or you to do, in
having seen two bards of Ynis Fon."

"I suppose you follow some pursuit besides bardism?" said I; "I suppose
you farm?"

"I do not farm," said the man in grey, "I keep an inn."

"Keep an inn?" said I.

"Yes," said the man in grey. "The --- Arms at L---."

"Sure," said I, "inn-keeping and bardism are not very cognate pursuits?"

"You are wrong," said the man in grey; "I believe the awen, or
inspiration, is quite as much at home in the bar as in the barn, perhaps
more. It is that belief which makes me tolerably satisfied with my
position and prevents me from asking Sir Richard to give me a farm
instead of an inn."

"I suppose," said I, "that Sir Richard is your landlord?"

"He is," said the man in grey, "and a right noble landlord too."

"I suppose," said I, "that he is right proud of his tenant?"

"He is," said the man in grey, "and I am proud of my landlord, and will
here drink his health. I have often said that if I were not what I am, I
should wish to be Sir Richard."

"You consider yourself his superior?" said I.

"Of course," said the man in grey--"a baronet is a baronet; but a bard,
is a bard you know--I never forget what I am, and the respect due to my
sublime calling. About a month ago I was seated in an upper apartment in
a fit of rapture. There was a pen in my hand, and paper before me on the
table, and likewise a jug of good ale, for I always find that the awen is
most prodigal of her favours when a jug of good ale is before me. All of
a sudden my wife came running up, and told me that Sir Richard was below,
and wanted to speak to me. 'Tell him to walk up,' said I. 'Are you
mad?' said my wife. 'Don't you know who Sir Richard is?' 'I do,' said
I, 'a baronet is a baronet, but a bard is a bard. Tell him to walk up.'
Well, my wife went and told Sir Richard that I was writing, and could not
come down, and that she hoped he would not object to walk up. 'Certainly
not; certainly not,' said Sir Richard. 'I shall be only too happy to
ascend to a genius on his hill. You may be proud of such a husband, Mrs
W.' And here it will be as well to tell you that my name is W.--J. W. of
---. Sir Richard then came up, and I received him with gravity and
politeness. I did not rise of course, for I never forget myself a
moment, but I told him to sit down, and added, that after I had finished
the pennill I was engaged upon, I would speak to him. Well, Sir Richard
smiled and sat down, a