The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-10 00:00:00

THE COURIER AN D THE EVIL ONE!

The would-be whig paper, the Courier, in order to recom-
mend itself to our whig ministry, his long been labouring
hard to frustrate the object of those persons who are endea-
vouring to bring about a more decent observance of the
Sabbath. Nobody was surprised at this, because everybody
knows that the Courier is ever the humble admirer, for the
nonce, of those who "rule the roast," and that it never allows
its religious feelings to interfere with its sublunary hopes. It
seems, however, that within these few days "a change has
come o'er the spirit of its dream ;" and under the influence of
that change it has bad the grace to publish a letter of thanks
which has been forwarded to its editor by "the gentleman in
black." The letter in question is headed—" A New Cor-
respondent ;" and the following is a copy of it, verb. et lit.:—

" TO TILE EDITOR OF THE COURIER.

" FRIEND,---1 admire thy zeal for my cause. I have no
objection to mass or to any form even if it were intelligible
and never so pure, but I know thine to be a blind worship,
and that is best of all for me and my cause.-1 have been led
to these remarks by reading thy devilish pointed comments
of last Tuesday, in the Courier of that day, on Plumptre's
intended Lord's-day bill, which, like a veteran in my service.
thou sayest, " is blasphemously denominated the Lord's-day
bill."

"Now, I doubt not thou art a papist, and, as such, I can
excuse thy rage at this bill, as thou knowest how it works
against thy scheme as well as my interest. Go on and pros-
per, zealous friend ! Away with these scruples of conscience !
the light of Scripture is sadly annoying to both of us, and all
squeamishness about the Sabbath. But, friend, much as I
admire thy zeal and courage in my service, pardon me if I
express a doubt as to the policy of using such, strong epithets
—they might have passed in papal countries, where thou
knowest they act more like my loyal subjects, in devoting
half the day, it not the whole, to mountebanks and theatres,
and such like—but, among protestants, it is hardly probable
they are fully prepared for this, as yet; they are, howevei,
making fast progress, and ere long, perhaps, through the
mighty influence of my brave and faithful sevant Dan, it may
be hoped we shall be able to quench and darken the light of
Scripture; and then, farewell to the Sabbath and other
squeamish observances.
"Never fear, my worthy friend ! brave the worst, thy wages
are sure—thou knowest I am the god of this world, and I can
promote thee to honour. " BEELZEBUB."

We have been told that this letter was not intended
for publication, and that it got into the printer's hands by one
of those vexatious mishaps which will happen in the affairs of
the best-regulated journals.—However this may be, we wish
the Courier much joy of its " New Correspondent."—Morning
Herald.

STURGEON.—A fine fish of this kind was caught a few days
ago in the River Severn, within two miles of this city. It
weighed 2281b5. and measured nine feet in length. So large
a one has not been caught in the Severn in this neighbour-
ed for many years past. It was forwarded to London by Mr.
Davis, Fish Monger.—Gloucester Chronicle.
EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE AGAINST ONE OF THE FOREIGN
AMB A SSA DORS.—A tall elderly person, whose accent declared
him to be a native of the emerald isle, and who gave the name
of Michael Fitzgerald, presented himself at the Bow-street
Police-office on Wednesday, before Mr. Twyford the sitting
magistrate, and said he had a charge to prefer against the
Duke de Palmella, ambassador extraordinary from the court
of Portugal to her Majesty Queen Victoria. The applicant
said, " I charge the Duke de Palmella with having received
£300,000 from this country for the purpose of puttiug an end
to the slave trade in the Brazils, but which money, I am pre-
pared to show, was never applied to that purpose, but was
appropriated by the duke to ti,s own use." Being asked by
the magistrate, what proof he had in corroboration of his
statement, he replied, "The charge can be proved both by
witnesses and document, and the fact is sufficiently notorious
that, two years ago, the Duke was obliged to fly from Oporto
to save his life, in consequence, chiefly, of the part he took
in this transaction. I can bring forward two persons who
held situations in Lord Palmerston's department, and they
can prove that the sum I have mentioned (noomoo) passed
through their hands, and was paid over to the Duke de Pal-
mella for the purpose I have already stated, but which pur-
pose has not been to this day fulfilled. Besides, all the docu-
ments, including a receipt for the money in the duke's hand-
writing, are now in the Foreign-office, and can be produced."
The magistrate informed the applicant, that he had no power
to enforce the production of such evidence, and was asked
whather he had suede application to the Foreign-office or the
Treasury; he replied, " No,sir, I have not done so; because
I magistrate would be justified in
exercising
thanan English
g
his jurisdiction in a case like the present. Here is
an offence committed which, under ordinary circumstances,
would be clearly indictable; and Ido not see why there should
be any difference made between persons in private life, and
those who fill high situations. The magistrate again referred
the applicant to her Majesty's government, who would take
such steps as they might think proper, The latter said, "but
that will take time, and the duke, I understand, is to leave
England the day after to-morrow." The magistrate again
intimated that be had no power to assist him, on hearing which
he bowed and left the office. Some doubts appeared to be
entertained of the applicant's sanity.

