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And ere thy snowy breast was stirr'd by passion or a sigh.

I loved thee! I loved thee while that bosom was a shrine

The Topographer.

TRAVELLING NOTES IN SOUTH WALES.

(For the Mirror.)

ABSENTEEISM is a great, and we fear, an increasing evil. The present unsettled state of the continent will, however, do more towards its prevention than anything that ever has been, or can be, written on the subject. Some go for the sake of economy, others for change; but it has been well remarked that few, very few Englishmen know much of their own country, where there exists abundant, we may say almost exhaustless, objects and scenes to repay the seeking; and it is becoming sufficiently notorious to the inquirer on the subject, that in point of cheapness, France cannot exceed, nor indeed equal, Wales, or the two western counties of England, while the climate along our southern shores from Penzance (to which we shall shortly introduce our

of feelings meek and holy-of thoughts that readers) eastward, in point of salubrity,

were divine

Of wishes scarcely born amid these regions dim and drear,

And hopes of no connexion with this sin-polluted

sphere.

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may fairly challenge the whole world. This is strong language, but we use it deliberately. Few studies are more interesting than that of topography-we may

derive an almost exhaustless fund of entertainment and instruction from studying that of our own country; while a personal inspection of the various objects or scenes not only leads us to trace the wonderful transactions of Providence, but enhances the interest in a high degree. It is true, some of these remarks are common-place, but the ignorance

I gazed upon thy pallid face, that told of joys which still exists on the difference be

departed

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And all I gazed with rapture on is blended with decay ;

tween England and the continent on many points of inquiry is surprising, considering that thousands of families have been emigrating there since the peace. The result of a few practical observations on this subject shall be adverted to in the course of these Notes. Steam has now rendered the most remote parts of these islands accessible even to the valetudinarian.

The fragments which follow, may be considered as the commencement of a series of "Rough Notes," from personal observation and inquiry. So without further preface, I will set the reader down at Pyle, in Glamorganshirea county which presents features of considerable interest, whether regarded

I love thee! I love thee! and shall not cease to in a mineralogical, commercial, agricul

sigh,

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tural, or even antiquarian point of view. National Peculiarities. The observant traveller will not have journeyed far in Wales, before the striking difference between the people and those whom he

has been accustomed to see, will forcibly attract his attention. The high cheek bones and Gaelic appearance of the men betoken a different race—the language is entirely strange and new-and the dress and habits of the fair sex are at first remarkable to a stranger. The almost universal costume of the women consists of a man's hat, and large coarse red shawl "negligently disposed" round the body. It is a serious matter to a stranger to meet a squadron of these old ladies going along the road at a round "butter and egg "trot to Swansea, or any large town, on a market-day, sitting astride on horseback between two large projecting panniers of provisions. Luckless is he who does not draw into the ditch, particularly if it is dusk, as they advance, sweeping the road before them like a sirocco. The writer has often seen twenty or thirty together in a body, and has more than once when on horseback, been nearly overturned from the want of a timely attendance to the above precaution. Such is the force of habit, that we had not resided long in Wales before we came to consider a man's hat as the fittest ornament for the head of the fair sex! the great similarity in the features and appearance of the people may, perhaps, be attributable to this dress.

Anecdote of Nelson: Welsh Boroughs. -At a village a few miles from Pyle, we heard a characteristic anecdote; but first we must say a word or two on Welsh boroughs, several of which as in Scotland, unite in returning a member to parliament. An election here is a widely different affair from one in England; and the dignity of the Portreeve and Aldermen seems to increase in an inverse ratio with the size and insignificance of their borough. We question much if some of these dignitaries would yield the precedence to the Metropolitan Corporation. In these small boroughs it of necessity happens that the larger number of the aldermen are composed from the working classes. Very ludicrous incidents sometimes occur in consequence, many of which have come under the writer's observation. The story of the Cornish Portreeve who was found plastering a house when summoned to attend the election of the parliamentary candidate for the borough, is well known. A similar incident occurred on the present occasion. Lord Nelson passing the village on a journey to Pembroke Dock Yard, whilst the horses were changing, sent a message, according to his custom, that he should be most happy to pay his respects to

the Portreeve. Unluckily his worship was totally unprepared for this honour, being busily engaged repairing the roof of a neighbouring house. He contrived, however, to slip on his best clothes, and after due congratulations had passed between the parties, his lordship was attended to his carriage by our dignitary, and just as he was going to order the postilions to proceed, his worship advanced, made a bow, stammered, and touching his hat, said he hoped "his lordship would please remember the portreeve!" The admiral could no longer check the mirth that was uppermost-"I will remember you, by I never shall forget you to the last day. of my life!"

