know　several　things；　and　amongst　others　the　workings　of　your　mind
  at　this　moment；　have　an　idea　that　you　are　anxious　to　learn　a
  little；　a　very　little；　more　about　Ab　Gwilym　than　I　have　hitherto
  told　you；　the　two　or　three　words　that　I　have　dropped　having
  awakened　within　you　a　languid　kind　of　curiosity。　　I　have　no
  hesitation　in　saying　that　he　makes　one　of　the　some　half…dozen
  really　great　poets　whose　verses；　in　whatever　language　they　wrote；
  exist　at　the　present　day；　and　are　more　or　less　known。　　It　matters
  little　how　I　first　became　acquainted　with　the　writings　of　this　man；
  and　how　the　short　thick　volume；　stuffed　full　with　his　immortal
  imaginings；　first　came　into　my　hands。　　I　was　studying　Welsh；　and　I
  fell　in　with　Ab　Gwilym　by　no　very　strange　chance。　　But；　before　I
  say　more　about　Ab　Gwilym；　I　must　be　permitted　…　I　really　must　…　to
  say　a　word　or　two　about　the　language　in　which　he　wrote；　that　same
  'Sweet　Welsh。'　　If　I　remember　right；　I　found　the　language　a
  difficult　one；　in　mastering　it；　however；　I　derived　unexpected
  assistance　from　what　of　Irish　remained　in　my　head；　and　I　soon　found
  that　they　were　cognate　dialects；　springing　from　some　old　tongue
  which　itself；　perhaps；　had　sprung　from　one　much　older。　　And　here　I
  cannot　help　observing　cursorily　that　I　every　now　and　then；　whilst
  studying　this　Welsh；　generally　supposed　to　be　the　original　tongue
  of　Britain；　encountered　words　which；　according　to　the
  lexicographers；　were　venerable　words　highly　expressive；　showing　the
  wonderful　power　and　originality　of　the　Welsh；　in　which；　however；
  they　were　no　longer　used　in　common　discourse；　but　were　relics；
  precious　relics；　of　the　first　speech　of　Britain；　perhaps　of　the
  world；　with　which　words；　however；　I　was　already　well　acquainted；
  and　which　I　had　picked　up；　not　in　learned　books；　classic　books；　and
  in　tongues　of　old　renown；　but　whilst　listening　to　Mr。　Petulengro
  and　Tawno　Chikno　talking　over　their　everyday　affairs　in　the
  language　of　the　tents；　which　circumstance　did　not　fail　to　give　rise
  to　deep　reflection　in　those　moments　when；　planting　my　elbows　on　the
  deal　desk；　I　rested　my　chin　upon　my　hands。　　But　it　is　probable　that
  I　should　have　abandoned　the　pursuit　of　the　Welsh　language；　after
  obtaining　a　very　superficial　acquaintance　with　it；　had　it　not　been
  for　Ab　Gwilym。
  A　strange　songster　was　that　who；　pretending　to　be　captivated　by
  every　woman　he　saw；　was；　in　reality；　in　love　with　nature　alone　…
  wild；　beautiful；　solitary　nature　…　her　mountains　and　cascades；　her
  forests　and　streams；　her　birds；　fishes；　and　wild　animals。　　Go　to；
  Ab　Gwilym；　with　thy　pseudo…amatory　odes；　to　Morfydd；　or　this　or
  that　other　lady；　fair　or　ugly；　little　didst　thou　care　for　any　of
  them；　Dame　Nature　was　thy　love；　however　thou　mayest　seek　to
  disguise　the　truth。　　Yes；　yes；　send　thy　love…message　to　Morfydd；
  the　fair　wanton。　　By　whom　dost　thou　send　it；　I　would　know？　by　the
  salmon　forsooth；　which　haunts　the　rushing　stream！　the　glorious
