ISLE OF, is the most western county of North Wales. It is 24 miles in length, 18 in breadth, and sends one member to parliament. It is separated from Caernarvonshire by a strait called Menai. Anglesey. Menai, and on every other side is surrounded by the sea. It is a fertile spot, and abounds in corn, cattle, flesh, fish, and fowls.

At Port Aethwy, the most general ferry into the island, there is a great passage of cattle. It is computed that the island sends forth annually from 12,000 to 15,000 head, and multitudes of sheep and hogs. It is also computed that the remaining flock of cattle is 30,000. In 1770 upwards of 90,000 bushels of corn were exported, exclusive of wheat. The improvement in husbandry has greatly increased since the suppression of smuggling from the Isle of Man; before that time every farmer was mounted on some high promontory, expecting the vessel with illicit trade; but since that period, he sets in earnest to industry and cultivation. Not but that the island was in the most remote times famous for its fertility: Mon, Mam Gymry, the Nursing mother of Wales, was a title it assumed even in the 12th century.

This island is divided into 74 parishes, of which most of the churches are situated near the shores. By an account given on the 13th of August 1563, there were 201 households, or families, in Anglesey; allowing five to a family, the whole number of inhabitants at that period was 10,050. In 1776, the number of houses in Anglesey was about 3956; allowing five persons to a family, the whole number of inhabitants was at that time 19,780; which wants only 340 of doubling the number of inhabitants in the intervening space. The chief town is Beaumaris.

In ancient times this island was called Mon, Mona or Mong. It was the great nursery of the religion of the Druids; being the residence of the grand druid, or chief pontiff, and consequently of all the learned doctors in that religion.

Many ancient monuments of druidic fill remain in the island.—At Tre'r Dryw, or the habitation of the arch druid, are several mutilated remains, which have been described by Mr Rowlands. His Bryn Gwyn, or Brein Gwyn, or royal tribunal, is a circular hollow of 180 feet in diameter, surrounded by an immense agger of earth and stones, evidently brought from some other place, there not being any mark of their being taken from the spot. It has only a single entrance. This is supposed to have been the grand confabulary of the druidical administration.—Not far from it was one of the Gorfeddau, now in a manner dispersed, but which once consisted of a great copped heap of stones, on which sat aloft a druid, instructing the surrounding people multa de Decorum immortalium vit et potestate dis patare, et juventati tradunt; Cæs. Lib. 6.—Here were also the relics of a circle of stones, with the cromlech in the midst; but all extremely imperfect. Two of the stones are very large; one, which serves at present as part of the end of a house, is 12 feet 7 inches high, and 8 feet broad; and another 11 feet high, and 23 feet in girth. Some lesser stones yet remain. This circle, when complete, was one of the temples of the druids, in which their religious rites were performed. It is the conjecture of Mr Rowlands, that the whole of these remains were surrounded with a circle of oaks, and formed a deep and sacred grove: Jam per se roborum elegant lucos, neque ulla sacra fine ea fronde conficiunt; (Plin. Hist. Nat. xv. 44.)—Near this is Caer Leb, or the moated intrenchment; of a square form, with a double rampart, and broad ditch intervening, and a lesser on the outside. Within are foundations of circular and of square buildings. This Mr Rowland supposes to have been the residence of the arch druid, and to have given the name, Tre'r Dryw, to the township in which it stands. At Trev Wry are several faint traces of circles of stones, and other vestiges of buildings; but all so dilapidated, or hid in weeds, as to become almost formless. Bodruddin, or the habitation of the druids, Tre'r-Beirdld, or that of the bard, and Bodowyr, or that of the priests, are all of them hamlets, nearly surrounding the seat of the chief druid, composing the essential part of his suite. At the last is a thick cromlech, resting on three stones.

