concludethislastchapter，Ihavetorelateperhapsthemostextraordinarystoryofall——thatofanotherastronomerinhumblelife，inthepersonofaslatecounteratPortPenrhyn，Bangor，NorthWales。
WhileatBirnam，IreceivedaletterfrommyoldfriendtheRev。
CharlesWicksteed，formerlyofLeeds，callingmyattentiontothiscase，andinclosinganextractfromtheletterofayounglady，oneofhiscorrespondentsatBangor。Inthatlettershesaid:“WhatyouwriteofMr。ChristmasEvansremindsmeverymuchofavisitIpaidafeweveningsagotoanoldmaninUpperBangor。HeworksontheQuay，buthasaverydecidedtasteforastronomy，hisleisuretimebeingspentinitsstudy，withagreatpartofhisearnings。Iwenttherewithsomefriendstoseeanimmensetelescope，whichhehasmadealmostentirelywithoutaid，preparingtheglassesasfaraspossiblehimself，andsendingthemawaymerelytohavetheirconcavitychanged。Heshowedusallhistreasureswiththegreatestdelight，explaininginEnglish，butsubstitutingWelshwhenataloss。Hehasscarcelyeverbeenatschool，buthaslearntEnglishentirelyfrombooks。AmongotherthingsheshoweduswereaGreekTestamentandaHebrewBible，bothofwhichhecanread。Hislargesttelescope，whichisseveralyardslong，hehasnamed’Jumbo，’andthroughithetoldushesawthesnowcaponthepoleofMars。Hehadanothersmallertelescope，madebyhimself，andhadaspectroscopeinprocessofmaking。Heisnowquiteold，buthisdelightinhisstudiesisstillunboundedandunabated。
Itseemssosadthathehashadnorightopportunityfordevelopinghistalent。“
Mr。Wicksteedwasverymuchinterestedinthecase，andcalledmyattentiontoit，thatImightaddthestorytomyrepertoryofself-helpingmen。WhileatYorkIreceivedacommunicationfromMissGraceEllis，theyoungladyinquestion，informingmeofthenameoftheastronomer——JohnJones，AlbertStreet，UpperBangor——andintimatingthathewouldbegladtoseemeanyeveningaftersix。Asrailwayshavehadtheeffectofbringingplacesveryclosetogetherinpointoftime——makingofBritain，asitwere，onegreattown——andastheautumnwasbrilliant，andtheholidayseasonnotatanend，Ihadnodifficultyindivergingfrommyjourney，andtakingBangoronmywayhomeward。
StartingfromYorkinthemorning，andpassingthroughLeeds，Manchester，andChester，IreachedBangorintheafternoon，andhadmyfirstinterviewwithMr。Jonesthatveryevening。
Ifoundhim，asMissGraceEllishaddescribed，active，vigorous，andintelligent；hisstatureshort，hisfacewell-formed，hiseyeskeenandbright。Iwasfirstshownintohislittleparlourdownstairs，furnishedwithhisbooksandsomeofhisinstruments；Iwasthentakentohistinyroomupstairs，wherehehadhisbigreflectingtelescope，bymeansofwhichhehadseen，throughthechamberwindow，thesnowcapofMars。HeissofondofphilologythatIfoundhehadnofewerthantwenty-sixdictionaries，allboughtoutofhisownearnings。“Iamfondofallknowledge，“hesaid——“ofReuben，Dan，andIssachar；butI
haveafavourite，aBenjamin，andthatisAstronomy。IwouldsellallofthemintoEgypt，butpreservemyBenjamin。“Hisstoryisbrieflyasfollows:——
“IwasbornatBryngwynBach，Anglesey，in1818，andIamsixty-fiveyearsold。IgotthelittleeducationIhave，whenaboy。OwenOwen，whowasacousinofmymother’s，keptaschoolatachapelinthevillageofDwyrain，inAnglesey。ItwassaidofOwenthatheneverhadmorethanaquarterofayear’sschooling，sothathecouldnotteachmemuch。Iwenttohisschoolatseven，andremainedwithhimaboutayear。Thenheleft；andsometimeafterwardsIwentforashortperiodtoanoldpreacher’sschool，atBrynsieneynchapel。ThereIlearntbutlittle，theteacherbeingnegligent。Heallowedthechildrentoplaytogethertoomuch，andhepunishedthemforslightoffences，makingthemobstinateanddisheartened。ButIrememberhisoncesayingtotheotherchildren，thatIranthroughmylittlelesson’likeacoach。’However，whenIwasabouttwelveyearsold，myfatherdied，andinlosinghimIlostalmostallthelittleIhadlearntduringtheshortperiodsIhadbeenatschool。ThenI
wenttoworkforthefarmers。
