large blocks of stone start out in every variety of configuration from amidst the scar and scanty coat of heath-no sheep appear at present on them-the road walled off by a loose stone barrier-the fields on the flat enclosed in the saine way, but the midst of even these is thickly sown with huge masses of rock. This gloomy country terminates at Trawsfynnyd, where we breakfast at a compleat Welsh inn, where not a word of English is spoken or understood-you see none but women, and hear nothing but the perpetual Dimfasnick.

In the church a few benches-no pews no other records of the illustrious dead than a duplicate of the coffin-plate nailed against the wall!-The cemetery is walled in with a high wall, and the gate locked-all solemn stillness!-the inscriptions all in Welsh. The huts (they are no more) exhibit comely women, and healthy well-looking children-the feet of the former are bare, but never the legs-they wear a stocking which has no foot, but loops on to the toe.-Every man you meet salutes you, but not a word of English.-A simple race, apparently far removed from all temptation to evil: we had heard in Dolgelly that the English judge was arrived to try -, the only criminal on the list!-Five miles before we arrive at Tan-y- Bwlch the sterile scene gives place to others of greater interest than any that have yet occurred on the tour the mountains become still more huge and diversified in their outline and relative situation, throwing huge black shadows on one another in all directions. In a few miles descend by a steep serpentine road, itself picturesque, into the midst of a small elliptical valley, opening at one extremity to the sea by Tre-Madoc, and surrounded by a magni. ficent amphitheatre of mountains. This delicious vale, called Maentrog, abounds in wood, water, meadows, and fertility is of small diameter (a basin as it were of hills); the beautiful grounds of Mr. Oakley occupied us for three hours, till dinner time-the inn a handsome building, erected at the expense of Mr. Oak. ley the roads to it very fine the bridge handsome-close to it two handsome turnpike-gates, built like lodges, at the entrance of the vale. After dinner rode over the opposite hill to see two very fine cataracts. The vale of Festiniog, celebrated by Lord Lyttleton, is but two iles from the inn-some of our party ede there to see a third cataract, and the saw it by candle-light.

Fourth Day. Tan-y-Bwlch to

In all 32 post miles. The ride of ten miles to Bethgellart, on the whole, superior to any former part of our journey-the scenery is still more grand, and now diversified with frequent views of the sea-one of these very remarkable-a rock by the road co. vered with Lichen Geographicus-several large rocks are seen in the midst of some green meadows, which have been recovered from the sea. It happens as with Cader Idris, that Snowdon and his satcl. lites burst suddenly on the view (on turn ing a point which concealed them), when only five or six miles distant-the picture was presented to us half veiled, in rapidly moving black clouds and fleecy vapour skudding round the sides, and overhanging the summit, of the mountains; its peak was visible for only five minutes, when the half of the mountain was again enveloped in dark clouds, and we saw it no more.- -We now rode along the side of an almost perpendicular rock, and approach the pass of Aberglasslyn.-Here you enter Carnarvonshire from Merio neth, between two precipitous cliffs of vast height, not more distant than the houses of a moderate street from their opposites. The road at the entrance of this pass makes a turn at right angles with the former; immediately before the turn is the Pont, which, consisting of one arch thrown over a brook, completes the continuity of the road-the bridge as lit tle remarkable as the pass is the reverse. One mile further Bethgellart-the foot of Snowdon-the harper playing at the door on the triple-stringed harp of the country-the church-story of Llewellyn and his hound-rock crystal sold in the streets, and specimens of copper ore.Clouds continue to encrease, no hope of ascending Snowdon to-day-determine therefore to proceed along its base to Carnarvon, and attack its opposite side next day. In five miles the mountains became less picturesque, and there is more of sterility than of the sublime.In two more they cease altogetherthen for six miles, towards Carnarvon and the Menai Strait, the country is a very uninteresting flat, except where, ascending a slight eminence, you get a view of the water-Isle of Anglesea and Beaumaris at a distance, and more near

on

the

the town of Carnarvon, with the high turrets of its castle.

Carnarvon-market day-women, old and young, all in men's beaver hats poor market-town inconsiderable and stupid, except the walk round the walls and along the quay. The castle fine and extensive, but harsh and angular for the most part, no "ivy-mantled towers"-left it after dinner, and proceeded, by a fine road of nine miles, along the bank of the Menai to Bangor-Beaumaris, in Anglesey, quite conspicuous the houses, churches, woods, mills, and shore of the island (which is indeed but three miles distant) present a continually amusing scene. The Roman horse might certainly be credited to have swam the strait from one of the banks of sand to the opposite at low water. Approach to Bangor beautiful-turn of the strait-view of Beaumaris distinct-much like Cowes and the Isle of Wight, from the opposite side of the Southampton water-but the Anglesey view is the most distinct and beautiful.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Yo

