OU are at length released, my dear sir,

You

from a correspondent who, notwithstanding his endeavours to the contrary, has, I fear, been too often dull, tedious, and uninteresting. If such have been the case, congratulate yourself that the vessel which is to conclude our

A A

Llannon

Swansea Bay

Swansea

expedition, by conveying us to Bristol, even now hoists her sails, and weighs her anchor.

"Vocat jam carbasus auras,

Puppibus et læti nautæ imposuere coronas.'

The comparative tameness, indeed, of the country through which we have been some days journeying, lessens the enthusiasm of the writer, and diminishes proportionally the pleasure of the reader. All that interested the imagination, or awakened the fancy, the cloudcapt mountain, the roaring torrent, and the tumbling cataract, we have bade a long farewell to, and quitted the grand and impressive beauties of nature, for the uninspiring littlenesses of art.

We took the advantage of a glorious morning on the 13th, and walked on to Tavern-spite and St. Clare, about fifteen miles, chiefly by a foot-path, which skirted the coast, and presented a fine view of Caermarthen bay, gradually tranquillizing itself from the effects of a violent gale of wind. At this point the country begins to assume a pleasing character, diversified by broad valleys and swelling hills; increasing in richness and beauty, till we reached Caermarthen, a town embracing every advantage of situation.

On entering this place, the sign of the Boar's Head attracted our attention; and by that kind of fascination which is frequently found to be attached to names, led us mechanically into the door over which it hung. The garrulous courtesy of a female attendant immediately impressed the ideas of East-cheap and Dame Quickly, while the portly presence of J—n, and the queer figures of the rest of the party, reminded us of the march of the facetious Jack Falstaff and his ragged recruits.

The town of Caermarthen boasts a very high antiquity, connected with classical history, as well as British superstition. Here the Romans had a station, called Maridunum; and here the great prophet, or necromancer of Cambria, yclept Merlin, first drew his breath. A circumstance of sufficient importance to impose a name on the place, which was afterwards called CaerMerddin, or the city of Merlin. One of his predictions is yet floating in a traditional form amongst the inhabitants here, denouncing destruction on his favourite city, but connecting the event with such circumstances as cannot take place till the reign of magic be again restored; it is, that Caermarthen shall be destroyed by an earthquake, and the place it

stands on be converted into a vast lake, when a bull shall walk to the top of the church.

Caermarthen, being a favourite residence of the princes of South-Wales, was originally very strong, surrounded with walls, and fortified with a castle, part of which remains, and is used as a gaol. The present state of the town is most respectable, both in appearance and trade. A number of extremely well-built houses, and genteel independent families, put it upon a level with some of our best English towns; and the opulence of a numerous body of merchants proves the commercial advantages it enjoys. Situated upon the river Towy, which is navigable to Caermarthen for ships of two hundred and fifty tons burthen, and not more than ten miles from the sea, it commands a trade of considerable importance. Its exportations are chiefly as follow:-Prodigious quantities of oats and butter to Bristol, London, &c.; of stone-coal to Norfolk, Dorsetshire, &c.; of bark to Ireland; and of oak-timber to the different dock-yards of the kingdom. Its imports-fruits, &c. from Lisbon; bale-goods and hardware from British ports; and timber, &c. from Russia and Norway. Iron-works, tin-works, and a lead-mine in the neighbour

hood of Caermarthen, contribute further to its wealth, and swell its importance. With these advantages, however, it has unfortunately no internal manufactures to employ the poor of the place; and what is still worse, no institutions to improve their morals, and give them a knowledge of their civil and religious duties. The fatal consequences of a neglect so unwarrantable you must anticipate; idleness and profligacy in this unfortunate class of society, and enormous expences on those who contribute to their support. This year, I am informed, the poor-rates will amount to eighteen shillings in the pound. Would the respectable inhabitants of the town co-operate in their endeavours to correct these evils, they would not only quickly remove that odium which justly attaches to the plan at present, from the wretched state of the poor there, but lessen immediately the burthen of their poor-rates, now rapidly increasing to intolerable magnitude. Caermarthen* contains between seven and eight thousand inhabitants.

* Is a corporate town, governed by a mayor, aldermen, recorder, town-clerk, &c. its charter nearly similar to that of the city of London, the corporation officers being elected annually at Michaelmas.