whilst　working　at　a　saw…mill　up　at　the　castle。　　On　my　inquiring
  about　the　inn　he　said　he　was　the　master　of　it；　and　led　the　way　to　a
  long　neat　low　house；　nearly　opposite　to　a　little　bridge　over　a
  brook；　which　ran　down　the　valley　towards　the　north。　　I　ordered　some
  ale　and　bread…and…butter；　and　whilst　our　repast　was　being　got　ready
  John　Jones　and　I　went　to　the　bridge。
  〃This　bridge；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃is　called　Pont　y　Velin　Castell；　the
  bridge　of　the　Castle　Mill；　the　inn　was　formerly　the　mill　of　the
  castle；　and　is　still　called　Melin　y　Castell。　　As　soon　as　you　are
  over　this　bridge　you　are　in　shire　Amwythig；　which　the　Saxons　call
  Shropshire。　　A　little　way　up　on　yon　hill　is　Clawdd　Offa　or　Offa's
  dyke；　built　of　old　by　the　Brenin　Offa　in　order　to　keep　us　poor
  Welsh　within　our　bounds。〃
  As　we　stood　on　the　bridge　I　inquired　of　Jones　the　name　of　the　brook
  which　was　running　merrily　beneath　it。
  〃The　Ceiriog；　sir；〃　said　John；　〃the　same　river　that　we　saw　at　Pont
  y　Meibion。〃
  〃The　river；〃　said　I；　〃which　Huw　Morris　loved　so　well；　whose　praises
  he　has　sung；　and　which　he　has　introduced　along　with　Cefn　Uchaf　in　a
  stanza　in　which　he　describes　the　hospitality　of　Chirk　Castle　in　his
  day；　and　which　runs　thus：
  〃Pe　byddai　'r　Cefn　Ucha；
  Yn　gig　ac　yn　fara；
  A　Cheiriog　fawr　yma'n　fir　aml　bob　tro；
  Rhy　ryfedd　fae　iddyn'
  Barhau　hanner　blwyddyn；
  I　wyr　bob　yn　gan…nyn　ar　ginio。〃
  〃A　good　penill　that；　sir；〃　said　John　Jones。　　〃Pity　that　the　halls
  of　great　people　no　longer　flow　with　rivers　of　beer；　nor　have
  mountains　of　bread　and　beef　for　all　comers。〃
  〃No　pity　at　all；〃　said　I；　〃things　are　better　as　they　are。　　Those
  mountains　of　bread　and　beef；　and　those　rivers　of　ale　merely
  encouraged　vassalage；　fawning　and　idleness；　better　to　pay　for　one's
  dinner　proudly　and　independently　at　one's　inn；　than　to　go　and
  cringe　for　it　at　a　great　man's　table。〃
  We　crossed　the　bridge；　walked　a　little　way　up　the　hill　which　was
  beautifully　wooded；　and　then　retraced　our　steps　to　the　little　inn；
  where　I　found　my　wife　and　daughter　waiting　for　us；　and　very　hungry。
  We　sat　down；　John　Jones　with　us；　and　proceeded　to　despatch　our
  bread…and…butter　and　ale。　　The　bread…and…butter　were　good　enough；
  but　the　ale　poorish。　　Oh；　for　an　Act　of　Parliament　to　force　people
  to　brew　good　ale！　　After　finishing　our　humble　meal；　we　got　up　and
  having　paid　our　reckoning　went　back　into　the　park；　the　gate　of
  which　the　landlord　again　unlocked　for　us。
  We　strolled　towards　the　north　along　the　base　of　the　hill。　　The
  imagination　of　man　can　scarcely　conceive　a　scene　more　beautiful
  than　the　one　which　we　were　now　enjoying。　　Huge　oaks　studded　the
  lower　side　of　the　hill；　towards　the　top　was　a　belt　of　forest；　above
  which　rose　the　eastern　walls　of　the　castle；　the　whole　forest；
  castle　and　the　green　bosom　of　the　hill　glorified　by　the　lustre　of
  the　sun。　　As　we　proceeded　we　again　roused　the　deer；　and　again　saw
  three　old　black　fellows；　evidently　the　patriarchs　of　the　herds；
  with　their　white　enormous　horns；　with　these　ancient　gentlefolks　I
