abbey, or an imposing country mansion
breaking on the view--all combined to make our journey through Wales one
of our most pleasing experiences. Historic spots are not far apart,
especially on the border, where for centuries these brave people fought
English invaders--and with wonderful success, considering the greatly
superior number of the aggressors. I have already written of Ludlow and
Shrewsbury on the north, but scarcely less attractive--and quite as
important in early days--are the fine old towns of Hereford and Monmouth
on the southern border.

We were everywhere favorably impressed with the Welsh people as being
thrifty and intelligent. The roadside drinking-houses were not so
numerous as in England, for the Welsh are evidently more temperate in
this regard than their neighbors. My observation in this particular is
borne out by an English writer well qualified to judge. He says: "There
is, of a truth, very little drinking now in rural Wales. The farming
classes appear to be extremely sober. Even the village parliament, which
in England discusses the nation's affairs in the village public house,
has no serious parallel in Wales, for the detached cottage-renting
laborer, who is the mainstay of such gatherings, scarcely exists, and
the farmer has other interests to keep him at home." Evidently the Welsh
farmer does attend to his business in an industrious manner, for he
generally has a substantial and prosperous appearance. People with whom
we engaged in conversation were always courteous and obliging and almost
everything conspired to heighten our good opinion of the Welsh. The
fusion with England is nearly complete and the Welsh language is
comparatively little used except by the older people. King Edward has no
more loyal subjects than the Welshmen, but apparently they do not
greatly incline towards admitting his claims as their spiritual head.
The Church of England in Wales is greatly inferior in numbers and
influence to the various nonconformist branches. This is especially true
of the more rural sections.

We found Monmouth an unusually interesting town on account of its
antiquity and the numerous historic events which transpired within its
walls. At the King's Head Hotel, which of course afforded shelter to
Charles I when he was "touring" Britain, we were able with difficulty to
find accommodation, so crowded was the house with an incursion of
English trippers. Monmouth's chief glory and distinction is th