tion to one of them respecting the fineness of the weather; he
answered civilly, and rested on his scythe, whilst the others pursued
their work. I asked him whether he was a farming man; he told me that he
was not; that he generally worked at the flannel manufactory, but that
for some days past he had not been employed there, work being slack, and
had on that account joined the mowers in order to earn a few shillings.
I asked him how it was he knew how to handle a scythe, not being bred up
a farming man; he smiled, and said that, somehow or other, he had learnt
to do so.

"You speak very good English," said I, "have you much Welsh?"

"Plenty," said he; "I am a real Welshman."

"Can you read Welsh?" said I.

"Oh, yes!" he replied.

"What books have you read?" said I.

"I have read the Bible, sir, and one or two other books."

"Did you ever read the Bardd Cwsg?" said I.

He looked at me with some surprise. "No," said he, after a moment or
two, "I have never read it. I have seen it, but it was far too deep
Welsh for me."

"I have read it," said I.

"Are you a Welshman?" said he.

"No," said I; "I am an Englishman."

"And how is it," said he, "that you can read Welsh without being a
Welshman?"

"I learned to do so," said I, "even as you learned to mow, without being
bred up to farming work."

"Ah!" said he, "but it is easier to learn to mow than to read the Bardd
Cwsg."

"I don't think that," said I; "I have taken up a scythe a hundred times
but I cannot mow."

"Will your honour take mine now, and try again?" said he.

"No," said I, "for if I take your scythe in hand I must give you a
shilling, you know, by mowers' law."

He gave a broad grin, and I proceeded up the hill. When he rejoined his
companions he said something to them in Welsh, at which they all laughed.
I reached the top of the hill, the children still attending me.

The view over the vale is very beautiful; but on no side, except in the
direction of the west, is it very extensive; Dinas Bran being on all
other sides overtopped by other hills: in that direction, indeed, the
view is extensive enough, reaching on a fine day even to the Wyddfa or
peak of Snowdon, a distance of sixty miles, at least as some say, who
perhaps ought to add to very good eyes, which mine are not. The day that
I made my first ascent of Dinas Bran was very clear, but I do not think I
saw the Wyddfa then from the top of Dinas Bran. It is true I might see
it w