Charles Wicksteed, formerly of Leeds, calling my attention to
this case, and inclosing an extract from the letter of a young
lady, one of his correspondents at Bangor. In that letter she
said: "What you write of Mr. Christmas Evans reminds me very much
of a visit I paid a few evenings ago to an old man in Upper
Bangor. He works on the Quay, but has a very decided taste for
astronomy, his leisure time being spent in its study, with a
great part of his earnings. I went there with some friends to
see an immense telescope, which he has made almost entirely
without aid, preparing the glasses as far as possible himself,
and sending them away merely to have their concavity changed. He
showed us all his treasures with the greatest delight, explaining
in English, but substituting Welsh when at a loss. He has
scarcely ever been at school, but has learnt English entirely
from books. Among other things he showed us were a Greek
Testament and a Hebrew Bible, both of which he can read. His
largest telescope, which is several yards long, he has named
'Jumbo,' and through it he told us he saw the snowcap on the pole
of Mars. He had another smaller telescope, made by himself, and
had a spectroscope in process of making. He is now quite old,
but his delight in his studies is still unbounded and unabated.
It seems so sad that he has had no right opportunity for
developing his talent.
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