his　life；　confesses　that　he　was　never　good　for　anything；　but　was　a
  liar　and　an　idler　from　his　infancy。　　Enter　again　the　Miser　along
  with　poor　Lowry；　who　asks　the　Miser　for　meal　and　other　articles；
  but　gets　nothing　but　threatening　language。　　There　is　then　a　very
  edifying　dialogue　between　Mr　Contemplation　and　Mr　Truth；　who；　when
  they　retire；　are　succeeded　on　the　stage　by　the　Miser　and　John　the
  Tavern…keeper。　　The　publican　owes　the　Miser　money；　and　begs　that　he
  will　be　merciful　to　him。　　The　Miser；　however；　swears　that　he　will
  be　satisfied　with　nothing　but　bond　and　judgment　on　his　effects。
  The　publican　very　humbly　says　that　he　will　go　to　a　friend　of　his　in
  order　to　get　the　bond　made　out；　almost　instantly　comes　the　Fool　who
  reads　an　inventory　of　the　publican's　effects。　　The　Miser　then　sings
  for　very　gladness；　because　everything　in　the　world　has　hitherto
  gone　well　with　him；　turning　round；　however；　what　is　his　horror　and
  astonishment　to　behold　Mr　Death；　close　by　him。　　Death　hauls　the
  Miser　away；　and　then　appears　the　Fool　to　moralise　and　dismiss　the
  audience。
  The　appropriate　explanations　mentioned　in　the　title　are　given　in
  various　songs　which　the　various　characters　sing　after　describing
  themselves；　or　after　dialogues　with　each　other。　　The　announcement
  that　the　whole　exposition；　etc。；　will　be　after　the　rule　of　the　four
  elements；　is　rather　startling；　the　dialogue；　however；　between
  Captain　Riches　and　Captain　Poverty　shows　that　Tom　was　equal　to　his
  subject；　and　promised　nothing　that　he　could　not　perform。
  ENTER　CAPTAIN　POVERTY
  O　Riches；　thy　figure　is　charming　and　bright；
  And　to　speak　in　thy　praise　all　the　world　doth　delight；
  But　I'm　a　poor　fellow　all　tatter'd　and　torn；
  Whom　all　the　world　treateth　with　insult　and　scorn。
  RICHES
  However　mistaken　the　judgment　may　be
  Of　the　world　which　is　never　from　ignorance　free；
  The　parts　we　must　play；　which　to　us　are　assign'd；
  According　as　God　has　enlightened　our　mind。
  Of　elements　four　did　our　Master　create
  The　earth　and　all　in　it　with　skill　the　most　great；
  Need　I　the　world's　four　materials　declare　…
  Are　they　not　water；　fire；　earth；　and　air？
  Too　wise　was　the　mighty　Creator　to　frame
  A　world　from　one　element；　water　or　flame；
  The　one　is　full　moist　and　the　other　full　hot；
  And　a　world　made　of　either　were　useless；　I　wot。
  And　if　it　had　all　of　mere　earth　been　compos'd
  And　no　water　nor　fire　been　within　it　enclos'd；
  It　could　ne'er　have　produc'd　for　a　huge　multitude
  Of　all　kinds　of　living　things　suitable　food。
  And　if　God　what　was　wanted　had　not　fully　known；
  But　created　the　world　of　these　three　things　alone；
  How　would　any　creature　the　heaven　beneath；
  Without　the　blest　air　have　been　able　to　breathe？
  Thus　all　things　created；　the　God　of　all　grace；
  Of　four　prime　materials；　each　good　in　its　place。
  The　work　of　His　hands；　when　completed；　He　view'd；
  And　saw　and　pronounc'd　that　'twas　seemly　and　good。
  POVERTY
  In　the　marvellous　things；　which　to　me　thou　hast　told
  The　wisdom　of　God　I　most　clearly　behold；
  And　did　He　not　also　make　man　of　the　same
