Punic letters, and they all inftantly become profeffors in this moft ancient and radical language, which is fo little known to the most accomplished linguifts. For Infcriptions on Rocks, fee Gent. Mag vol. xxxv. p. 374. 401. and Phil. Tranf. vol. lvi. art. viii.

"In later times there have been found a few marks of antiquity, from which it may be conjectured that N. America was formerly inhabited by a nation more verfed in fcience and more civilifed than that which the Europeans found on their arrival there, or that a great military expedition was undertaken to this continent from these known parts of the world. This is confirmed by an account which I received from M. de Veraudrier, who commanded the expedition to the fouthward in perfon. I have heard it repeated by others, who have been eye-witneffes of all that happened on that occafion. Some years before I came into Canada, the then Governor-general Chev de Beauchaniois gave M de Veraudrier an order to go from Canada with a number of people on an expedition across N. America to the S. Sea, in order to examine how far those two places are diftant from each other, and to find out what advantages might accrue to Canada or Louifiana from a communication with that ocean. They fet out on horseback from Montreal, and went as far due W. as they could on account of the lakes, rivers, and mountains, in their way. As they came far into the country beyond many nations, they fometimes met with large tracts of land free from wood, but co

vered with a kind of very tall grafs for the space of fome days' journey. Many of these fields were everywhere covered with furrows, as if they had been ploughed and fowed frequently. It is to be ob ferved, that the nations who now inhabit N America could not cultivate the land in this manner, because they never made use of horfes, oxen, ploughs, or any inftruments of hufbandry, nor had they ever feen a plough before the Europeans came to them In two or three places, at a confiderable diftance from each other, our travellers met with impreffions of the feet of grown people and children in a rock; but this feems to have been no more than a Lufus Naturæ. When they came far to the Weft, where to the best of their knowledge no Frenchman or European had ever been, they found in one place in the woods, and again on a large plain, great pillars of ftone leaning upon each other. The pillars consisted of one single ftone each, and the French could not but fuppofe that they had been erected by human hands. Sometimes they have found fuch stones laid upon one another, and as it were formed into a wall. In fome of thofe places where they found fuch ftones, they could not find any other fort of ftones. They were not able to difcover any characters or writings upon any of thefe ftones, though they made a very careful search after them. At laft they met with a large ftone like a pillar, and in it a fmaller ftone was fixed, which was covered on both fides with unknown characters. This ftone, which was about a foot of French measure

in length, and between four and five inches broad, they broke loofe, and carried to Canada with them, from whence it was fent to France, to the Secretary of State, Count de Maurepas. What became of it afterwards they know not, but think it is preferved in his collection. Several of the Jefuits who have feen and handled this ftone in Canada unanimously affirm, that the letters on it are the fame with those which, in the books containing accounts of Tataria, are called Tatarian characters; and on comparing both together they found them perfectly alike. Notwithstanding the queftions which the French on the S. Sea expedition asked the people there, concerning the time when and by whom these pillars were erected, what their traditions and fentiments concerning them were, who wrote the characters, what was meant by them, what kind of letters they were, in what language they were written, and other circumstances, they could never get the leaft explication; the Indians being as ignorant of these things as the French themfelves. All they could fay was, that these ftones had been in those places from time immemorial. The places where the pillars ftood were goo French miles weftward of Montreal."

virtue receives public honours. It is in a village of Picardy, a place far diftant from the politenefs and luxury of great cities. There, an affecting ceremony, which draws tears from the fpectators, a folemnity, awful from its venerable antiquity and falutary influence, has been preferved, notwithstanding the revolutions of twelve centuries; there the fimple luftre of the flowers with which innocence is annually crowned, is at once the reward, the encouragement, and the emblem. fiere, indeed, ambition preys upon the young heart, but it is a gentle ambition; the prize is a hat, decorated with rofes. The preparations for a public decifion, the pomp of the feftival, the concourse people which it affembles, their attention fixed upon modefty, which does itself honour by its blushes, the fimplicity of the reward, an emblem of those virtues by which it is obtained, the affectionate friendship of the rivals, who, in heightening the triumph of their queen, conceal in the bottom of their worthy hearts the timid hope of reigning in their turn: all these circumftances united give a pleas ing and affecting pomp to this fingular ceremony, whichcaufesevery heart to palpitate, every eye to fparkle with tears of true delight, and makes wifdom the object of paflion. To be irreproachable, is not fufficient; there is a kind of noblenefs, of which proofs are required; a noblenefs, not of rank and dignity, but of worth and innocence. Thefe proofs muft include feveral generations, both on the father and mother's fide; fo that a whole family is crowned upon the head of one; the triumph

