span class='pageno' id='Page_117'>117</span>constitute, the most elegant parts of this +superb pile, and are to be found in the +windows of the grand hall, or banqueting +room; the ornaments of the frieze and cornice +are light and elegant, and in the best +taste of that time. To the left of this hall, +was a large court one hundred feet long, +and sixty feet broad, well arched and ornamented, +with curious stone work both on +the walls and windows. In the midst of +the court was a pleasant marble fountain +called the White Horse: the following remark +of Dr. Griffin, relative to the white +horse may not prove uninteresting. “I remember,” +says he, “some years ago, +they used to shew here part of the body +of a black horse, which stood in the +middle of some water that supplied the +castle, and was a fountain. I was told +the parliamentarians poisoned the water +during the siege, and that the stone horse +absorbed the poison; it was very hard, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_118'>118</span>but on being struck, or rubbed with any +hard substance, emitted a very offensive +smell. Perhaps I had the legend very +imperfectly, and it should have been added, +the poison turned the white horse +into a black one.” The castle is surrounded +by a wide fosse thirty feet broad, +wherein was originally placed an artificial +water work, which spouted up water to the +height of the castle, and contains within it +two acres, one of which appears to have +been encompassed with domestic offices, such +as kitchen, brewhouse, &c. and in which +there is an oven, and fire range of such extraordinary +dimensions, as to satisfy us, +that there were times in which they were +not wholly occupied in feats of arms.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In this building every precaution has +been used to guard and secure the approaches +to it; and the utmost magnificence is to be +observed in every part of the interior, even +<span class='pageno' id='Page_119'>119</span>in the domestic offices. The staircase and +ascent to the grand apartments are peculiarly +noble; and beneath the areas which are +vaulted, are various subterraneous apartments, +and extensive cellars of the most excellent +workmanship. The citadel, which is +octagonal, is surrounded by a moat, and +stands at a small distance from the castle: +its principal parts are in a perfect state +of preservation. This noble castle is in the +possession of the Duke of Beaufort, whose +ancestor, the Marquis of Worcester in the +time of Charles the first, added and fortified +many extensive out works, by which he was +enabled to hold it for the king’s use till +his imprisonment at Holmby. It once contained +a garrison of eight hundred men, and +was the last castle that surrendered to the +parliament forces, then under the command +of Sir Thomas Fairfax. This event happened +on the nineteenth of August 1646, +and is reported to have been effected by a female +<span class='pageno' id='Page_120'>120</span>in the garrison, and by the use of +a very ordinary female engine, the mere waving +a handkerchief, as a signal for the introduction +of Cromwell’s party. If this were +so, politics were probably by no means the +primary incentives of this lady’s zeal, and +there were doubtless secret articles in this +treaty, unknown to the besieging general. +The window at which she appeared is still +shewn.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The more probable account is, that from +the very long siege it sustained, the upper +part was undermined, and the timbers being +burnt a great part of it fell down. Soon +after its surrender, the castle was demolished +and left, in nearly the same state +in which it now remains. The loss to the +family is supposed to be upwards of a hundred +thousand pounds, besides the forfeiture +of an estate of twenty thousand a year. +Three considerable parks of remarkable fertility, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_121'>121</span>and richly stocked with deer, once +appertained to this castle.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Returning to Monmouth we resumed +our passage down the Wye, on a morning, one +of the most beautiful ever beheld. The retrospective +view of Monmouth on passing down, +the spire of the church, the town, bridge, and +surrounding scene, though inferior to that +above, yet in some respects exhibited a very +picturesque landscape. The hills opposite +to Monmouth, are called the Kemmin +Rocks, on the summit of which Mr. Philip +Hardwick, an architect, has erected a +stone building for the reception of his +friends, called Philip’s Court. This spot +commands a view most extensive and diversified, +and will well repay the labour of +climbing up what John Bunyan would justly +call <i>Hill Difficulty</i>. To those who visit this +spot it may be worth the trouble of going +<span class='pageno' id='Page_122'>122</span>about a mile further to view, amongst +many others, an immense large rock called +the Buck Stone; a name probably derived +from the deer having sheltered themselves +under it when the adjacent country was in +the form of a park. Its situation is on the +extreme edge of the hill; and, though of +an immense size, it stands on an angular +point, and is so nicely balanced, as to be +with a very small degree of force, set in +motion and shaken. Approaching the junction +of the Monnow with the Wye, the side +scenes of the river, increase in richness +both of woody, and verdant scenery, and +with such agreeable breaks in the distance as +to produce an enchanting effect.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A little below this point, a small +river called the Trothe, or Trothey, unites +itself with our Wye, on whose banks they +jointly pass, near a respectable mansion +<span class='pageno' id='Page_123'>123</span>called Troy house, in the possession of the +Duke of Beaufort, to whom it descended +from Sir Charles Somerset.