“InthisstateofignoranceIremainedforyears，untilthetimecamewhenonSundayIusedtosaddletheoldblackmareforCadwalladrWilliams，theCalvinistMethodistpreacher，atPenCeint，Anglesey；andafterhehadriddenaway，Iusedtohideinhislibraryduringthesermon，andthereIlearntalittlethatI
shallnotsoonforget。InthatwayIhadmanyadraughtofknowledge，asitwere，bystealth。Havingastrongtasteformusic，Iwasmuchattractedbychoralsinging；andonSundaysandintheeveningsItriedtocopyoutairsfromdifferentbooks，andaccustomedmyhandalittletowriting。Thistendencywas，however，chokedwithinmebytoomuchworkwiththecattle，andbyotherfarmlabour。Inaword，Ihadbutlittlefairweatherinmysearchforknowledge。Onethingenticedmefromanother，tothedetrimentofmyplans；somefairEveoftenstandingwithanappleinhand，temptingmetotasteofthat。
“Theoldpreacher’sbooksatPenCeintwereinWelsh。IhadnotyetlearnedEnglish，buttriedtolearnitbycomparingonelineintheEnglishNewTestamentwiththesamelineintheWelsh。
ThiswastheHamiltonianmethod，andthewayinwhichIlearntmostlanguages。Ifirstgotanideaofastronomyfromreading’TheSolarSystem，’byDr。Dick，translatedintoWelshbyEleazarRobertsofLiverpool。ThatbookIfoundonSundaysinthepreacher’slibrary；andmanyasublimethoughtitgaveme。Itwascomparativelyeasytounderstand。
“WhenIwasaboutthirtyIwastakenveryill，andcouldnolongerwork。IthenwenttoBangortoconsultDr。Humphrys。
AfterIgotbetterIfoundworkatthePortat12s。aweek。I
wasemployedincountingtheslates，orloadingtheshipsintheharbourfromtherailwaytrucks。IlodgedinFwnDeg，nearwhereHughWilliams，Gatehouse，thenkeptanavigationschoolforyoungsailors。Ilearntnavigation，andsoonmadeconsiderableprogress。Ialsolearntalittlearithmetic。Atfirstnearlyalltheyoungmenweremoreadvancedthanmyself；butbeforeI
leftmattersweredifferent，andtheScripturewordsbecameverified——“thelastshallbefirst。“IremainedwithHughWilliamssixmonthsandahalf。DuringthattimeIwenttwicethroughthe’Tutor’sAssistant，’andamonthbeforeIleftIwastaughtmensuration。ThatisalltheeducationIreceived，andthegreaterpartofitwasduringmyby-hours。
“IgottoknowEnglishprettywell，thoughWelshwasthelanguageofthoseaboutme。FromeasybooksIwenttothosemoredifficult。IwashelpedinmypronunciationofEnglishbycomparingthewordswiththephoneticalphabet，aspublishedbyThomasGeeofDenbigh，in1853。WithmyspareearningsIboughtbooks，especiallywhenmywagesbegantorise。Mr。Wyatt，thesteward，wasverykind，andraisedmypayfromtimetotimeathispleasure。IsupposeIwaswilling，correct，andfaithful。I
improvedmyknowledgebyreadingbooksonastronomy。Igot，amongstothers，’TheMechanismoftheHeavens，’byDenisonOlmstead，anAmerican；averyunderstandablebook。LearningEnglish，whichwasaforeignlanguagetome，ledmetolearnotherlanguages。Itookpleasureinfindingouttherootsorradixesofwords，andfromtimetotimeIaddedforeigndictionariestomylittlelibrary。ButItookmostpleasureinastronomy。
“TheperusalofSirJohnHerschel’s’OutlinesofAstronomy，’andofhis’TreatiseontheTelescope，’setmymindonfire。I
conceivedtheideaofmakingatelescopeofmyown，forIcouldnotbuyone。WhilereadingtheMechanics’MagazineIobservedtheaccountsofmenwhomadetelescopes。WhyshouldnotIdothesame？Ofcourseitwasamatterofgreatdifficultytoonewhoknewcomparativelylittleoftheuseoftools。ButIhadawillingmindandwillinghands。SoIsettowork。IthinkI
mademyfirsttelescopeabouttwentyyearsago。Itwasthirty-sixincheslong，andthetubewasmadeofpasteboard。I
gottheglassesfromLiverpoolfor4s。6d。CaptainOwens，oftheshipTalacra，boughtthem。Healsoboughtforme，atabookstall，theGreekLexiconandtheGreekNewTestament，forwhichhepaid7s。6d。WithmynewtelescopeIcouldseeJupiter’sfoursatellites，thecratersonthemoon，andsomeofthedoublestars。Itwasawonderfulpleasuretome。
