in　this　conduct　what　have　I　to　expect　but　wretchedness　and　contempt
  in　this　world　and　eternal　perdition　in　the　next？　　But；　thank　God；
  it　is　not　yet　too　late　to　amend；　I　am　still　alive　…　I　will　become　a
  new　man　…　the　goat　has　taught　me　a　lesson。〃　　Smashing　his　pipe　he
  left　his　tankard　untasted　on　the　table；　went　home；　and　became　an
  altered　man。
  Different　as　an　angel　of　light　is　from　the　fiend　of　the　pit　was
  Rees　Pritchard　from　that　moment　from　what　he　had　been　in　former
  days。　　For　upwards　of　thirty　years　he　preached　the　Gospel　as　it　had
  never　been　preached　before　in　the　Welsh　tongue　since　the　time　of
  Saint　Paul；　supposing　the　beautiful　legend　to　be　true　which　tells
  us　that　Saint　Paul　in　his　wanderings　found　his　way　to　Britain　and
  preached　to　the　inhabitants　the　inestimable　efficacy　of　Christ's
  bloodshedding　in　the　fairest　Welsh；　having　like　all　the　other
  apostles　the　miraculous　gift　of　tongues。　　The　good　vicar　did　more。
  In　the　short　intervals　of　relaxation　which　he　allowed　himself　from
  the　labour　of　the　ministry　during　those　years　he　composed　a　number
  of　poetical　pieces；　which　after　his　death　were　gathered　together
  into　a　volume　and　published；　under　the　title　of　〃Canwyll　y　Cymry；
  or；　the　Candle　of　the　Welshman。〃　　This　work；　which　has　gone　through
  almost　countless　editions；　is　written　in　two　common　easy　measures；
  and　the　language　is　so　plain　and　simple　that　it　is　intelligible　to
  the　homeliest　hind　who　speaks　the　Welsh　language。　　All　of　the
  pieces　are　of　a　strictly　devotional　character；　with　the　exception
  of　one；　namely；　a　welcome　to　Charles；　Prince　of　Wales；　on　his
  return　from　Spain；　to　which　country　he　had　gone　to　see　the　Spanish
  ladye　whom　at　one　time　he　sought　as　bride。　　Some　of　the　pieces　are
  highly　curious；　as　they　bear　upon　events　at　present　forgotten；　for
  example；　the　song　upon　the　year　1629；　when　the　corn　was　blighted
  throughout　the　land；　and　〃A　Warning　to　the　Cumry　to　repent　when　the
  Plague　of　Blotches　and　Boils　was　prevalent　in　London。〃　　Some　of　the
  pieces　are　written　with　astonishing　vigour；　for　example；　〃The　Song
  of　the　Husbandman；〃　and　〃God's　Better　than　All；〃　of　which　last
  piece　the　following　is　a　literal　translation：…
  〃GOD'S　BETTER　THAN　ALL　…
  〃God's　better　than　heaven　or　aught　therein；
  Than　the　earth　or　aught　we　there　can　win；
  Better　than　the　world　or　its　wealth　to　me　…
  God's　better　than　all　that　is　or　can　be。
  Better　than　father；　than　mother；　than　nurse；
  Better　than　riches；　oft　proving　a　curse；
  Better　than　Martha　or　Mary　even　…
  Better　by　far　is　the　God　of　heaven。
  If　God　for　thy　portion　thou　hast　ta'en
  There's　Christ　to　support　thee　in　every　pain；
  The　world　to　respect　thee　thou　wilt　gain；
  To　fear　thee　the　fiend　and　all　his　train。
  Of　the　best　of　portions　thou　choice　didst　make
  When　thou　the　high　God　to　thyself　didst　take；
  A　portion　which　none　from　thy　grasp　can　rend
  Whilst　the　sun　and　the　moon　on　their　course　shall　wend
  When　the　sun　grows　dark　and　the　moon　turns　red；
  When　the　stars　shall　drop　and　millions　dread；
