George Borrow: The Man and His BooksThomas, Edward
General
George Borrow: The Man and His Books
Thomas, Edward
Borrow, George, 1803-1881
through Laugharne, Saundersfoot, Tenby, Pembroke, Milford and Milford
Haven, Stainton, Johnston, Haverfordwest, St. Davids, Fishguard, Newport,
Cardigan, Llechryd, Cilgerran, Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn, Lampeter,
Llanddewi Brefi, Builth, Presteign, Mortimer's Cross, and so to
Shrewsbury, and to Uppington, where Goronwy Owen was curate in the middle
of the eighteenth century. Knapp transcribed part of Borrow's journal
for Messrs. T. C. Cantrill and J. Pringle, remarking that the rubbed
pencil writing took him eight days to decipher. With the annotations of
Messrs. Cantrill and Pringle it was printed in "Y Cymmrodor," {270a} the
journal of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. I will quote one
day's entries, with the annotations, which are the fruit of the most
patient devotion:
"Haverfordwest--little river--bridge; {270b} steep ascent {270c}--sounds
of music--young fellows playing--steep descent--strange town--Castle Inn.
H.W. in Welsh Hool-fordd.
"[August] 27th, Thursday.--Burning day as usual. Breakfasted on tea,
eggs, and soup. Went up to the Castle. St. Mary's
Church--river--bridge--toll--The two bridge keepers--River Dun Cledi
{270d}--runs into Milford Haven--exceedingly deep in some parts--would
swallow up the largest ship ever built {270e}--people in general dislike
and despise the Welsh.
"Started for St. David's. Course S.W. {270f}After walking about 2 m.
crossed Pelkham Bridge {271a}--it separates St. Martin's from Camrwyn
{271b} parish, as a woman told me who was carrying a pipkin in which were
some potatoes in water but not boiled. In her other hand she had a dried
herring. She said she had lived in the parish all her life and could
speak no Welsh, but that there were some people within it who could speak
it. Rested against a shady bank, {271c} very thirsty and my hurt foot
very sore. She told me that the mountains to the N. were called by
various names. One the [Clo---?] mountain. {271d}
"The old inn {271e}--the blind woman. {271f} Arrival of the odd-looking
man and the two women I had passed on the road. The collier [on] {271g}
the ass gives me the real history of Bosvile. Written in Roche Castle, a
kind of oblong tower built on the rock--there is a rock within it, a huge
crag standing towards the East in what was perhaps once a door. It
turned out to be a chapel. {271h}
"The castle is call'd in Welsh Castel y Garn, a translation of Roche. The
girl and water--B---? (Nanny) Dallas. {272a} Dialogue with the Baptist
{272b} who was mending the roads.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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