a　bow；　〃your　question　does　honour　to　your　powers　of　discrimination
  …　a　member　of　the　medical　profession　I　am；　though　an　unworthy　one。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　doctor；〃　said　the　landlady　briskly；　〃say　not　so　…　every
  one　knows　that　you　are　a　credit　to　your　profession　…　well　would　it
  be　if　there　were　many　in　it　like　you　…　unworthy？　marry　come　up！　　I
  won't　hear　such　an　expression。〃
  〃I　see；〃　said　I；　〃that　I　have　not　only　the　honour　of　addressing　a
  medical　gentleman；　but　a　doctor　of　medicine　…　however；　I　might　have
  known　as　much　by　your　language　and　deportment。〃
  With　a　yet　lower　bow　than　before　he　replied　with　something　of　a
  sigh；　〃No；　sir；　no；　our　kind　landlady　and　the　neighbourhood　are　in
  the　habit　of　placing　doctor　before　my　name；　but　I　have　no　title　to
  it　…　I　am　not　Doctor　Jones；　sir；　but　plain　Geffery　Jones　at　your
  service；〃　and　thereupon　with　another　bow　he　sat　down。
  〃Do　you　reside　here？〃　said　I。
  〃Yes；　sir；　I　reside　here　in　the　place　of　my　birth　…　I　have　not
  always　resided　here　…　and　I　did　not　always　expect　to　spend　my
  latter　days　in　a　place　of　such　obscurity；　but；　sir；　misfortunes　…
  misfortunes　。　。　。〃
  〃Ah；〃　said　I；　〃misfortunes！　they　pursue　every　one；　more　especially
  those　whose　virtues　should　exempt　them　from　them。　　Well；　sir；　the
  consciousness　of　not　having　deserved　them　should　be　your
  consolation。〃
  〃Sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　taking　off　his　hat；　〃you　are　infinitely
  kind。〃
  〃You　call　this　an　obscure　place；〃　said　I　…　〃can　that　be　an　obscure
  place　which　has　produced　a　poet？　　I　have　long　had　a　respect　for
  Cerrig　y　Drudion　because　it　gave　birth　to；　and　was　the　residence　of
  a　poet　of　considerable　merit。〃
  〃I　was　not　aware　of　that　fact；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃pray　what　was　his
  name？〃
  〃Peter　Lewis；〃　said　I；　〃he　was　a　clergyman　of　Cerrig　y　Drudion
  about　the　middle　of　the　last　century；　and　amongst　other　things
  wrote　a　beautiful　song　called　Cathl　y　Gair　Mwys；　or　the　melody　of
  the　ambiguous　word。〃
  〃Surely　you　do　not　understand　Welsh？〃　said　the　doctor。
  〃I　understand　a　little　of　it；〃　I　replied。
  〃Will　you　allow　me　to　speak　to　you　in　Welsh？〃　said　the　doctor。
  〃Certainly；〃　said　I。
  He　spoke　to　me　in　Welsh；　and　I　replied。
  〃Ha；　ha；〃　said　the　landlady　in　English；　〃only　think；　doctor；　of　the
  gentleman　understanding　Welsh　…　we　must　mind　what　we　say　before
  him。〃
  〃And　are　you　an　Englishman？〃　said　the　doctor。
  〃I　am；〃　I　replied。
  〃And　how　came　you　to　learn　it？〃
  〃I　am　fond　of　languages；〃　said　I；　〃and　studied　Welsh　at　an　early
  period。〃
  〃And　you　read　Welsh　poetry？〃
  〃Oh　yes。〃
  〃How　were　you　enabled　to　master　its　difficulties？〃
  〃Chiefly　by　going　through　Owen　Pugh's　version　of　'Paradise　Lost'
  twice；　with　the　original　by　my　side。　　He　has　introduced　into　that
  translation　so　many　of　the　poetic　terms　of　the　old　bards；　that
  after　twice　going　through　it；　there　was　little　in　Welsh　poetry　that
  I　could　not　make　out　with　a　little　pondering。〃
  〃You　pursued　a　very　excellent　plan；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃a　very
  excellent　plan　indeed。　　Owen　Pugh！〃
