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attention, the admiration, and the applause which his talents justly merited; and after his death he was honoured with the appellation of the Prince of the British Bards. His works are very numerous, but many spurious pieces have been imposed on the world as his productions, some of them forged by the monks, to answer the purposes of the Church of Rome, and others by the Welsh bards, in the times of their last princes, to spirit up their countrymen to resist the English yoke. Those that are known to be his own bear marks of the highest excellence. His "Beddau Milwyr Ynys Prydain," the Tombs of the Warriors of Britain, is a noble piece of antiquity, and will last while the country and the language exist. All his productions are extremely difficult to be understood, so much so that even the best Welsh scholars of the present day confess that they cannot entirely comprehend them. In his writings there appear to be many particulars which would throw much light on the history, opinions, and manners of the ancient Britons, and particularly on those of the Druids, much of whose learning he had himself imbibed.

Four miles from Conway is the village of Llandudno. The church, situated more than a mile above the village, is dedicated to St. Tudno, who, tradition says, was a Romish recluse of extreme purity of manners and sanctity, that lived and died here. It was thought a suitable token of respect to found a place of worship to his memory on the very spot where so holy a man yielded his last breath. This church, therefore, or some former one similar to it, appeared. Tudno and Cybi, the founder of the church at Holyhead, it is said, were intimate friends, and were accustomed to meet once in every week near Priestholme, for the purpose of joining in prayer. The former was called the White Tudno, from his always going westward from the sun; and the

PROMONTORY OF ORME'S HEAD.

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other the Tawny Cybi, because his route always led him to meet it.

Not far from the church are two rows of upright stones called HWYLFAR CEIRW, the High Road of the Deer. Tradition says that these formed a path by which the deer, which once abounded in the mountains of Caernarvonshire, used to descend to a meadow below. This explanation is extremely absurd, and, till some better is found, we must rest in ignorance both as to the origin and use of these

stones.

Close to the village of Llandudno is a copper mine of considerable extent, which produces nearly 2000 tons of copper a year, and employs upwards of 200 men; there is also another copper mine on the heights above, nearly as extensive as that adjoining the village. The miners descend by shafts, and do not, as in most of the Welsh mines, enter through levels.

THE PROMONTORY OF ORME'S HEAD

Extends for upwards of two miles beyond the village of Llandudno. The rocks of the promontory are for the most part nearly perpendicular, of amazing height, and extend to a considerable depth into the sea. During the breeding season these are the resort of various sea fowl, which breed here in vast numbers. On the rocks the samphire, Crithmum maritinum, is found in considerable quantities. It is collected by the inhabitants of the adjacent parishes both for home use and for sale. On the highest point of the promontory a telegraph has been erected, which with others forms a communication between Liverpool and Holyhead.

Near the promontory is GLODDAETH, a seat of the Mostyns, built by Sir Roger Mostyn in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It is situated on an extensive slope, covered with plantations, and commanding many delightful prospects.

The library, which abounds in valuable manuscripts, principally of Welsh literature, has rendered it very celebrated among the lovers of ancient learning. About the grounds are to be found, in a native state, many plants that are extremely rare in other parts of Great Britain.

Besides this is BODSCALLON, another seat of the Mostyns, and a place of great antiquity; and near to this again is MARL, the property of Owen Williams, Esq.

CHAPTER XXXII.

EXCURSION FROM CONWAY TO LLANRWST AND BACK.

(24 Miles.)

Vale of Conway-Caer Rhûn-Account of some Discoveries thereRhaiadr of Mawr or Porthlwyd― Rhaiadr Dolgarrog-Town of Llanrwst Church—Gwydir—Bridge at Llanrwst.

THE VALE OF CONWAY affords many very interesting prospects. It is adorned with all the variety that can arise from a well wooded and highly cultivated country, bounded by lofty mountains. It is more elegant, from its being more varied, and coming more completely under the eye than the vale of Clwyd. The river forms, for a few miles, a broad and expansive water. Five miles and a half from Conway is,

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The fort of Rhûn, (ap Maelgwn, Prince of North Wales,) a charming little village on the western bank of the river, and surrounded with wood. From various discoveries of antiquities in the place and neighbourhood, and from other circumstances, there is good reason for supposing that this was the site of the Roman Conovium. During the summer of 1801, considerable pains were taken to investigate this station by the owner of the ground, the late Rev. H. D.

* This place is called by Camden and some other writers Caer hên, the Old City. This, however, appears to be done erroneously, for all the ancient MSS. now extant, that mention the place, have it Caer Rhún.

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Griffith, the worthy rector of Llanbeder. In the platform, which was on a low mount, and formed a parallelogram, measuring 150 yards in length, and about 100 in breadth, many apartments were cleared, some of which appeared to have been used for the purposes of a Roman pottery. A few years previously to this, several broken vases, dishes and other culinary utensils of earthern-ware, though none in an entire state, were taken up here; some of them were stamped with devices of men in armour, others with dogs in chace of the stag; some of them were of a fine sky blue colour, others red; and one in particular, the most perfect of all, was a sort of hollow dish, with its surface beautifully glazed, and of a lively red colour, bearing the letters PATRICI very visibly stamped in its centre. Its diameter was about six inches. The most curious piece of antiquity found at this time was a brazen shield of circular form, curiously embossed circle within circle, with small brass studs, from the circumference nearly to the centre, where a sharp piece of wrought iron, about four inches and a half in length, was fixed. This shield, which was somewhat more than a foot in diameter, had on its under side, when discovered, a covering of leather stuffed with hair. Mr. Griffith thought there were good grounds to contradict the generally received opinion, of a bath and hypocaust having been discovered here.

RHAIADR MAWR OR PORTHLWYD.

From the road, near the bridge called Pont Porthlwyd, not quite seven miles from Conway, high up the mountain, and at some distance from the road, is a waterfall of very considerable height, called by the country people Rhaiadr Mawr or Rhaiadr Porthlwyd. Ascending a winding path the tourist will, after about a quarter of an hour's walk, arrive at the bed of the river, near the station from whence the fall is to

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