第48章

Havingoftenheardofthisabbey，whichinitsdaywasoneofthemostfamousinWales，Ideterminedtogoandinspectit。ItwaswithsomedifficultythatIfoundmywaytoit。Itstood，asI

havealreadyobserved，inameadow，andwasonalmosteverysidesurroundedbymajestichills。Togiveanycleardescriptionofthisruinedpilewouldbeimpossible，thedilapidationissogreat，dilapidationevidentlylesstheeffectoftimethanofawfulviolence，perhapsthatofgunpowder。Thesouthernisbyfarthemostperfectportionofthebuilding；thereyouseenotonlywallsbutroofs。Frontingyoufullsouth，isamassofmasonrywithtwoimmensearches，otherarchesbehindthem：entering，youfindyourselfbeneathavaultedroof，andpassingonyoucometoanoblongsquarewhichmayhavebeenachurch；aniron—barredwindowonyourrightenablesyoutolookintoamightyvault，theroofofwhichissupportedbybeautifulpillars。Then—butIforbeartosaymorerespectingtheseremains，forfearofstatingwhatisincorrect，mystayamongstthemhavingbeenexceedinglyshort。

TheAbbeyofGlenNeathwasfoundedinthetwelfthcenturybyRichardGrenfield，oneofthefollowersofRobertFitzhamon，whosubjugatedGlamorgan。NeathAbbeywasaverywealthyone，thefounderhavingendoweditwithextensivetractsoffertilelandalongthebanksoftheriversNeathandTawy。InittheunfortunateEdwardofCarnarvonsoughtarefugeforafewdaysfromtherageofhisrevoltedbarons，whilsthisfavourite，theequallyunfortunateSpencer，endeavouredtofindacovertamidstthethicketsofthewood—coveredhilltothenorth。WhenRichmondlandedatMilfordHaventodisputethecrownwithRichardtheSecond，thethenAbbotofNeathrepairedtohimandgavehimhisbenediction，inrequitalforwhichtheadventurergavehimhispromisethatintheeventofhisobtainingthecrown，hewouldfoundacollegeinGlenNeath，whichpromise，however，afterhehadwonthecrown，heforgottoperform。（20）Thewilyabbot，whenhehastenedtopayworshiptowhathejustlyconceivedtobetherisingsun，littledreamtthathewasabouttoblessthefuturefatheroftheterriblemandoomedbyProvidencetoplanttheabominationofdesolationinNeathAbbeyandinalltheothernestsofmonkerythroughouttheland。

LeavingtheruinsIproceededtowardsNeath。Thescenerysoonbecameverybeautiful；notthatIhadleftmachineryaltogetherbehind，forIpresentlycametoaplacewherehugewheelswereturning，andtherewassmokeandblast，buttherewasmuchthatwasruralandbeautifultobeseen，somethinglikeparkscenery，andthentherewerethemountainsnearandinthedistance。IreachedNeathatabouthalf—pastfour，andtookupmyquartersataninnwhichhadbeenrecommendedtomebymyfriendthebootsatSwansea。

CHAPTERCIII

TownofNeath—HoundsandHuntsman—SpectralChapel—TheGlowingMountainNEATHisaplaceofsomeantiquity，foritcanboastoftheremainsofacastleandisacorporatetown。ThereisbutlittleWelshspokeninit。ItissituatedontheNeath，andexportsvastquantitiesofcoalandiron，ofbothofwhichtherearerichminesintheneighbourhood。ItderivesitsnamefromtheriverNeddorNeth，onwhichitstands。NeddorNethisthesamewordasNith，thenameofariverinScotland，andisinsomedegreeconnectedwithNidda，thenameofoneinGermany。NeddinWelshsignifiesadingle，andthewordinitsvariousformshasalwayssomethingtodowithlownessorinferiorityofposition。AmongstitsformsareNetherandNieder。ThetermiswellappliedtotheGlamorganshireriver，whichrunsthroughdinglesandundermountains。

TheNeathhasitssourceinthemountainsofBrecon，andenterstheseasomelittlewaybelowthetownofNeath。

OntheMondaymorningIresumedmyjourney，directingmycourseupthevaleofNeathtowardsMerthyrTydvil，distantaboutfour—and—

twentymiles。Theweatherwasatfirstrainy，mistyandmiserable，butimprovedbydegrees。IpassedthroughavillagewhichIwastoldwascalledLlanagos；closetoitwereimmenseestablishmentsofsomekind。Thescenerysoonbecameexceedinglybeautiful；hillscoveredwithwoodtothetopswereoneithersideofthedale。I

passedanavenueleadingsomewherethroughgroves，andwaspresentlyovertakenandpassedbyhoundsandarespectable—lookingoldhuntsmanonablackhorse；aminuteafterwardsIcaughtaglimpseofanoldred—brickmansionnearlyembosomedingroves，fromwhichproceededamightycawing。Probablyitbelongedtotheproprietorofthedogs，andcertainlylookedaveryfitmansionforaGlamorganshiresquire，justiceofthepeaceandkeeperofapackofhounds。