  When　the　earth　shall　vanish　with　its　pomps　in　fire；
  Thy　portion　still　shall　remain　entire。
  Then　let　not　thy　heart；　though　distressed；　complain！
  A　hold　on　thy　portion　firm　maintain。
  Thou　didst　choose　the　best　portion；　again　I　say　…
  Resign　it　not　till　thy　dying　day。〃
  The　old　vicarage　of　Llandovery　is　a　very　large　mansion　of　dark　red
  brick；　fronting　the　principal　street　or　market…place；　and　with　its
  back　to　a　green　meadow　bounded　by　the　river　Bran。　　It　is　in　a　very
  dilapidated　condition；　and　is　inhabited　at　present　by　various　poor
  families。　　The　principal　room；　which　is　said　to　have　been　the　old
  vicar's　library；　and　the　place　where　he　composed　his　undying
  Candle；　is　in　many　respects　a　remarkable　apartment。　　It　is　of　large
  dimensions。　　The　roof　is　curiously　inlaid　with　stucco　or　mortar；
  and　is　traversed　from　east　to　west　by　an　immense　black　beam。　　The
  fire…place；　which　is　at　the　south；　is　very　large　and　seemingly　of
  high　antiquity。　　The　windows；　which　are　two　in　number　and　look
  westward　into　the　street；　have　a　quaint　and　singular　appearance。
  Of　all　the　houses　in　Llandovery　the　old　vicarage　is　by　far　the　most
  worthy　of　attention；　irrespective　of　the　wonderful　monument　of
  God's　providence　and　grace　who　once　inhabited　it。
  The　reverence　in　which　the　memory　of　Rees　Pritchard　is　still　held
  in　Llandovery　the　following　anecdote　will　show。　　As　I　was　standing
  in　the　principal　street　staring　intently　at　the　antique　vicarage；　a
  respectable…looking　farmer　came　up　and　was　about　to　pass；　but
  observing　how　I　was　employed　he　stopped；　and　looked　now　at　me　and
  now　at　the　antique　house。　　Presently　he　said
  〃A　fine　old　place；　is　it　not；　sir？　but　do　you　know　who　lived
  there？〃
  Wishing　to　know　what　the　man　would　say　provided　he　thought　I　was
  ignorant　as　to　the　ancient　inmate；　I　turned　a　face　of　inquiry　upon
  him；　whereupon　he　advanced　towards　me　two　or　three　steps；　and
  placing　his　face　so　close　to　mine　that　his　nose　nearly　touched　my
  cheek；　he　said　in　a　kind　of　piercing　whisper　…
  〃The　Vicar。〃
  Then　drawing　his　face　back　he　looked　me　full　in　the　eyes　as　if　to
  observe　the　effect　of　his　intelligence；　gave　me　two　nods　as　if　to
  say；　〃He　did；　indeed；〃　and　departed。
  THE　Vicar　of　Llandovery　had　then　been　dead　nearly　two　hundred
  years。　　Truly　the　man　in　whom　piety　and　genius　are　blended　is
  immortal　upon　earth。
  CHAPTER　XCVIII
  Departure　from　Llandovery　…　A　Bitter　Methodist　…　North　and　South　…
  The　Caravan　…　Captain　Bosvile　…　Deputy　Ranger　…　A　Scrimmage　…　The
  Heavenly　Gwynfa　…　Dangerous　Position。
  ON　the　tenth　I　departed　from　Llandovery；　which　I　have　no　hesitation
  in　saying　is　about　the　pleasantest　little　town　in　which　I　have
  halted　in　the　course　of　my　wanderings。　　I　intended　to　sleep　at
  Gutter　Vawr；　a　place　some　twenty　miles　distant；　just　within
  Glamorganshire；　to　reach　which　it　would　be　necessary　to　pass　over
  part　of　a　range　of　wild　hills；　generally　called　the　Black
  Mountains。　　I　started　at　about　ten　o'clock；　the　morning　was
  lowering；　and　there　were　occasional　showers　of　rain　and　hail。　　I
