13. Princess Amelia, born August 7, 1783. Iffue of the late prince of Wales by the princefs Augufta of Saxe-Gotha, now living: 1. Her royal highness Augufta, born August 11, 1737; married the hereditary prince (now duke) of Brunfwick Lunenburg, January 16, 1764. 2. His prefent majefty. 3. Prince William-Henry, duke of Gloucester, born November 25, 1743 WALES." THOUGH this principality is politically included in England, yet, as it has diftinction in language and manners, we have, in conformity with common cuftom, affigned it a separate article. Miles. Length 1302 EXTENT AND SITUATION. Degrees. between {2,21 and 4,56 Weft longitude. 51 and 54 North latitude. Area in fquare miles, 7011. NAME AND LANGUAGE.] The Welch, according to the beft antiquaries, are defcendants of the Belgic Gauls, who made a fettlement in England about fourfcore years before the first defcent of Julius Cæfar, and thereby obtained the name of Galles or Walles (the G and W being promifcuously used by the ancient Britons), that is, Strangers. Their language is a dialect of the Celtic, or language of the ancient Gauls, probably little changed by time, and is highly commended for its pathetic and defcriptive powers. that BOUNDARIES.] Wales was formerly of greater extent than it is at prefent, being bounded only by the Severn and the Dee; but after the Saxons had made themfelves mafters of all the plain country, the Welch, or ancient Britons, were fhut up within more narrow bounds, and obliged gradually to retreat weftward. It does not however appear the Saxons ever made any farther conquefts in their country than Monmouthfhire and Herefordshire, which are now reckoned part of England. This country is divided into four circuits, comprehending twelve counties. See ENGLAND. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND WATER.] The seasons are nearly the fame as in the northern parts of England, and the air is sharp, but wholesome. The foil of Wales, especially towards the north, is mountainous, but contains rich valleys, which produce crops of wheat, rye, and other corn. Wales contains many quarries of freeftone and flate, several mines of lead, and abundance of coal-pits. This country is well fupplied with wholesome springs; and its chief rivers are the Clwyd, the Wheeler, the Dee, the Severn, the Elwy, and the Alen, which furnish Flintshire with great quantities of fish. MOUNTAINS.] It would be endless to particularife the mountains of this country. Snowdon, in Caernarvonshire, and Plinlimmon, which addre Ted a note immediately to the king of Great Britain, in which he expreffed a wish to contribute effectually to a general pacification; and in a fecond note, afterwards tranfmitted by M. Talleyrand, to the English miniftry, propofed " an immediate fufpenfion of arms, and that plenipotentiaries on each fide fhould repair to Dunkirk, or any other town as advantageously fituated, for the quickness of the refpective communications, and who fhould apply themselves, without any delay, to effect the re-establishment of peace and a good understanding between the French republic and England."-The British miniftry, however, fhowed no difpofition to accede to the overture, probably conceiving the new government of France not to have as yet acquired fufficient stability to be treated with, and encouraged, by the fuccefs which had attended the arms of the allies in the preceding campaign, to hope that they should be able still more effectually to humble and weaken France by a continuance of the war. Yet we truft we shall not be deemed either wanting in respect for the government, or deficient in real love for our country, fhould we recommend to the rulers of nations to recollect the uncertainty of the event of a campaign, and how frequently the jealoufies of allied powers, whofe views and interefts cannot be the fame, diffolve the firmeft leagues, and fruftrate the beft concerted plans; how expenfive, and frequently ruinous, are the triumphs of war; and how extenfively beneficial and folid are the advantages of peace, even though purchased by confiderable conceffions, and the facrifice of a falfe honour. GENEALOGICAL LIST OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF GREAT BRITAIN. George-William-Frederic III. born June 4, 1738; proclaimed king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, and elector of Hanover, October 26, 1760; and married, September 8, 1761, to the princefs SophiaCharlotte, of Mecklenburg Strelitz, born May 16, 1744, crowned September 22, 1761, and now have iffue: 1. George-Auguftus-Frederic, prince of Wales, born August 12, 1762; married, April 8, 1795, to her highness the princefs Caroline of Brunfwick; has iffue, Jan. 7, 1796, a princess. 2. Prince Frederic, born August 16, 1763; cleted bishop of Ofnaburg, February 27, 1764; created duke of York and Albany, November 7, 1784, K. G. and K. B.; married, September 29, 1791, FredericaCharlotta-Ulrica-Catharina, princefs royal of Pruffia. 3. Prince William-Henry, born August 21, 1765; created duke of Clarence, K. G. and K. T. 4. Charlotte-Augufta-Matilda, princefs royal of England, born September 29, 1766; married, May 18, 1797, to his ferene highness Frederic-William, hereditary prince of Wurtemberg-Stuttgardt. 