gar tradition assigns to Oliver Cromwell, but which antiquaries give to Rhys ap Gruffyd, who encamped his forces here in 1113, but by a manoeuvre of the English they were enticed from their position, and entirely cut off.

WALKS AND RIDES FROM ABERYSTWITH,

LLANBADARN-VAWR.

At the distance of a mile from Aberystwith is Llanbadarn-Vawr, supposed to be one of the most ancient episcopal sees in Wales. Here Paternus, in the sixth century, founded a monastery and a bishopric, the latter afterward united to St. David's.

The church has a venerable aspect; and from its style it was probably erected previous to the itinerary of Giraldus, in whose time this place was an abbey, under the jurisdiction of a layman, against which irregularity Giraldus severely inveighed. After it became an episcopal see, the inhabitants killed their bishop, which has left a proverbial stigma on them ever since. The church is now parochial.

PLAS GRUG.

Between the last-mentioned place and Aberystwith, on the banks of the Rhydol, stands Plas Grug, a fortified mansion, supposed to have been the residence of Owen Glyndwr. The remains, which lie in a vale, are still pretty considerable; particularly a square embattled tower, nearly perfect. The form of most of the original apartments may be traced, and it appears that they were spacious and numerous; but neither a hewn stone, nor a letter of inscription, is to be seen.

This palace is unquestionably very ancient, but its exact date cannot be ascertained. One of the Welsh bards, speaking of Llewellyn the Great, says,

His spear flashes in the hands accustomed to martial feats;

It kill, and puts its enemies to the flight, by the palace of the Rhydol.

Like every other place of remote origin, it has its legends of subterraneous passages, but these cannot now be traced by the most diligent observer.

GWYL TALIESIN.

Gwyl Taliesin, or Taliesin's Bed, about four miles from Aberystwith, stood by the road-side, and was handed down by tradition as the grave of Taliesin, who flourished about the year of the christian era 540. It consisted of four stones placed in the form of an oblong square, the highest nearly a foot above ground; but notwithstanding the partiality of the Welsh to their countrymen, and the well-deserved reputation of Taliesin, the prince of bards, they have removed every trace of this monument, and converted the stones into gate-posts!

PONT AR FYNACH.

Pont ar Fynach, or the Devil's Bridge, on the Monach, about twelve miles from Aberystwith, may be considered as one of the architectural curiosities of Wales. It consists of two arches, the one thrown over the other. The lower arch, or Old Bridge, has been ascribed to the power of the devil; but with more truth it is supposed to owe its origin to the monks of Strata Florida abbey, in the reign of William Rufus. The upper arch was built over it in 1753, at the expence of the county, for the greater safety of travellers. Each of these arches springs from rock to rock, over a deep abyss, in which the dark stream of the Monach is with difficulty distinguished more than 100 feet below, working its way impetuously through the hollow.

On the lower side of the bridge it issues again to light; and precipitates itself with amazing force, in a succession of almost perpendicular falls, for nearly 200 feet, through a thick wood, from the extremity of which the grand cataract may be viewed to considerable advantage. The perpendicular descent of this cataract is not less than 210 feet. "I have

seen," says Mr. Barber, "waterfalls more picturesquely grand than the cataract of the Mynach, but none more awfully so, not even excepting the celebrated falls of Lowdore and Scaleforce in Cumberland." Immediately below the fall, the Monach joins the Rhydol; and continues its course through the beautiful vale of that name, toward Aberystwith.

Crossing the Cwmystwith chain of hills, which separates the parallel valley of the Rhydol and Ystwith, the stranger is most agreeably surprised, as he descends through the rising plantations of Hafod, with the ample domain of Mr. Johnes, which rises like a paradise in the midst of a profound desert. The steep banks of the Ystwith are here fringed with the finest woods; and the mansion, a superb structure, in a novel style of Moorish and Gothic architecture, occupied the most favourable spot for commanding the whole extent of the vale and the windings of the river. This magnificent edifice, together with the greater part of its valuable contents, was totally destroyed by fire, on the morning of March 13th, 1807. It would be impossible to calculate the loss which literature has sustained in this conflagration, which consumed many very rare and expensive books, a collection of Welsh manuscripts, and other articles impossible to be replaced. The extent of the damage, however, as far as it could be ascertained, was estimated by the agent of the fire-offices in which Mr. Johnes's property was insured, at 20,584/.