The shore near Porthamel, not far from hence, is famed for being the place where Suetonius landed, and put an end in this island to the druid reign. His infantry passed over in flat-bottomed boats, perhaps at the spot still called Pant yr Ycerphie, or the valley of Skiffs. His cavalry crossed partly by fording, partly by swimming. Of the conflict on this occasion we have the following animated description by Tacitus*: "Annal. "Stat pro litoro diversa acies, densa armis virifque, xiv. 39. intercursantibus feminis in modum furiarum, velle ferarii, criminis defectis, faces perferabant; druidæque circum, preces diras sublatis ad colum manibus fundentes. Novitate alçetus percuteere militem, ut quasi herentibus membris, immobile corpus vulneribus praebent. Dein cohortationibus ducis, et se ipse stimulantes, ne muliebre et fanaticum agmen pavererent, inferunt signa, sternuntque obvios et igni fuo involvent. Præsidium pothac impolitum vicis, exciftique luci, faui superstitionibus faciri. Nam eruore captivo adolere aras, et hominum fibris confunere deos fas habeant."—Thus Englished: "On the shore stood a motley army in close array, and well armed; with women running wildly about in black attire with dishevelled hair, and like the furies brandishing their torches; surrounded by the druids, lifting up their hands to heaven, and pouring forth the most dreadful imprecations. The soldiery stood astonished with the novelty of the sight. His limbs grew torpid, and his body remaining motionless resigned to every wound. At length, animated by their leader, and rousing one another not to be intimidated with a womanly and fanatic band, they displayed their ensigns, overthrew all who opposed them, and flung them into their own fires. After the battle, they placed garlands in the towns, and cut down the groves consecrated to the most horrible superstitions: for the Britons held it right to sacrifice on their altars with the blood of their captives, and to consult the gods by the inspection of human entrails." There are no traces of any Roman works left in this country. Their stay was so short, that they had not time to form anything permanent.

Near the ferry of Moel y Don appear the fine woods of Sir Nicholas Bayley, skirting the Menai for a considerable way. The wooded part of the island is on this side. It commences at Llanidan, and recalls the ancient British name of Anglesey, Ynyr Dywyll, or the Dark Island, on account of the deep shade of its groves; but at present it is (except in this part) entirely divested of trees; and the climate so adverse to their growth, that in most parts it is with great difficulty Anglesey, the gentry can raise a plantation round their houses.

Plas Newydd, the seat of Sir Nicholas Bayley, lies close upon the water, protected on three sides by venerable oaks and ashes. The view up and down this magnificent river-like strait is extremely fine. The shores are rocky; those on the opposite side covered with woods; and beyond loom a long range of Snowdonian Alps. Here stood a house built by Gwenllian, a descendant of Cadrod Hardd. The mansion has been improved, and altered to a castellated form by the present owner.

In the woods are some very remarkable druidical antiquities. Behind the house are to be seen two vast cromlechs. The upper stone of one is 12 feet 7 inches long, 12 broad, and four thick, supported by five tall stones. The other is but barely separated from the first; it is almost a square, of five feet and a half, and supported by four stones. The number of supporters to cromlechs is merely accidental, and depends on the size or form of the incumbent stone. These are the most magnificent we have, and the highest from the ground; for a middle-sized horse may easily pass under the largest. In the lands of Llugwy, indeed, there is a most stupendous one of a rhomboidal form. The greatest diagonal is 17½ feet, the lesser 15, and the thicknesses three feet nine inches; but its height from the ground is only two feet: it was supported by several stones. The Welsh, who ascribe everything stupendous to our famous British king, call it Arthur's Quoit. In the woods at this place are some druidical circles nearly contiguous to each other.