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Sir Charles was the third son of Edward +Earl of Worcester, and married the +daughter and heiress of Sir William Powell +of Troy, by whom he acquired a considerable +estate, and added much influence to +the house of Worcester. The present edifice +notwithstanding it was designed by +Inigo Jones, has little that can recommend +it to notice. It is used merely as a lodge, +and is occasionally only occupied by the family. +A few portraits decorate its walls, +but they are not of consequence sufficient to +take the traveller far out of his way. The +cradle wherein Harry of Monmouth is reported +to have been rocked is here exhibited +as a great curiosity, but the freshness of its +velvet, its nails and appendages, bespeak it +rather to have been the receptacle of one of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_124'>124</span>the Beaufort family in the time of Charles +the second.</p> + +<p class='c006'>To those however who are fond of cradles +(and in their second childhood, amongst +our old lady antiquaries, some such there +may be) the annexed sketch of one, the appearance +of which bespeaks it as not unlikely +to have been of that time, and which +is in the possession of the Reverend Mr. +Ball of Newlands, a few miles from Monmouth, +may not prove an unacceptable +regale.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/i124.jpg' alt='Black-and-white engraving of a rectangular cradle with horizontal banding, set between two fluted columns. A bird perches on top of each column. Four round openings appear along the lower front of the cradle. The base extends outward on both sides.' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span>It is made of oak without any covering, +and is suspended by two iron rings, by +which it receives motion on the least touch +or action of the child; it is three feet long, +one foot four deep, and one foot six wide; +it is ornamented at the top of the supporters, +which are octagonal, with two birds, +resembling eagles, but their beaks are broken +off. The following anecdote relative to +Troy house, extracted from the “Apothegms +of the Earl of Worcester,” it is +presumed will be thought not unworthy a +place in this work.</p> + +<p class='c006'>“Sir Thomas Somerset, brother to the +Marquis of Worcester, had a house which +was called Troy, five miles from Rhaglan +castle. This Sir Thomas being a complete +gentleman, delighted much in fine +gardens and orchards, where by the benefit +of art, the earth was made so grateful +to him at the same time, that the king +<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>(Charles the first) happened to be at his +brother’s house, that it yielded him wherewithal +to send his brother a present; and +such an one as (the times and the seasons +considered) was able to make the king +believe, that the sovereign of the planets +had now changed the poles, and that +Wales (the refuse and the outcast of the +fair garden of England) had fairer and +riper fruit than England’s bowels had +on all her beds. This present, given to +the marquis, he would not suffer to be +presented to the king by any hand but +his own. In comes the marquis then, at +the end of the supper, led by the arm, +with a slow pace, expressing much Spanish +gravity, with a silver dish in each hand, +filled with rarities; and a little basket on +his arm as a reserve, when making his +obeisance he thus speaks: May it please +your Majesty, if the four elements could +have been robbed to have entertained your +<span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>Majesty, I think I had but done my duty, +but I must do as I may. If I had sent +to Bristol for some good things to entertain +your Majesty, that would have been +no wonder at all. If I had procured +from London, some goodness that might +have been acceptable to your Majesty, that +would have been no wonder. But here I +present you, Sir, (placing his dishes upon +the table) with that which came not from +Lincoln that was, nor London that is, +nor York that is to be, but from Troy.” +Whereupon the king smiled and answered +the marquis; “Truly my Lord, I have heard +that corn grows where Troy town stood; +but I never thought there had grown any +apricots before.” Whereupon the marquis +replied, “Any thing to please your +Majesty.” When my lord marquis departed +the presence, one told him that he +would make a very good courtier; remember +well, replied the marquis, that I said +<span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span>one thing which may give some hopes of +me: <i>Any thing</i> to please your majesty.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Amidst a rich though hilly scenery, +beautiful in its forms and happily diversified +by a multitude of small farms, that exhibit +evident marks of improving cultivation in +this, yet very improvable, though fertile +country, we reach Redbrook. Here a considerable +manufactory of iron and tin gives +a new and pleasing variety to the scenery +and bustle on our river. Some of the iron +ore used here comes from Coldford, and +other places in the neighbourhood of the +forest of Dean, but the greater part is +brought from Lancashire.</p> + +<p class='c006'>About a mile and a half below Redbrook, +the Wye receives a further supply +from a small stream called Whitebrook; +about the distance of a mile from whence +stands St. Briaval’s Castle. It is situated on +<span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>an eminence, and though so near the river, +is from the water too indistinct an object +for the pencil. This is to be regretted, as +the woody declivities on each side of it are +beautiful in their forms, and display a scene +uncommonly rich and elegant; but on +quitting the boat we found a nearer view of +the castle, well worthy a place in this work, +and a proper ornament of its subject. The +annexed sketch exhibits a north east view of +the castle, and the remains of the moat +that in part surrounded it.