!

Welsh Graves.-At Pyle churchyard we were much pleased with the interesting custom of planting and decorating the graves with flowers or shrubs, by the surviving relations. There is something which appeals to the best feelings of our hearts in the simple custom, which is one of high antiquity. Those at Pyle had been apparently attendde with care, and we need not add watered, as Pyle is one of the wettest spots near the coast. We were subsequently much struck with this custom at the singularly romantic village of Penrice in Gower, about fifteen miles from Swansea.

Neath. The scenery along the road to this thriving little town, skirts the coast, and is often of the finest description. Britton Ferry and the entrance to the Vale of Neath, which stands in a sort of immense natural amphitheatre, is exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. The traveller is struck with the immense heaps or hills of Copper Slag (the scoriæ or refuse of the ore) marking the site of copper works that have long since ceased to exist. The roads in this district are almost entirely composed of this novel material, which for such purpose is certainly unrivalled. In Neath and its neighbourhood are large iron and copper works, and collieries of coal and culm. You begin to see you are entering a new region. The ruins of Neath Abbey may rank among the finest in Wales. They are now almost literally surrounded by iron works. We could not help picturing to ourselves the wide contrast afforded by the scene of busy industry around us, with the indolent and luxurious life of the former tenants of this once extensive abbey, and its rich domain. If our thoughts wandered to days of old, it was only for an instant; the clanking of hammers, the noise of workmen, and the rattling of a

ramroad, which passes through what was once consecrated ground, speedily dissipated such feelings. To the reflecting mind the scene was rife with interest. In our next paper we shall give a sketch of the history of this fine ruin.

At Neath we met, for the first time, with the Jumpers, a religious sect almost peculiar to Wales. Being attracted by the most dissonant and uncouth sounds in a chapel, we entered and witnessed what we cannot but consider a most extraordinary scene. The preacher had gradually worked himself up into a frenzy, until he began to jump; the infection soon became universal men, women, and children the whole congregation threw themselves into the most violent and extra vagant attitudes, sometimes seizing each other by the head in a perfect frenzy resembling, en masse, the waves of an agitated sea, and uttering yells which we cannot better describe than as hideous. This fanatical frenzy does not desert them until they reach their respective homes (and some come a considerable distance) dancing along the whole way. When the meeting broke up, we observed the merest children affected similarly to those of a larger growth. This is no overdrawn picture, but rather the reverse; we forbear making any remarks on it; there was a sort of a controversy in the Cumbrian newspaper, on the subject, a year or two ago.

Road to Swansea: Night Scene.-At Morriston, about five miles from Neath, the entrance to the Vale of Tawy, lead ing to Swansea, (distant three miles) when seen at night is at once novel and surprising. Most of the copper ore in the kingdom is smelted in this vale, which forms no bad representation at night of the infernal regions; all vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the copper works is totally blasted-it is a desolate-looking place. A lurid glare is first seen spread over the landscape. On nearing the works, some of which are in the hollow close to the road side, some on the rise of the hill in the distance, a vast congregation of flues vomiting forth deep coloured flames and fire-once or twice varied with the brilliant glare of a blast furnace, and overshadowed by an immense cloud of smoke, which forms a heavy canopy over the scene, certainly impresses a stranger very forcibly, and leads him to form no very favourable opinion of the environs of Swansea. But it affords a wide contrast to the rich and beautiful scenery of the road from Swansea to the Mumbles,

on the other side of the town. All this, however, is nothing to the Vale of Merthyr Tydvil (the seat of the works of Messrs. Crawshay, Guests, &c.} which when seen under similar circumstances, is most wonderful. But here we must pause. VYVYAN.

The Naturalist.

THE ELEPHANT.

(From the Menageries, Vol. ii. or Part 13, of the Library of Entertaining Knowledge.)

