After ordering dinner I said that as I was thirsty I should like to have
some ale forthwith.

'Ale you shall have, your honour,' said Tom, 'and some of the best ale
that can be drunk. This house is famous for ale.'

'I suppose you get your ale from Llangollen,' said I, 'which is
celebrated for its ale over Wales.'

'Get our ale from Llangollen?' said Tom, with a sneer of contempt, 'no,
nor anything else. As for the ale it was brewed in this house by your
honour's humble servant.'

'Oh,' said I, 'if you brewed it, it must of course be good. Pray bring
me some immediately, for I am anxious to drink ale of your brewing.'

'Your honour shall be obeyed,' said Tom, and disappearing returned in a
twinkling with a tray on which stood a jug filled with liquor and a
glass. He forthwith filled the glass, and pointing to its contents said:

'There, your honour, did you ever see such ale? Observe its colour! Does
it not look for all the world as pale and delicate as cowslip wine?'

'I wish it may not taste like cowslip wine,' said I; 'to tell you the
truth, I am no particular admirer of ale that looks pale and delicate;
for I always think there is no strength in it.'

'Taste it, your honour,' said Tom, 'and tell me if you ever tasted such
ale.'

I tasted it, and then took a copious draught. The ale was indeed
admirable, equal to the best that I had ever before drunk--rich and
mellow, with scarcely any smack of the hop in it, and though so pale and
delicate to the eye nearly as strong as brandy. I commended it highly to
the worthy Jenkins.

'That Llangollen ale indeed! no, no! ale like that, your honour, was
never brewed in that trumpery hole Llangollen,'

'You seem to have a very low opinion of Llangollen?' said I.

'How can I have anything but a low opinion of it, your honour? A
trumpery hole it is, and ever will remain so.'

'Many people of the first quality go to visit it,' said I.

'That is because it lies so handy for England, your honour. If it did
not, nobody would go to see it. What is there to see in Llangollen?'

'There is not much to see in the town, I admit,' said I, 'but the scenery
about it is beautiful: what mountains!'

'Mountains, your honour, mountains! well, we have mountains too, and as
beautiful as those of Llangollen. Then we have our lake, our Llyn Tegid,
the lake of beauty. Show me anything like that near Llangollen?'

'Then,' said I, 'there is your mound, your Tomen Bala. T