Читать книгу The Pedestrian's Guide through North Wales. A tour performed in 1837 онлайн

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Fortunately we were both pursuing the same route, and a desultory dialogue commenced with the never failing observation:

“A fine morning, sir.”

“Very.”

“A noble river this, sir?”

“Beautiful.”

“A great admirer of the charms of nature, I presume, sir?”

“An enthusiastic one.”

“You’re for the Welsh vales, I suppose?”

“And mountains high!” I exclaimed, warming to my loquacious companion.

“In the Welsh vales ’mid mountains high,”

sang he, in a hearty, round-toned voice, with which I chimed in, and we were the best friends, on a sudden.

There certainly is no society so interesting as that picked up by the tourist, who leaves with contempt the starched formalities of a great city behind him, and walks forth, unencumbered by care, to enjoy the society of mankind in its varied and unsophisticated nature. Every person we meet affords us information and delight; for a kindred spirit animates almost every individual whom you may chance to encounter in countries remarkable for beauties of scenery, and especially in a region like North Wales, where inns of the best kind are situated at the most convenient points, and the foot passenger is treated with as much respect as a lord in his carriage with four post horses. The landlords of inns here, think that a man may make the proper use of his legs without being a beggar; and that the costume of a pedestrian may cover the form of a gentleman. And this philanthropic conception contributes to form that happy combination, civil hosts and merry travellers.