wild wales-第89节

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〃No；　it　hasn't；〃　said　the　old　fellow；　〃it　never　produced　one。　　If　
it　had；　you　wouldn't　have　needed　to　come　here　to　see　the　grave　of　a　
poet；　you　would　have　found　one　at　home。〃

As　he　said　these　words　he　got　up；　took　his　stick；　and　seemed　about　
to　depart。　　Just　then　in　burst　a　rabble　rout　of　game…keepers　and　
river…watchers　who　had　come　from　the　petty　sessions；　and　were　in　
high　glee；　the　two　poachers　whom　the　landlord　had　mentioned　having　
been　convicted　and　heavily　fined。　　Two　or　three　of　them　were　
particularly　boisterous；　running　against　some　of　the　guests　who　
were　sitting　or　standing　in　the　kitchen；　and　pushing　the　landlord　
about；　crying　at　the　same　time　that　they　would　stand　by　Sir　Watkin　
to　the　last；　and　would　never　see　him　plundered。　　One　of　them；　a　
fellow　of　about　thirty；　in　a　hairy　cap；　black　coat；　dirty　yellow　
breeches；　and　dirty　white　top…boots；　who　was　the　most　obstreperous　
of　them　all；　at　last　came　up　to　the　old　chap　who　disliked　South　
Welshmen　and　tried　to　knock　off　his　hat；　swearing　that　he　would　
stand　by　Sir　Watkin；　he；　however；　met　a　Tartar。　　The　enemy　of　the　
South　Welsh；　like　all　crusty　people；　had　lots　of　mettle；　and　with　
the　stick　which　he　held　in　his　hand　forthwith　aimed　a　blow　at　the　
fellow's　poll；　which；　had　he　not　jumped　back；　would　probably　have　
broken　it。

〃I　will　not　be　insulted　by　you；　you　vagabond；〃　said　the　old　chap；　
〃nor　by　Sir　Watkin　either；　go　and　tell　him　so。〃

The　fellow　looked　sheepish；　and　turning　away　proceeded　to　take　
liberties　with　other　people　less　dangerous　to　meddle　with　than　old　
crabstick。　　He；　however；　soon　desisted；　and　sat　down　evidently　
disconcerted。

〃Were　you　ever　worse　treated　in　South　Wales　by　the　people　there　
than　you　have　been　here　by　your　own　countrymen？〃　said　I　to　the　old　
fellow。

〃My　countrymen？〃　said　he；　〃this　scamp　is　no　countryman　of　mine；　nor　
is　one　of　the　whole　kit。　　They　are　all　from　Wrexham；　a　mixture　of　
broken　housekeepers　and　fellows　too　stupid　to　learn　a　trade；　a　set　
of　scamps　fit　for　nothing　in　the　world　but　to　swear　bodily　against　
honest　men。　　They　say　they　will　stand　up　for　Sir　Watkin；　and　so　
they　will；　but　only　in　a　box　in　the　Court　to　give　false　evidence。　　
They　won't　fight　for　him　on　the　banks　of　the　river。　　Countrymen　of　
mine；　indeed！　they　are　no　countrymen　of　mine；　they　are　from　
Wrexham；　where　the　people　speak　neither　English　nor　Welsh；　not　even　
South　Welsh　as　you　do。〃

Then　giving　a　kind　of　flourish　with　his　stick　he　departed。



CHAPTER　LXVIII



Llan　Silin　Church　…　Tomb　of　Huw　Morris　…　Barbara　and　Richard　…　
Welsh　Country　Clergyman　…　The　Swearing　Lad　…　Anglo…Saxon　Devils。