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The distant Monmouthshire hills form +a good termination to the scene, while the +adjoining church and general face of the +landscape presents a view, in its style and character, materially varying from any +we have yet met with. From the remains +of this castle it appears to have been a place +of great strength, and of considerable extent; +it was built by Miles, Earl of Hereford, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span>in the reign of King Henry I. whose +third son named Mahel, Camden informs +us, was here overtaken by “God’s judgments +for his rapacious ways, inhuman +cruelties, and boundless avarice. For +being courteously entertained here by +Walter de Clifford, the castle taking fire, +he lost his life by the fall of a stone on +his head, from the highest tower.” The +custody of St. Briaval’s, with the Forest of +Dean, was granted to John de Monemouth, +in the eighteenth year of King John. The +Earl of Berkeley is the present constable, +and the Duke of Beaufort, under whose direction +the castle is kept in a good state of +repair, is lord of the manor. The tower in +the west front is now used as a prison. +From hence, the views of the surrounding +country are extensive and beautiful; and +here the meandering of the Wye paints the +landscape, as in its general course, and +spreads richness and fertility in the vallies +<span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>through which it flows. Returning to our +boat we passed Big’s Weir, near which, on +the bank of the Wye, is the seat of General +Rooke, whose father captured Gibraltar.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/fp131.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland del.</i><br> <br> <i>Llandogar.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>It is situated in the midst of a rich pasturage, +and commands a full view of the +river, and that interesting variety of moving +objects, which its busy commerce here presents. +Amidst a range of beautiful scenery, +we pass the pleasant village of Llandogar +about a mile below. Here the river forms +a smooth and glassy bay, through which the +white sailed vessel is seen constantly gliding, +or lying moored on the shore to take in her +freight. The undulating hills, called the +Hudnells, form a beautiful back ground to +this charming scene, of which the annexed +view will give a faint idea.</p> + +<p class='c006'>A little below is Cadithil Weir, from +whence we dropped pleasantly down the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>stream to another village called Brook’s +Weir, which is considered a half way distance +from Monmouth to Chepstow. At +this place the goods sent from Monmouth +are shipped and conveyed in larger vessels to +Bristol. The river, in an easy meandering +course, soon brought us within view of the +most picturesque object on its banks, the +splendid and very elegant ruin of Tintern +Abbey,</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“These are fair scenes where if art whilom trod,</div> + <div class='line'>“Led by the worst of guides fell tyranny,</div> + <div class='line'>“And with less superstition, we now trace</div> + <div class='line'>“Her footsteps with delight; and pleas’d revere</div> + <div class='line'>“What once we should have hated.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span> +<img src='images/fp133.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland del.</i><br> <br> <i>Tintern Abbey.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Approaching this sublime and sequestered +spot, the enthusiastic lover of simplicity +in art and nature, the admirer of the +picturesque and beautiful, the antiquary +and the moralist will feel the effect, as it +were, of enchantment, and become lost almost +in a pleasing melancholy. The steepy +<span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>hills, the hanging woods, the rolling +stream, the nodding ruin, the surviving +monuments of fallen grandeur and beauty +in decay; the constructed space, the stillness +and retirement, all conspire to impress the +mind with awe, and for a moment withdraw +from its vain pursuit of wealth and power, +and abstract it from the world. On this remain, +a very able writer has remarked, that +“were the building ever so beautiful, encompassed +as it is with shabby houses, it +could make no appearance from the river.” +In this we essentially differ, and +present the annexed view in support of our +opinion. Here every cottage appears as it +really exists on the spot; and the petty, or +if you please paltry accompaniments to +which he alludes, appear to us so far from +diminishing the grandeur of the general +effect, that they serve rather on the contrary +as a scale, and give magnitude to the +principal object.</p> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>The ruined windows, pillars, and +mouldings are all of them very elegant specimens +of the most perfect style of Gothic +architecture. That wreck and desolation to +which the revolution of opinion, the wasteful +rapacity and tyranny of Henry, had +subjected this lovely spot, would have presented +only marks of violence, and under +the pretence of religion, the ravaging arm +of an unprincipled barbarian. It is to the +gentler tyranny, the silent and progressive +ravages, of time, that we owe many of +those delicate touches and features of beauty +that embellish this elegant and interesting +ruin. These have contributed to soften +down the sharper edges of the chissel, and, +by blending its variegated tufts of moss, +and spreading and overhanging with its +loose drapery, and many tinted greens, the +highly wrought ornaments and sculpture of +the place, have given to the whole a richness +and mellowness, far beyond the reach of art.