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Notes from South Wales.

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Notes from South Wales. (From our Special Correspondent.) Another Story of Vicar Pritchard. I read a new story of old Vicar Pritchard of Llandovery, the other day. It will interest many readers, I have no doubt, as it is a story which seems to have had very little publicity. It appears that the reverend gentleman was a frequent visitor at the then Castle Inn. He had a favourite goat which used to accompany him thither, and now and again join in his potations. One day, the goat indulged too freely, with the usual result. The next day, the goat stubbornly refused to enter the inn at all, and so impressed was the owner by this circum- stance that he henceforth abjured strong drink. Sound Advice. A recent issue of a Welsh Church Parish Magazine contained the following :— Blessed are the peacemakers' who pull down the 'partition walls' of prejudice, misunderstanding, and ignorance so as to make both one,' and who toil in supplication for the accomplishment of our Blessed Lord's Great Intercession for the visible unity of His Church, whereby the world should know the truth of His Mission from the Father." That is very sound advice in the abstract, but, unfortunately, there is still a section of Anglican Clergy in Wales who will never admit that Nonconformity, for instance, is a part of His Church. So long as such wretched bigots exist in our country, it is useless hoping for "the visible unity of the Christian Church." Welsh Centenarian. A friend who is a regular reader of these Notes." has kindly forwarded me a copy of a recent issue of the Portsmouth Evening A/ews which contained a very interesting interview Which a reporter of that journal had with Mrs. Elizabeth Cochrane, who celebrated her looth birthday a few weeks ago. Although living at present in Portsmouth with her son-in-law and daughter, Mrs. Cochrane was born on May 17th, 1805, in Pembrokeshire, where she lived for many years, viz, in the Narberth and Pembroke Dock districts. She is in capital health, despite her advanced age, and can read her large print BIble without the aid of glasses. She is the C).aly surviving member of a. family of eleven sisters and brothers. Mrs. Cochrane can relate some interesting stories of her life in Pembroke- shire, and well remembers getting lights for the °*d stage coaches as they passed through Narberth. Aberystwyth in 1821. In reference to the interesting illustrated .etch of Aberystwyth in the last issue of this Journal, it is worth while reproducing a description of the town which appeared in The Cambrian ourist or Post-Chaise Companion through ales," published in 1821, by "Edwards and th0^0' Newgate Street, London." We entered th e town of Aberystwyth over a temporary ooden bridge. In the year 1796, a stone idge experienced the same fate with many others in Wales, occasioned by a sudden thaw. Mr. Edwards, from Dolgelly, has lately erected other, by contract, consisting of six arches. erystwyth, partaking much of the dirt of sea- ofr s general, is situated at the termination anH Va^e Rhyddol. The environs are stony k rugged; the coast affords indifferent bathing, ng much exposed; and the shore rough and £ Pleasant. At the castle, Edmund Goodere, of p' ^rmerj of the Mines Royal in the county j { ar(hgan, had letters patent, 13th of Charles Was erect a niint for coinage of such silver as hut r £ Vsec^ h"om the said mines royal in Wales de castle and houses for the mint were destroyed by the Civil War. On March 6th, hou °D Petition to this effect, the smelting by p6' v6ar refining mills, was appropriated ar'iament to this purpose, till the castle should be refitted. But, what formerly rendered this town more considerable, were the rich lead mines in its vicinity. These mines are said to have yielded near a hundred ounces of silver from a ton of lead, and to have produced a profit of two thousand pounds a month. Sir Hugh Middleton here made the vast fortune which he afterwards expended on the New River, constructed for the purpose of supplying the northern side of London with water. But Thomas Bushell raised these mines to their greatest height. An indenture was granted to him by King Charles 1. for the coining of silver pieces, to be stamped with ostrich feathers on both sides, for the benefit of paying his work- men. This gentleman was afterwards appointed Governor of Lundy Isle. The most consider- able lead mine was that of Bwlch-yr-Eskir-his [sic], discovered in the year 1690. The ore was here so near the surface that the moss and grass in some places scarcely covered it. During the season assemblies are held at Aberystwyth as at Brighton, Ramsgate, and other English sea- bathing places. Formerly, the town-hall likewise served as a theatre, but another building has now been erected for that purpose. Notwith- standing Aberystwyth is prevented by the sand bar at the entrance from receiving vessels of large tonnage, still its trade is considerable and increasing, carried on by vessels from 250 tons burthen down to 18. It has two markets in the week Monday for butter, &:c and Saturday for meat, besides which it is generally well supplied with fish, with which it furnishes the interior of the country as far as Shrewsbury and Worcester." Welsh Speech in France. Amongst the gentlemen who accompanied the' Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain to France, lately, to inspect the nurseries at Paris, Versailles, and other places, was Mr. D. Tudor Williams, of Aberdare. At Orleans the party were received by the Mayor, who presided at the banquet given to the Britishers. After dinner there were toasts, and Mr. Tudor Williams gave a speech in Welsh. I understand that the French Mayor was pro- foundly interested in the Cymric tongue, which he probably heard for the first time. By the way, talking about France, it may not be generally known that one of the finest and largest shops in Paris was originally established by a Welshman from Aberdare in conjunction with a Londoner. The shop in question was known as "Old England." Welsh Spiritualists! Like other great centres of population, Glamorganshire has all types of social and religious societies. For instance, there are Spiritualist societies at Cardiff, Merthyr, and other towns, and it is worth mentioning that Dr. Peebles, of the U.S.A., who lectured before the Merthyr Society the other day, said it was the first time for him to hear a hymn sung in Welsh, although he was 84 years old, had travelled the whole world four times, and been to Great Britain eight times. British Purity Brotherhood. This Society, which was founded by the Proctors of Cardiff, has just concluded a very successful session. A good number of young men attended at the Society's rooms, St. Mary Street, Cardiff (opposite Theatre Royal), to hear Mr. Alfred Proctor's "Straight Talks to Men," which were illustrated by admirable limelight views. A

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Notes from South Wales.