  salmon　which　bounds　and　gambols　in　the　flashing　water；　and　whose
  ways　and　circumstances　thou　so　well　describest　…　see；　there　he
  hurries　upwards　through　the　flashing　water。　　Halloo！　what　a　glimpse
  of　glory　…　but　where　is　Morfydd　the　while？　　What；　another　message
  to　the　wife　of　Bwa　Bach？　　Ay；　truly；　and　by　whom？　…　the　wind！　the
  swift　wind；　the　rider　of　the　world；　whose　course　is　not　to　be
  stayed；　who　gallops　o'er　the　mountain；　and；　when　he　comes　to
  broadest　river；　asks　neither　for　boat　nor　ferry；　who　has　described
  the　wind　so　well　…　his　speed　and　power？　　But　where　is　Morfydd？　　And
  now　thou　art　awaiting　Morfydd；　the　wanton；　the　wife　of　the　Bwa
  Bach；　thou　art　awaiting　her　beneath　the　tall　trees；　amidst　the
  underwood；　but　she　comes　not；　no　Morfydd　is　there。　　Quite　right；　Ab
  Gwilym；　what　wantest　thou　with　Morfydd？　But　another　form　is　nigh　at
  hand；　that　of　red　Reynard；　who；　seated　upon　his　chine　at　the　mouth
  of　his　cave；　looks　very　composedly　at　thee；　thou　startest；　bendest
  thy　bow；　thy　cross…bow；　intending　to　hit　Reynard　with　the　bolt　just
  about　the　jaw；　but　the　bow　breaks；　Reynard　barks　and　disappears
  into　his　cave；　which　by　thine　own　account　reaches　hell　…　and　then
  thou　ravest　at　the　misfortune　of　thy　bow；　and　the　non…appearance　of
  Morfydd；　and　abusest　Reynard。　　Go　to；　thou　carest　neither　for　thy
  bow　nor　for　Morfydd；　thou　merely　seekest　an　opportunity　to　speak　of
  Reynard；　and　who　has　described　him　like　thee？　the　brute　with　the
  sharp　shrill　cry；　the　black　reverse　of　melody；　whose　face　sometimes
  wears　a　smile　like　the　devil's　in　the　Evangile。　　But　now　thou　art
  actually　with　Morfydd；　yes；　she　has　stolen　from　the　dwelling　of　the
  Bwa　Bach　and　has　met　thee　beneath　those　rocks　…　she　is　actually
  with　thee；　Ab　Gwilym；　but　she　is　not　long　with　thee；　for　a　storm
  comes　on；　and　thunder　shatters　the　rocks　…　Morfydd　flees！　　Quite
  right；　Ab　Gwilym；　thou　hadst　no　need　of　her；　a　better　theme　for
  song　is　the　voice　of　the　Lord　…　the　rock…shatterer　…　than　the　frail
  wife　of　the　Bwa　Bach。　　Go　to；　Ab　Gwilym；　thou　wast　a　wiser　and　a
  better　man　than　thou　wouldst　fain　have　had　people　believe。
  But　enough　of　thee　and　thy　songs！　　Those　times　passed　rapidly；　with
  Ab　Gwilym　in　my　hand；　I　was　in　the　midst　of　enchanted　ground；　in
  which　I　experienced　sensations　akin　to　those　I　had　felt　of　yore
  whilst　spelling　my　way　through　the　wonderful　book　…　the　delight　of
  my　childhood。　　I　say　akin；　for　perhaps　only　once　in　our　lives　do　we
  experience　unmixed　wonder　and　delight；　and　these　I　had　already
  known。
  CHAPTER　XX
  Silver　gray　…　Good　word　for　everybody　…　A　remarkable　youth　…
  Clients　…　Grades　in　society　…　The　archdeacon　…　Reading　the　Bible。
  'I　AM　afraid　that　I　have　not　acted　very　wisely　in　putting　this　boy
  of　ours　to　the　law；'　said　my　father　to　my　mother；　as　they　sat
  together　one　summer　evening　in　their　little　garden；　beneath　the
  shade　of　some　tall　poplars。
  Yes；　there　sat　my　father　in　the　garden　chair　which　leaned　against
