wild wales-第26章
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and the bird which has strength enough of eye to look right in the
direction of the sun； he keeps and nourishes； but the one which has
not； he casts down into the gulf to its destruction。 So does the
Lord deal with His children in the Catholic Church Militant： those
whom He sees worthy to serve Him in godliness and spiritual
goodness He keeps with Him and nourishes； but those who are not
worthy from being addicted to earthly things； He casts out into
utter darkness； where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth。〃
The old gentleman； after a moment's reflection； said it was a
clever fable； but an unpleasant one。 It was hard for poor birds to
be flung into a gulf； for not having power of eye sufficient to
look full in the face of the sun； and likewise hard that poor human
creatures should be lost for ever； for not doing that which they
had no power to do。
〃Perhaps；〃 said I； 〃the eagle does not deal with his chicks； or the
Lord with His creatures as the fable represents。〃
〃Let us hope at any rate；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃that the Lord
does not。〃
〃Have you ever seen this book？〃 said he； and put Smith's 〃Sean
Dana〃 into my hand。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said I； 〃and have gone through it。 It contains poems in
the Gaelic language by Oisin and others； collected in the
Highlands。 I went through it a long time ago with great attention。
Some of the poems are wonderfully beautiful。〃
〃They are so；〃 said the old clerk。 〃I too have gone through the
book； it was presented to me a great many years ago by a lady to
whom I gave some lessons in the Welsh language。 I went through it
with the assistance of a Gaelic grammar and dictionary； which she
also presented to me； and I was struck with the high tone of the
poetry。〃
〃This collection is valuable indeed；〃 said I； 〃it contains poems；
which not only possess the highest merit； but serve to confirm the
authenticity of the poems of Ossian； published by Macpherson； so
often called in question。 All the pieces here attributed to Ossian
are written in the same metre； tone； and spirit； as those
attributed to him in the other collection； so if Macpherson's
Ossianic poems； which he said were collected by him in the
Highlands； are forgeries； Smith's Ossianic poems； which； according
to his account； were also collected in the Highlands； must be also
forged； and have been imitated from those published by the other。
Now as it is well known that Smith did not possess sufficient
poetic power to produce any imitation of Macpherson's Ossian； with
a tenth part the merit which the 〃Sean Dana〃 possess； and that even
if he had possessed it； his principles would not have allowed him
to attempt to deceive the world by imposing forgeries upon it； as
the authentic poems of another； he being a highly respectable
clergyman； the necessary conclusion is that the Ossianic poems
which both published are genuine； and collected in the manner in
which both stated they were。〃
After a little more discourse about Ossian； the old gentleman asked
me if there was any good modern Gaelic poetry。 〃None very modern；〃
said I： 〃the last great poets of the Gael were Macintyre and
Buchanan； who flourished about the middle of the last century。 The
first sang of love and of Highland scenery； the latter was a
religious poet。 The best piece of Macintyre is an ode to Ben
Dourain； or the Hill of the Water…dogs … a mountain in the
Highlands。 The master…piece of Buchanan is his La Breitheanas or
Day of Judgment； which is equal in merit； or nearly so； to the
Cywydd y Farn； or Judgment Day of your own immortal Gronwy Owen。
Singular that the two best pieces on the Day of Judgment should
have been written in two Celtic dialects； and much about the same
time； but such is the fact。〃
〃Really；〃 said the old church clerk； 〃you seem to know something of
Celtic literature。〃
〃A little；〃 said I； 〃I am a bit of a philologist； and when studying
languages dip a little into the literature which they contain。〃
As I had heard him say that he had occasionally given lessons in
the Welsh language； I inquired whether any of his pupils had made
much progress in it。 〃The generality；〃 said he； 〃soon became tired
of its difficulties； and gave it up without making any progress at
all。 Two or three got on tolerably well。 One； however； acquired
it in a time so short that it might be deemed marvellous。 He was
an Oxonian； and came down with another in the vacation in order to
study hard against the yearly collegiate examination。 He and his
friend took lodgings at Pengwern Hall； then a farm…house； and
studied and walked about for some time； as other young men from
college； who come down here； are in the habit of doing。 One day he
and his friend came to me； who was then clerk； and desired to see
the interior of the church。 So I took the key and went with them
into the church。 When he came to the altar he took up the large
Welsh Common Prayer…Book； which was lying there； and looked into
it。 'A curious language this Welsh；' said he； 'I should like to
learn it。' 'Many have wished to learn it； without being able；'
said I； 'it is no easy language。' 'I should like to try；' he
replied； 'I wish I could find some one who would give me a few
lessons。' 'I have occasionally given instructions in Welsh；' said
I； 'and shall be happy to oblige you。' Well； it was agreed that he
should take lessons of me； and to my house he came every evening；
and I gave him what instructions I could。 I was astonished at his
progress。 He acquired the pronunciation in a lesson； and within a
week was able to construe and converse。 By the time he left
Llangollen； and he was not here in all more than two months； he
understood the Welsh Bible as well as I did； and could speak Welsh
so well that the Welsh； who did not know him； took him to be one of
themselves； for he spoke the language with the very tone and manner
of a native。 Oh； he was the cleverest man for language that I ever
knew； not a word that he heard did he ever forget。〃
〃Just like Mezzofanti；〃 said I； 〃the great cardinal philologist。
But whilst learning Welsh； did he not neglect his collegiate
studies？〃
〃Well； I was rather apprehensive on that point；〃 said the old
gentleman； 〃but mark the event。 At the examination he came off
most brilliantly in Latin； Greek； mathematics； and other things
too； in fact； a double first…class man； as I think they call it。〃
〃I have never heard of so extraordinary an individual；〃 said I。 〃I
could no more have done what you say he did； than I could have
taken wings and flown。 Pray； what was his name？〃
〃His name；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃was Earl。〃
I was much delighted with my new acquaintance； and paid him
frequent visits； the more I saw him the more he interested me。 He
was kind and benevolent； a good old Church of England Christian；
was well versed in several dialects of the Celtic； and possessed an
astonishing deal of Welsh heraldic and antiquarian lore。 Often
whilst discoursing with him I almost fancied that I was with Master
Salisburie； Vaughan of Hengwrt； or some other worthy of old； deeply
skilled in everything remarkable connected with wild 〃Camber's
Lande。〃
CHAPTER XIX
The Vicar and his Family … Evan Evans … Foaming Ale … Llam y
Lleidyr … Baptism … Joost Van Vondel … Over to Rome … The Miller's
Man … Welsh and English。
WE had received a call from the Vicar of Llangollen and his lady；
we had returned it； and they had done us the kindness to invite us
to take tea with them。 On the appointed evening we went； myself；
wife； and Henrietta； and took tea with the vicar and his wife；
their sons and daughters； all delightful and amiable beings … the
eldest son a fine intelligent young man from Oxford； lately
admitted into the Church； and now assisting his father in his
sacred office。 A delightful residence was the vicarage； situated
amongst trees in the neighbourhood of the Dee。 A large open window
in the room； in which our party sat； afforded us a view of a green
plat on the top of a bank running down to the Dee； part of the
riv
