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〃None；〃 said the man of the hat。
〃What may those stones be？〃 said I； pointing to the stones which
had struck my attention。
〃Mere common rocks；〃 said the man。
〃May I go and examine them？〃 said I。
〃Oh yes！〃 said he of the hat； 〃and we will go with you。〃
We went to the stones； which were indeed common rocks； and which
when I reached them presented quite a different appearance from
that which they presented to my eye when I viewed them from afar。
〃Are there many altars of the Druids in Llydaw？〃 said the man of
the hat。
〃Plenty；〃 said I； 〃but those altars are older than the time of the
Welsh colonists； and were erected by the old Gauls。〃
〃Well；〃 said the man of the cap； 〃I am glad I have seen the man of
Llydaw。〃
〃Whom do you call a man of Llydaw？〃 said I。
〃Whom but yourself？〃 said he of the hat。
〃I am not a man of Llydaw；〃 said I in English； 〃but Norfolk； where
the people eat the best dumplings in the world； and speak the
purest English。 Now a thousand thanks for your civility。 I would
have some more chat with you； but night is coming on； and I am
bound to Holyhead。〃
Then leaving the men staring after me； I bent my steps towards
Holyhead。
I passed by a place called Llan something； standing lonely on its
hill。 The country round looked sad and desolate。 It is true night
had come on when I saw it。
On I hurried。 The voices of children sounded sweetly at a distance
across the wild champaign on my left。
It grew darker and darker。 On I hurried along the road； at last I
came to lone； lordly groves。 On my right was an open gate and a
lodge。 I went up to the lodge。 The door was open； and in a little
room I beheld a nice…looking old lady sitting by a table； on which
stood a lighted candle； with her eyes fixed on a large book。
〃Excuse me；〃 said I； 〃but who owns this property？〃
The old lady looked up from her book； which appeared to be a Bible；
without the slightest surprise； though I certainly came upon her
unawares； and answered：
〃Mr John Wynn。〃
I shortly passed through a large village； or rather town； the name
of which I did not learn。 I then went on for a mile or two； and
saw a red light at some distance。 The road led nearly up to it；
and then diverged towards the north。 Leaving the road I made
towards the light by a lane； and soon came to a railroad station。
〃You won't have long to wait； sir；〃 said a man； 〃the train to
Holyhead will be here presently。〃
〃How far is it to Holyhead？〃 said I。
〃Two miles； sir； and the fare is only sixpence。〃
〃I despise railroads；〃 said I； 〃and those who travel by them；〃 and
without waiting for an answer returned to the road。 Presently I
heard the train … it stopped for a minute at the station； and then
continuing its course passed me on my left hand； voiding fierce
sparks； and making a terrible noise … the road was a melancholy
one； my footsteps sounded hollow upon it。 I seemed to be its only
traveller … a wall extended for a long； long way on my left。 At
length I came to a turnpike。 I felt desolate and wished to speak
to somebody。 I tapped at the window； at which there was a light； a
woman opened it。 〃How far to Holyhead？〃 said I in English。
〃Dim Saesneg；〃 said the woman。
I repeated my question in Welsh。
〃Two miles；〃 said she。
〃Still two miles to Holyhead by the road；〃 thought I。 〃Nos da；〃
said I to the woman and sped along。 At length I saw water on my
right； seemingly a kind of bay； and presently a melancholy ship。 I
doubled my pace； which was before tolerably quick； and soon saw a
noble…looking edifice on my left； brilliantly lighted up。 〃What a
capital inn that would make；〃 said I； looking at it wistfully； as I
passed it。 Presently I found myself in the midst of a poor； dull；
ill…lighted town。
〃Where is the inn？〃 said I to a man。
〃The inn； sir； you have passed it。 The inn is yonder；〃 he
continued； pointing towards the noble…looking edifice。
〃What； is that the inn？〃 said I。
〃Yes； sir； the railroad hotel … and a first…rate hotel it is。〃
〃And are there no other inns？〃
〃Yes； but they are all poor places。 No gent puts up at them … all
the gents by the railroad put up at the railroad hotel。〃
What was I to do？ after turning up my nose at the railroad； was I
to put up at its hotel？ Surely to do so would be hardly acting
with consistency。 〃Ought I not rather to go to some public…house；
frequented by captains of fishing smacks； and be put in a bed a
foot too short for me；〃 said I； as I reflected on my last night's
couch at Mr Pritchard's。 〃No； that won't do … I shall go to the
hotel； I have money in my pocket； and a person with money in his
pocket has surely a right to be inconsistent if he pleases。〃
So I turned back and entered the railroad hotel with lofty port and
with sounding step； for I had twelve sovereigns in my pocket；
besides a half one； and some loose silver； and feared not to
encounter the gaze of any waiter or landlord in the land。 〃Send
boots！〃 I roared to the waiter； as I flung myself down in an arm…
chair in a magnificent coffee…room。 〃What the deuce are you
staring at？ send boots can't you； and ask what I can have for
dinner。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said the waiter； and with a low bow departed。
〃These boots are rather dusty；〃 said the boots； a grey…haired；
venerable…looking man； after he had taken off my thick； solid；
square…toed boots。 〃I suppose you came walking from the railroad？〃
〃Confound the railroad！〃 said I。 〃I came walking from Bangor。 I
would have you know that I have money in my pocket； and can afford
to walk。 I am fond of the beauties of nature； now it is impossible
to see much of the beauties of nature unless you walk。 I am
likewise fond of poetry； and take especial delight in inspecting
the birth…places and haunts of poets。 It is because I am fond of
poetry； poets and their haunts； that I am come to Anglesey。
Anglesey does not abound in the beauties of nature； but there never
was such a place for poets； you meet a poet； or the birth…place of
a poet； everywhere。〃
〃Did your honour ever hear of Gronwy Owen？〃 said the old man。
〃I have；〃 I replied； 〃and yesterday I visited his birth…place； so
you have heard of Gronwy Owen？〃
〃Heard of him； your honour； yes； and read his works。 That 'Cowydd
y Farn' of his is a wonderful poem。〃
〃You say right；〃 said I； 〃the 'Cowydd of Judgment' contains some of
the finest things ever written … that description of the toppling
down of the top crag of Snowdon； at the day of Judgment； beats
anything in Homer。〃
〃Then there was Lewis Morris； your honour；〃 said the old man； 〃who
gave Gronwy his education and wrote 'The Lasses of Meirion' … and …
〃
〃And 'The Cowydd to the Snail；'〃 said I； interrupting him … 〃a
wonderful man he was。〃
〃I am rejoiced to see your honour in our house；〃 said boots； 〃I
never saw an English gentleman before who knew so much about Welsh
poetry； nor a Welsh one either。 Ah； if your honour is fond of
poets and their places you did right to come to Anglesey … and your
honour was right in saying that you can't stir a step without
me