  the　wall　of　his　quiet　home；　the　haven　in　which　he　had　sought　rest；
  and；　praise　be　to　God；　found　it；　after　many　a　year　of　poorly…
  requited　toil；　there　he　sat；　with　locks　of　silver　gray　which　set
  off　so　nobly　his　fine　bold　but　benevolent　face；　his　faithful
  consort　at　his　side；　and　his　trusty　dog　at　his　feet　…　an　eccentric
  animal　of　the　genuine　regimental　breed；　who；　born　amongst　red
  coats；　had　not　yet　become　reconciled　to　those　of　any　other　hue；
  barking　and　tearing　at　them　when　they　drew　near　the　door；　but
  testifying　his　fond　reminiscence　of　the　former　by　hospitable
  waggings　of　the　tail　whenever　a　uniform　made　its　appearance　…　at
  present　a　very　unfrequent　occurrence。
  'I　am　afraid　I　have　not　done　right　in　putting　him　to　the　law；'　said
  my　father；　resting　his　chin　upon　his　gold…headed　bamboo　cane。
  'Why；　what　makes　you　think　so？'　said　my　mother。
  'I　have　been　taking　my　usual　evening　walk　up　the　road；　with　the
  animal　here；'　said　my　father；　'and；　as　I　walked　along；　I　overtook
  the　boy's　master；　Mr。　S…。　　We　shook　hands；　and；　after　walking　a
  little　way　farther；　we　turned　back　together；　talking　about　this　and
  that；　the　state　of　the　country；　the　weather；　and　the　dog；　which　he
  greatly　admired；　for　he　is　a　good…natured　man；　and　has　a　good　word
  for　everybody；　though　the　dog　all　but　bit　him　when　he　attempted　to
  coax　his　head；　after　the　dog；　we　began　talking　about　the　boy；　it
  was　myself　who　introduced　that　subject：　　I　thought　it　was　a　good
  opportunity　to　learn　how　he　was　getting　on；　so　I　asked　what　he
  thought　of　my　son；　he　hesitated　at　first；　seeming　scarcely　to　know
  what　to　say；　at　length　he　came　out　with　〃Oh；　a　very　extraordinary
  youth；　a　most　remarkable　youth　indeed；　captain！〃　　〃Indeed；〃　said　I；
  〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　but　I　hope　you　find　him　steady？〃　　〃Steady；
  steady；〃　said　he；　〃why；　yes；　he's　steady；　I　cannot　say　that　he　is
  not　steady。〃　　〃Come；　come；〃　said　I；　beginning　to　be　rather　uneasy；
  〃I　see　plainly　that　you　are　not　altogether　satisfied　with　him；　I
  was　afraid　you　would　not　be；　for；　though　he　is　my　own　son；　I　am
  anything　but　blind　to　his　imperfections；　but　do　tell　me　what
  particular　fault　you　have　to　find　with　him；　and　I　will　do　my　best
  to　make　him　alter　his　conduct。〃　　〃No　fault　to　find　with　him；
  captain；　I　assure　you；　no　fault　whatever；　the　youth　is　a　remarkable
  youth；　an　extraordinary　youth；　only　…　〃　　As　I　told　you　before；　Mr。
  S…　is　the　best…natured　man　in　the　world；　and　it　was　only　with　the
  greatest　difficulty　that　I　could　get　him　to　say　a　single　word　to
  the　disadvantage　of　the　boy；　for　whom　he　seems　to　entertain　a　very
  great　regard。　　At　last　I　forced　the　truth　from　him；　and　grieved　I
  was　to　hear　it；　though　I　must　confess　that　I　was　somewhat　prepared
  for　it。　　It　appears　that　the　lad　has　a　total　want　of
  discrimination。'
  'I　don't　understand　you；'　said　my　mother。
  'You　can　understand　nothing　that　would　seem　for　a　moment　to　im