A PEDESTRIAN TOUR THROUGH NORTH

WALES.

NO. V.

Having recruited ourselves at Beddgelert, after our fatigues
from the ascent of Snowdon, we pursued our route to Capel
Curig, a small village about twelve miles off, ou the road to
Conway, where we intended to pass the night. \Ve had
scarcely proceeded a mile on our way, when we were met by
a car, containing one of the lathes whose acquaintance we had
made on the top of Snowdon, and a part of her party, who
were coming front Llanberris where they had returned, to
join the remainder of their friends, who had come along with
us to Beddgelert over the mountain. It may be supposed
that, though but short acquaintances, we most cordially
greeted each other; and, after many good wishes, we pursued
our separate ways. We were now entering the valley of
Nant Gwynedd, (the vale of the stream,) by reputation the
most beautiful of the vales amoung the mountains. It was
about five o'clock in the evening when we started. The air
was cool and refreshing, but the clouds were heavy, and in
that mountainous district foretold rain. We entered into the
valley by a narrow yet good road. The features which here
presented themselves were totally different from any vale
scenery I have elsewhere beheld. There was scarcely any
expansion of view, the valley. lying between bold, craggy,
mountainous precipices of red sandstone and slate, occasion-
ally mingled with limestone, which passed into marble and
quartz, and the base of the hills being so close together
that there was little more than room for the road and
a small stream which gurgled along between them. About
a mile and a half from the village of Beddgelert we
passed a mound-like rock of great height, which rose from
a level plain unattached to any hill, to the very summit of
which, out of the crevices of the ruck and on the occasional
levels, stunted oaks and the larch were growing in profusion,
giving it a highly picturesque and beautiful appearance.
We ventured various conjectures as to the fortune a loan
might make out of this hill, if placed at a convenient distance
from Liverpool, as a sort of opposition to the Zoological gar-
dens. This rock is named Minas Erni-vs, where Vortigern
retired to in the year 465, when unable longer to control the
Saxons. There is the remains of a fort on a level flat at the
top. Our attention was here attracted to several of the stones
of which the wall was built, which hounded the road, which
were a kind of mixture of quartz, alabaster, and white marble.
We broke one huge piece which formed a coping-stone to
the wall, into fragments, and selected several fine specimens
of spar, principally of quartz, with a statacite appearance.
So plentiful was the marble rock, that we were perfectly as-
tonished to see the road here and there Macadamized with
broken marble. I picked up one piece of beautiful pure ala-
baster from amongst the stones repairing the road, which I
thought of sufficient value to weight my coat pocket with.
As we passed along through this narrow valley, the precipit-
ous red brown rocks on either side were occasionally wood-
clad to their summits, giving peculiar richness and beauty to
the bold scenery. The surcharged clouds too, skirting the
tops of the hills in our immediate neighbourhood, were fre-
quently brought down by their attraction, and as they passed
over, occasionally hid the summits ofthe hills from our view,
with a blue misty appearance, which added greatly to the sub-
Emeand peculiar nature of the landscape. Here and there the
bases of the hills would recede front each other a few hundred
yards, leaving beautiful patches of meadow land, which were
crowded with browsing cattle, fullef content. About a mile fur-
ther we arrived at a large pool or lake called Lynn y Dinas,
which, opening on the view in the centre of one of the most
charming scenes that can be described: This pool is about a
mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, and is at the bottom
of a kind of oblong basin, formed by bleak and inaccessible
craggy hills on all sides. It is skirted on the left by the high
road. y From time basis of the surrounding hills to the verge
of the lake are nerrow sloping pastures of the richest grass
land, the bright fresh green of which contrasts beautifully
with the frowning, bleak, barren hills above, and willt the
sombre hue of the fir trees, with which some of the hills are
lined. As we proceeded along the road this view, like a
lovely miniature bay, burst upon us all at once, and excited
our rapturous admiration. At the furthest extremity of the
lake, on a plain of level, richly-wooded park laud, stood a
substantial stone-built mansion, facing the water, with
avenues of fine trees up to it front the water's edge ; and
abruptly rising from the back of the mansion, so much so
that it appeared almost to he leaning against it, was a lofty
hill, every portion of which was thickly covered with wood.
A scene more beautiful can scarcely be conceived, or a site
more lovely for a residence. We learned that the mansion
is the seat and occasional residence of Lord Gyllet. I re-
gretted that our time would not permit us to spend a day in
fishing in this retired and secluded sheet of water, that we
might more leisurely have enjoyed the beauties around,
" Forgetting all the world ;
By all the world forgot."
As it was, we were obliged to content ourselves with sitting
on a piece of low rock which overhung the water, and enjoy-
ing the scene as long as time would permit us. Whilst here,
we were highly amused by an example of the mode in which
some tourists post-horse it through a country, the beauties
and characteristics of which they professedly go to acquaint
themselves with, but in reality to follow a beaten track and
visit two or three noted places, the sight of which constitutes
all the knowledge they have of the country through which
they travel. \Ve had just regained the road and were pro-
ceeding ou our way when we were passed by a travelling,
phmton-sort of carriage, with a postillion (hiving. The car-
riage contained a party of five or six ladies and gentlemen,
inside and on the dicky, apparently English front their dress
and appearance. A lady and gentleman sat on the dicky'
and looked neither to the right nor the left as the vehicle
was rapidly driven through this beautiful scene. Inside the
open carriage were comfortably packed in the corners one or
two ladies and a gentleman—what think you reader?—
making the most of their eyes as they were driven through
one of the loveliest scenes in Wales ?—no such thing; they
were fast asleep ! When their four should be completed,
they would be able to say of the general scenery of Wales
about as much as the sailor when asked on his return from
Calcutta what sort of a place it was—that " there was prime