  Materials　He　us'd　when　the　world　He　did　frame？
  RICHES
  Creation　is　all；　as　the　sages　agree；
  Of　the　elements　four　in　man's　body　that　be；
  Water's　the　blood；　and　fire　is　the　nature；
  Which　prompts　generation　in　every　creature。
  The　earth　is　the　flesh　which　with　beauty　is　rife
  The　air　is　the　breath；　without　which　is　no　life；
  So　man　must　be　always　accounted　the　same
  As　the　substances　four　which　exist　in　his　frame。
  And　as　in　their　creation　distinction　there's　none
  'Twixt　man　and　the　world；　so　the　Infinite　One
  Unto　man　a　clear　wisdom　did　bounteously　give
  The　nature　of　everything　to　perceive。
  POVERTY
  But　one　thing　to　me　passing　strange　doth　appear
  Since　the　wisdom　of　man　is　so　bright　and　so　clear
  How　comes　there　such　jarring　and　warring　to　be
  In　the　world　betwixt　Riches　and　Poverty？
  RICHES
  That　point　we'll　discuss　without　passion　or　fear
  With　the　aim　of　instructing　the　listeners　here；
  And　haply　some　few　who　instruction　require
  May　profit　derive　like　the　bee　from　the　briar。
  Man　as　thou　knowest；　in　his　generation
  Is　a　type　of　the　world　and　of　all　the　creation；
  Difference　there's　none　in　the　manner　of　birth
  'Twixt　the　lowliest　hinds　and　the　lords　of　the　earth。
  The　world　which　the　same　thing　as　man　we　account
  In　one　place　is　sea；　in　another　is　mount；
  A　part　of　it　rock；　and　a　part　of　it　dale　…
  God's　wisdom　has　made　every　place　to　avail。
  There　exist　precious　treasures　of　every　kind
  Profoundly　in　earth's　quiet　bosom　enshrin'd；
  There's　searching　about　them；　and　ever　has　been；
  And　by　some　they　are　found；　and　by　some　never　seen。
  With　wonderful　wisdom　the　Lord　God　on　high
  Has　contriv'd　the　two　lights　which　exist　in　the　sky；
  The　sun's　hot　as　fire；　and　its　ray　bright　as　gold；
  But　the　moon's　ever　pale；　and　by　nature　is　cold。
  The　sun；　which　resembles　a　huge　world　of　fire；
  Would　burn　up　full　quickly　creation　entire
  Save　the　moon　with　its　temp'rament　cool　did　assuage
  Of　its　brighter　companion　the　fury　and　rage。
  Now　I　beg　you　the　sun　and　the　moon　to　behold；
  The　one　that's　so　bright　and　the　other　so　cold。
  And　say　if　two　things　in　creation　there　be
  Better　emblems　of　Riches　and　Poverty。
  POVERTY
  In　manner　most　brief；　yet　convincing　and　clear；
  You　have　told　the　whole　truth　to　my　wond'ring　ear；
  And　I　see　that　'twas　God；　who　in　all　things　is　fair；
  Has　assign'd　us　the　forms；　in　this　world　which　we　bear。
  In　the　sight　of　the　world　doth　the　wealthy　man　seem
  Like　the　sun　which　doth　warm　everything　with　its　beam；
  Whilst　the　poor　needy　wight　with　his　pitiable　case
  Resembles　the　moon　which　doth　chill　with　its　face。
  RICHES
  You　know　that　full　oft；　in　their　course　as　they　run；
  An　eclipse　cometh　over　the　moon　or　the　sun；
  Certain　hills　of　the　earth　with　their　summits　of　pride
  The　face　of　the　one　from　the　other　do　hide。
  The　sun　doth　uplift　his　magnificent　head；
  And　illumines　the　moon；　which　were　otherwise　dead；
  Even　as　Wealth　from　its　station　on　high；
  Giveth　work　and　provision　to　Poverty。
  POVERTY
  I　know；　and　the　thought　mighty　sorrow　instils；
