Archbishop Leighton, and was determined to get through them before I began others. I was riding our spirited circuit mare (whose name was Bessy,) down a very long and steep hill, the reins in one hand, my book in the other. Suddenly a squirrel leaped over our heads from one tree to another, -the mare was frightened, and instantly sprang down a precipitous bank. Fearing she would dash me against the trees, I tried to dismount-I felt myself twisted like a screw-I fell headlong, and the mare galloped off. I lay upon the grouud groaning, and for some time lost my senses. After

a while I sat up, and found my face covered with blood; it seemed to come from nose, ears, eyes and mouth. In a few minutes after I had recovered myself, to my surprise, the mare came back to me, and gave every demonstration an animal could give of sorrow for her dangerous timidity and sympathy for my hurt. She pawed and snorted over me, and when, at length, I got up, I began to stroke and pat her on the neck. "O, Bessy," said I, "how could you serve me so ?" The poor thing licked my hands and face, and seemed to me to say, "Dear Sir, I am truly sorry; but I could not help it, the squirrel frightened me so." With much difficulty I mounted again,-the mare walking with wonderful gentleness and caution, as if determined to get into no more mischief. When I arrived at the house where I was to dine, the good people stared at me with alarm-my hat crushed, my clothes covered with mud, my face bloody, my eyes dreadfully discoloured;-but self and mare met

with good cheer and tried to forget the mishap. The next day being Sunday, I preached in the city of Hereford with two tremendously black eyes. "And what," some may say, "of all this? What can we learn from such a very little incident ?" Two things, beloved: first, don't read on horseback; secondly, don't neglect your preaching appointment on account of black eyes. If you can procure an efficient substitute, well and good; if not, don't be fastidious about your face.

I found the farmers on the tops of these huge Herefordshire hills remarkable for their good custom of early rising. Often was I "knocked up" at five in a winter's morning, to come down to breakfast and conduct family worship. But as I found that I had no appetite at five, I simply prayed with the family and labourers. I then went into a little room to study till eight, by which time a more select breakfast was ready for me and the heads of the family. In some of these lofty and retired localities a belief in witchcraft prevailed, and I was occasionally called upon to walk a couple of miles to talk and pray with persons bewitched,―persons who had to be sewed up in their beds because witches and the devil would pull off the bed clothes and pinch the poor bewitched till they were all over "dreadful bruises, black and blue."

I certainly saw these bruises, and certainly heard the moanings and lamentations of the sufferers, but could never divine the cause of them. I may here state, that some of the old divines, about two hundred years back, and some of our present race of

evangelical ministers, are somewhat strong and confident in their convictions of the existence of witches and their marvellous operations. For my own part the subject is too learned and difficult for me to make anything of it. I am sceptical; I shall, therefore, not bewitch the reader. I have known men and women too, however, who, if not bewitched, have been so thoroughly satanic in their tempers and behaviour, that they could not have said and done worse things had all the witches from the days of Saul to Macbeth bewitched them at once. What an admirable cure for malignant tempers and miserable superstitions is the rational, pure, and heavenly religion of Jesus Christ!

But, although I have declared my scepticism on the subject of witchcraft, I have not affirmed myself a confirmed unbeliever. The Rev. William Perkins, a great divine and elaborate writer, preached a very long sermon on the subject, which was published in 1618, and, in the edition I have, occupies no less than forty-six folio pages closely printed.

CHAPTER VI.

MY

MERTHYR TYDVIL, IN SOUTH WALES.

Y Hereford superintendent wishing me to travel with him again, I was appointed to this Welch circuit on leaving Hereford. Our congregations were composed of Welch people understanding English and several respectable English families not understanding Welch, though I found that some English people spoke Welch with tolerable facility. For the entire Welch congregations not understanding English, or not sufficiently to understand English preaching, it is well known that Welch ministers are provided.

I liked the Welch, and they said they liked me; I was very comfortable among them. I tried to learn a little of their language, but made very little progress in it. At Tredegar, where I resided, I read the Church prayers in the morning service, and was glad to find that many enjoyed them. The people on the mountains I found to be serious believers in fairies, ghosts and spirits. Some of the members of our own society would occasionally consult me about appointments they had made to

meet such and such a spirit at twelve o'clock at night at the foot of some glen, or at the mouth of a level or coal pit. My usual answer was, "If it is a bad spirit, don't go; if a good one, do as you like.” Tom somebody or other had stolen and hid a quantity of iron; he died; his ghost had, it was said, appeared to somebody or other, and he had promised that if Nathan Ninnyhammer would meet him at midnight at a certain place, without bringing company, he would shew him the iron. A mighty stir was made about this, but I neither heard nor wanted to hear the result.

One night, about eleven o'clock, I was crossing a mountain with a pious young man, and at a particular spot he stood still, whispering in my ear with great alarm, "Don't you see them, Sir ?" "See what or whom ?" said I. "The fairies, Sir. There they are in a round ring, don't you see them all in white ?" "Yes, I see them in white sure enough, let us go to them." venture, it will be dreadful.”

66

"O no, pray don't "Well then," said I,

you stay here, and wait till I come back." "O, don't!" "But I will." I walked right up to the beings in white, and found them a number of young cows or heifers, with white striped backs!

I will not incur the risk of offending my good friends in Wales, by dwelling on these superstitions. The Welch are fond of antiquities and of their language. No English preacher, who wishes to be happy with them, should disturb their opinions on these points. I met with remarkable instances of longevity among them. I invited an old woman to