  〃Owen　Pugh！　　The　last　of　your　very　great　men；〃　said　I。
  〃You　say　right；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃He　was　indeed　our　last
  great　man　…　Ultimus　Romanorum。　　I　have　myself　read　his　work；　which
  he　called　Coll　Gwynfa；　the　Loss　of　the　place　of　Bliss　…　an
  admirable　translation；　sir；　highly　poetical；　and　at　the　same　time
  correct。〃
  〃Did　you　know　him？〃　said　I。
  〃I　had　not　the　honour　of　his　acquaintance；〃　said　the　doctor　…　〃but；
  sir；　I　am　happy　to　say　that　I　have　made　yours。〃
  The　landlady　now　began　to　talk　to　me　about　dinner；　and　presently
  went　out　to　make　preparations　for　that　very　important　meal。　　I　had
  a　great　deal　of　conversation　with　the　doctor；　whom　I　found　a　person
  of　great　and　varied　information；　and　one　who　had　seen　a　vast　deal
  of　the　world。　　He　was　giving　me　an　account　of　an　island　in　the　West
  Indies；　which　he　had　visited；　when　a　boy　coming　in；　whispered　into
  his　ear；　whereupon；　getting　up　he　said：　　〃Sir；　I　am　called　away。　　I
  am　a　country　surgeon；　and　of　course　an　accoucheur。　　There　is　a　lady
  who　lives　at　some　distance　requiring　my　assistance。　　It　is　with
  grief　I　leave　you　so　abruptly；　but　I　hope　that　some　time　or　other
  we　shall　meet　again。〃　　Then　making　me　an　exceedingly　profound　bow；
  he　left　the　room；　followed　by　the　boy。
  I　dined　upstairs　in　a　very　handsome　drawing…room；　communicating
  with　a　sleeping　apartment。　　During　dinner　I　was　waited　upon　by　the
  daughter　of　the　landlady；　a　good…looking　merry　girl　of　twenty。
  After　dinner　I　sat　for　some　time　thinking　over　the　adventures　of
  the　day；　then　feeling　rather　lonely　and　not　inclined　to　retire　to
  rest；　I　went　down　to　the　bar；　where　I　found　the　landlady　seated
  with　her　daughter。　　I　sat　down　with　them　and　we　were　soon　in
  conversation。　　We　spoke　of　Doctor　Jones　…　the　landlady　said　that　he
  had　his　little　eccentricities；　but　was　an　excellent　and　learned
  man。　　Speaking　of　herself　she　said　that　she　had　three　daughters；
  that　the　youngest　was　with　her　and　that　the　two　eldest　kept　the
  principal　inn　at　Ruthyn。　　We　occasionally　spoke　a　little　Welsh。　　At
  length　the　landlady　said；　〃There　is　an　Italian　in　the　kitchen　who
  can　speak　Welsh　too。　　It's　odd　the　only　two　people　not　Welshmen　I
  have　ever　known　who　could　speak　Welsh；　for　such　you　and　he　are；
  should　be　in　my　house　at　the　same　time。〃
  〃Dear　me；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　like　to　see　him。〃
  〃That　you　can　easily　do；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I　daresay　he　will　be　glad
  enough　to　come　in　if　you　invite　him。〃
  〃Pray　take　my　compliments　to　him；〃　said　I；　〃and　tell　him　that　I
  shall　be　glad　of　his　company。〃
  The　girl　went　out　and　presently　returned　with　the　Italian。　　He　was
  a　short；　thick；　strongly…built　fellow　of　about　thirty…seven；　with　a
  swarthy　face；　raven…black　hair；　high　forehead；　and　dark　deep　eyes；
  full　of　intelligence　and　great　determination。　　He　was　dressed　in　a
  velveteen　coat；　with　broad　lappets；　red　waistcoat；　velveteen
  breeches；　buttoning　a　little　way　below　the　knee；　white　stockings
  apparently　of　lamb's…wool　and　high…lows。
  〃Buona　sera？〃　said　I。
