his health, that at a time when he was wanted to cultivate his little farm, he was laid aside by indisposition, and confined to his bed. With him, in the same bed, were two of his children, in a fever; and his wife, who had just given birth to an infant child, lay in an adjoining bed, in the lowest state of weakness. Another of the children, suffering like the rest of the family, and fit only for the bed, occupied a stool on the hearth. In this condition the family lay, when the Curate arrived, who did all he could to soothe their sorrows and relieve their wants. On the following morning he sent information to the Rector of the parish, who proceeded immediately to visit them, and administer to their help. At the request of the Curate they were visited also by the medical attendant of the district, and derived much benefit from his professional skill, though he was not bound to attend any patients, except such as were in the receipt of parochial relief. The neighbouring farmers, on being apprized of their lamentable condition, sent them food, and articles of clothing, others contributed a little money, and others sent their horses, ploughs, carts, and servants, to forward the work of tillage; so that in a short time this distressed and destitute family were rescued from the deepest afflictions, and restored to a state of comparative comfort. This instance of generosity is recorded as a specimen of the sympathy and benevolence displayed, on occasions of emergency, by the inhabitants of our country.

The Welsh as a nation may well lay claim to the character of "honest Welshmen." Theft and fraud will ever be practised, to a certain extent, in every country, but in the principality these are comparatively of rare occurrence, and generally confined to the worst portion of society. The very few cases of this kind, which have to be tried at our assizes, attest the innocence of the Welsh population. Hence young men from the principality find no difficulty in procuring respectable situations in England; and a preference is given to them, by many mercantile houses, in the towns in which they

are best known. And if their education were more enlarged, and their training more effectual, they would succeed still better, and realize an independence much more frequently, and in a shorter time, than they usually do.

It will not be denied by any one conversant with the Welsh nation, that they are an industrious people. Industry is necessary in order to obtain a livelihood, for wages are low to the artisan and labourer, and profits are small to those who engage in the higher branches of trade. Closely connected with this virtue is frugality, which equally belongs to the Welsh character. Luxuries, thank heaven, are not needful for human nature, and if they were, the greater number of the Welsh population would be unable to procure them. Nothing is allowed to be wasted or lost by the industrious classes in this country, but every thing is turned to some account.-It is much to be desired, however, that the lower orders would improve in cleanliness, for which there is abundant room. Compared with the Irish, and even the Scotch, our country-people are a good deal in advance, but they must yield to the peasantry of England. The inferiority of the Welsh peasantry appears in the arrangement of their houses, as well as in the approaches to them. The footpaths or roads leading to cottages, are seldom subjected to the office of the scavenger, or repaired when worn into deep pits. The state of the byroads, except those occasionally used by the higher classes, is so bad as to be almost impassable.

The Welsh nation has been represented as choleric, but the justice of this accusation, if made in reference to modern times, may fairly be questioned. Whilst we admit that there

is a native warmth in the Welsh constitution, which too frequently shews itself in the actions of many, we cannot allow the whole nation, nor even the majority of the people, to be characterized as choleric. Choler means anger, rage, the humour supposed to produce irrascibility." The most remarkable illustration of the word, that I remember, happened

in the town of Liverpool, in the case of a French merchant, who, on discovering an error committed by one of his clerks, got into so great a passion, that, to prevent self-combustion, he went and plunged his head in water. If ever the Welsh have been very passionate as a nation, I think the number that are so now, is but small. Religion, without extinguishing their fire, has effectually subdued the feelings of the middle and lower classes; and where religious principle is wanting, public opinion and example exert a considerable degree of influence. The melancholy cast of preaching, used by a great number of the ministers of Wales, and the frequent introduction of death, judgment, and eternal damnation, as topics of discussion in the pulpit, have not been without their effect. Seriousness, in numerous instances, has exceeded its proper bounds, and degenerated into gloominess. Some may differ from me, but, from extensive observation, I feel confirmed in the opinion, that the English, to say nothing of other nations, is as deserving of the imputation of being choleric as the Welsh. That we are of too sanguine a temperament is true, as appears from the hastiness with which things of importance are frequently performed. The education of the young is an instance of this. Three or four years of imperfect instruction are considered amply sufficient to make the rising generation excellent scholars; whereas at the expiration of so short a period, a youth only begins to open his eyes on the field of knowledge, and views only at a distance, without ever approaching, those attainments which constitute sound learning. The people, will not be persuaded that it requires ten or twelve years of careful training, to subdue the mind and store it with the various elements of useful knowledge. The same impatience shews itself in the short term during which young people are apprenticed to the different trades. Hence their imperfect knowledge of artisanship, which operates most injuriously on the tradesmen, and keeps them in a low position to the end of their life.—