Food. The quantity of food required for the daily consumption of a fullgrown elephant is enormous. The ele phant of Louis XIV. had daily eighty pounds of bread, twelve pints of wine, and a large quantity of vegetable soup, with bread and rice; this was exclusive of grass, and what he got from visiters, Desmarest states, that the domesticated elephant requires daily about two hundred pounds of aliment of all sorts. It is recorded by one of the Roman histo rians, that the elephants which were taken from the Carthaginians, by Me tellus, were so expensive to keep, that they were put to death in the Circus. The elephant, if not well-fed, and with regularity, soon becomes a miserable object.† Bishop Heber witnessed the wretched condition of an old elephant that had been cheated of his proper allowance. "Adjoining the pool we saw a crowd of people assembled round a fallen elephant; apprehending that it was one of our own, I urged my horse to the spot. On asking, however, whose it was, a bystander said it belonged to

the asylum of the world,' and had fallen down from weakness, which was not surprising, since, instead of an allowance of twenty-five rupees a month, necessary for the keep of an elephant, I was told that these poor creatures, all but those in the immediate stable of his majesty, had, for some time back, owing to the dilapidated state of the finances, and the roguery of the commissariat, received only five. They had now given the wretched animal a cordial, and were endeavouring to raise it on its legs, but in vain. It groaned pitifully, but lay quite helpless, and was, in fact, a mountain of skin and bone." This happened in the Nawab Vizier's country, where elephants, not many years ago, were maintained in great numbers,

*See Pliny, liv. viii. c. 7.

+ Williamson's Oriental Field Sports.
Journal, vol. ii. p. 46.

from those resources which only Asiatic despotism could command. The cost of a stud of elephants, such as the Mogul princes kept up, must have been enormous. To each of the hundred and one elephants that were set apart for the Emperor Akbar's own riding, the daily allowance of food was two hundred pounds in weight. Most of them, in addition, had ten pounds of sugar, besides, rice, pepper, and milk. In the sugar-cane season, each elephant had daily three hundred canes." The elephants of our English menageries are principally fed upon hay and carrots.

Size.-The elephant is, beyond comparison with others, the largest of all land animals. An old anatomist has properly described him as "animal vastissimum ;" and we may admit this description without adopting the exaggerated accounts of his height which have been so commonly circulated. Mr. Corse, who, perhaps, saw more Indian elephants than any other European, never heard of more than one elephant whose height much exceeded ten feet. This was a male belonging to the late Vizier of Oude. His dimensions, as accurately measured, were as follow:

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the insertion of the tail.... 15 11 The East India Company's standard, for serviceable elephants, is seven feet and upwards, measured at the shoulder, n the same manner that horses are

measured. At the middle of the back, which is curved, they are several inches higher. The height of a living elephant is exceedingly deceptive, even to those who are most accustomed to the animal. Mr. Corse measured a celebrated elephant of the Nabob of Dacca, which was generally stated to be fourteen feet high, and which he considered to be twelve; it was found not to exceed ten feet.

It seems agreed that a large elephant weighs from six thousand to seven thousand pounds. Of this weight the carcass is about four-fifths. "

Ear for Music.-Sir Everard Home is of opinion, that the elephant has not a musical ear; but, however this may be, the animal is evidently not insensible to musical sounds. We have observed

Ayeen Akbery.

the female elephant now at Mr. Cross's menagerie bring forward her ears, as the Guards have marched from the adjoining barrack to the loud notes of a military band; and the motions of her restless body have certainly been adapted to the movement of the air, which she gave evidence of having heard. Sir Everard Home presents us with an example of the power of the elephant to discriminate between the two great properties of musical sounds-a different capacity, certainly, from that of sical ear, but still very remarkable :

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"As a matter of curiosity, I got Mr. Broadwood to send one of his tuners with a pianoforte to the menageries of wild beasts in Exeter 'Change, that I might know the effect of acute and grave sounds upon the ear of a fullgrown elephant. The acute sounds seemed hardly to attract his notice; but as soon as the grave notes were struck, he became all attention, brought forward the large external ear, tried to discover where the sounds came from, remained in the attitude of listening, and after some time made noises by no means of dissatisfaction."

The present Part is full of Engravings of the most interesting character, when contrasted with the common-place embellishments of many popular works on the history of animals.

Fine Arts.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE.

