xt passed through Nant Derven, and in about three-quarters of
an hour after leaving Tregaron reached a place of old renown called Llan
Ddewi Brefi.

Llan Ddewi Brefi is a small village situated at the entrance of a gorge
leading up to some lofty hills which rise to the east and belong to the
same mountain range as those near Tregaron. A brook flowing from the
hills murmurs through it and at length finds its way into the Teivi. An
ancient church stands on a little rising ground just below the hills;
multitudes of rooks inhabit its steeple and fill throughout the day the
air with their cawing. The place wears a remarkable air of solitude, but
presents nothing of gloom and horror, and seems just the kind of spot in
which some quiet pensive man, fatigued but not soured by the turmoil of
the world, might settle down, enjoy a few innocent pleasures, make his
peace with God, and then compose himself to his long sleep.

It is not without reason that Llan Ddewi Brefi has been called a place of
old renown. In the fifth century, one of the most remarkable
ecclesiastical convocations which the world has ever seen was held in
this secluded spot. It was for the purpose of refuting certain
doctrines, which had for some time past caused much agitation in the
Church, and which originated with one Morgan, a native of North Wales,
who left his country at an early age and repaired to Italy, where having
adopted the appellation of Pelagius, which is a Latin translation of his
own name Morgan, which signifies "by the seashore," he soon became noted
as a theological writer. It is not necessary to enter into any detailed
exposition of his opinions; it will, however, be as well to state that
one of the points which he was chiefly anxious to inculcate was that it
is possible for a man to lead a life entirely free from sin by obeying
the dictates of his own reason without any assistance from the grace of
God--a dogma certainly to the last degree delusive and dangerous. When
the convocation met there were a great many sermons preached by various
learned and eloquent divines, but nothing was produced which was
pronounced by the general voice a satisfactory answer to the doctrines of
the heresiarch. At length it was resolved to send for Dewi, a celebrated
teacher of theology at Mynyw in Pembrokeshire, who from motives of
humility had not appeared in the assembly. Messengers therefore were
despatched to Dewi, who, after repeated entreaties,