</p> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>The small gothic Gate at the entrance +from the water, was evidently an adjunct +of the abbey, and the remaining small +buildings adjoining, formed part of its out-offices. +The abbey was founded A. D. 1131, +by Walter de Clare, for monks of the Cistercian +order; and dedicated to Saint Mary. +About the time of the revolution, here were +thirteen religious houses, whose estates were +estimated according to Dugdale at one hundred +and ninety-two pounds, one shilling +and four pence per annum. The site was +granted in the twenty-eighth of Henry the +VIII. to Henry Earl of Worcester, from +whom it has descended to the present Duke +of Beaufort.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On entering this sublime ruin the mind +is struck with a reverential and religious +awe: a sensation which can be no more expressed +by words, than it can in this full extent +be excited by all the graces of Grecian +<span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>proportions, and all the decencies of orthodox +worship. The noble clustered columns +form a beautiful scene in perspective; and, +while some of the rich Gothic ornaments +and pointed arches above, present themselves +as if magically suspended, and raise an idea +of grandeur, accompanied, if not with alarm +with some degree of surprise, the various +ruinated fragments of capitals and pillars +below, which lie scattered indiscriminately +and in part overgrown and buried in beds +of wild flowers and verdant tendrils, create +an interesting disorder, and suggest ideas, +though perhaps of a melancholy tinge, yet +so far from a distressing nature as to lull the +mind to a repose, congenial to the general +turn of the surrounding scenery.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span> +<img src='images/fp136.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland del.</i><br> <br> <i>Interior of Tintern Abbey.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>The smooth and trim manner in which +the ground is here kept, is not, according to +our conception, very much in unison with +the assemblage of objects around, where +<span class='pageno' id='Page_140'>140</span>brokenness and irregularity are the principal +and leading features of the place, the tameness +and uniformity produced by it, are incongruous +and out of character.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The western window, although in point +of proportion rather too wide for its height, +is yet a curious specimen of the ancient Gothic, +and no contemptible study for one who +is smitten with a true passion for the antique. +The roof of the building is entirely +fallen in, and with it some of the pillars are +lost, but their bases still remain above the +surface of the ground, so as to enable the +antiquary, if he has the least of the architect +about him, very easily to give a ground +plot of the whole.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the middle of the nave, the lofty +arches which once supported the steeple, rise +high above the rest; but though they retain +<span class='pageno' id='Page_141'>141</span>their forms, they are reduced to a mere +ridge of stone.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The neighbouring iron works belonging +to Mr. Tanner of Monmouth, will afford +a different scene, and should be visited by +every traveller. Here the quiet and repose +of the cottage is happily contrasted by the +activity and bustle of the forge.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In passing along the river side to the +iron works, many beautiful passages in landscape +present themselves; they are composed +of woody and diversified hills, similar to +those adjoining to the abbey, but heightened +by the busy scenes of the labourer and artificer, +constantly employed in the adjacent +manufactory. The iron works are principally +supplied from Furness in Lancashire +with ore, which is dissolved by the blasts of +immense bellows that are worked by means +<span class='pageno' id='Page_142'>142</span>of cylinder pumps. The best qualities of +the ore are separated from the dross by a +water wheel and hammers, by which operation +considerable quantities of pure metal +are collected, and the powder is sold to the +glass houses. Various forges are here contrived +for the purpose of forming the mutilated +ore into proper sizes, from the largest +bar of iron, to the smallest wire.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_144'>144</span> + <h2 class='c005'>SECTION X.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='drop-capa0_0_0 c008'>Bending our course down the Wye +we pass a promontory, from whence the +eastern extremity of the abbey presents itself; +but here all is flat and uninteresting, +compared with the scene we have just quitted. +In this point of view the tottering +and solitary pillar, remaining in the centre +of the great east window, appears to be +scarce able to support itself; thus circumstanced +it is fortunate for the antiquary that +very little of the fabric depends upon it, +or a great part of that venerable structure +would, ere long, inevitably come to the +ground with it.</p> + +<p class='c006'>We were soon deprived of any further +view of this elegant remain by a strong +wind and tide, which quickly hurried us +<span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span>down the stream; but scenes like these, on +which the mind has long dwelt in pleasing +meditation, are not easily effaced by +a mere change of place: they on the contrary +are rather cherished by the preceding +scenery, by the gloom of the rock, the repose +of the meadow, and the stillness of the +gliding stream; nor do they disappear till +we mix in the busy hum of men, till we +plunge into the more tumultuous scene of +human life and human passions.