Bedd - Gelert : its Facts, Fancies, and Folk - Lore. By D. E.
Jenkins. (Llewelyn Jenkins, Portmadoc.) — Mr. Jenkins handsomely acknowledges his obligations to his predecessor, Mr. William Jones, a local antiquary who deserves more reward than he has got. The book which he puts together out of materials collected by himself and Mr. Jones is an interesting account of Bedd-Gelert, past and present, and of its legends and traditions. The pariah is a large one, and contains the summit of Snowdon ; its rateable value is a little over £5,000, and its tithe-land worth about £180, a great deal below the preposterous average which the Daily News has invented for the benefices of England and Wales. It is lamentable to see that all its charities have been lost. The action of one great proprietor, who is represented as refusing payment of a rent charge on the chance of the parish declining to go to law, looks very oppressive. When Mr. Jenkins has dealt with Bedd-Gelert as it is, he goes back to the past. The legend of the faithful dog naturally comes first, and does not fare much better than such things commonly do. After this we have chapters on the folk-lore of the village, on the church, and on various localities in the parish, Neat Colwyn, Neat Gwynm,
and Snowdon being, of course, prominent among them. To put the matter shortly, Mr. Jenkins tells all that is to be told about Bedd-Gelert. His book should be in the hands of all visitors.
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