K

of

of one is the glory of the whole; and the old man with grey hairs, who sheds tears of fenfibility on the victory gained by the daughter of his fon, placed by her fide, receives, in effect, the reward of fixty years spent in a life of vir

tue.

By this means, emulation becomes general, for the honour of the whole; every one dreads, by an indelicate action, to dethrone either his fifter or his daughter. The crown of rofes, promifed to the most prudent, is expected with emotion, diftributed with justice, and establishes goodness, rectitude, and morality, in every family; it attaches the best peo-ple to the most peaceful refidence.

Example, powerful example,acts even at a distance; there the bud of worthy actions is unfolded, and the traveller, on approaching this territory, perceives, before he enters it, that he is not far from Salency. In the course of so many fucceffive ages, all around them has changed; they alone will tranfmit to their children the pure inheritance they received from their fathers: an inftitution truly great, from its fimplicity; powerful under an appearance of weak nefs: fuch is the almoft unknown influence of honours; fuch is the ftrength of that eafy fpring, by which all men may be governed: fow honour, and you will reap

virtue.

If we reflect upon the time the Salençians have celebrated this feftival, it is the most ancient ceremony exifting. If we attend to

its object, it is, perhaps, the only one which is dedicated to the fervice of virtue. If virtue is the most useful and eftimable advantage to fociety in general, this establishment, by which it is encouraged, is a public and national benefit, and belongs to France.

According to a tradition, handed down from age to age, Saint Medard, born at Salençy, proprietor, rather than lord, of the territory of Salency (for there were no fiefs at that time), was the inftitutor of that charming feftival, which has made virtue flourish for fo many ages. He had himself the pleafing confolation of enjoying the fruit of his wisdom, and his family was honoured with the prize which he had instituted, for his fifter obtained the crown of roses.

This affecting and valuable feftival has been tranfmitted from the fifth century to the prefent day. To this rofe is attached a purity of morals, which from time immemorial, has never fuffered the flightest blemish; to this rofe are attached the happiness, peace, and glory of the Salençians.

This rofe is the portion, frequently the only portion, which vir.ue brings with it; this rofe forms the amiable and pleasing tie of a happy marriage. Even fortune is anxious to obtain it, and comes with refpect to receive it from the hand of honourable indigence. A poffeffion of twelve hundred years, with fuch splendid advantages, is the fairest title that exifts in the world.

Defcription

Defcriptionand Antiquitiesof Rhuddlan Castle, Town, c. from Pennant's Journey to Snowdon.

BOUT a mile and a half farther ftands the fmall borough of Rhuddlan, feated high on the red clayey banks of the Clwyd, and above Morfa-Rhuddlan, a marth celebrated for the battle in 795, between the Saxons and Welfh:our monarch Caradoc fell in the conflict, and, I fear, victory declared against us. We do indeed fay, that Offa, the famous King of Mercia, was flain here; but the Saxon chronicle places his death the year before that battle. The fine plaintive Welsh tune, fo well known by the name of Morfa Rhuddlan, is fuppofed to have been compofed on this occafion: for victories are not the only fubjects forthe harp. How beautifully does David lament the blood of the flain on the mountains of Gilboa: how are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perifhed!

The caftle had been a handfome building, in a fquare, with two extremes placed at oppofite corners, with a double round tower at each; and a fingle one at the two other corners. The court forms an irregular octagon. The ditch is large, faced on both fides with ftone. The fteep flope to the river was defended by high walls, and fquare towers: one is entire, and there are velliges of two others: the firft is called Twyr-y-Silod; another, in the caftle, was named Twyr-y-Brenhin, or the King's Tower.