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Having passed much beautiful scenery +nearly of the style and character of that +which we witnessed about Tintern, here we +again discover the eastern bank of the Wye +screened with rocky substances, not unlike +those at Cold-well. These substances are +called the Thorn, and Black Cliffs. The +water at this place is much discoloured, and +acquires a thick and clayey hue, evidently +produced by the influx of the tide, which is +<span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>here very visible, and which from the Severn +sea, and the low marshy land on its shores is +so impregnated with mud, and imports it in +such quantities as to foul the pearly tresses +of the Wye, even to a degree of deformity.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>——“The torrent flood,</div> + <div class='line'>“Thy molten chrystal fills with mud,</div> + <div class='line'>“Tho’ thy lofty head be crown’d</div> + <div class='line'>“With many a tower and terras round.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>We now approach the rocks that terminate +the grounds of Persfield; these are +tremendous projections hanging over the +river, and in their form resemble so many +bastions of a castle. They are twelve in +number, and bear the name of the Twelve +Apostles; a thirteenth in the same range is +terminated by a slender stone about five +feet in height, which is called St. Peter’s +Thumb. In this spot we are struck with +a wonderful reverberation of sound, such +as must afford a curious speculation to the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>philosophical inquirer into the nature and +properties of air, and that conformation of +earth and rock and woody accompaniment, +which are necessary to produce with such +continued repercussion, an echo so clear and +distinct. A little below these rocks a person, +some years ago, fell unhurt from an immense +height into the woods on the margin +of the river. This almost miraculous interposition +on his behalf, wrought very little +effect upon his life and manners, for so +hardened and incapable was he of being +acted upon, either by the recollection of +mercies or the dread of punishment, that, +having not long after attended the execution +of a friend for a robbery, he conceived in +his mind the plan of a similar crime, perpetrated +it, and suffered the same fate. So +that his rescue from a watery grave seems to +have served little purpose beyond that of verifying +the adage, that he, who is destined +to the halter, may brave the precipice and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>the flood. A little lower down the river +we pass the rocks, from the sudden and precipitate +fall they present, called the Lover’s +Leap. Had he not happily been caught by +the shrubbery planted below, Mr. Morris +the former possessor, had here fallen a sacrifice +to his passion for those simple charms of +nature, which he explored and dressed with +a correspondent taste. He added to their variety +without lessening their interest. Since +that time a professed improver has been let +in, and the consequence, not the <i>natural</i> +consequence, has been that with his roller +and shears, insipid uniformity has identified +the ever changeful scene; and the slime of +this snail has scarce less deformed its dells, +its craggy hills, and its groves, than has the +mud of the Severn that polluted its waters. +To prevent any such accident in future this +gentleman soon after fixed a rail on the edge +of the precipice. By a steep and unpleasant +path, the traveller, from these rocks, has +<span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>sometimes ascended to the grounds of Persfield. +A circular bend of the river now displayed +to our view the noble ruin of Chepstow +castle. The situation of this venerable +building is striking. It is built on the +summit of an immense perpendicular rock, +into which it appears rivetted, or rather to +be growing out of it; as from the top of +the battlements, down to the base of the cliff +on the margin of the river, it is one continued +range of precipice.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This majestic remain, is from the present +point of view peculiarly interesting, and +in its effect highly picturesque. The ancient +Gothic entrance partly in ruin, the irregular +breaks and prominencies in the general +form of the building, which is a mixture +of the Norman and Saxon style, are in +many parts overgrown with large clumps of +ivy and variegated shrubs, sometimes beautifully +clustered among the fragments of the +castle, and again falling down and enriching +the white and awful cliff below.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/fp147.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +<div class='ic002'> +<p><i>S. Ireland Del<sup>t</sup>.</i><br> <br> <i>Chepstow Castle & bridge.</i></p> +</div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span>The adjoining bridge from its height, +singular construction, and relative situation +to the castle has a romantic air, and is well +calculated to give general effect to the landscape.</p> + +<p class='c006'>On the opposite shore, the different forms +of the cliffs and rich verdure with which +they are cloathed, and the masts of the vessels +from behind the bridge breaking on the +eye, complete the scene, and render it altogether +a happy group of objects for the +pencil. This bridge is built with timber, +and the boards which compose the floor, +are so laid as to yield to the water and play +some inches. It is seventy feet above the +surface of the river, and is so constructed +in consequence of the impetuosity of the +tide, which, just as it rushes in from the Severn +<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>sea, being here suddenly confined +within a narrow channel, is frequently +known to have risen forty feet. As it +divides the counties of Gloucester and Monmouth, +it is kept in repair at their joint expence.