Star.
London, England, 1830-08-18 00:00:00

THE DEVIL'S BIIIDGR.

This romantic inn overhangs the fearful ptecipice and bridge,
which, for the last forty years, has been accounted as one of the
wonders of the world. During the summer mouths it is the re-or;
of every one who makes the tour of Wales; its contiguity to liatod.
the splendid seat of the late Colonel Johnem, has enhanced its pub.
licity, inasmuch as being a part of that vast property. " Mine
Hostess of this Inn" has the exclusive right to give admission to
" Cardigan's adopted Favourite." It is not, perhaps, generally
known, that the invaluable library of books—collection of pecnires
by all the ancient masters—sculpture in all its varied forms arc still
at Hafod. Wales cannot boast of any thing else that at all ars
proaches these works of literature and art, the value of which esceetis
30,0001. Hafod is therefore considered one of the lions tat the
county, and all those who really have i.r pretend to possess taste,
must as a matter of course visit it; the consequence is, a fine yearly
I harvest for " Mine Hostess," who is a must attewive woman:
I comfort and civility preside throughout the regions of the Dt.eil's
Bridge Inn. It is distant twelve miles from Aberystwith, a fashion.
able and romantic watering-place, wheie will he found much hos.
pitality and comfort. The Devil's Bridge and Hafted sire proud
auxiliaries to the watering-place, and seldom a day passes that not
less than half a dozen pair of horses take the mountain air front
Aberystwith. I have been passing a month in this scene of quietude
and repose, and watched the progress of Welsh agriculturists—they
are at least half a century behind our English Norfolk ftrinet ; in
getting in their hay, they rely mainly on women. The wheat.
barley, and oat crops, do not produce as heavy crops as in England.
The land generally averages about from ILL to 20s. an acre, while
tithes and poor rates are quite as high as old Cobbett can desire.
The mountain land is very congenial, for the sheep and grouse
appear in great abundance, every thing is cheap, and a retiring
tradesman with 5001. a year may live like a little king on the fat
of the land.

H4R I'IV ELL HqUill4LlL.,,
Hartwell House is about a mile and a half ecorni. ylesbury, and
pleasantly situated in a compact park, which had,.`at diffetent pee.
riods, been expensively embellished; (conformity to the rearylig
tastes of the respective times. At the period it was hired for Louis,
it contained many well-furnished spacious apartments, an extensive
gallery, and a large and valuable collection of paintings, chiefly por-
traits, by old masters. The attendants and protegee of Louis and
his consort were, from his entry into Hartwell, so numerous, as to
require extensive accommodation; and the gallery and otheiapart-
ments were divided by them into separate suits of rooms, according
to their several tastes, to the disorder and damage of the mansion.
As the exile of the emigrants had become protracted, and their re-
sources drained, the train of Louis's followers became greatly in-
creased. All the out-houses on the premises that could afford de.
cent shelter were converted into chambers for persons who had oc-
cupied some of the most splendid situations in France. At one
time the number of those persons amounted to more than 140 ; anal
many of them had become so straitened in their means of procuring
comfort, as to be obliged to dispose at Aylesbury, of the little va-
luable. they had seemed most anxious to retain. Louis, during his
exile in England, it was reported, received an allowance from the
British government, of 20,0001. a-year. The style in which he
lived at Hartwell was unostentatious, and closely conformable with
the rank he assumed of Count. He had, however, not a few-fo-
reign visitors, and, among others, Gustavus of Sweden, who, several
times used to pass some days with him. On those occasions, the
neighbours who crossed Hartwell-park were often struck with the
rare and not unaffecting sight of two ex-Kings promenading the
groves together, and ministering, apparently, to each other con.
dolence and consolation. Of English visitors the number was few,
and the Marquess of Buckingham the chief and moat frequent.
Forming among themselves an extensive and exclusive society, the
exiles generally kept apart from neighbourhood associations ; but
the character they sustained throughout the neighbourhood, from
the highest of them to the lowest generally, was respectable. Of
Louis little was known beyond the limits of the mansion, except
that he was of a cultivated and judicious mind, with much ur.
banity of mannen,—fond of the pursuits of elegant literature
but equally fond of the less intellectual pleasures of the table:.
The character of his brother Charles did not develope itself at
Hartwell, as it had at Holyroud.house, and the other places of his
residence, beyond the pale, although he, of all the party, was most
accustomed to appear in public, by riding about the country.
While Louis was resident at Hartwell, the decease of his consort
took place, and her remains were conveyed to a temporary resting.
plate in Westminster Abbey, till transferred to the neturoleum of
the Royal Family in From. Louis sustained the loss of his
QUMr with fortitude ; his brotherCharles,whoni death deprived of a
favourite mistress, was plunged, by his loss, into inconsolable grief.
ITo this occurrence has been ascribed the commencement of that
change of mental frame of which his spiritual companions availed
themselves, and by which they gradually transformed e character of
levity into that of a devotee and a despot. An unexpected flood of
light, beaming forth on the prospects of the Bourbons, the style and
spirits of Louis became more brilliant, and when his return to
France appeared approaching to certainty, he began to assume, at
Hartwell, the state of a King. On the Sunday before he left that
plans, he had, in conformity, with the fashion of the French Court.
a dinner of ceremony in public. He who, till this period, had long
remained obsure and unregarded, was elevated at once into exalted
notice and respect. Addresses of congratulation were presented to
him from Aylesbury and neighbouring places ; and on his trium.
phal departure from Hartwell, as he passed through the former
town, he was greeted with the sight of the white flag waving on the
summit of the market-house, and escorted by a numerous cavalcade
of persons from the neighbourhood, who accompanied him many
miles on his road to London. Before leaving Hartwell, Louis in.
vited Sir George Lee to visit him at die Tuileries ; but it was not
until some time after that Sir George pmeeeded to avail himself of
the invitation. Soon after his arrival in Paris' having announced
himself to the proper officer of the Court, and solicited a private au-
dience of his Majesty, he was desired to call next day for an answer.
The next day he called accordingly, but he found the officer unpre-
pared with an answer, and he and his attendants in confusion.
Sir George became confounded, too, and was perplexed in his at-
tempts to account for his awkward reception. It was not, however.
long after his return to his hotel, that the occasion was sufficiently
known. Tidings had arrived and spread, that Buonaparte had
landed from Elba ; and while poor Sir George Lee was thus pain.
fully frustrated in his design of congratulating the King on his ac-
cession to the palate of his ancestors, the poor King, in an infinitely
more painful strain, was bustling to quit his palace at a moment's
warning, and to flee for refuge to the frontiers.

..* •

COURSE OF RXCI
Amsterdam l2 71 CF.
Ditto at sight l4 6
Rotterdam...l U 12 71
Antwerp 11 6
Hambiirgh !► U 14 1
Altana ... 21 U 141 11
Paris, 3day'ssight 2S 63
Ditto —2 U ss PS
Madrid
CAI; 36i
Dareelona
Bilboa .341

IANGE, Avast 17.
Gibraltar... 476
Leghorn 441
Genoa ... $5 OD
Venice

•

Naples
palenigto hid pa. us
-Llabeas ... ..-44 .
Rio janti .. ate
1;
Cork le