“A stranger to the country, to the language, and almost to man, I returned to Nant Gwynant, slept at Capel-Curig, and was wandering over Lord Penrhyn’s new road towards Caernarvon. The cascades on my left were rolling down with violence, after heavy rain, when a sheet of water, one mile long and three quarters wide, presented itself to view; which by the map I knew must be Ogwen Pool. But what was my surprise, when, at the extremity of the pool, I instantly found myself upon a precipice two hundred feet high, and, in a moment, a most beautiful valley burst upon me of nearly one mile wide and four long; the river rushing down this precipice in several stages, and winding full in view through this delightful valley. The rocks appeared tremendous, the mountains sloping, and the verdure increasing with the descent to the bottom, where, if poetically inclined, I might say, ‘Nature sat in majesty, adorned in her best robe of green velvet.’ When I had travelled about three miles along this sequestered valley, I saw four people endeavouring to repair a gate. I addressed one who appeared likely to understand English. He readily answered several questions respecting the road, and other objects. ‘My way, I am informed, Sir, lies through Nant Ffrancon; pray how shall I know when I am in it?’ ‘You are in it now.’ Over part of this vale impends Yr ala wen, its front torn into amazing gullies.” The new mail-road between Bangor and Cernioga Mawr, through Capel-Curig, saves upwards of nine miles; by this road, through Shrewsbury, the distance to London is two hundred and thirty-six miles three furlongs: the old mail-road, through Chester, is two hundred and fifty-one miles one furlong; and the former road, through Shrewsbury, Llanrwst, Conway, and over Penmaen-mawr, is two hundred and forty-five miles, or by Bridgenorth, two hundred and fifty-two miles. Along this road lies some exquisite scenery: and the following passage from the Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature, will agreeably illustrate the feelings with which it impregnated the author.