which forms one of the six counties of North Wales, was to that
principality what the island of Sicily was to Italy, its granary, and
chief dependence for subsistence; it was likewise the favourite spot, and
the last asylum of the Druids in Britain; it was to their venerable and
sacred groves, in this their last sanctuary, that they fled from Roman
tyranny; and it was here, around their altars, defenceless and
undefended, save by firebrands snatched from beneath the sacrifice, that
these venerable bigots fell, on the score of their religion, under the
murderous swords of Pagans, who, their means of attaining knowledge being
considered, were more ignorant than themselves. Neither have we a right,
on the bare testimony of these their bloody tyrannical persecutors, to
believe them to have been guilty of the horrid rites and human sacrifices
of which they are accused. In what portion of history do we find the
state, the hero, or the conqueror, wanting a good and sufficient reason
to cover the plea for conquest or aggression; and, above all, do we ever
find the Romans, throughout their history, wanting in such plea to cover
the basest of their actions? It was the religious stimulus by which the
Druids urged the Britons, even the females, to deeds of heroic madness,
to which the Romans owed the dear purchase in life and blood of their
British conquest; and which, whilst that stimulus existed, they were but
too well aware, must ever be insecure: no wonder then, that to cover the
inhumanity of a cold-blooded warfare of extermination against a
priesthood, that controlled and guided the energies of a daring people,
they should represent them in their bloody orgies as immolating human
victims: nay, most probably, even the accusation was founded in truth,
but grossly and wilfully misrepresented; for the ministers of religion
being, most probably, the administrators of justice, and sole keepers of
traditionary laws, the sacrifice of guilty culprits to such laws, to make
a deeper impression on the minds of hardy but superstitious barbarians,
was made a religious act. When we reflect on the late horrible
sacrifices that have been made in this country in the nineteenth century,
to its offended laws, and on those disgusting, though less dreadful
exhibitions, which are made so frequently, in a leading street of the
metropolis of Britain, that they, from their business-like, unceremonious
mode of execution, no longer deter from similar offences: and when we see
the culprits come forth attended by ministers of religion, who may appear
to uninformed by-standers to superintend the ceremony, as to the lot of
one of them it falls to give the fatal signal; we should reflect how such
a spectacle may be misrepresented by an Indian, a Chinese, or an
Esquimaux, and then judge with due candour of the religious rites and
actions of the Druids.
Anglesea can no longer, with propriety, as it did of old, bear the title
of Ynys Dowyll, or the Shady Island; for those sacred groves, those
venerable oaks, which fell not under the harsh mandates of its Roman,
Saxon, or English invaders, have yielded to the hand of time, or the
avarice of man; and the late appearance of the island was unsheltered and
exposed, almost with the exception of the respected hallowed shades of
Plas-Newydd and Baron Hill; but numerous and thriving plantations are now
springing up, doing away with that sterile appearance; and the better and
more speedily to accomplish this desirable end, public nursery grounds
have been established in the centre of the island, to afford facilities
for, and to encourage planting. It has had the desired effect; and by an
improvement in smelting the ore, and extracting the sulphur from it,
vegetation is no longer injured, even where there is any soil on the
Parys Mountain.
It was formerly divided into seven districts, or comots, but at present
its divisions are only six. It contains about two hundred thousand acres
of land; is in length, from north-west to south-east, about twenty miles;
in breadth, from north-east to south-west, about sixteen miles; and in
circumference, about seventy-six miles: has seventy-four parishes, and
four market towns, and is in the diocese of Bangor. The number of houses
are estimated at 7183; the inhabitants at 37,045. It sends two members
to parliament; one for the county, and one for Beaumaris.
From its too great deficiency of wood, and live fences, the sterility of
the Parys Mountain and its vicinity, and the rocky appearance of the
soil, there was formerly no semblance of that exuberant fertility that
would allow this small partially cultivated island to export to the
extent it does, both in live stock and grain, viz. about 15,000 head of
black cattle, about 5000 hogs, great numbers of sheep, and nearly 4000
quarters of corn, besides numerous other articles of produce and
manufacture. Its climate is more mild than that of Wales generally, but
it is at the same time subject to fogs and damp; the advantage and
disadvantage both attributable to the sea breezes. It is well watered by
numerous rivulets, and has abundance of harbours: among the first is that
well known and highly useful one of Holyhead, which has of late been
greatly improved: that of Beaumaris is likewise good, and capable of
carrying on considerable trade; besides these, there are the minor ones
of Red Wharf Bay, Dulas Bay, Amlwch, from which the copper ore, &c.
obtained from Parys Mountain is shipped, and which might be greatly
improved, Cemlyn, Aberfraw, &c.: most, or all of them, might, at a small
expense, be rendered still more safe and useful. Besides its exports in
corn and cattle, this small island carries on great trade in copper,
ochre, sulphur, mill-stones, lead, &c. &c. It likewise produces various
specimens of marble, (well known in London as Mona marbles) and amongst
others, the asbestos: it yields potters clay and fullers earth, as well
as coals, which are now worked in the neighbourhood of Llangafni.
Neither is the sea less bountiful than the land; affording a bill of fare
that would not disgrace the table of a London alderman.
On account of the great thoroughfare which this island has become since
the Union, from the exertions made by government to afford safety and
facility in the forwarding the principal Irish mails and despatches, the
roads are kept in excellent order.