OUR desire of circulating plans of successful library associations in provincial towns, induces me to offer for insertion a sketch of the Hampshire Library-society of Portsmouth and Portsea; of which I had the pleasure to be the first projector, and, with two friends, selected its laws and regulations from those of many similar institutions. It was established in October 1804, until which time, this first sea-port town in the kingdom was totally unprovided with such rational and beneficial resource. It had of course to overcome much prejudice and opposition; and, excepting the worthy (and lamented!) Sir John Carter and his nephew, had not an individual corporative name, among the 130 members with which it opened. That it overcame all difficulties in its formation, I attribute to the sole measure of vesting its legislation and entire future guidance at once in open committees of all the subscribers, assembled at the given hour of business: this popular attempt was by many considered as insufficiently complimentary to the gradations of society, but not any inconvenience has ever resulted from such general admission to power; and so far from its producing crowded meetings, not always could the number of seven be found to form a board for business. The amount of members has been nearly stationary, though now risen to 164. The library MONTHLY MAG. No. 255.

has advanced to 3000 well-selected volumes, and was enabled to open with 700, under the precaution of repressing (at first) expensive works; and by purchasing principally, for the foundation stock, used books: magazines and reviews are received; but the question of newspapers has always been carried in the negative, as articles beneath the honest pride of literature! The subscription was two guineas, (now increased, with the property, to nearly double,) with an invariable annual payment of one guinea, and half-a-crown to the library-keeper. The officers of the society are, a president, a treasurer, an actuary, all undertaken gratuitously; and a library-keeper, at a stipend: these are chosen, or else re, elected, every year. The library keeper lets to the society two rooms in his house, for the purposes of the institution; by which moderate expence, the funds have not been appropriated and wasted, upon the pomp and paraphernalia of the establish ment, which ill-planned direction of means, has shortened the original and intended purposes of so many magnifico's of this kind.

The following are some of the principal laws and regulations:-The library is for the open and free use of subscribers, six hours every day, at the rooms; with the right of having two books at one time at their own houses, a certain number of days; new publications for shorter periods than old ones. Forfeits are established and rigorously enforced (by attaching the responsibility upon the library-keeper) for detaining books, and for non-attendance at quarterly-meetings. Which forfeits have proved a lucrative addition to the yearly receipts, as well as an infallible preservation of the library from spoliation or incompleteness; as unpaid for. feits double every month, till they attain the whole value of the defaulter's share, which then sinks into the general stock.

Shares are transferable upon death or removal, at the prices last fixed by the committee; any collusion between parties vitiates the purchaser's right. Five members are annually chosen as a committee of revisal, who may cast out any books not worthy of being retained: this has hitherto only been done at a re-print of the library-catalogue. The method of admitting books, is for any member to write down the title and price at the library, with his signature, one clear week before either of the two monthly purchasing meetings; (there are some variations as to works of large expence;) when, if the list is beyond the reach of the sum of 3 H

money

money to be appropriated, their precedence is drawn by lot: each work is then separately ballotted for, and ordered, or not, for purchase: the surplus books stand first for nomination on the next ensuing purchase night. Ten pounds is the sum disposed of, when no specific sum has been ordered by a previous committee. With such very moderate subscription carefully employed, the society now possesses à valuable mass of general literature in every department. In the selection, utility has been preferred to splendour, and general information to abstract opinion. Neither divinity nor Jaw have been permitted to load the shelves in the matter of that great stumbling block of mixed associations, politics, the due regard to that invaluable maxim "audi alteram partem," has never been forgot or violated; and diversity of opinion has only promoted the successful progress of the establishment.

J. P. ROBERDEAU.

Should the above delineation have the effect to instigate similar attempts in dis. tricts, at present unprovided with such easy resource for information and general knowledge, through the insertion of your distinguished and valuable miscellany, it will very pleasingly gratify, Chelsea, March 25, 1814. P.S. The great error of those institutions in the metropolis which are reported to be fast sinking into premature decay, has arisen from not sufficiently perceiving that such establishments require income, quite as much as capital; and cannot succeed without a due mixture of share-price, and annual subscription.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

OME time ago, I observed in a periodical publication, a method of cure for a bleeding in the nose, practised by the peasants in a district of Sweden, which, contrary to expectation, turned out to be complex; but which brought to my mind an extremely easy and simple cure, which I had seen practised in my younger years, that of placing a key, or any piece of cold iron, or, no doubt, any other metal, to the back part of the neck. This application, I think invariably, in a short time stopped the effusion.