</p> + +<p class='c006'>According to some accounts, Chepstow +castle appears formerly to have occupied +a considerable space of ground, not less it is +presumed than five acres. About six hundred +years since, it was rebuilt by Gilbert +Earl of Pembroke, surnamed Strongbow. +This Gilbert was second son of Gilbert de +Clare, from him it came after various grants +to Charles Somerset, a son of the third Duke +of Beaufort, afterwards Earl of Worcester, +and from him it descended to the present +duke.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The premises have been for many +years under a lease for lives, the last of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>which is at present in 1794, an aged woman +who shews the castle in which she was born. +Amongst the several buildings still remaining, +the chapel demands attention, it is +spacious and has been much ornamented. +Twelve large niches with semicircular arches +over them, are formed in the walls. They +have seats which are chair high above the +floor. The uses to which they were appropriated +is not clearly ascertained. The +grand entrance on the east side, is a noble +and venerable remain of the Norman stile +of building, it stands between two lofty +towers, and is in a good state of preservation. +Much of the Roman wall, in the +north west angle of the chapel, appears in +the courses of bricks between the stone facings.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the civil dissentions of the last century, +this castle was considered of great importance +<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>to both parties, and a garrison was +continued here after the restoration. A spacious +apartment is still shewn in which +Henry Martin, one of the king’s judges, was +confined a sole prisoner for twenty seven +years.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The life of this remarkable man was +spared, he having surrendered himself conformable +to the proclamation issued, when +that event took place. His estates in Berkshire, +which were considerable, were sequestered, +and here he resided till 1680, when +according to Anthony Wood, he died suddenly +while at dinner, at the age of 78. +He was buried in Chepstow church, and on +his tomb stone were engraved the following +lines. As they are now obliterated and are +said to have been written by himself, they +may be thought worth preserving. The +Epitaph is an Acrostic.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span>HERE, SEPTEMBER THE NINTH,</div> + <div>WAS BURIED</div> + <div>A TRUE ENGLISHMAN,</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Who in Berkshire, was well known</div> + <div class='line'>To love his country’s freedom ’bove his own;</div> + <div class='line'>But being immured full twenty year,</div> + <div class='line'>Had time to write as doth appear.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>HIS EPITAPH.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>H ere or elsewhere, (all’s one to you), to me</div> + <div class='line'>E arth, air, or water, gripes my ghostly dust,</div> + <div class='line'>N one knows how soon to be by fire set free:</div> + <div class='line'>R eader if you an oft try’d rule will trust,</div> + <div class='line'>Y ou’ll gladly do and fuller what you must.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>M y time was spent in serving you, and you</div> + <div class='line'>A nd death’s my pay, it seems, and welcome too,</div> + <div class='line'>R evenge destroying but itself, while I,</div> + <div class='line'>T o birds of prey leave my old cage and fly.</div> + <div class='line'>E xamples preach to the eye: care then, mine says,</div> + <div class='line'>N ot how you end, but how you spend your days.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>Some years after its interment, by order +of the then clergyman, the body was +removed to an obscure situation, that the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>church might not be disgraced by containing +the ashes of a regicide. Chepstow parish +church, formed a part of the old priory belonging +to the Benedictine monks founded in +the reign of King Stephen. Leland says this +was a cell to Bermondsey abbey, but it does +not appear to be so in the First Fruits Office; +as no rent, or pension by way of acknowledgement, +is there recorded to that abbey.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The style of building of this church +is pure Norman, the arches of the nave are +circular, which are supported by square massive +pillars in a very perfect state. The entrance +to the west front is in a very fine style, +of the same architecture, the proportions +are just, and the pillars and mouldings are +richly decorated in the taste of that period. +As we have quoted one monumental inscription, +from this ancient receptacle of +the dead, we flatter ourselves that we may +without making an obituary of this work, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>be permitted to contrast the two following. +The first was on a sea captain, who +died in 1774.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>The blusterous blasts, and Neptune’s waves,</div> + <div class='line in4'>Have tost me to, and fro;</div> + <div class='line in2'>In spite of all, by God’s decree</div> + <div class='line in4'>I harbour here below.</div> + <div class='line'>Here I am anchor’d with many of our fleet,</div> + <div class='line'>But we shall sail again, our Admiral Christ to meet.