HAVING　discussed　my　ale　I　asked　the　landlord　if　he　would　show　me　
the　grave　of　Huw　Morris。　　〃With　pleasure；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃pray　
follow　me。〃　　He　led　me　to　the　churchyard；　in　which　several　enormous　
yew　trees　were　standing；　probably　of　an　antiquity　which　reached　as　
far　back　as　the　days　of　Henry　the　Eighth；　when　the　yew　bow　was　
still　the　favourite　weapon　of　the　men　of　Britain。　　The　church　
fronts　the　south；　the　portico　being　in　that　direction。　　The　body　of　
the　sacred　edifice　is　ancient；　but　the　steeple　which　bears　a　gilded　
cock　on　its　top　is　modern。　　The　innkeeper　led　me　directly　up　to　the　
southern　wall；　then　pointing　to　a　broad　discoloured　slab；　which　lay　
on　the　ground　just　outside　the　wall；　about　midway　between　the　
portico　and　the　oriel　end；　he　said：

〃Underneath　this　stone　lies　Huw　Morris；　sir。〃　　Forthwith　taking　off　
my　hat　I　went　down　on　my　knees　and　kissed　the　cold　slab　covering　
the　cold　remains　of　the　mighty　Huw；　and　then；　still　on　my　knees；　
proceeded　to　examine　it　attentively。　　It　is　covered　over　with　
letters　three　parts　defaced。　　All　I　could　make　out　of　the　
inscription　was　the　date　of　the　poet's　death；　1709。　　〃A　great　
genius；　a　very　great　genius；　sir；〃　said　the　inn…keeper；　after　I　had　
got　on　my　feet　and　put　on　my　hat。

〃He　was　indeed；〃　said　I；　〃are　you　acquainted　with　his　poetry？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　the　innkeeper；　and　then　repeated　the　four　lines　
composed　by　the　poet　shortly　before　his　death；　which　I　had　heard　
the　intoxicated　stonemason　repeat　in　the　public…house　of　the　Pandy；　
the　day　I　went　to　visit　the　poet's　residence　with　John　Jones。

〃Do　you　know　any　more　of　Huw's　poetry？〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　said　the　innkeeper。　　〃Those　lines；　however；　I　have　known　ever　
since　I　was　a　child　and　repeated　them；　more　particularly　of　late　
since　age　has　come　upon　me　and　I　have　felt　that　I　cannot　last　
long。〃

It　is　very　odd　how　few　of　the　verses　of　great　poets　are　in　people's　
mouths。　　Not　more　than　a　dozen　of　Shakespear's　lines　are　in　
people's　mouths：　　of　those　of　Pope　not　more　than　half　that　number。　　
Of　Addison's　poetry　two　or　three　lines　may　be　in　people's　mouths；　
though　I　never　heard　one　quoted；　the　only　line　which　I　ever　heard　
quoted　as　Addison's　not　being　his　but　Garth's：


〃'Tis　best　repenting　in　a　coach　and　six。'


Whilst　of　the　verses　of　Huw　Morris　I　never　knew　any　one　but　myself；　
who　am　not　a　Welshman；　who　could　repeat　a　line　beyond　the　four　
which　I　have　twice　had　occasion　to　mention；　and　which　seem　to　be　
generally　known　in　North　if　not　in　South　Wales。

From　the　flagstone　I　proceeded　to　the　portico　and　gazed　upon　it　
intensely。　　It　presented　nothing　very　remarkable；　but　it　had　the　
greatest　interest　for　me；　for　I　remembered　how　many　times　Huw　
Morris　had　walked　out　of　that　porch　at　the　head　of　the　
congregation；　the　clergyman　yielding　his　own　place　to　the　inspired　
bard。　　I　would　fain　have　entered　the　church；　but　the　landlord　had　
not　the　key；　and　told　me　that　he　imagined　there　would　be　some　
difficulty　in　procuring　it。　　I　was　therefore　obliged　to　content　
myself　with　peeping　through　a　window　into　the　interior；　which　had　a　
solemn　and　venerable　aspect。