5. Prince Edward, born November 2, 1767; created duke of Kent, April, 1799. 6. Princefs Augufta-Sophia, born November 8, 1768. 7. Princess Elizabeth, born May 27, 1770. 8. Prince Erneft-Auguftus, born June 5, 1771; created duke of Cumberiand, April 1799. 9. Prince Frederic-Auguftus, born January 27, 1773. 10. Prince Adolphus-Frederic, born February 24, 1774. 11. Princess Mary, born April 25, 1776. 12. Princefs Sophia, born November 3, 1777. 13. Princess Amelia, born August 7, 1783. Iffue of the late prince of Wales by the princefs Augufta of Saxe-Gotha, now living: 1. Her royal highness Augufta, born August 11, 1737; married the hereditary prince (now duke) of Brunswick Lunenburg, January 16, 1764. 2. His prefent majesty. 3. Prince William-Henry, duke of Gloucefter, born November 25, 3743. WALES. HOUGH this principality is politically included in England, yet, as it has diftinction in language and manners, we have, in conformity with common cuftom, affigned it a separate article. Miles. Length 130 EXTENT AND SITUATION. Degrees. between {2,41 and 4,56 Weft longitude. Area in fquare miles, 7011. and 54 North latitude. NAME AND LANGUAGE.] The Welch, according to the best antiquaries, are descendants of the Belgic Gauls, who made a fettlement in England about fourfcore years before the firft defcent of Julius Cæfar, and thereby obtained the name of Galles or Walles (the G and W being promifcuously used by the ancient Britons), that is, Strangers. Their language is a dialect of the Celtic, or language of the ancient Gauls, probably little changed by time, and is highly commended for its pathetic and defcriptive powers. BOUNDARIES. Wales was formerly of greater extent than it is at prefent, being bounded only by the Severn and the Dee; but after the Saxons had made themfelves mafters of all the plain country, the Welch, or ancient Britons, were fhut up within more narrow bounds, and obliged gradually to retreat weftward. It does not however appear that the Saxons ever made any farther conquefts in their country than Monmouthfhire and Herefordshire, which are now reckoned part of England. This country is divided into four circuits, comprehending twelve counties. See ENGLAND. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND WATER.] The feafons are nearly the fame as in the northern parts of England, and the air is fharp, but wholesome. The foil of Wales, efpecially towards the north, is mountainous, but contains rich valleys, which produce crops of wheat, rye, and other corn. Wales contains many quarries of freeftone and flate, feveral mines of lead, and abundance of coal-pits. This country is well fupplied with wholesome springs; and its chief rivers are the Clwyd, the Wheeler, the Dee, the Severn, the Elwy, and the Alen, which furnish Flintshire with great quantities of fish. MOUNTAINS.] It would be endless to particularife the mountains of this country. Snowdon, in Caernarvonfhire, and Plinlimmon, which Lies partly in Montgomery and partly in Cardiganfhire, are the most famous; and their mountainous fituation greatly affifted the natives in making fo noble and long a firuggle against the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman powers. VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL PRO- ? In thefe particulars Wales difDUCTIONS BY SEA AND LAND. fers little from England. Their horfes are fmaller, but can endure vaft fatigue; and their black cattle are fmall likewife, but excellent beef; and their cows are remarkable for yielding large quantities of milk. Great numbers of goats feed on the mountains. Some very promifing mines of filver, copper, lead, and iron, have been discovered in Wales. The Welch filver may be known by its being stamped with the oftrich feathers, the badge of the prince of Wales. POPULATION, INHABITANTS, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS. The inhabitants of Wales are fuppofed to amount to about 300,000; and though not in general wealthy, they are provided with all the neceffaries and many of the conveniences of life. The land-tax of Wales brought in fome years ago about forty-three thousand feven hundred and fifty-two pounds a-year. The Welch are, if poible, more jealous of their liberties than the English, and far more irafcible; but their anger foon' abates; and they are remarkable for their fincerity and fidelity. They are very fond of carrying back their pedigrees to the moft remote antiquity; but we have no criterion for the authenticity of their manufcripts, fome of which they pretend to be coeval with the beginning of the Chriftian era. It is however certain, that great part of their history, especially the ecclefiaftical, is more ancient, and better attefted, than that of the Anglo-Saxons. Wales was formerly famous for its bards and poets, particularly Thalieffin, who lived about the year 450, and whofe works were certainly extant at the time of the Reformation, and clearly evince that Geoffrey of Monmouth was not the inventor of the hiftory which makes the prefent Welch the descendants of