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should not have carried off the prize at various eisteddfodau； as I
have done。 I am a poet； sir … a prydydd。〃
〃It is singular enough；〃 said I； 〃that the only two Welsh poets I
have seen have been innkeepers … one is yourself； the other a
person I met in Anglesey。 I suppose the Muse is fond of cwrw da。〃
〃You would fain be pleasant； sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃but I beg
leave to inform you that I am not fond of pleasantries； and now； as
my wife and the servant are returned； I will have the pleasure of
conducting you to the parlour。〃
〃Before I go；〃 said I； 〃I should like to see my guide provided with
what I ordered。〃 I stayed till the lad was accommodated with bread
and cheese and a foaming tankard of ale； and then bidding him
farewell； I followed the landlord into the parlour； where I found a
fire kindled； which； however； smoked exceedingly。 I asked my host
what I could have for supper； and was told that he did not know；
but that if I would leave the matter to him he would send the best
he could。 As he was going away； I said： 〃So you are a poet？
Well； I am very glad to hear it； for I have been fond of Welsh
poetry from my boyhood。 What kind of verse do you employ in
general？ Did you ever write an awdl in the four…and…twenty
measures？ What are the themes of your songs？ The deeds of the
ancient heroes of South Wales； I suppose； and the hospitality of
the great men of the neighbourhood who receive you as an honoured
guest at their tables。 I'll bet a guinea that however clever a
fellow you may be you never sang anything in praise of your
landlord's housekeeping equal to what Dafydd Nanmor sang in praise
of that of Ryce of Twyn four hundred years ago：
'For Ryce if hundred thousands plough'd
The lands around his fair abode；
Did vines of thousand vineyards bleed；
Still corn and wine great Ryce would need；
If all the earth had bread's sweet savour；
And water all had cyder's flavour；
Three roaring feasts in Ryce's hall
Would swallow earth and ocean all。'
Hey？〃
〃Really； sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃I don't know how to reply to
you； for the greater part of your discourse is utterly
unintelligible to me。 Perhaps you are a better Welshman than
myself； but however that may be； I shall take the liberty of
retiring in order to give orders about your supper。〃
In about half…an…hour the supper made its appearance in the shape
of some bacon and eggs。 On tasting them I found them very good；
and calling for some ale I made a very tolerable supper。 After the
things had been removed I drew near to the fire； but as it still
smoked； I soon betook myself to the kitchen。 My guide had taken
his departure； but the others whom I had left were still there。
The landlord was talking in Welsh to a man in a rough great…coat；
about sheep。 Setting himself down near the fire I called for a
glass of whiskey and water； and then observing that the landlord
and his friend had suddenly become silent； I said： 〃Pray go on
with your discourse； don't let me be any hindrance to you。〃
〃Yes； sir！〃 said the landlord snappishly； 〃go on with our discourse
for your edification； I suppose？〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃suppose it is for my edification； surely you don't
grudge a stranger a little edification which will cost you
nothing？〃
〃I don't know that； sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃I don't know that。
Really； sir； the kitchen is not the place for a gentleman。〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 said I； 〃provided the parlour smokes。 Come； come； I
am going to have a glass of whiskey and water； perhaps you will
take one with me。〃
〃Well； sir！〃 said the landlord； in rather a softened tone； 〃I have
no objection to take a glass with you。〃
Two glasses of whiskey and water were presently brought； and the
landlord and I drank to each other's health。
〃Is this a sheep district？〃 said I； after a pause of a minute or
two。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃it may to a certain extent be
called a sheep district。〃
〃I suppose the Southdown and Norfolk breeds would not do for these
here parts；〃 said I； with a regular Norfolk whine。
〃No； sir； I don't think they would exactly；〃 said the landlord；
staring at me。 〃Do you know anything about sheep？〃
〃Plenty； plenty；〃 said I； 〃quite as much indeed as about Welsh
words and poetry。〃 Then in a yet more whining tone than before； I
said： 〃Do you think that a body with money in his pocket could
hire a nice comfortable sheep farm hereabouts？〃
〃Oh； sir！〃 said the landlord in a furious tone； 〃you have come to
look out for a farm； I see； and to outbid us poor Welshmen： it is
on that account you have studied Welsh； but； sir； I would have you
know … 〃
〃Come！〃 said I； 〃don't be afraid； I wouldn't have all the farms in
your country； provided you would tie them in a string and offer
them to me。 If I talked about a farm； it was because I am in the
habit of talking about everything； being versed in all matters； do
you see； or affecting to be so； which comes much to the same thing。
My real business in this neighbourhood is to see the Devil's Bridge
and the scenery about it。〃
〃Very good； sir；〃 said the landlord； 〃I thought so at first。 A
great many English go to see the Devil's Bridge and the scenery
near it； though I really don't know why； for there is nothing so
very particular in either。 We have a bridge here too； quite as
good as the Devil's Bridge； and as for scenery； I'll back the
scenery about this house against anything of the kind in the
neighbourhood of the Devil's Bridge。 Yet everybody goes to the
Devil's Bridge and nobody comes here！〃
〃You might easily bring everybody here；〃 said I； 〃if you would but
employ your talent。 You should celebrate the wonders of your
neighbourhood in cowydds； and you would soon have plenty of
visitors； but you don't want them； you know； and prefer to be
without them。〃
The landlord looked at me for a moment； then taking sip of his
whiskey and water he turned to the man with whom he had previously
been talking and recommenced the discourse about sheep。 I make no
doubt； however； that I was a restraint upon them； they frequently
glanced at me； and soon fell to whispering。 At last both got up
and left the room； the landlord finishing his glass of whiskey and
water before he went away。
〃So you are going to the Devil's Bridge； sir！〃 said an elderly man；
dressed in a grey coat； with a broad…brimmed hat； who sat on the
settle smoking a pipe in company with another elderly man with a
leather hat； with whom I had heard him discourse sometimes in
Welsh； sometimes in English； the Welsh which he spoke being rather
broken。
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃I am going to have a sight of the bridge and the
neighbouring scenery。〃
〃Well； sir； I don't think you will be disappointed； for both are
wonderful。〃
〃Are you a Welshman？〃 said I。
〃No； sir； I am not； I am an Englishman from Durham； which is the
best county in England。〃
〃So it is；〃 said I … 〃for some things at any rate。 For example；
where do you find such beef as in Durham？〃
〃Ah； where indeed； sir？ I have always said that neither the
Devonshire nor the Lincoln