  very　much　wished　to　make　acquaintance；　and　tried　to　get　near　them；
  but　no！　they　would　suffer　no　such　thing；　off　they　glided；　their
  white　antlers；　like　the　barked　top　boughs　of　old　pollards；　glancing
  in　the　sunshine；　the　smaller　dapple　creatures　following　them
  bounding　and　frisking。　　We　had　again　got　very　near　the　castle；　when
  John　Jones　told　me　that　if　we　would　follow　him　he　would　show　us
  something　very　remarkable；　I　asked　him　what　it　was。
  〃Llun　Cawr；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　figure　of　a　giant。〃
  〃What　giant？〃　said　I。
  But　on　this　point　he　could　give　me　no　information。　　I　told　my　wife
  and　daughter　what　he　had　said；　and　finding　that　they　wished　to　see
  the　figure；　I　bade　John　Jones　lead　us　to　it。　　He　led　us　down　an
  avenue　just　below　the　eastern　side　of　the　castle；　noble　oaks　and
  other　trees　composed　it；　some　of　them　probably　near　a　hundred　feet
  high；　John　Jones　observing　me　looking　at　them　with　admiration；
  said：
  〃They　would　make　fine　chests　for　the　dead；　sir。〃
  What　an　observation！　how　calculated；　amidst　the　most　bounding　joy
  and　bliss；　to　remind　man　of　his　doom！　　A　moment　before　I　had　felt
  quite　happy；　but　now　I　felt　sad　and　mournful。　　I　looked　at　my　wife
  and　daughter；　who　were　gazing　admiringly　on　the　beauteous　scenes
  around　them；　and　remembered　that　in　a　few　short　years　at　most　we
  should　all　three　be　laid　in　the　cold　narrow　house　formed　of　four
  elm　or　oaken　boards；　our　only　garment　the　flannel　shroud；　the　cold
  damp　earth　above　us；　instead　of　the　bright　glorious　sky。　　Oh；　how
  sad　and　mournful　I　became！　　I　soon　comforted　myself；　however；　by
  reflecting　that　such　is　the　will　of　Heaven；　and　that　Heaven　is
  good。
  After　we　had　descended　the　avenue　some　way　John　Jones　began　to　look
  about　him；　and　getting　on　the　bank　on　the　left　side　disappeared。
  We　went　on；　and　in　a　little　time　saw　him　again　beckoning　to　us　some
  way　farther　down；　but　still　on　the　bank。　　When　we　drew　nigh　to　him
  he　bade　us　get　on　the　bank；　we　did　so　and　followed　him　some　way；
  midst　furze　and　lyng。　　All　of　a　sudden　he　exclaimed；　〃There　it　is！〃
  We　looked　and　saw　a　large　figure　standing　on　a　pedestal。　　On　going
  up　to　it　we　found　it　to　be　a　Hercules　leaning　on　his　club；　indeed　a
  copy　of　the　Farnese　Hercules；　as　we　gathered　from　an　inscription　in
  Latin　partly　defaced。　　We　felt　rather　disappointed；　as　we　expected
  that　it　would　have　turned　out　to　be　the　figure　of　some　huge　Welsh
  champion　of　old。　　We；　however；　said　nothing　to　our　guide。　　John
  Jones；　in　order　that　we　might　properly　appreciate　the　size　of　the
  statue　by　contrasting　it　with　his　own　body；　got　upon　the　pedestal
  and　stood　up　beside　the　figure；　to　the　elbow　of　which　his　head
  little　more　than　reached。
  I　told　him　that　in　my　country；　the　eastern　part　of　Lloegr；　I　had
  seen　a　man　quite　as　tall　as　the　statue。
  〃Indeed；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃who　is　it？〃
  〃Hales　the　Norfolk　giant；〃　I　replied；　〃who　has　a　sister　seven
  inches　shorter　than　himself；　who　is　yet　seven　inches　taller　than
  any　man　in　the　county　when　her　brother　is　out　of　it。〃
