wild wales-第42章

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before　it　happened　the　entire　subjugation　of　Britain　by　the　Saxons；　
and　which　is　perhaps　one　of　the　most　stirring　pieces　of　poetry　ever　
produced。　　Edmund　Price　flourished　during　the　time　of　Elizabeth。　　
He　was　archdeacon　of　Merionethshire；　but　occasionally　resided　at　
Bangor　for　the　benefit　of　his　health。　　Besides　being　one　of　the　
best　Welsh　poets　of　his　age　he　was　a　man　of　extraordinary　learning；　
possessing　a　thorough　knowledge　of　no　less　than　eight　languages。

The　greater　part　of　his　compositions；　however　clever　and　elegant；　
are；　it　must　be　confessed；　such　as　do　little　credit　to　the　pen　of　
an　ecclesiastic；　being　bitter　poignant　satires；　which　were　the　
cause　of　much　pain　and　misery　to　individuals；　one　of　his　works；　
however；　is　not　only　of　a　kind　quite　consistent　with　his　sacred　
calling；　but　has　been　a　source　of　considerable　blessing。　　To　him　
the　Cambrian　Church　is　indebted　for　the　version　of　the　Psalms；　
which　for　the　last　two　centuries　it　has　been　in　the　habit　of　using。　　
Previous　to　the　version　of　the　Archdeacon　a　translation　of　the　
Psalms　had　been　made　into　Welsh　by　William　Middleton；　an　officer　in　
the　naval　service　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　in　the　four…and…twenty　
alliterative　measures　of　the　ancients　bards。　　It　was　elegant　and　
even　faithful；　but　far　beyond　the　comprehension　of　people　in　

general；　and　consequently　by　no　means　fitted　for　the　use　of　
churches；　though　intended　for　that　purpose　by　the　author；　a　sincere　
Christian；　though　a　warrior。　　Avoiding　the　error　into　which　his　
predecessor　had　fallen；　the　Archdeacon　made　use　of　a　measure　
intelligible　to　people　of　every　degree；　in　which　alliteration　is　
not　observed；　and　which　is　called　by　the　Welsh　y　mesur　cyffredin；　
or　the　common　measure。　　His　opinion　of　the　four…and…twenty　measures　
the　Archdeacon　has　given　to　the　world　in　four　cowydd　lines　to　the　
following　effect：


〃I've　read　the　master…pieces　great
Of　languages　no　less　than　eight；
But　ne'er　have　found　a　woof　of　song
So　strict　as　that　of　Cambria's　tongue。〃


After　breakfast　on　the　morning　subsequent　to　my　arrival；　Henrietta　
and　I　roamed　about　the　town；　and　then　proceeded　to　view　the　bridges　
which　lead　over　the　strait　to　Anglesey。　　One；　for　common　traffic；　
is　a　most　beautiful　suspension　bridge　completed　in　1820；　the　result　
of　the　mental　and　manual　labours　of　the　ingenious　Telford；　the　
other　is　a　tubular　railroad　bridge；　a　wonderful　structure；　no　
doubt；　but　anything　but　graceful。　　We　remained　for　some　time　on　the　
first　bridge；　admiring　the　scenery；　and　were　not　a　little　
delighted；　as　we　stood　leaning　over　the　principal　arch；　to　see　a　
proud　vessel　pass　beneath　us　in　full　sail。

Satiated　with　gazing　we　passed　into　Anglesey；　and　making　our　way　to　
the　tubular　bridge；　which　is　to　the　west　of　the　suspension　one；　
entered　one　of　its　passages　and　returned　to　the　main　land。

The　air　was　exceedingly　hot　and　sultry；　and　on　coming　to　a　stone　
bench；　beneath　a　shady　wall；　we　both　sat　down；　panting；　on　one　end　
of　it；　as　we　were　resting　ourselves；　a　shabby…looking　man　with　a　
bundle　of　books　came　and　seated　himself　at　the　other　end；　placing　
his　bundle　beside　him；　then　taking　out　from　his　pocket　a　dirty　red　
handkerchief；　he　wiped　his　face；　which　was　bathed　in　perspiration；　
and　ejaculated：　　〃By　Jasus；　it　is　blazing　hot！〃

〃Very　hot；　my　friend；〃　said　I；　〃have　you　travelled　far　to…day？〃

〃I　have　not；　your　hanner；　I　have　been　just　walking　about　the　dirty　
town　trying　to　sell　my　books。〃

〃Have　you　been　successful？〃

〃I　have　not；　your　hanner；　only　three　pence　have　I　taken　this　
blessed　day。〃

〃What　do　your　books　treat　of？〃

〃Why；　that　is　more　than　I　can　tell　your　hanner；　my　trade　is　to　sell　
the　books　not　to　read　them。　　Would　your　hanner　like　to　look　at　
them？〃

〃Oh　dear　no；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　long　been　tired　of　books；　I　have　had　
enough　of　them。〃

〃I　daresay；　your　hanner；　from　the　state　of　your　hanner's　eyes　I　
should　say　as　much；　they　look　so　weak　…　picking　up　learning　has　
ruined　your　hanner's　sight。〃

〃May　I　ask；〃　said　I；　〃from　what　country　you　are？〃

〃Sure　your　hanner　may；　and　it　is　a　civil　answer　you　will　get　from　
Michael　Sullivan。　　It　is　from　ould　Ireland　I　am；　from　Castlebar　in　
the　county　Mayo。〃