I cannot but think that tar-water, which was so much extolled about the middle of the last century, the good ef fects of which are also so confidently mentioned in the letters of Dr. Young, with which you continue to favor us, ought not to be so much neglected. Mankind are seldom altogether mistaken about the

As S the press ought at all times to be

open for the vindication of charaçter as well as the promotion of truth, and has been made the vehicle for diffusing as your extensively circulating miscellany trust that you will readily admit a short a very injurious and unjust calumny, I and temperate reply to your correspondent D. B. P. ECCLESTON.

Mr. E. in a letter dated Lancaster,

to a

December 1813, has thought proper to and respectable clergyman for having attack in very virulent language a worthy "refused the rites and right of sepulture" enthusiasm of his indignant zeal, demands innocent child;" and, in the poor "Is this Christianity? is this the established religion of a civilized people?" Yes, Mr. Editor, I answer, it is.It is more; it is consistency, it is propriety,it is a just and respectful obedience to the laws of the land; and a becoming submission to the wholesome regulations of ecclesiastical polity

Is Mr. E. so ignorant as to require to be informed, that if the "worthy, worthy, worthy vicar," as he has sneeringly termed the reverend gentleman who is the object of his illiberal attack, had adinit ted to the right of Christian burial the corpse of a person (whether infant or adult it is alike unimportant) who had never been admitted into any society or any denomination of Christians, be would have been guilty of the profanation of a rite, which, as a clergyman, he is bound to observe; and would have subjected himself to ecclesiastical censure, or even deprivation?

The case, according to Mr. E.'s own statement, fully exculpates the clergyman from any degree of blame, for it admits that this "poor innocent child" had been already refused interment in the parish where its parents resided. Why then it should have been thought incumbent upon the minister of another parish to permit its burial in his parish, and in that ground which is expressly set apart by a prescribed ceremonial of the church, called consecration, for the interment of its members, it would be difficult for him

to

1814.]

to prove. Perhaps equally so as to jus tify the ridiculous rhodomontade of the aforesaid child being therefore "left to rot on the surface of the earth, be worried by dogs, or devoured by crows!"

Upon my word, Mr. Editor, I cannot but admire your transcendent good, nature to have indulged Mr. E. in his strange desire to appear in print, and to "extend beyond the limits of the circulation of a provincial paper" such absurdity. After asking Mr. Eccleston whether he seriously believes that the "poor innocent child" did in reality "rot on the surface of the earth," or was devoured by crows," in consequence of the vicar's refusal to bury the corpse in his church-yard? I am inclined to suggest to him the propriety of being in future rather more cautious in his language than to assert that a dead child was worried by dogs!" For although Mr. Eccleston, who boasts of his reading respecting "the humanity of the Hottentots," might peradventure have added his experience, that not only dogs but even puppies sometimes worry parsons, it really staggers my belief that they ever worry the dead!

But, Mr. Editor, to be serious, on a subject which required all Mr. E.'s pow. ers of intellect and fancy to produce a smile, I cannot but express my regret that such an occasion as the present should have been seized with so much avidity, for the purpose of bringing a clergyman into contempt. When Mr. E. says, in the hackneyed phraseology so often resorted to by declaimers, "tell it not in Westmoreland," &c. it is so evident, by the very method which he has taken of giving universality to his narration, that he is desirous of its being not only told "in Westmoreland" but published before the whole world, and " every creature" and, for the purpose of exciting the scoffs of the malignant, and the sar castic illiberality of all who feel pleasure in the debasement or humiliation of the clerical character; that it immediately occurs to me to be the duty of every Consistent friend of the church to point out the following fact: That if any per son within this realin of England, belong ing to, and accredited by any tolerated sect or branch of the Christian religion, shall wilfully avoid or prevent his children from being admitted by baptism into the communion of Christ's church; such persons have no legal right to any of the privileges of the church, and may not be interred by the ministration of any rite or ceremony incident to those only who have been baptised. The vicar alluded

415

to knew his duty, and he would have deserved not only the censure of his superiors in the church, but the reprobation of his parish and neighbourhood, and the contempt of "Philistines, Infidels, Heathens, and Turks," to quote Mr. E.'s climax, (if any such there be in "Kendal or Westmoreland,") if he had acted otherwise. He who endeavours to excite disrespect towards the sacred order on so unreasonable, so frivolous, and unjust a pretext, ought therefore to be admonished of the great impropriety of his conduct, and be he "hereby admonished accordingly." L.

Chelsea, April 6th, 1814.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

THE MANUFACTURING INTEREST demands that the English farmer, or landlord, may be on the footing of the Polish or American farmer, or landlord, and meet them at the same price in the market; forgetting all the differences of their circumstances, that the price of land, labour, horses, and implements, is in England four times as great as in those coun tries, and that an incompetent recompence for agricultural labour and capital would ultimately be the means of turning them to manufactures; thereby unduly increasing the stock, creating a glut in the market, and sinking the price of ma mufactured articles to the reduced leve! of farming capital and labour.