ts the square or market-place, and
being shown into a room ordered some brandy-and-water, and sat down. Two
young men were seated in the room. I spoke to them and received civil
answers, at which I was rather astonished, as I found by the tone of
their voices that they were English. The air of one was far superior to
that of the other, and with him I was soon in conversation. In the
course of discourse he informed me that being a martyr to ill-health he
had come from London to Wales, hoping that change of air, and exercise on
the Welsh hills, would afford him relief, and that his friend had been
kind enough to accompany him. That he had been about three weeks in
Wales, had taken all the exercise that he could, but that he was still
very unwell, slept little and had no appetite. I told him not to be
discouraged, but to proceed in the course which he had adopted till the
end of summer, by which time I thought it very probable that he would be
restored to his health, as he was still young. At these words of mine a
beam of hope brightened his countenance, and he said that he had no other
wish than to regain his health, and that if he did he should be the
happiest of men. The intense wish of the poor young man for health
caused me to think how insensible I had hitherto been to the possession
of the greatest of all terrestrial blessings. I had always had the
health of an elephant, but I never remembered to have been sensible to
the magnitude of the blessing or in the slightest degree grateful to God
who gave it. I shuddered to think how I should feel if suddenly deprived
of my health. Far worse, no doubt, than that poor invalid. He was
young, and in youth there is hope--but I was no longer young. At last,
however, I thought that if God took away my health He might so far alter
my mind that I might be happy even without health, or the prospect of it;
and that reflection made me quite comfortable.

CHAPTER XLIV

National School--The Young Preacher--Pont Bettws--Spanish Words--Two
Tongues, Two Faces--The Elephant's Snout--Llyn Cwellyn--The Snowdon
Ranger--My House--Castell y Cidwm--Descent to Beth Gelert.

It might be about three o'clock in the afternoon when I left Caernarvon
for Beth Gelert, distant about thirteen miles. I journeyed through a
beautiful country of hill and dale, woods and meadows, the whole gilded
by abundance of sunshine. After walking about an hour without
intermission I reached a vil