grog at the sign of the White Bear's Paw." We passed on,
leaving behind us this sequestered and lovely valley. We
were led into reflections as we passed it on the strange taste
which leads the owners of properties like these—who, possessed
of ample independencies, are little kings in their own neigh-
bourhoods when at home, and a real blessing to their poor
tenantry around when so, by the wealth they diffuse-10 pre-
fer wasting their time and their health and all these blessings
in the crowded metropolis, where they are possessed of no
consequence, where no one either knows, thinks, or cares
about them, and where the only substitutes for this real, sub-
stantial peace and happiness are—nocturnal gambling, frivoli-
ty, and dissipation, followed by their long train of consequent
evils, mental upbraidings and self-dissatisfaction. a could
not help thinking over the beautiful lines of Pope—

" Happy the man whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground."
If the public service demanded their absence from their do-
mains to take part in the " great councils of the nation„"
their absence would, of course, be a necessary one and from
honourable motives; but such is not the case with one in
twenty of our country aristocracy, who trifle away a useless
existence in the metropolis, on the pares of Regent-street
and Portland-place, and in the parks, by day, and in the
club-houses, the theatres, or Crockford't at night. Along
the side of the road, a picturesque little trout stream r..n
gurgling past, supplying the lake we had just left. The hills
again closed upon the road, and were thickly wooded with
stunted oak, birch, and fir. A sharp shower coming on, we
were glad to turn off and take refuge in a cottage on the hill
side, at a short distance from the road. We here found the
only dirty cottage we had seen in Wales. The floor consisted
of broken flag, stones, which were made level with earth.
There was no ceiling, nothing but the roof. There was no
fire place, but a few embers were burning on the hearth, the
smoke from which Made its way out of a hole in the roof, and
gave a dingy appearance to the whole of the interior. An
iron pot was stuck on three legs over the embers, and a dirty
looking young woman, the wife of the woodman who occupied
the cottage was nursing a child whilst sitting on her hams
by the fire, and at the same time greasing a pair of shoes with
her fingers. The husband was a decent healthy looking man,
who had been a gardener its Warwickshire, and spoke toler-
ably English ; he was getting his tea consisting of
,Cheshire
cheese, oaten cake, and thick buttermilk. He was very pres-
sing that he should share his meal with him, and to avoid af-
fronting him we told him we would take a bowl of buttermilk,
for which we insisted on paying hint. He told us he liked
England much better than Wales; it was more comfortable
and not so poor. We soon found out, however, that the poor
fellow's dissatisfaction proceeded from his having the misfor-
tune to have a dirty idle woman for his wife, of which his
miserable dwelling gave many proofs. As we proceeded from
thence on our way we passed several beautifully situated
Summer residences amongst the hills, having fine views; and
excellent fishing in the lakes near to them. We were told by
a cottager that they were let for the Summer at a very rea-
sonable rate. We were much struck as we journeyed along
by the general stupidity of the men whom we occasionally
met, on asking them the distance we were from Capel Curig,
or how far we were from Beddg,elert. One man told us we
were about four miles front Capel Curig, and after walking
about two miles further, another man informed es it was about
eight miles further on. We had knowledge enough of the
country from our guide book inap to know that both were in
error. We had the greatest dffliculty to make most of the
men we met comprehend our meaning, their stock of English
words being very limited. When we had proceeded about a
mile further we arrived at a second lake, Llyn Cwynant,
which communicated by a small stream with the one we had
passed. Its appearance however was totally different to that