〃And　how　came　you　into　Wales？〃

〃From　the　hope　of　bettering　my　condition；　your　hanner；　and　a　
foolish　hope　it　was。〃

〃You　have　not　bettered　your　condition；　then？〃

〃I　have　not；　your　hanner；　for　I　suffer　quite　as　much　hunger　and　
thirst　as　ever　I　did　in　ould　Ireland。〃

〃Did　you　sell　books　in　Ireland？〃

〃I　did　nat；　yer　hanner；　I　made　buttons　and　clothes　…　that　is　I　
pieced　them。　　I　was　several　trades　in　ould　Ireland；　your　hanner；　
but　none　of　them　answering；　I　came　over　here。〃

〃Where　you　commenced　book…selling？〃　said　I。

〃I　did　nat；　your　hanner。　　I　first　sold　laces；　and　then　I　sold　
loocifers；　and　then　something　else；　I　have　followed　several　trades　
in　Wales；　your　hanner；　at　last　I　got　into　the　book…selling　trade；　
in　which　I　now　am。〃

〃And　it　answers；　I　suppose；　as　badly　as　the　others？〃

〃Just　as　badly；　your　hanner；　divil　a　bit　better。〃

〃I　suppose　you　never　beg？〃

〃Your　hanner　may　say　that；　I　was　always　too　proud　to　beg。　　It　is　
begging　I　laves　to　the　wife　I　have。〃

〃Then　you　have　a　wife？〃

〃I　have；　your　hanner；　and　a　daughter；　too；　and　a　good　wife　and　
daughter　they　are。　　What　would　become　of　me　without　them　I　do　not　
know。〃

〃Have　you　been　long　in　Wales？〃

〃Not　very　long；　your　hanner；　only　about　twenty　years。〃

〃Do　you　travel　much　about？〃

〃All　over　North　Wales；　your　hanner；　to　say　nothing　of　the　southern　
country。〃

〃I　suppose　you　speak　Welsh？〃

〃Not　a　word；　your　hanner。　　The　Welsh　speak　their　language　so　fast；　
that　divil　a　word　could　I　ever　contrive　to　pick　up。〃

〃Do　you　speak　Irish？〃

〃I　do；　yer　hanner；　that　is　when　people　spake　to　me　in　it。〃

I　spoke　to　him　in　Irish；　after　a　little　discourse　he　said　in　
English：

〃I　see　your　hanner　is　a　Munster　man。　　Ah！　all　the　learned　men　comes　
from　Munster。　　Father　Toban　comes　from　Munster。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　him　once　or　twice　before；〃　said　I。

〃I　daresay　your　hanner　has。　　Every　one　has　heard　of　Father　Toban；　
the　greatest　scholar　in　the　world；　who　they；　say　stands　a　better　
chance　of　being　made　Pope；　some　day　or　other；　than　any　saggart　in　
Ireland。〃

〃Will　you　take　sixpence？〃

〃I　will；　your　hanner；　if　your　hanner　offers　it；　but　I　never　beg；　I　
leave　that　kind　of　work　to　my　wife　and　daughter　as　I　said　before。〃

After　giving　him　the　sixpence；　which　he　received　with　a　lazy　〃thank　
your　hanner；〃　I　got　up；　and　followed　by　my　daughter　returned　to　the　
town。

Henrietta　went　to　the　inn；　and　I　again　strolled　about　the　town。　　As　
I　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　one　of　the　business　streets　I　
suddenly　heard　a　loud　and　dissonant　gabbling；　and　glancing　around　
beheld　a　number　of　wild…looking　people；　male　and　female。　　Wild　
looked　the　men；　yet　wilder　the　women。　　The　men　were　very　lightly　
clad；　and　were　all　barefooted　and　bareheaded；　they　carried　stout　
sticks　in　their　hands。　　The　women　were　barefooted　too；　but　had　for　
the　most　part　head…dresses；　their　garments　consisted　of　blue　cloaks　
and　striped　gingham　gowns。　　All　the　females　had　common　tin　articles　
in　their　hands　which　they　offered　for　sale　with　violent　gestures　to　
the　people　in　the　streets；　as　they　walked　along；　occasionally　
darting　into　the　shops；　from　which；　however；　they　were　almost　
invariably　speedily　ejected　by　the　startled　proprietors；　with　looks　
of　disgust　and　almost　horror。　　Two　ragged；　red…haired　lads　led　a　
gaunt　pony；　drawing　a　creaking　cart；　stored　with　the　same　kind　of　
articles　of　tin；　which　the　women　bore。　　Poorly　clad；　dusty　and　
soiled　as　they　were；　they　all　walked　with　a　free；　independent；　and　
almost　graceful　carriage。

〃Are　those　people　from　Ireland？〃　said　I　to　a　decent…looking　man；　
seemingly　a　mechanic；　who　stood　near　me；　and　was　also　looking　at　
them；　but　with　anything　but　admiration。

〃I　am　sorry　to　say　they　are；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　who　from　his　
accent　was　evidently　an　Irishman；　〃for　they　are　a　disgrace　to　their　
country。〃

I　did　not　exactly　think　so。　　I　thought　that　in　many　respects　they　
were　fine　specimens　o