With that enthusiasm which led the proprietor of Hafod to devote his life and fortune to the creation of a paradise out of a wilderness, he still intends to inhabit this favourite spot, and to divide his leisure between agricultural improvements and literary labours. To the latter this unfortunate accident has occasioned some interruption. Mr. Johnes had in his house a printing-press, from which had issued translations of the historical works of Froissart, Joinville, and le Brocquière: and these were to have been followed by those of Monstrelet and Comines.

A well-formed lawn extends far below the house;

beyond which are the plantations, through which a number of walks are conducted with judgment and fancy, to such objects and views as are most pleasing and picturesque. Mr. Johnes usually plants about half a million of trees annually, chiefly larch, beech, and birch, by which means he is not only improving his estate, and enriching his country, but furnishing employment to a great number of industrious labourers, who would otherwise be engaged perhaps in the sickly occupations of mines or manufactures. But after all, we unite in opinion with Mr. Skrine, who observes, that "notwithstanding the many natural and artificial beauties of Hafod, a stranger, while he commends the taste with which it is embel. lished, cannot but admire the singularity of the undertaking; in the wilds of an uninhabited desert, far re moved from any practicable neighbourhood, and from the common resorts of mankind."

STRATA FLORIDA.

Almost in a line with Hafod, but to the southward, stands Ystradfflur, or Strata Florida abbey, in the farthest recess of a mountainous semicircle, amidst coppices of wood and cultivated lands, rising up the acclivities. Of this delightfully situated, and once celebrated, abbey, there are still some inconsiderable remains; particularly a gateway of Saxon architecture, of fine proportions, and in good preservation.

Strata Florida was erected by Rhys ap Gruffydd, prince of South Wales, in 1164, and burnt down in the time of Edward I. but soon afterward rebuilt. Within its ancient walls, occupied by the White Monks, was regularly kept a chronicle of the chief transactions of the British princes, with all the old records from 1156 to 1270. It was likewise celebrated as the cemetery of many of the Welsh princes. and abbots; but such is the vanity of monumental records, that not a single fragment of their tombs remains.

PLINLIMMON.

The last place in the vicinity of Aberystwith, to which we shall conduct the attention of strangers, is Plinlimmon, which rears its cloud-capt head sublime," and from whose summit may be distinctly seen the shaggy top of Cader Idris, and the spiral crown of Snowdon.

Plinlimmon is a vast mountain, surrounded by many others of humbler height, which occupy a great extent of sterile and dreary country, without a house or tree to relieve the eye, while their natural horrors are increased by sounding cataracts and deep ravines. In this solitude all the miseries of penury and desolation rush on the heart; and the spectator feels what a dreadful blank life would be without the society of his fellow-men. Yet the hope of a precarious donation from transient visitors, has induced a guide to fix his abode, in summer, in a hovel at the bottom of this dreary mountain; and without a conductor the ascent should never be attempted. After all, there is nothing particularly attractive in the character of Plinlimmon; but it is remarkable for giving rise to no less than five rivers, the principal of which are the Severn, the Wye, and the Rhydol. ̈

It is also famous in history as an important station held by the great Glyndwr, in the first year of his insurrection. Unable to oppose the formidable force sent against him, he advantageously placed himself, with a few chosen followers, upon Plinlimmon, a spot well adapted for receiving succours from the north and south. It was from this place that he harassed the country, sacked Montgomery, burned Pool, and destroyed the abbey of Cwm Hir in Radnorshire.

The land here is wholly maiden turf: the hand of cultivation has not yet approached it.