of the other lake, steep and rugged declivities approaching
the very verge of it, with scarcely any vegetation on them but
the mossy covering of the rocks. Bounding the left side of
the lake, and rising abruptly from its bosom, was one of the
hills of Snowdon, rising almost perpendicularly a height of at
least 500 yards, and the base of it not 300 yards from us. The
• top of this fearful looking hill was covered with cloud which
kept driving down its sides and then clearing off. The whole
character of the scenery here was so bold and striking as to
astonish us. The road threaded through a succession of hills,
whose steepness and nearness to us. was different to anything
of the kind we had before seen. English hills almost invari-
ably partake of the character of long sloping ascents. Many
of these hills reminded us of the Tarpeian rock spoken of by
the Roman historians, from the summit of which a man might
be hurled to the bottom. Occasionally masses of cloud
would be driven against and impeded by one of these moun-
tain sides, and becoming wore and more dense, would de-
scend in torrents of rain into the valley. At one time a range

of these hills had 'imposed a barrier, as it were, to the
further progress of the clouds, which became almost pitchy
black, and the rain fell in torrents, wetting us through, the
road led us to the other side of "the hill, where it was quite
fine. Gradually the clouds surmounted the top, and came
rushing down the side of the hill, like thick columns of
smoke; and we prepared for another wetting. A sharp
breeze, however, springing up, the clouds were iven rapidly
off, and broken into fragments, the clear sky shining between.
As the clouds passed over the hills, casting over them their
dark shadows, an occasional gleam of sunshine would shine
through these breaks, and light up portions of the hills, giv-
ing an indescribable beauty to the sublime scenery. At
length, greatly fatigued and wet, we reached Capel Curig, a
small village, consisting only of an immense inn and the
habitations of its domestics, and famous for the inn, a chapel
dedicated to St. Curig, and a large lake. The inn is situ-
ated on a romantic and beautiful spot, at the foot of the lake ;
and at the other side is the mountain of Moe' Siabod raising
its lofty head. We were surprised by the style of everything
in the inn. We were ushered with much state into the tra-
vellers' room, and passed, in an alcove close to the door,
an old Welsh harper, playing the favourite airs of his coun-
try for the entertainment of the guests. The room was fur-
nished more in the style of a gentleman's drawing-room than
the travellers' room of an inn ; the carpet, sideboard, mir-
rors, window-hangings, and furniture being of the hand-
somest description. We had most excellent coffee and eggs,
which were served with a profusion of massive plate. We
found our bed-rooms fitted up with equal magnificence.
Next morning we started early to walk to Conway. it was
as dreary a prospect for us as could be well imagined, rain-
ing continually in torrents, and was a most disheartening
beginning of the twenty miles. We, however, so far carried
out our determination to let neither distance, difficulties, nor
weather daunt us in our pedestrian peregrinations, as to snake
a start. We had not gone a mile, however, before we were
glad to take shelter in a cow-keeper's shippen, where we
bought as much new milk of the Welshman who was attend-
ing the cows, as we could drink. The walk from Capel
Curig to Bettws y Coed, the next village, is.one most roman-
tically beautiful. The country, while it retains much of its
bold hilly character, becomes snore fertile, and the hills to
their very summits are wood-clad. Along the side of the
road, a small river, the Lugwy (swift river) dashes along
through deep ravines, making numerous waterfalls, and af-
fording infinite scope for the pencil of the landscape painter.
About half way to Bett ws y Coed, the river, jutting through
a cleft rock down a precipice, forms a very beautiful water-
fall, called Rhaiadr y \Venal (the Cataract of the Swallow).
In order to see this, a pathway is formed fcPlil the . road

