It is perhaps too technical to be illustrated in words, which are full of focuses, parabolas, and convexities.

But enough may be gathered from the above account to give an idea of the wonderful tenacity of this aged student, who counts his slates into the ships by day, and devotes his evenings to the perfecting of his astronomical instruments.

But not only is he an astronomer and a philologist; he is also a bard, and his poetry is much admired in the district.

He writes in Welsh, not in English, and signs himself "Ioan, of Bryngwyn Bach," the place where he was born.

Indeed, he is still at a loss for words when he speaks in English.