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>The following is on John Davis, a +jockey of this town, who seems determined +in his technical phrases to outdo, not only +the captain, but to distance all that may +hereafter be said on the subject.</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>’Tis vain to trust to human strength, or art,</div> + <div class='line'>When God doth strive, ye will small aid impart</div> + <div class='line'>As my mishap, ’tho skill’d in riding, shows</div> + <div class='line'>That the Almighty, horse and rider throws.</div> + <div class='line'>Be then prepar’d, my friends, since accidents</div> + <div class='line'>May in an instant hurry you from hence.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>From Chepstow by a very pleasant ride +we visited the charming grounds of Persfield, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>a spot where nature has been uncommonly +profuse, not only in the disposition +of the beautiful slopes and waving lawns +that enrich and compose the grounds themselves, +but in the extensive and diversified +scenery that strikes the eye, from every point +of view. I have here selected from amidst +a profusion of magnificent and fascinating +objects, rarely to be met with in this or any +other country, a very extensive sketch that +includes Chepstow castle, and the town beneath, +together with the rocky cliffs designed +as it were by nature to bound the course +of the Wye, whose beautiful meandering +extends for a distance of three miles, and +then loses itself in the greater waters of the +Severn. Here</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in16'>——“Pleas’d <i>Vaga</i> pour’d</div> + <div class='line'>His sea green streams, deep murmuring beneath</div> + <div class='line'>The hanging bowers and glittering rocks; while wide</div> + <div class='line'>The rougher Severn stretch’d his arm, bestrew’d</div> + <div class='line'>With shining sails, to the capacious ocean.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'><span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>This enchanting scene is bounded by +the Gloucestershire and Somersetshire hills, +and affords a subject for landscape, more +sublime and picturesque than the most fertile +imagination can conceive. An attempt +to describe every beautiful object that presents +itself within the circuit of these +grounds, would in the recital be tedious and +uninteresting, I shall therefore only observe, +that the scenery on this spot is perpetually +diversified, and nature every where rises beyond +the reach of art. The enclosed view, +though I may in my attempt have merited +the praise of fidelity, will I hear convey but +a faint and unimpressive idea of that scenery +which is adapted only to the talent and pencil +of a Claude Lorraine.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In contemplating this magnificent and +stupendous assemblage of nature and art, +we are led as it were instinctively to deplore +the melancholy reverse of fortune, that saddened +<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>the last days of the original designer +and owner of this charming spot; of him +whose elegant mind and munificent hand +could, out of the rude uncultivated mass, +project and raise to the highest state of perfection +a monument of taste, that must +remain an ornament to his country.</p> + +<p class='c006'>We could not take our leave of Chepstow, +without giving a retrospective view of +the castle, and its tremendous rocky base +and distant scenery over which we had just +passed. The romantic bridge and busy scene +on the water, all combined to aid the landscape, +and to give a further illustration of +this fascinating place. Chepstow, the grand +and central port of the commerce of our +river, is here finely displayed by the throng +that lined the wharf, and the grove of trading +vessels through which we passed. The +lofty and high impending screen of rocks, +on either side the river, rendered our passage +<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>down the stream delightful. Amongst these +the red rocks and Hardwick cliff are peculiarly +attractive, in the latter many large +apertures have been dug that are passable, +and extend forty, or fifty yards from the +entrance, and in the vicinity is a remarkable +fine well of water, that gives the name of +Thornwell to a beautiful range of woods, +adjoining the termination of Hardwick cliff.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The annexed view of what are called +the Red Rocks, will give a general idea of the +face of the river, in our passage down to the +mouth of the Wye, where we found the +tide uncommonly rapid, and where if the +wind is brisk, the waters are troublesomely +rough.</p> + +<p class='c006'>It is here matter of much regret, that +we cannot with fidelity introduce the distant +Severn, which would have rendered the +view more complete. At Ewen’s rocks, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>about a mile below, that noble river breaks +extensively on the eye, and presents a beautiful +scene, but it is altogether an inferior +one to that before us.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At the conflux of the Wye, or in the +vicinity of Beachley, (the old passage house) +the Severn is seen to greater advantage. The +distant hills of Gloucestershire and Somersetshire, +beautifully intersecting each other +in varied tints, while intervening objects of +castles, villages, and mansions of the wealthy +and great on the opposite shore, richly +diversify and compleat the whole. The distance, +composed of Walton hills about ten +miles below, breaks beautifully on the eye, +and forms a happy termination across King’s-road +and the Bristol channel.