through a thick plantation, to the apex of one of the rocks,
from which we had a tine view of it. From )3ettws y Coed,
a small village, where the Lugwy joins the Conway river,
we passed along through the lovely fertile vale of Llanwrst.
The character of the scenery here quite changed. The
hills became less bold, being more distant from each
other, and more sloping at their sides, like the hills of
Westmoreland, having fine, fertile, extended plains coveted
with the most beautiful green verdure, the Conway widening
into a noble stream meandering along in a serpentine course
at the bottom of the valley. Occasionally, after ascending
a hill side, on gaining the summitt, a vine expansive view
would open to the eve of fertile and highly cultivated coun-
try, lofty yet gently sloping hills, and large basin-like val-
leys, in the centre of which the Conway here and there
formed fine hays. The scenery quite charmed us, though
we saw it under every disadvantage of contiuous ram. We
were obliged continually to take shelter at the cottages on
the road, and this in a great measure destroyed our enjoyment
of the scenery. I shall not therefore attempt a more detailed
descfiption of that which we could so inadequately appreciate.
We at length reached Conway, in the evening, as completely
fagged as we could possibly be, and pretty well sick of pedes-
trianizivg. We were both, to add to ourdiscomforts of being
wet tau! weary, very lame with walking. flaying learnt
that a packet sailed for Liverpool next day at twelve, we de-
termined to avail -ourselves of it, and made for the first inn;
and having got comfortable tea, stretched ourselves on chairs
till bed-time, and fell fast asleep beside the fire. Next morn-
ing we arose early, and went over the ruins of Conway Castle,
a building of great extent, the walls still in excellent preserva-
tion ; the interior was quite dismantled, having been despoiled
of its timber, and had the steps of the turrets broken by the
Earl of Conway, most likely by order of Charles the Second,
by whom it was presented to him. It vas one of the castles
erected in the thirteenth century, by Edward the First, to
secure his conquest of the country. The view from it of the
Conway estuary, and the Chain Bridge below, is one of the
most extensive and lovely scenes in Wales. e visited the
bridge, a miniature copy of the Menai Bridge, obtained a
variety of tine specimens of copper ore from the gate-keeper
at a reaconable rate, and then embarked once more for Li-
verpool. Our four days' trip had furnished us with a fund of
amusing incidents, and given us much insight into Welsh
habits and manners; and we had seen some of its choicest
scenery. .And though we had had enough of pedestrianism
for a time, mainly from the weather having made our tour a
laborious one, the variety of incident we had met with from
that mode of travelling, made us fully satisfied of its superi-
ority over every other for a tourist, it he means to see every
thing and enjoy every thing; and we parted with the deter-
mination of renewing our travels in some other district as
soon as opportunity should permit,

" And to send out all our senses,
To bring us in intelligences;"
until which time my recital of further pedestrian adventures,
and of "the pcn'nurth of my tho't," must cease. 'l'. C. F.