〃Within　there；〃　said　I　to　myself；　〃Huw　Morris；　the　greatest　
songster　of　the　seventeenth　century；　knelt　every　Sunday　during　the　
latter　thirty　years　of　his　life；　after　walking　from　Pont　y　Meibion　
across　the　bleak　and　savage　Berwyn。　　Within　there　was　married　
Barbara　Wynn；　the　Rose　of　Maelai；　to　Richard　Middleton；　the　
handsome　cavalier　of　Maelor；　and　within　there　she　lies　buried；　even　
as　the　songster　who　lamented　her　untimely　death　in　immortal　verse　
lies　buried　out　here　in　the　graveyard。　　What　interesting　
associations　has　this　church　for　me；　both　outside　and　in；　but　all　
connected　with　Huw；　for　what　should　I　have　known　of　Barbara；　the　
Rose；　and　gallant　Richard　but　for　the　poem　on　their　affectionate　
union　and　untimely　separation；　the　dialogue　between　the　living　and　
the　dead；　composed　by　humble　Huw；　the　farmer's　son　of　Ponty　y　
Meibion？〃

After　gazing　through　the　window　till　my　eyes　watered　I　turned　to　
the　innkeeper；　and　inquired　the　way　to　Llan　Rhyadr。　　Having　
received　from　him　the　desired　information　I　thanked　him　for　his　
civility；　and　set　out　on　my　return。

Before　I　could　get　clear　of　the　town　I　suddenly　encountered　my　
friend　R…；　the　clever　lawyer　and　magistrate's　clerk　of　Llangollen。

〃I　little　expected　to　see　you　here；〃　said　he。

〃Nor　I　you；〃　I　replied。

〃I　came　in　my　official　capacity；〃　said　he；　〃the　petty　sessions　have　
been　held　here　to…day。〃

〃I　know　they　have；〃　I　replied；　〃and　that　two　poachers　have　been　
convicted。　　I　came　here　on　my　way　to　South　Wales　to　see　the　grave　
of　Huw　Morris；　who；　as　you　know；　is　buried　in　the　churchyard。〃

〃Have　you　seen　the　clergyman？〃　said　R…。

〃No；〃　I　replied。

〃Then　come　with　me；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　now　going　to　call　upon　him。　　I　
know　he　will　be　rejoiced　to　make　your　acquaintance。〃

He　led　me　to　the　clergyman's　house；　which　stood　at　the　south…west　
end　of　the　village　within　a　garden　fenced　with　an　iron　paling。　　We　
found　the　clergyman　in　a　nice　comfortable　parlour　or　study；　the　
sides　of　which　were　decorated　with　books。　　He　was　a　sharp　clever…
looking　man；　of　about　the　middle　age。　　On　my　being　introduced　to　
him　he　was　very　glad　to　see　me；　as　my　friend　R…　told　me　he　would　
be。　　He　seemed　to　know　all　about　me；　even　that　I　understood　Welsh。　　
We　conversed　on　various　subjects：　　on　the　power　of　the　Welsh　
language；　its　mutable　letters；　on　Huw　Morris；　and　likewise　on　ale；　
with　an　excellent　glass　of　which　he　regaled　me。　　I　was　much　pleased　
with　him；　and　thought　him　a　capital　specimen　of　the　Welsh　country　
clergyman。　　His　name　was　Walter　Jones。

After　staying　about　half…an…hour　I　took　leave　of　the　good　kind　man；　
who　wished　me　all　kind　of　happiness；　spiritual　and　temporal；　and　
said　that　he　should　always　be　happy　to　see　me　at　Llan　Silin。　　My　
friend　R…　walked　with　me　a　little　way　and　then　bade　me　farewell。　　
It　was　now　late　in　the　afternoon；　the　sky　was　grey　and　gloomy；　and　
a　kind　of　half　wintry　wind　was　blowing。　　In　the　forenoon　I　had　
travelled　along　the　eastern　side　of　the　valley；　which　I　will　call　
that　of　Llan　Rhyadr；　directing　my　course　to　the　north；　but　I　was　
now　on　the　western　side　of　the　valley；　journeying　towards　the　
south。　　In　about　half…an…hour　I　found　myself　nearly　parallel　with　
the　high　crag　which　I　had　seen　from　a　distance　in　the　morning。　　It　
was　now　to　the　east　of　me。　　Its　western　front　was　very　precipitous；　
but　on　its　northern　side　it　was　cultivated