At a small distance from Beaumaris, on the shore, stand the remains of Llanvaes, or the Friars. It was founded by Prince Llewelyn ap Jerwerth, and according to the general tradition of the country, over the grave of his wife Joan, daughter of King John, who died in 1237, and was interred on the spot. Here also were interred a son of a Danish king, Lord Clifford, and many barons and knights who fell in the Welsh wars. It was dedicated to St Francis, and consecrated by Howel bishop of Bangor, a prelate who died in 1249. The religious were Franciscans, or minor friars. Their church and house were destroyed, and their lands wasted, in the insurrection made soon after the death of Llewelyn, last Welsh prince, by his relation Madoc. Edward II, in consideration of their misfortunes, remitted to them the payment of the taxes due to him, which before the war were levied at the rate of £21 10s. These friars were strong favourites of Owen Glendwr. Henry IV, in his first march against Owen, plundered the convent, put several of the friars to the sword, and carried away the rest; but afterwards set them at liberty, made restitution to the place, but peopled it with English recluses. It possibly was again reduced to ruin: for Henry V, by patent, establishes here eight friars, but directs that only two should be Welsh. At the dissolution, Henry VIII, sold the convent and its possessions to one of his courtiers. They became in later days the property of a family of the name of White (now extinct), who built here a good mansion. It of late became, by purchase, the property of Lord Bulkeley. The church is turned into a barn, and the coffin of the princess Joan now serves for a watering trough.—A little farther is Castell Aber Llennawg, a small square fort, with the remains of a little round tower at each corner. In the middle stood a square tower. A fosse surrounds the whole. A hollow way is carried quite to the shore, and at its extremity is a large mound of earth, designed to cover the landing. This castle was founded by Hugh Lupus earl of Chester, and Hugh the Red earl of Shrewsbury, in 1098, when they made an invasion, and committed more savage barbarities on the poor natives, especially on one Kenred a priest, than ever stained the annals of any country. Providence sent Magnus king of Norway to revenge the cruelties. His coming was to all appearance casual. He offered to land, but was opposed by the earls. Magnus stood in the prow of his ship, and calling to him a most expert Bowman, they at once directed their arrows at the earl of Shrewsbury, who stood all armed on the shore. An arrow pierced his brain through one of his eyes, the only defenceless part. The victor, seeing him spring up in the agonies of death, insultingly cried out in his own language, Leite loupe, "Let him dance." This fort was garrisoned so lately as the time of Charles I, when it was kept for the parliament by Sir Thomas Cheadle; but was taken by Colonel Robinson in 1645.

Above Llandona is a high hill, called Burid Arthur, or Arthur's round table; the true name was probably Din, or Dinas Sulwy: for a church immediately beneath bears that of Llanwihangle Din-Sulwy. On the top of it is a great British fort, surrounded by a double row of rude stones with their sharp points upward; and in some parts the ramparts are formed of small stones. In the area are vestiges of oval buildings; the largest is formed with two rows of flat stones set on end. There had been the temporary habitations of the poachers. It had been a place of vast strength: for, besides the artificial defence, the hill slopes steeply on all sides, and the brink next to the ramparts is mostly precipitous. It is worth while to ascend this hill for the sake of the vast prospect; and intermixture of sea, rock, and alps, most strangely great.

About two miles south of Plas Gwyn, the seat of Paul Panton, Esq., was situated Pennymynydd, once the residence of the ancestors of Owen Tudor, second husband to Catherine of France, queen dowager of Henry V; "who being (as honest Halle informs us) young and lusty, following more her own appetite than friendly confail, and regarding more her private affection than her open honour, took to husband privily (in 1428) a goodly gentleman, and a beautiful person, garnished with many godly gifts both of nature and of grace, called Owen Teuther, a man brought forth and come of the noble lignage and ancient lyne of Cadwaladar, the last kyngge of the Brittonnes." The match, important in its consequences, restored the British race of princes to this kingdom: These reigned long, under the title of the House of Tudor; the mixed race having ceased on the accession of Henry VII, grandson to our illustrious countryman. The remains of the residence of the Tudors are, the door of the gateway; part of the house, and the great chimney-piece of the hall, are to be seen in the present farm-house. Some coats of arms, and dates of the building or time of repairs, are to be seen, with the initial letters of the names of the owners. The Tudors, for a considerable space before the extinction of their race, assumed the name of Owen. Richard Anglesey was the last male of the family, and was sheriff of the county in 1657. Margaret, heiress of the house, married Coningby Williams, Esq., of Glan y Gors, in this island, who possessed it during his life. It was afterwards sold to Lord Bulkeley, in whose descendant it still continues. In the church of Penmynydd is a most magnificent monument of white alabaster, removed at the dissolution from the abbey of Llanvaes to this place; probably erected in memory of one of the House of Tudor, who had been interred there. On it is the figure of a man in complete armour, a conic helm, and mail guard down to his breast; his lady is in a thick angular hood; their feet rest on lions, and their heads are supported by angels.