  The　sins　of　the　world　are　the　terrible　hills
  An　eclipse　which　do　cause；　or　a　dread　obscuration；
  To　one　or　another　in　every　vocation。
  RICHES
  It　is　true　that　God　gives　unto　each　from　his　birth
  Some　task　to　perform　while　he　wends　upon　earth；
  But　He　gives　correspondent　wisdom　and　force
  To　the　weight　of　the　task；　and　the　length　of　the　course。
  ＇Exit。
  POVERTY
  I　hope　there　are　some；　who　'twixt　me　and　the　youth
  Have　heard　this　discourse；　whose　sole　aim　is　the　truth；
  Will　see　and　acknowledge；　as　homeward　they　plod；
  Each　thing　is　arrang'd　by　the　wisdom　of　God。
  There　can　be　no　doubt　that　Tom　was　a　poet；　or　he　could　never　have
  treated　the　hackneyed　subjects　of　Riches　and　Poverty　in　a　manner　so
  original　and　at　the　same　time　so　masterly　as　he　has　done　in　the
  interlude　above　analyzed：　　I　cannot；　however；　help　thinking　that　he
  was　greater　as　a　man　than　a　poet；　and　that　his　fame　depends　more　on
  the　cleverness；　courage　and　energy；　which　it　is　evident　by　his
  biography　that　he　possessed；　than　on　his　interludes。　　A　time　will
  come　when　his　interludes　will　cease　to　be　read；　but　his　making　ink
  out　of　elderberries；　his　battle　with　the　〃cruel　fighter；〃　his
  teaching　his　horses　to　turn　the　crane；　and　his　getting　the　ship　to
  the　water；　will　be　talked　of　in　Wales　till　the　peak　of　Snowdon
  shall　fall　down。
  CHAPTER　LXI
  Set　out　for　Wrexham　…　Craig　y　Forwyn　…　Uncertainty　…　The　Collier　…
  Cadogan　Hall　…　Methodistical　Volume。
  HAVING　learnt　from　a　newspaper　that　a　Welsh　book　on　Welsh　Methodism
  had　been　just　published　at　Wrexham；　I　determined　to　walk　to　that
  place　and　purchase　it。　　I　could　easily　have　procured　the　work
  through　a　bookseller　at　Llangollen；　but　I　wished　to　explore　the
  hill…road　which　led　to　Wrexham；　what　the　farmer　under　the　Eglwysig
  rocks　had　said　of　its　wildness　having　excited　my　curiosity；　which
  the　procuring　of　the　book　afforded　me　a　plausible　excuse　for
  gratifying。　　If　one　wants　to　take　any　particular　walk　it　is　always
  well　to　have　some　business；　however　trifling；　to　transact　at　the
  end　of　it；　so　having　determined　to　go　to　Wrexham　by　the　mountain
  road；　I　set　out　on　the　Saturday　next　after　the　one　on　which　I　had
  met　the　farmer　who　had　told　me　of　it。
  The　day　was　gloomy；　with　some　tendency　to　rain。　　I　passed　under　the
  hill　of　Dinas　Bran。　　About　a　furlong　from　its　western　base　I　turned
  round　and　surveyed　it　…　and　perhaps　the　best　view　of　the　noble
  mountain　is　to　be　obtained　from　the　place　where　I　turned　round。
  How　grand　though　sad　from　there　it　looked；　that　grey　morning；　with
  its　fine　ruin　on　its　brow　above　which　a　little　cloud　hovered！　　It
  put　me　in　mind　of　some　old　king；　unfortunate　and　melancholy　but　a
  king　still；　with　the　look　of　a　king；　and　the　ancestral　crown　still
  on　his　furrowed　forehead。　　I　proceeded　on　my　way；　all　was　wild　and
  solitary；　and　the　yellow　leaves　were　falling　from　the　trees　of　the
  groves。　　I　passed　by　the　farmyard；　where　I　had　held　discourse　with
  the　farmer　on　the　preceding　Saturday；　and　soon　entered　the　glen；
  the　appearance　of　which　had　so　much