Iwenton，thevaleincreasinginbeauty；therewasaconsiderabledrawback，however：oneofthosedetestablecontrivances，arailroad，wasonthefartherside—alongwhichtrainswerepassing，rumblingandscreaming。

Isawabridgeonmyrighthandwithfiveorsixlowarchesovertheriver，whichwasherefullofshoals。Askedawomanthenameofthebridge。

"PONTFAWReigalw，sir。"

IwasagainamongsttherealWelsh—thiswomanhadnoEnglish。

Ipassedbyseveralremarkablemountains，bothonthesouthandnorthernsideofthevale。LateintheafternoonIcametotheeasternextremityofthevaleandascendedaheight。ShortlyafterwardsIreachedRhigos，asmallvillage。

Enteringapublic—houseIcalledforaleandsatdownamidstsomegrimyfellows，whosaidnothingtomeandtowhomIsaidnothing—

theirdiscoursewasinWelshandEnglish。OftheirWelshI

understoodbutlittle，foritwasastrangecorruptjargon。Inabouthalf—an—hourafterleavingthisplaceIcametothebeginningofavastmoor。Itwasnowgrowingratherdusk，andIcouldseeblazeshereandthere；occasionallyIheardhorridsounds。CametoIrvan，anenormousmining—placewithaspectral—lookingchapel，doubtlessaMethodistone。Thestreetwascrowdedwithrough，savage—lookingmen。"IsthisthewaytoMerthyrTydvil？"saidItoone。

"Yes！"bawledthefellowattheutmoststretchofhisvoice。

"Thankyou！"saidI，takingoffmyhatandpassingon。

ForwardIwent，uphillanddowndale。Nightnowsetin。Ipassedagroveoftreesandpresentlycametoacollectionofsmallhousesatthebottomofalittlehollow。HearingastepnearmeIstoppedandsaidinWelsh："HowfartoMerthyrTydvil？"

"DimCumrag，sir！"saidavoice，seeminglythatofaman。

"Goodnight！"saidI，andwithoutstayingtoputthequestioninEnglish，Ipushedonupanascent，andwaspresentlyamongsttrees。

Heardforalongtimethehootingofanowlorratherthefrantichollo。Appearedtopassbywherethebirdhaditsstation。Toiledupanacclivityandwhenonthetopstoodstillandlookedaroundme。Therewasaglowonallsidesintheheaven，exceptinthenorth—eastquarter。StridingonIsawacottageonmylefthand，andstandingatthedoorthefigureofawoman。"HowfartoMerthyr？"saidIinWelsh。

"Tairmilltir—threemiles，sir。"

TurningroundacorneratthetopofahillIsawblazeshereandthere，andwhatappearedtobeaglowingmountaininthesouth—

east。Iwenttowardsitdownadescentwhichcontinuedforalong，longway；sogreatwasthelightcastbytheblazesandthatwonderfulglowingobject，thatIcoulddistinctlyseethelittlestonesupontheroad。Afterwalkingabouthalf—an—hour，alwaysgoingdownwards，Isawahouseonmylefthandandheardanoiseofwateroppositetoit。Itwasapistyll。Iwenttoit，drankgreedily，andthenhurriedon。Moreandmoreblazes，andtheglowingobjectlookingmoreterriblethanever。Itwasnowabovemeatsomedistancetotheleft，andIcouldseethatitwasanimmensequantityofheatedmatterlikelava，occupyingtheupperandmiddlepartsofahill，anddescendinghereandtherealmosttothebottominazigzagandtortuousmanner。Betweenmeandthehilloftheburningobjectlayadeepravine。AfteratimeIcametoahouse，againstthedoorofwhichamanwasleaning。"Whatisallthatburningstuffabove，myfriend？"

"Drossfromtheironforges，sir！"

Inowperceivedavalleybelowmefulloflights，anddescendingreachedhousesandatramway。Ihadblazesnowallaroundme。I

wentthroughafilthyslough，overabridge，andupastreet，fromwhichdirtylanesbranchedoffoneitherside，passedthrongsofsavage—lookingpeopletalkingclamorously，shrankfromaddressinganyofthem，andfinally，undirected，foundmyselfbeforetheCastleInnatMerthyrTydvil。

CHAPTERCIV

IronandCoal—TheMartyredPrincess—CyfarthaFawr—DiabolicalStructure。

MERTHYRTYDVILissituatedinabroadvalleythroughwhichrollthewatersoftheTaf。Itwastilllateaninconsiderablevillage，butisatpresentthegreatestminingplaceinBritain，andmaybecalledwithmuchproprietythecapitaloftheironandcoal。

ItbearsthenameofMerthyrTydvil，whichsignifiestheMartyrTydvil，becauseintheo