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his complexion was indescribable； the little hair which he had；
which was almost entirely on the sides and the back part of his
head； was of an iron…grey hue。 He wore a leather hat on ordinary
days； low at the crown； and with the side eaves turned up。 A dirty
pepper and salt coat； a waistcoat which had once been red； but
which had lost its pristine colour； and looked brown； dirty yellow
leather breeches； grey worsted stockings； and high…lows。 Surely I
was right when I said he was a very different groom to those of the
present day； whether Welsh or English？ What say you； Sir Watkin？
What say you； my Lord of Exeter？ He looked after the horses； and
occasionally assisted in the house of a person who lived at the end
of an alley； in which the office of the gentleman to whom I was
articled was situated； and having to pass by the door of the office
half…a…dozen times in the day； he did not fail to attract the
notice of the clerks； who； sometimes individually； sometimes by
twos； sometimes by threes； or even more； not unfrequently stood at
the door； bareheaded … mis…spending the time which was not legally
their own。 Sundry observations； none of them very flattering； did
the clerks and； amongst them； myself； make upon the groom； as he
passed and repassed； some of them direct； others somewhat oblique。
To these he made no reply save by looks； which had in them
something dangerous and menacing； and clenching without raising his
fists； which looked singularly hard and horny。 At length a whisper
ran about the alley that the groom was a Welshman； this whisper
much increased the malice of my brother clerks against him； who
were now whenever he passed the door； and they happened to be there
by twos or threes； in the habit of saying something； as if by
accident； against Wales and Welshmen； and； individually or
together； were in the habit of shouting out 〃Taffy；〃 when he was at
some distance from them； and his back was turned； or regaling his
ears with the harmonious and well…known distich of 〃Taffy was a
Welshman； Taffy was a thief： Taffy came to my house and stole a
piece of beef。〃 It had； however； a very different effect upon me。
I was trying to learn Welsh； and the idea occurring to me that the
groom might be able to assist me in my pursuit； I instantly lost
all desire to torment him； and determined to do my best to scrape
acquaintance with him； and persuade him to give me what assistance
he could in Welsh。 I succeeded； how I will not trouble the reader
with describing： he and I became great friends； and he taught me
what Welsh he could。 In return for his instructions I persuaded my
brother clerks to leave off holloing after him； and to do nothing
further to hurt his feelings； which had been very deeply wounded；
so much so； that after the first two or three lessons he told me in
confidence that on the morning of the very day I first began to
conciliate him he had come to the resolution of doing one of two
things； namely； either to hang himself from the balk of the
hayloft； or to give his master warning； both of which things he
told me he should have been very unwilling to do； more particularly
as he had a wife and family。 He gave me lessons on Sunday
afternoons； at my father's house； where he made his appearance very
respectably dressed； in a beaver hat； blue surtout； whitish
waistcoat； black trowsers and Wellingtons； all with a somewhat
ancient look … the Wellingtons I remember were slightly pieced at
the sides … but all upon the whole very respectable。 I wished at
first to persuade him to give me lessons in the office； but could
not succeed： 〃No； no； lad；〃 said he； 〃catch me going in there： I
would just as soon venture into a nest of porcupines。〃 To
translate from books I had already； to a certain degree； taught
myself； and at his first visit I discovered； and he himself
acknowledged； that at book Welsh I was stronger than himself； but I
learnt Welsh pronunciation from him； and to discourse a little in
the Welsh tongue。 〃Had you much difficulty in acquiring the sound
of the ll？〃 I think I hear the reader inquire。 None whatever： the
double l of the Welsh is by no means the terrible guttural which
English people generally suppose it to be； being in reality a
pretty liquid； exactly resembling in sound the Spanish ll； the
sound of which I had mastered before commencing Welsh； and which is
equivalent to the English lh； so being able to pronounce llano I
had of course no difficulty in pronouncing Lluyd； which by…the…bye
was the name of the groom。
I remember that I found the pronunciation of the Welsh far less
difficult than I had found the grammar； the most remarkable feature
of which is the mutation； under certain circumstances； of
particular consonants； when forming the initials of words。 This
feature I had observed in the Irish； which I had then only learnt
by ear。
But to return to the groom。 He was really a remarkable character；
and taught me two or three things besides Welsh pronunciation； and
to discourse a little in Cumraeg。 He had been a soldier in his
youth； and had served under Moore and Wellington in the Peninsular
campaigns； and from him I learnt the details of many a bloody field
and bloodier storm； of the sufferings of poor British soldiers； and
the tyranny of haughty British officers； more especially of the two
commanders just mentioned； the first of whom he swore was shot by
his own soldiers； and the second more frequently shot at by British
than French。 But it is not deemed a matter of good taste to write
about such low people as grooms； I shall therefore dismiss him with
no observation further than that after he had visited me on Sunday
afternoons for about a year he departed for his own country with
his wife； who was an Englishwoman； and his children； in consequence
of having been left a small freehold there by a distant relation；
and that I neither saw nor heard of him again。
But though I had lost my oral instructor I had still my silent
ones； namely； the Welsh books； and of these I made such use that
before the expiration of my clerkship I was able to read not only
Welsh prose； but； what was infinitely more difficult； Welsh poetry
in any of the four…and…twenty measures； and was well versed in the
compositions of various of the old Welsh bards； especially those of
Dafydd ab Gwilym； whom； since the time when I first became
acquainted with his works； I have always considered as the greatest
poetical genius that has appeared in Europe since the revival of
literature。
After this exordium I think I may proceed to narrate the journey of
myself and family into Wales。 As perhaps； however； it will be
thought that； though I have said quite enough about myself and a
certain groom； I have not said quite enough about my wife and
daughter； I will add a little more about them。 Of my wife I will
merely say that she is a perfect paragon of wives … can make
puddings and sweets and treacle posset； and is the best woman of
business in Eastern Anglia … of my step…daughter … for such she is；
though I gen