  When　John　Jones　got　down　he　asked　me　who　the　man　was　whom　the
  statue　was　intended　to　represent。
  〃Erchwl；〃　I　replied；　〃a　mighty　man　of　old；　who　with　club　cleared
  the　country　of　thieves；　serpents；　and　monsters。〃
  I　now　proposed　that　we　should　return　to　Llangollen；　whereupon　we
  retraced　our　steps；　and　had　nearly　reached　the　farm…house　of　the
  castle　when　John　Jones　said　that　we　had　better　return　by　the　low
  road；　by　doing　which　we　should　see　the　castle…lodge　and　also　its
  gate　which　was　considered　one　of　the　wonders　of　Wales。　　We　followed
  his　advice　and　passing　by　the　front　of　the　castle　northwards　soon
  came　to　the　lodge。　　The　lodge　had　nothing　remarkable　in　its
  appearance；　but　the　gate　which　was　of　iron　was　truly　magnificent。
  On　the　top　were　two　figures　of　wolves　which　John　Jones　supposed　to
  be　those　of　foxes。　　The　wolf　of　Chirk　is　not　intended　to　be
  expressive　of　the　northern　name　of　its　proprietor；　but　as　the
  armorial　bearing　of　his　family　by　the　maternal　side；　and　originated
  in　one　Ryred；　surnamed　Blaidd　or　Wolf　from　his　ferocity　in　war；
  from　whom　the　family；　which　only　assumed　the　name　of　Middleton　in
  the　beginning　of　the　thirteenth　century；　on　the　occasion　of　its
  representative　marrying　a　rich　Shropshire　heiress　of　that　name；
  traces　descent。
  The　wolf　of　Chirk　is　a　Cambrian　not　a　Gothic　wolf；　and　though　〃a
  wolf　of　battle；〃　is　the　wolf　not　of　Biddulph　but　of　Ryred。
  CHAPTER　LV
  A　Visitor　…　Apprenticeship　to　the　Law　…　Croch　Daranau　…　Lope　de
  Vega　…　No　Life　like　the　Traveller's。
  ONE　morning　as　I　sat　alone　a　gentleman　was　announced。　　On　his
  entrance　I　recognised　in　him　the　magistrate's　clerk；　owing　to　whose
  good　word；　as　it　appeared　to　me；　I　had　been　permitted　to　remain
  during　the　examination　into　the　affair　of　the　wounded　butcher。　　He
  was　a　stout；　strong…made　man；　somewhat　under　the　middle　height；
  with　a　ruddy　face；　and　very　clear；　grey　eyes。　　I　handed　him　a
  chair；　which　he　took；　and　said　that　his　name　was　R…；　and　that　he
  had　taken　the　liberty　of　calling；　as　he　had　a　great　desire　to　be
  acquainted　with　me。　　On　my　asking　him　his　reason　for　that　desire　he
  told　me　that　it　proceeded　from　his　having　read　a　book　of　mine　about
  Spain；　which　had　much　interested　him。
  〃Good；〃　said　I；　〃you　can't　give　an　author　a　better　reason　for
  coming　to　see　him　than　being　pleased　with　his　book。　　I　assure　you
  that　you　are　most　welcome。〃
  After　a　little　general　discourse　I　said　that　I　presumed　he　was　in
  the　law。
  〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　a　member　of　that　much…abused　profession。〃
  〃And　unjustly　abused；〃　said　I；　〃it　is　a　profession　which　abounds
  with　honourable　men；　and　in　which　I　believe　there　are　fewer　scamps
  than　in　any　other。　　The　most　honourable　men　I　have　ever　known　have
  been　lawyers；　they　were　men　whose　word　was　their　bond；　and　who
  would　have　preferred　ruin　to　breaking　it。　　There　was　my　old　master；
  in　particular；　who　would　have　died　sooner　than　broken　his　word。
  God　bless　him！　　I　think　I　see　him　now　with　his　bald；　shining　pate；
  and　his　finger　on　an　open　page　of　'Preston's　Conveyancing。'〃
  〃Sure　you