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186 BYE-GONES. Feb., 1881. lamb, worry it, make his meal out of it, and then go and wash himself in a pool; then rub himself dry on the heather, repeating this until not a trace of the blood could be seen on him.' ' What did you do with him ?' ' Oh ! I took him by the hind legs and banged his brains out on a rock.' ' Is the custom common in your neighbourhood to turn out the dogs in winter?' 'Yes, we all do it.' 'Then you are all a set of infernal wastrels !' ' Yes, indeed, sir, we wass.' ' How you could possibly go about with a faithful, beautiful creature like that little bitch, and have her staring into your eyes for nine months out of the twelve, no hours too long for her, no labour too hard, and then, in the hardest weather, turn her adrift, and beat her from your door with staves, I cannot possibly imagine. You richly deserve to have all your sheep worried.' And with this parting benediction the talk ended." The distinguished foreigner in Pickwick took a whole fortnight to compile a " book full of notes" on England, " music, picture, science, potry, poltic; all tings ;" but Mr. Lockhart would scarcely need such an expenditure of time to do one on Wales. A single glance, and a solitary conversation makes him master of a very important element of Welsh farming,—the ways of farmeTs with their dogs, and dogs with the sheep. And yet it might be hinted that—sinking "humanity" altogether — Welsh farmers are not such fools as to turn their best shepherds into wild animals at a period of the year when they may any day require their services ; and beat from their doors with staves animals worth their weight in gold. That "the dogs sometimes take to bad ways" is true, but the "brother to the little bitch " who came to so untimely an end, evidently, did not do so from hunger; but (as is invariably the case) from mischief. However we need not argue on a matter like this. The simplest thing to do is to give the charge a flat denial. Whether the ' gentle shepherd' the tourist met was having his joke with the Saxon, or not, we cannot say ; but we can say to the gentleman making the charge—" Indeed, truth, he wass tell you a lie, what¬ ever, Mr. Lockhart!"—Oswestry Advertizer. FEBRUARY 2, 1881. NOTES. MR. MADOCKS AND JOHN GIBSON.—I have recently been fortunate enough to come across a very interesting correspondence between two eminent Welsh¬ men of the present century, of which I send you a copy. Mr. W. A. Madocks, who was a great patron of Art, and especially of Welsh Art and Artists, did not live to see his great commission executed by John Gibson the Bculptor, for he died in Paris in the year 1828, soon after the date of the subjoined correspondence, and Gibson presumably never went on with the work. Gibson survived Mr. Madocks nearly forty years, and died at Rome 27 January, 1866. E.B. Portmadoc. " Rome, 15th Novr., 1827. "Dear Sir,—I have returned to Rome, and it is with feelings of gratitude and pleasure I acknowledge the honor of receiving your kind enthusiastic letter, you do inflame my soul with feelings of patriotism and with high ambi¬ tion to produce some grand work for my native country, for my generous countryman and for posterity. " Your idea of building a little Greek temple over the sea m our land of original poetry and musick of the island is a very noble thought, and what a classical beautiful ob¬ ject it would be viewing it from the sea.—I do assure you the honor of placing a work of mine within would rouae aip all the enthusiasm and ambition I am capable of, and would give up all my time, all my soul, to produce a work for you and for posterity. " The subjects you are so good to suggest are very beautiful, but the one I feel the most partial to is Neptune as a subject which gives scope to genius and grandeur of conception. " The God might be represented turning his face towards the sea as if commanding the waves, and to give to his whole figure some energetic attitude with a terrific majesty to his look and air, his uplifted trydent would also be an ornament of beauty. " There might be sculptured on the pedestal 3 basso re- lievi subjects from the Greek Mythology that would have some relation to the circumstance of your having founded Tre Madoc, for instance, this fable might be one—In the time of Inachus Neptune and Juno_ disputed for the sovereignty of Argos, Inachus was appointed Umpire, and he decided for Juno. Neptune, in revenge, deluged the country, but at last, overcome by the sacrifice of Inachus and the authority of Juno, he ordered the waters to retire by a subterraneous channel; and on this spot the gratitude of Inachus and the Argives erected a temple to Neptxine Proclystius (who causes to flow off). The contest between the air and the sea for the possession of the earth in allusion to Inachus having driven back the sea, and built Argos, is the subject of this fable. "The other might be Neptune and Minerva contending for the right of giving a name to Athens—another might be Cybele, goddes of the earth, repelling Neptune from her teritories. "There is another subject which I shall take the liberty of mentioning fine for the display of art, and repre¬ sents a mortal contending with the waters, it is Achillea contending with the river Scamander. " Eor a light elegant work Venus rising out of the sea is a very beautiful subject. By the time you return to Rome I will make some small models for you to see. " At present I am finishing a group in marble of Venus and Cupid, and the marble is unusually beautiful. This work is not yet ordered, but you will see it when you re¬ turn to Rome. " I have the honor, dear sir, to be " Your very obedient Humble Servt., John Gibson. "To W. A. Madocks, Esqre., Naples." "Rome. " I have the pleasure of acknowledging the honor of receiving your second .letter. At this very time I am making a small model of Neptune, upright, majestic, ' with energy divine,' commanding the waves to retire. Let the statue be facing the sea, and we may imagine that he is commanding the waves to retire from the land, and there might be put in gold letters on the front of the pedestal Neptune Proclystius, and on each side, and back, basso relievi from the Greek Mythology, such as the fable of Inachus and Argos, and Athens, &c, all bearing some relation to your foundation of Tre Madoc. "An upright posture for the Neptune would be more in conformity with the system of the refined Greeks, who always represented their Gods in the most dignified, majestic attitudes. The lesser Gods, who presided over rivers, &c, were represented laying on the ground like the sketch you have made. " I shall feel very thankful to you for all the hints you can give to throw light and interest on the subject, and I should wish very much to know the sentiments of Sir William Gell on such a subject being a man of high clas¬ sical taste. " The Venus and Cupid which I mentioned to you will be in a forward state by your return to Rome, and if the