The warmth of the Welsh constitution, partly subdued, but imperfectly directed, leads many of the people to an irregular course of action, prompting them to undertake works of importance, which, when the feeling has subsided, are suffered to proceed at a most unaccountably slow pace. At other times, works are undertaken by a sudden impulse, and finished in an immoderately short time In my own neighbourhood a house is frequently put together in the space of a few weeks; and families have been known to occupy premises, on a site which, two months before, was a part of a bare field, to the great injury of their health and danger of their lives. The short work, bestowed on such a building, is not owing to the number of hands employed, but to the rudeness of the construction, and the necessity of having it ready for the occupants at the time they quit their previous dwelling.

But it is worthy of remark that the Welsh population, with all the warmth that has been supposed to belong to them, have not, to any great extent, given reception to views, in religion, which may be considered very fanatical. There is occasionally a great deal of enthusiasm excited, but Wales has not one fifth the number of the sects and parties found in England, some of whom are wedded to opinions and addicted to practices, which we should blush to own. It is to be feared that there are some infidels amongst us, but they are indebted for their infidelity to their connexion with England, that is, they are become infidels either in consequence of having formed an acquaintance with such men, whilst residing in England, or of having read English publications which advocated infidelity. There may be a few insignificant pamphlets, in the Welsh language, of an infidel character, but I have never seen them, and am persuaded that it would be very difficult to find any of them on sale. Of all the fruits of enthusiasm, yea even of fanaticism, it appears to me that Roman Catholicism is one of the most remarkable instances. Here reason is overthrown and credulity assumes the sway over the mind;

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superstition is substituted for the simple worship of Jehovah, and the dictations of fallible and sinful men make void, and assume the place of the Oracles of God. But, as was before stated, not many of the Welsh population are members of the Church of Rome. I do not speak of individuals, for it is credible that a few who speak the Welsh language, in Flintshire, and in two or three other places in South Wales, have allied themselves to that church, but the general feeling of the country, in reference to Popery, is that of unmingled horror. Since Christianity came amongst us, history does not give information of any thing so wild, unfounded, and truly ridiculous, as the theory of the unknown tongues, advocated by Irving and his associates, having been embraced by any of our nation. In the present day we have nothing of the kind. We have heard of but one individual, belonging to Wales, that was ever deluded by the fooleries of Joanna Southcote. There are some fanatical sects in England, whose designations are not known in our country; and if their sentiments and practices were attempted to be propagated here they would meet with no encouragement. Many years ago, the writer witnessed a scene at a meeting-house, in a town not many miles from Leeds, which, for its fanatical character, exceeds every thing that he has ever known in his native country. In passing the chapel, his ears were assailed with so much noise, that he was induced to go in and see what the people were doing. Having entered his attention was drawn to a spot, opposite the pulpit, made in a circular form, which would accommodate fifty or sixty people. In that place he saw about twenty human beings, male and female, on their knees, and in the centre a female, with two men, one on each side of her, all in the attitude of prayer. Occasionally the two men would engage, one after the other, in a kind of ejaculatory petitions, such as, 'Save her;' 'drive him (the Devil) out,' and that close to the poor woman's ear. The words were repeated, with a loud, sharp voice, by the persons