To the fouth of the caftle, at about a furlong distance, is a large artificial mount, the fite of another. fortiefs, of very early

date; the whole furrounded by a very deep fofs (including alfo the abbey) which croffes from the margin of the bank, near the afcent of the prefent road to St. Afaph, to another parallel road; near which it is continued, then turns and falls gearly into the fouthern part of the walled ditch of the caftle: the whole forms a fquare area, of very great extent. These different works were formed at three feveral times. The mount, now called Tut-Hill, and its fuperftructure (whatever it was), is thoroughly British, and is faid to have been built by Llewelyn ap Sitfylt, who reigned from the year 1015 to 1020. It was a refidence of our princes from that time: but Gryffyd ap Llewelyn in 1063, having given offence to Edward the Confeffor, by receiving Algar, one of his rebellious fubjects, was attacked by Harold, who in revenge burned the palace at Rhuddlan. It was foon restored, and as foon loft. Robert, afterwards furnamed of Rhuddlan, a valiant Norman, nephew to Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chefter, conquered it from the Welsh, and, by the command of William the Conqueror, fortified it with new works, and made it his place of refidence; from whence he greatly annoyed our countrymen. The fquare towers are evidently of Norman architecture, and naturally adopted by the new owner. Robert received here a vifit from our prince Gryffydd ap Kynan, who came to folicit aid against his enemies, from the Norman warrior; which he obtained: but on fome quarrel attacked him in his castle, took and burnt the bailey, or yard, and killed fuch a number of his men,

that very few escaped into the

towers.

Henry II. in 1157, added new ftrength to the cattle, and left a confiderable garrifon in it before he quitted the country. Not withitanding this, Owen Gwynedd, in 1167, took and dif mantled it; but it was afterwards re-fortified by the English; for it appears that this fortrefs had, with two others, been beftowed by Henry, with Emma, his natural fifter, on David ap Owen, fon and fuccellor to Owen Gwynedd. Here, in 1187, he entertained, very nobly, Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury, in his progrefs through Wales. Poffibly he refigned it again to the English; for I find that in 1214 it was befieged and taken by Llewelyn ap Jorworth, his fucceffor in the principality.

I must not omit relating, notwithstanding I am unable to give the year of the event, that Randle Blundevile earl of Chefter, was in this caftle furprised by a body of Welfh, and lay in the utmost difrefs, until he was relieved by his lieutenant, Roger Lacy, alias Hell, who collecting fuddenly a rabble of fiddlers and idle people, put the befiegers to flight. In reward he received from the earl, Magifterium omnium Leccatorum et meretricum totius Ceftrefhire.

I find it in poffeffion of Edward I. in 1277; who was fo well convinced of its importance in the conquest of Wales, that he made it the rendezvous of all the forces destined for that purpose. It was the place d'armes, and the great magazine of provifion for the fupport of his army, in its advance into the country. The reigning

prince, Llewelyn ap Gryffydd, knew the danger of leaving fo confequential a place in the hands of his enemy: but it refifted all the most vigorous efforts made on it in 1281, by Llewelyn and his brother David, juft reconciled to him by the fenfe of their cominon danger. Soon after, it proved the place of confinement to the latter, not long before his ignominious end at Shrewsbury.

In order to fecure it from any future attempts, Edward turned all his thoughts towards founding a fortrefs impregnable by any future attempts of the Welth. He accordingly began with an act of juftice, that of making_recompence to Mafter Richard Bernard, Parfon of Rhuddlan, for certain lands taken from him for the purpofe of enlarging the castle; and again, in 1282, made an exchange with the fame church, of fix acres and a half, for the fame uses: and on which he built the cattle, whofe ruins we now furvey. The finishing of, it took a confiderable time; for I find an order in 1291, for overlooking the works at the caftles of Rhuddlan, Flint and Chefter. I cannot but remark here, the strong neceffity of curbing the new-conquered country with powerful garrifons; for notwithftanding all the ravages of long and barbarous wars, it remained fo exceedingly populous, that Edward politically drafted out of it not lefs than fifteen thoufand men, in aid of his Scottish expedition. The confequence proved almost fatal to him: for while he lay encamped near Linlithgow, a national quarrel enfued between the English and Welsh troops; and after great

blood