(Continued from page 57.) ABOVE the Waterloo relief is a large pedestal, with statues of Victory at each corner, having in the centre Europe and Wellington. Asia, bearing the bust of the Duke of Surmounting the whole of his Majesty. The equestrian statue will be an equestrian statue, in bronze, is by Chantrey; the other sculpture was designed and executed by Flaxman, Westmacott, and Rossi. The side of the triumphal arch facing the Palace presents emblems and decorations of a similar character to those on the other side. Over the small gateways are

figures of Valour and Virtue on the one

one side, and Peace and Plenty on the other. Occupying the same place with the representation of Waterloo is the battle of Trafalgar, in bold relief, and corresponding with Europe and Asia, bearing the bust of the Duke of Wellington, is Britannia with her attendants, contemplating a medallion of Nelson. The bas-reliefs are from designs by Flaxman, and executed by Bailey. The

whole of this gorgeous pile will, when finished, be about sixty feet high. The gates are to be of mosaic gold; and the palisade, which is to connect it with the wings of the Palace, are to be spears of the richest workmanship that has yet been executed for such a purpose in that superb metal.

Having passed through the triumphal arch into the quadrangle, which is surrounded by a peristyle of Grecian Doric columns, instead of an arcade, admittance is gained to the interior under the portico which opens into the hall.

Hall. Here the taste and skill of the architect justly entitle him to great applause. The ceiling, as we before mentioned, is only eighteen feet high; but he has so arranged the double columns which support it, that the eye is at once attracted to details, and the attention taken from the general defect of the lowness of the ceiling by statues placed in front of those coupled columns, and by the white marble pavement being surrounded by a mosaic border, formed of different marbles, as a Vitruvian scroll. Guard Chamber-Ascending from the hall by a wide flight of steps is a superb guard-chamber, about one hundred and twenty feet in length, also ornamented with marble pillars, each of a single block.

The total number of columns in the hall and guard-room is one hundred and four, all of white marble, with golden capitals.

The Great Staircase. On the left hand, at the end of the hall, a spacious flight of two or three marble steps leads to the great staircase, which is also of white marble. It consists of a centre, and two returning flights. The centre flight beyond the first landing is carried up to the entrance of the armory, from which the effect is beautiful and theatrical. But the staircase, notwithstand ing its beauty of outline and details, is perhaps liable to objection, as being too small for a palace. The impression, however, of the columns, the statues, and the reliefs, is undoubtedly elegant in the strictest meaning of the term.

We shall now proceed through the state apartments, as they are intended to be used on high days and holidays.

On

Saloon and Throne - Chamber. ascending the great stairs, leaving the flight which leads to the armory on the right or on the left, the landing-place opens into a vestibule. The saloon is beyond the vestibule, and the thronechamber beyond the saloon. These apartments are of noble dimensions; the saloon is fifty, and the throne-cham

ber sixty feet in length, and forty is elevation. They will, when furnished, be the most gorgeous in the palace. It is, indeed, not easy to conceive anything more splendid than the designs for the ceilings, which are to be finished in a style new in this country, partaking very much of the boldest style, in the Italian taste, of the fifteenth century, and recall to recollection the splendid works of the great masters of that school, as seen in the works of Bibiena and others. They will present the effect of embossed gold ornaments, raised on a ground of colour suitable to the character and other decorations of the rooms. The walls are to be hung with silks. The cove ornaments of the thronechamber will exhibit the arms of the Kings of England, and those of distinguished warriors, and other individuals. connected with the royal family: four bas-reliefs will occupy as many compartments of the walls, each representing some celebrated circumstance in the history of the Garter, the Thistle, the Bath, and the St. Patrick. The walls of the saloon are also to be decorated with bas-reliefs; and it will be particularly agreeable on crowded court days, as it opens into the portico, which affords to the visiters in the state apartments the enjoyment of a splendid pavilion for promenading in the open air, and will be one of the most attractive parts of the palace.

Picture Gallery. It is one hundred and seventy five feet in length, lighted by two rows of circular windows of ground glass in the ceiling, representing the stars of all the orders of knighthood in Europe. It would seem that a star-chamber is a necessary appendage to the English monarchy; but from the gaiety of this room, we have some assurance that it will be applied to far different uses than those of the ancient star-chamber in the palace of Westminster. The ceiling of this gallery is not only picturesque and splendid, but really curious; possessing all the richness and play of outline of Gothic architecture, produced by a most skilful combination of classic forms; and certainly overthrows a position frequently advanced, that classic architecture could not in this effect vie with the Gothic.

State Bedchamber.-Passing across the gallery, a door leads into the state bedchamber, behind which is the King's closet. This chamber is fifty feet in length, and, like those of all the other state-rooms, the ceiling is of that richlyornamented character already described.

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Drawing Rooms. The next apart

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