On the western point of the bay is a small cape, flat at top, called Caffell Mawr, joined to the land by a low isthmus. It is composed of limestone, which is carried to distant parts in small vessels, which lie in a small channel near the rock, and by their numbers frequently enliven the view. Roman coins have been found in this neighbourhood; but there are no vestiges of there having been any station. Beyond Caffell Mawr, on the shore, are vast blocks of black marble filled with shells, coralloids, and fungitae.

At Tryclwyn mountain is the most considerable body of copper ore perhaps ever known. The part of Tryclwyn which contains it is called Parys mountain. Of this mountain, and the works there carried on, we have the following very curious and particular account by Mr Pennant*:

"The external aspect of the hill is extremely rude, and rises into enormous rocks of coarse white quartz. The ore is lodged in a basin, or hollow, and has on one side a small lake, on whose waters, dilatable as those of Avernus, no bird is known to alight. The whole aspect of this tract has, by the mineral operations, assumed a most savage appearance. Suffocating fumes of the burning heaps of copper arise in all parts, and extend their baneful influence for miles round. In the adjacent parts vegetation is nearly destroyed: even the mosses and lichens of the rocks have perished; and nothing seems capable of resisting the fumes but the purple melia grafis, which flourishes in abundance. It is thought that the ore had been worked in a very distant period. Vestiges of the ancient operations appear in several parts, carried on by trenching, and by heating the rocks intensely, then suddenly pouring on water, so as to cause them to crack or scale; thus awkwardly supplying the use of gunpowder. Pieces of charcoal were also found, which proves that wood was made use of for that purpose. As the Britons imported all works in brats, it is certain that the Romans were the undertakers of these mines; and it is very probable that they sent the ore to Caerhêl to be melted, the place where the famous cake of copper was discovered. They might likewise have had a melting hearth in this island; for a round cake of copper was discovered at Llanvaethill, a few miles from this place. Its weight was fifty pounds, and it had on it a mark resembling an L.

"In the year 1762, one Alexander Frazer came into Anglesey in search of mines. He visited Parys mountain; called on Sir Nicholas Bayley, and gave him flattering an account of the prospect, as induced him to make a trial, and sink shafts. Ore was discovered; but before any quantity could be gotten, the mines were overpowered with water. In about Anglesey two years after, Messrs. Roe and Co. of Macclesfield applied to Sir Nicholas for a lease of Penrhyn ddu mine in Caernarvonshire; with which they were, much against their wills, compelled to take a lease of part of this mountain, and to carry on a level, and make a fair trial. The trial was accordingly made; ore was discovered; but the expenses overbalanced the profits. They continued working to great loss; and at length determined to give the affair up. They gave their agent orders for that purpose: but he, as a final attempt, divided his men into ten several companies, of three or four in a partnership, and let them sink shafts in various places, about eight hundred yards eastward of a place called the Golden Venture, on a presumption that a spring, which issued from near the place, must come from a body of mineral. His conjecture was right; for in less than two days they met with, at the depth of seven feet from the surface, the solid mineral, which proved to be that body which has since been worked to such advantage. The day that this discovery was made was March 2, 1768: which has ever since been observed as a festival by the miners. Soon after this discovery, another adventure was begun by the reverend Mr Edward Hughes, owner of part of the mountain, in right of his wife Mary Lewis of Llys Dulas; so that the whole of the treasure is the property of Sir Nicholas Bayley and himself. The body of copper ore is of unknown extent. The thickness has been ascertained in some places by the driving of a level under it, several years ago, and it was found to be in some places twenty-four yards. The ore is mostly of the kind called by Cronfield, Pyrites cupri flavo viridefusca, and contains vast quantities of sulphur. It varies in degrees of goodness; some of it is rich, but the greater part poor in quality.