the ancient Trojans. This poetical genius feems to have influenced the ancient Welch with an enthufiafm for independency; for which reafon Edward I. is faid to have made a general maffacre of the bards; an inhumanity which was characteristical of that ambitious prince. The Welch may be called an unmixed people, and are remarkable for ftill maintaining the ancient hofpitality, and their ftrict adherence to ancient customs and manners. This appears even among gentlemen of fortune, who in other countries commonly follow the stream of fashion. We are not however to imagine, that many of the nobility and gentry of Wales do not comply with the modes and manner of living in England and France. All the better fort of the Welch fpeak the English language, though numbers of them understand the Welch. RELIGION.] The maffacre of the Welch clergy by Auguftine, the popih apoftle of England, because they would not conform to the Romish ritual, has been already mentioned. Wales, after that, fell under the dominion of petty princes, who were often weak and credulous, The Romish clergy infinuated themselves into their favour, by their pretended power of abfolving them from crimes; and the Welch, when their ancient clergy were extinct, conformed themfelves to the religion of Rome. The Welch clergy, in general, are but poorly provided for; and in many of the country congregations they preach both in Welch and English. Their poverty was formerly a great difcouragement to religion and learning; but the meafures taken by the fociety for propagating Chriftian knowledge have in a great degree removed the reproach of ignorance from the poorer fort of the Welch. In the year 1749, a hundred and forty-two schoolmasters were employed to remove from place to place for the inftruction of the inhabitants; and their fcholars amounted to 72,264. No people have diftinguished themselves more, perhaps, in proportion to their abilities, than the Welch have done by acts of national munificence. They print, at a vaft expenfe, Bibles, Common-prayers, and other religious books, and diftribute them gratis to the poorer fort. Few of their towns are unprovided with a freeschool. The established religion in Wales is that of the church of England; but the common people in many places are fo tenacious of their ancient customs, that they retain feveral of the Romish fuperftitions, and fome ancient families among them are ftill Roman-catholics. It is likewife faid that Wales abounds with Romish priests in difguife. The principality alfo contains great numbers of proteftant diffenters. For BISHOPRICKS,-fee England. In former times, Wales contained more bishopricks than it does now; and about the time of the Norman' invafion, the religious foundations there far exceeded the wealth of all the other parts of the principality. LEARNING AND LEARNED MEN.] Wales was a feat of learning at a very early period; but it fuffered an eclipfe by the repeated masacres of the bards and clergy. Wickliffifm took fhelter in Wales, when it was perfecuted in England. The Welch and Scotch difpute about the nativity of certain learned men, particularly four of the name of Gildas. Giraldus Cambrenfis, whofe hiflory was published by Camden, was certainly a Welchman; and Leland mentions feveral learned men of the fame country, who flourished before the Reformation. The difcovery of the famous king Arthur's and his wife's burying-place was owing to fome lines of Thalieffin, which were repeated before Henry II. of England, by a Welch bard. Since the Reformation, Wales has produced feveral excellent antiquaries and divines. Among the latter were Hugh Broughton, and Hugh Holland, who was a Roman-catholic, and is mentioned by Fuller in his Worthies. Among the former were feveral gentlemen of the name of Llhuyd, particularly the author of that invaluable work, the Archæologia. Rowland, the learned author of the Mona Antiqua, was likewise a Welchman; as was that great statesman and prelate, the lord keeper Williams, archbishop of York in the time of king Charles I. After all, it appears, that the great merit of the Welch learning, in former times, lay in the knowledge of the antiquities, language, and hiftory of their own country. Wales, notwithftanding all that Dr. Hicks and other antiquaries have faid to the contrary, furnished the Anglo-Saxons with an alphabet. This is clearly demonftrated by Mr. Llhuyd, in his Welch preface to his Archæologia, and is confirmed by various monumental infcriptions of undoubted authority. (See Rowland's Mona Antiqua.) The excellent hiftory of Henry VIII. written by lord Herbert of Cherbury, may be adduced as another production of Welch literature. With regard to the present state of literature among the Welch, it is fufficient to fay, that fome of them make a confiderable figure in the republic of letters, and that many of their clergy are excellent fcholars. The Welch Pater-nofter is as follows: Ein Tad, yr hwn wyt, yn y nefoedd, fancteiddier dy enw: deued dy deyrnas; bydded dy ewyllys ar y ddaear, megis y mae yn y nefoed: dyro in i beddyw ein bara beunyddiol; a maddeu i ni ein dyledion, fel y maddeuyon ni |