  〃Buona　sera；　signore！〃　said　the　Italian。
  〃Will　you　have　a　glass　of　brandy　and　water？〃　said　I　in　English。
  〃I　never　refuse　a　good　offer；〃　said　the　Italian。
  He　sat　down；　and　I　ordered　a　glass　of　brandy　and　water　for　him　and
  another　for　myself。
  〃Pray　speak　a　little　Italian　to　him；〃　said　the　good　landlady　to　me。
  〃I　have　heard　a　great　deal　about　the　beauty　of　that　language；　and
  should　like　to　hear　it　spoken。〃
  〃From　the　Lago　di　Como？〃　said　I；　trying　to　speak　Italian。
  〃Si；　signore！　but　how　came　you　to　think　that　I　was　from　the　Lake　of
  Como？〃
  〃Because；〃　said　I；　〃when　I　was　a　ragazzo　I　knew　many　from　the　Lake
  of　Como；　who　dressed　much　like　yourself。　　They　wandered　about　the
  country　with　boxes　on　their　backs　and　weather…glasses　in　their
  hands；　but　had　their　head…quarters　at　N。　where　I　lived。〃
  〃Do　you　remember　any　of　their　names？〃　said　the　Italian。
  〃Giovanni　Gestra　and　Luigi　Pozzi；〃　I　replied。
  〃I　have　seen　Giovanni　Gestra　myself；〃　said　the　Italian；　〃and　I　have
  heard　of　Luigi　Pozzi。　　Giovanni　Gestra　returned　to　the　Lago　…　but
  no　one　knows　what　is　become　of　Luigi　Pozzi。〃
  〃The　last　time　I　saw　him；〃　said　I；　〃was　about　eighteen　years　ago　at
  Coruna　in　Spain；　he　was　then　in　a　sad　drooping　condition；　and　said
  he　bitterly　repented　ever　quitting　N。〃
  〃E　con　ragione；〃　said　the　Italian；　〃for　there　is　no　place　like　N。
  for　doing　business　in　the　whole　world。　　I　myself　have　sold　seventy
  pounds'　worth　of　weather…glasses　at　N。　in　one　day。　　One　of　our
  people　is　living　there　now；　who　has　done　bene；　molto　bene。〃
  〃That's　Rossi；〃　said　I；　〃how　is　it　that　I　did　not　mention　him
  first？　　He　is　my　excellent　friend；　and　a　finer；　cleverer　fellow
  never　lived；　nor　a　more　honourable　man。　　You　may　well　say　he　has
  done　well；　for　he　is　now　the　first　jeweller　in　the　place。　　The　last
  time　I　was　there　I　bought　a　diamond　of　him　for　my　daughter
  Henrietta。　　Let　us　drink　his　health！〃
  〃Willingly！〃　said　the　Italian。　　〃He　is　the　prince　of　the　Milanese
  of　England　…　the　most　successful　of　all；　but　I　acknowledge　the　most
  deserving。　　Che　viva。〃
  〃I　wish　he　would　write　his　life；〃　said　I；　〃a　singular　life　it　would
  be　…　he　has　been　something　besides　a　travelling　merchant；　and　a
  jeweller。　　He　was　one　of　Buonaparte's　soldiers；　and　served　in
  Spain；　under　Soult；　along　with　John　Gestra。　　He　once　told　me　that
  Soult　was　an　old　rascal；　and　stole　all　the　fine　pictures　from　the
  convents；　at　Salamanca。　　I　believe　he　spoke　with　some　degree　of
  envy；　for　he　is　himself　fond　of　pictures；　and　has　dealt　in　them；
  and　made　hundreds　by　them。　　I　question　whether　if　in　Soult's　place
  he　would　not　have　done　the　same。　　Well；　however　that　may　be；　che
  viva。〃
  Here　the　landlady　interposed；　observing　that　she　wished　we　would
  now　speak　English；　for　that　she　had　quite　enough　of　Italian；　which
  she　did　not　find　near　so　pretty　a　language　as　she　had　expected。
  〃You　must　not　judge　of　the　sound　of　Italian　from　what　proceeds　from
  my　mouth；〃　said　I。　　〃It　is　not　my　native　language。　　I　have　had
  little　practice　in　it；　and　only　speak　it　very　imperfectly。〃
  〃Nor　must　you　judge　of　Italian　from　what　you　have