"There are other species of copper ore found here. Of late a vein of the Pyrites cupris grifescens of Cronfield, about seven yards wide, has been discovered near the west end of the mountain: some is of an iron grey, some quite black; the first contains fifteen lb. of copper per 100 lb. the last forty. An ore has been lately found, in form of loose earth, of a dark purplish colour; and the best of it has produced better than eight in twenty. Some years ago, above thirty pounds of native copper were found in driving a level through a turbergy; some was in form of mols, some in very thin leaves.

"It is quarried out of the bed in vast masses; is broken into small pieces; and the most pure part is sold raw, at the rate of about 3l. to 6l. per ton, or sent to the melting-houses of the respective companies to be melted into metal. Mr Hughes has great furnaces of his own at Ravenhead near Liverpool, and at Swaney in South Wales. An idea of the wealth of these mines may be formed, by considering that the Macclesfield Company have had at once fourteen thousand tons of ore upon bank, and Mr Hughes thirty thousand.

"The more impure ore is also broken to the size of about hens eggs; but in order to clear it from the quantity of sulphur with which it abounds, as well as other adventitious matter, it must undergo the operation of burning. For that purpose it is placed between two parallel walls of vast length; some kilns are 20, others..." Anglesey, 40, and 50 yards in length; some 10, others 20 feet wide, and above four feet in height. The space between is not only filled, but the ore is piled many feet higher, in a convex form, from end to end. The whole is then covered with flat stones, closely luted with clay; and above is placed a general integument of clay, and small rubbish of the work, in order to prevent any of the fumes from evaporating. Of late, some kilns have been constructed with brick arches over the ore, which is found to be the best method of burning. Within these few years, attempts are made to preserve the sulphur from flying away; and that is done by flues made of brick whose tops are in form of a Gothic arch, many scores of feet in length. One end of these opens into the beds of copper which are to be burnt. These beds are set on fire by a very small quantity of coal, for all the rest is effected by its own phlogiston. The volatile part is confined, and directed to the flues; in its course the sulphureous particles strike against their roofs, and fall to the bottom in form of the finest brimstone; which is collected and carried to adjacent houses, where it is melted into what is called in the shops "stone-brimstone."

"The beds of copper, thus piled for burning, are of vast extent. Some contain 400 tons of ore, others 2000. The first require four months to be completely burnt, the last near ten. Thus burnt, it is carried to proper places to be dressed, or washed, and made merchantable. By this process the ore is reduced to a fourth part in quantity, but considerably improved in quality; and by this means the water is strongly or richly impregnated with copper, which is dissolved by the acid quality of the sulphur; and is collected or precipitated again by iron in the above-described pits. The iron is all dissolved.

"But a far richer produce of copper is discovered from the water lodged in the bottom of the bed of ore, which is highly saturated with the precious metal. This is drawn up, either by means of windmills or windmills, to the surface, and then distributed into numbers of rectangular pits 36 feet long, some pits more some less, 12 to 15 feet broad and 20 inches deep. To speak in the language of the adept, Venus must make an afflatusion with Mars, or this solution will have no effect. In plain English, a quantity of iron must be immersed in the water. The kind of iron is of no moment; old pots, hoops, anchors, or any refuse, will suffice; but of late, for the convenience of management, the adventurers procure new plates, four feet long, one and a half broad, and three quarters of an inch thick. These they immerse into the pits. The particles of copper instantly are precipitated by the iron, and the iron is gradually dissolved into a yellow ochre. Great part of it floats off by the water, and sinks to the bottom. The plates, or the old iron (as it happens), are frequently taken out, and the copper scraped off; and this is repeated till the whole of the iron is consumed. The copper thus procured differs little from native copper, and is prized accordingly, and sold for prices from £5. to £4. a ton.