</p> + +<p class='c006'>From hence the groups of vessels that +are constantly moored near the mouth of the +Bristol Avon, although at a distance of near +<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>three miles, are perfectly distinguishable. +The immense quantity of shipping perpetually +passing and repassing before the eye, +convey a magnificent idea, both of that celebrated +mart of our country, the city of +Bristol, and of the extensive commerce of +the Severn, a river, memorable and sacred +almost as the wizard Dee in ancient song; +a torrent before the grandeur of whose flood, +our more beautiful Wye feels diminished and +submits her humbler and tributary stream, a +torrent whose guardian spirit we shall at +another, and we trust no very distant day +hope to invoke, and with</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c007'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>“Shepherds in the festival of peace</div> + <div class='line'>“Carol her goodness loud in rustic lays,</div> + <div class='line'>“And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream</div> + <div class='line'>“Of pansies, pinks, and gaudy daffodils.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div><em class='gesperrt'>FINIS.</em></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c003'> +</div> +<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker'> + +<div class='chapter ph2'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c002'> + <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<table class='table0'> + <tr> + <th class='c011'>Page</th> + <th class='c011'>Changed from</th> + <th class='c012'>Changed to</th> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#t24'>24</a></td> + <td class='c014'>not only against every principal of utility to</td> + <td class='c015'>not only against every principle of utility to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#t87'>87</a></td> + <td class='c014'>licence in the twentieth of Edward the</td> + <td class='c015'>licence in the twentieth year of Edward the</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#t96'>96</a></td> + <td class='c014'>in human life, give an interest to this ef-</td> + <td class='c015'>in human life, give an interest to this effusion</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#t113'>113</a></td> + <td class='c014'>of its goal. Built in a lofty and healthy spot</td> + <td class='c015'>of its gaol. Built in a lofty and healthy spot</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#t113a'>113</a></td> + <td class='c014'>As our goals increase in magnitude, it is</td> + <td class='c015'>As our gaols increase in magnitude, it is</td> + </tr> +</table> + + <ul class='ul_1'> + <li>Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + </li> + </ul> + +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77598 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with ppgen.py 3.57i (with regex) on 2026-01-01 19:12:44 GMT --> +</html> diff --git a/77598-h/images/cover.jpg b/77598-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3f84866 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp1.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..79da063 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp1.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp131.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp131.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d512d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp131.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp133.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp133.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a29f96 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp133.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp136.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp136.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e8d8eb --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp136.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp147.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp147.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ce6619b --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp147.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp72.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp72.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..42ff65e --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp72.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/fp76.jpg b/77598-h/images/fp76.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..57c5e7d --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/fp76.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/frontis.jpg b/77598-h/images/frontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3318e0d --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/frontis.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/half-title.jpg b/77598-h/images/half-title.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f26b2c --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/half-title.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/i124.jpg b/77598-h/images/i124.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fd642dc --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/i124.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/i56.jpg b/77598-h/images/i56.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b40aea1 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/i56.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/i86.jpg b/77598-h/images/i86.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..669a8d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/i86.jpg diff --git a/77598-h/images/title.jpg b/77598-h/images/title.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..faa2aa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/77598-h/images/title.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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