all grouped or scattered in the way you think best,--and
invention can suggest nothing more perfect.

"The valley of Llangollen belonged once to the far-famed Owen
Glendower, mentioned in Shakespeare's Plays, as 'not in the roll of
common men.' His palace stood near this formerly, and here he
maintained a war during twelve years against Henry IV., being a keen
adherent of Richard's; besides which, a private feud against Lord
Grey de Ruthyn whetted his exertions. Peace was, however, about to
be concluded in 1415, between the Welsh chief and the English king,
on very honourable terms, when, as we frequently observe, if any one
attains his utmost earthly desires, Owen died. But though the vale
of Llangollen boasts of such a hero, its chief celebrity arises from
a pair of heroines; and we lost no time in doing homage to their
memories, by scrambling our way up a steep ascent to that well-known
cottage, where the late Lady Eleanor Butler and the Honourable Miss
Ponsonby, during more than half a century, devoted their long lives
so romantically to friendship, celibacy, and the knitting of blue
stockings. It seems only astonishing that this is so very rare an
occurrence, for any one with a friend so richly endowed as my
accomplished correspondent, might feel safe from the possibility of
tiring, and might like to connect her name with so charming a scene
and with so romantic a story. Two successors to these fair hermits
have already sprung up, as substitutes for the original occupants,
following the same exclusive plan of life; and in a moment of
enthusiasm I felt much inclined to knock at the door and ask if they
would make it a trio. In the case of Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss
Ponsonby, very transient visits only were acceptable, and even their
own names remained long concealed, as the friends eloped
clandestinely without confiding to any one, except a maid servant,
the place of their retreat. The cause of this very close seclusion
having been variously conjectured, excited much gossipping curiosity
at the time; but from whatever cause the hermitage originated, here,
embowered in roses, they 'made a solitude and called it peace.'
After discussing the Ladies of Llangollen, our thoughts naturally
diverged into a general consideration, whether the greatest number of
voluntary recluses