"This discovery is far from new: it has been practised long in the Wicklow mines in Ireland; and above a century in those of Hern-grundt in Hungary, where it is called "siment copper." The waters of the Hungarian mines are much more strongly impregnated with copper than those of Parys mountain. The first ef. Anglesey, feels its operation in 12 or about 20 days, the last requires two months. Horse shoes, iron made in shape of hearts, and other forms, are put into the foreign waters; and when perfectly transmuted, are given as presents to curious strangers.

"The ore is not got in the common manner of mining, but is cut out of the bed in the same manner as stone is cut out of a quarry. A hollow is now formed in the solid ore open to the day, and extends about 100 yards in length, about 40 yards in breadth, and 24 yards in depth. The ends are at present undermined, but supported by vast pillars and magnificent arches, all metallic; and these caverns meander far under ground. These will soon disappear, and thousands of tons of ore be gotten from both the columns and roofs. The sides of this vast hollow are mostly perpendicular, and access to the bottom is only to be had by small steps cut in the ore; and the curious visitor must trust to them and a rope, till he reaches some ladders, which will conduct him the rest of the descent. On the edges of the chasms are wooden platforms, which project far; on them are windlasses, by which the workmen are lowered to transact their business on the face of the precipice. There suspended, they work in mid air, pick a small place for a footing, cut out the ore in vast masses, and tumble it to the bottom with great noise. In such situations they form caverns, and there appear safely lodged till the rope is lowered to convey them up again. Much of the ore is blasted with gunpowder, eight tons of which are said to be annually used for the purpose.

"Nature hath been profuse in bestowing her mineral favours on this spot: for above the copper ore, and not more than three quarters of a yard beneath the common soil, is a bed of yellowish greasy clay, from one to four yards thick, containing lead ore, and yielding from 600 to 1000 pounds weight of lead from one ton; and one ton of the metal yields not less than 57 ounces of silver. Mixed with the earth, are frequently certain parts of the colour of cinnabar. Whether these are symptomatic of the sulphureous artificial silver ores or of quicksilver, I will not pretend to decide. Something interferes with the successful melting of this earth in the grate; insomuch that it has not yet been of that profit to the adventurers which might reasonably be expected from the crucible assays of it, and they have at this time about 8000 tons on bank undisturbed. This place has been worked for lead ore, in very distant times. In the bottom of the pool was found an ancient melting hearth of grit stone, and several bits of melted lead, of about four inches in length, two in breadth, and half an inch thick.

"These works have added greatly to the population of the island; for about 1500 persons are employed; who, with their families, are supposed to make near 8000 persons, getting their bread from these mines. The little village of Anlweh, the port of the place, is increasing fast, and the market grows considerable. At the season of the greatest work, Mr Hughes's men alone receive for many weeks 200l. in one week, and 150l. in another, merely for subsistence. The port is no more than a great chasm between two rocks, running far into land, and dry at low water; Angling into which floops run, and lie secure to receive their lading."

Near Kemlyn bay is a quarry of marble, common to this place, some parts of Italy, and to Corsica, and known in the shops by the name of Verde di Corsica. Its colours are green, black, white, and dull purple, irregularly disposed. In different blocks one or other of the colours is frequently wanting; but among the green parts are often found narrow veins of a most elegant and silky white alabaster. It is a compound species of marble; part is calcareous, and may be acted on by aquafortis. The green parts partake of the nature of jasper. It is apt to be interfered by small cracks, or by alabaster veins, therefore incapable of taking a high polish. This quarry lies on the lands of Monachty, in the parish of Llan-Fair-Ynghornwy; and it is found again in the isle of Skerries, off this parish. Neither the quarry nor the alabaster are at present in use. In Rhoconlyn parish, a green amethystus, or brittle alabaster, is met with in great plenty in a green marble similar to the above; but by reason of the inflexible quality of its fibres not applicable to the same use.