  passed　by　Rees　Pritchard's　church；　holding　my　hat　in　my　hand　as　I
  did　so；　not　out　of　respect　for　the　building；　but　from　reverence　for
  the　memory　of　the　sainted　man　who　of　old　from　its　pulpit　called
  sinners　to　repentance；　and　whose　remains　slumber　in　the　churchyard
  unless　washed　away　by　some　frantic　burst　of　the　neighbouring　Towey。
  Crossing　a　bridge　over　the　Bran　just　before　it　enters　the　greater
  stream；　I　proceeded　along　a　road　running　nearly　south　and　having　a
  range　of　fine　hills　on　the　east。　　Presently　violent　gusts　of　wind
  came　on；　which　tore　the　sear　leaves　by　thousands　from　the　trees；　of
  which　there　were　plenty　by　the　roadsides。　　After　a　little　time；
  however；　this　elemental　hurly…burly　passed　away；　a　rainbow　made　its
  appearance；　and　the　day　became　comparatively　fine。　　Turning　to　the
  south…east　under　a　hill　covered　with　oaks；　I　left　the　vale　of　the
  Towey　behind　me；　and　soon　caught　a　glimpse　of　some　very　lofty　hills
  which　I　supposed　to　be　the　Black　Mountains。　　It　was　a　mere　glimpse；
  for　scarcely　had　I　descried　them　when　mist　settled　down　and　totally
  obscured　them　from　my　view。
  In　about　an　hour　I　reached　Llangadog；　a　large　village。　　The　name
  signifies　the　church　of　Gadog。　　Gadog　was　a　British　saint　of　the
  fifth　century；　who　after　labouring　amongst　his　own　countrymen　for
  their　spiritual　good　for　many　years；　crossed　the　sea　to　Brittany；
  where　he　died。　　Scarcely　had　I　entered　Llangadog　when　a　great
  shower　of　rain　came　down。　　Seeing　an　ancient…looking　hostelry　I　at
  once　made　for　it。　　In　a　large　and　comfortable　kitchen　I　found　a
  middle…aged　woman　seated　by　a　huge　deal　table　near　a　blazing　fire；
  with　a　couple　of　large　books　open　before　her。　　Sitting　down　on　a
  chair　I　told　her　in　English　to　bring　me　a　pint　of　ale。　　She　did　so；
  and　again　sat　down　to　her　books；　which　on　inquiry　I　found　to　be　a
  Welsh　Bible　and　Concordance。　　We　soon　got　into　discourse　about
  religion；　but　did　not　exactly　agree；　for　she　was　a　bitter
  Methodist；　as　bitter　as　her　beer；　only　half　of　which　I　could　get
  down。
  Leaving　Llangadog　I　pushed　forward。　　The　day　was　now　tolerably
  fine。　　In　two　or　three　hours　I　came　to　a　glen；　the　sides　of　which
  were　beautifully　wooded。　　On　my　left　was　a　river；　which　came
  roaring　down　from　a　range　of　lofty　mountains　right　before　me　to　the
  south…east。　　The　river；　as　I　was　told　by　a　lad；　was　the　Sawdde　or
  Southey；　the　lofty　range　the　Black　Mountains。　　Passed　a　pretty
  village　on　my　right　standing　something　in　the　shape　of　a
  semicircle；　and　in　about　half…an…hour　came　to　a　bridge　over　a　river
  which　I　supposed　to　be　the　Sawdde　which　I　had　already　seen；　but
  which　I　subsequently　learned　was　an　altogether　different　stream。
  It　was　running　from　the　south；　a　wild；　fierce　flood；　amidst　rocks
  and　stones；　the　waves　all　roaring　and　foaming。
  After　some　time　I　reached　another　bridge　near　the　foot　of　a　very
  lofty　ascent。　　On　my　left　to　the　east　upon　a　bank　was　a　small
  house；　on　one　side　of　which　was　a　wheel　turned　round　by　a　flush　of
  water　running　in　a　little　artificial　canal；　close　by　it　were