“ButIwasnotsatisfiedwiththeinstrument。Iwantedabiggerandamoreperfectone。IsolditandgotnewglassesfromSolomonofLondon，whowasalwaysreadytotrustme。Ithinkitwasabouttheyear1868thatIbegantomakeareflectingtelescope。Igotaroughdiscofglass，fromSt。Helens，ofteninchesdiameter。Ittookmefromninetotendaystogrindandpolishitreadyforparabolisingandsilvering。Ididthisbyhandlabourwiththeaidofemery，butwithoutalathe。I
finallyusedrougeinsteadofemeryingrindingdowntheglass，untilIcouldseemyfaceinthemirrorquiteplain。Ithensentthe83/16inchdisctoMr。GeorgeCalver，ofChelmsford，toturnmysphericalcurvetoaparaboliccurve，andtosilverthemirror，forwhichIpaidhim5L。Imountedthisinmytimbertube；thefocuswastenfeet。WheneverythingwascompleteI
triedmyinstrumentonthesky，andfoundittohavegooddefiningpower。ThediameteroftheotherglassIhavemadeisalittleundersixinches。
“Youaskmeiftheirperformancesatisfiesme？Well；Ihavecomparedmysix-inchreflectorwitha41/4inchrefractor，throughmywindow，withapowerof100and140。Ican’tsaywhichwasthebest。ButifoutonaclearnightIthinkmyreflectorwouldtakemorepowerthantherefractor。Howeverthatmaybe，IsawthesnowcapontheplanetMarsquiteplain；anditissatisfactorytomesofar。Withrespecttothe83/16inchglass，Iamnotquitesatisfiedwithityet；butIammakingimprovements，andIbelieveitwillrewardmylabourintheend。“
BesidestheseinstrumentsJohnJoneshasanequatorialwhichismountedonatripodstand，madebyhimself。Itcontainstherightascension，declination，andazimuthindex，allneatlycarveduponslate。Inhisspectroscopehemakeshisprismsoutoftheskylightsusedinvessels。Thesehegrindsdowntosuithispurpose。Ihavenotbeenabletogointothecompletedetailofthemannerinwhichheeffectsthegrindingofhisglasses。
Itisperhapstootechnicaltobeillustratedinwords，whicharefulloffocuses，parabolas，andconvexities。Butenoughmaybegatheredfromtheaboveaccounttogiveanideaofthewonderfultenacityofthisagedstudent，whocountshisslatesintotheshipsbyday，anddevoteshiseveningstotheperfectingofhisastronomicalinstruments。Butnotonlyisheanastronomerandaphilologist；heisalsoabard，andhispoetryismuchadmiredinthedistrict。HewritesinWelsh，notinEnglish，andsignshimself“Ioan，ofBryngwynBach，“theplacewherehewasborn。
Indeed，heisstillatalossforwordswhenhespeaksinEnglish。HeusuallyinterlardshisconversationwithpassagesinWelsh，whichishismother-tongue。Afriendhas，however，donemethefavourtotranslatetwoofJohnJones’spoemsintoEnglish。Thefirstis’TheTelescope’:——
“ToHeavenitpoints，whererulestheSunIngoldengall’riesbright；
AndthepaleMooninsilverraysMakesdallianceinthenight。
“ItsweepswitheagleglancesThesky，itsmyriadthrong，ThatmyriadthrongtomarshalAndbringtoustheirsong。
“OrbuponorbitfollowsAsofttheyintertwine，AndworldsinvastprocessionsAsifinbattleline。
“Itlovesallthingscreated，Tofollowandtotrace；
AndneverfearstopenetrateThedarkabyssofspace。“
Thenextisto’TheComet’:-
“Amaidenfair，withlightofstarsbedecked，StartsoutofspaceatJove’scommand；
Withvisagewild，andlongdishevelledhair，Speedsshealongherstarrycourse；
Thehostsofheavenregardsshenot，——
FainwouldshescornthemallexceptherfatherSol，Whosemightyinfluenceherheadlongcoursedothallcontrol。“
Thefollowingtranslationmayalsobegiven:itshowsthatthebardisnotwithoutaspiceofwit。Afellow-workmanteasedhimtowritesomelines；whenJohnJones，inaseeminglyinnocentmanner，putsomequestions，andascertainedthathehadoncebeenatailor。Accordinglythisepigramwaswritten，andappearedinthelocalpapertheweekafter:“ToaquondamTailor，nowaSlate-teller“:——
“Tothreadandneedlenowgood-bye，WithslatesIaimatriches；
ThescissorswillIne’ermoreply，Normake，butorder，breeches。“[12]
Thebi-lingualspeechisthegreateducationaldifficultyofWales。TogetanentranceintoliteratureandsciencerequiresaknowledgeofEnglish；or，ifnotofEnglish，thenofFrenchorGerman。ButtheWelshlanguagestandsintheway。FewliteraryorscientificworksaretranslatedintoWelsh。Hencethegreateducationaldifficultycontinues，andismaintainedfromyeartoyearbypatriotismandEisteddfods。