sung in the church after the morning or evening service. And, as a carol is looked upon as an effort of genius, one, which is approved of, seldom fails to raise the reputation of the poet. The subject is, of course, taken from Scripture, and the carol is properly a hymn. Some of these effusions exhibit much poetic merit, particularly those of Huw Morus, who excelled in this species of composition as he did also in one of a very different cha racter. THE MISCELLANIST.-No. IX. ANCIENT GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES. To the EDITOR of the CAMBRO-BRITON. MR. EDITOR, THE geography of Orosius, and the navigation of Ohthere in the northern seas, as preserved by Alfred, contain some names of countries and nations, which appear to be useful for the illustration of the history of the British isles; and you may, therefore, judge them worthy of being inserted in the CAMBRO-BRITON. NAMES OF COUNTRIES AND PEOPLE IN THE NINTH CENTURY. Thila, Iceland;-Igbernia, or Scotland, Ireland;-Iraland, Scotland; the country of the Scoti, or Scotland; the south extremity of Spain *;-Dena, Denmark;-Weonodland, Winedeland, or Sysyle, the Wendi, then inhabiting all the region between the Elbe and the Baltic, east of the Seaxna and Angle, but who are now confined to Lusatia;-Northmanna, Norway;Sweoland, Sweden;-Terfenna-land, or the Waste land, Swedish Lapland;-Cwen Sea, the White Sea;-Screide Finni, and Cwenas, the inhabitants of the present Russian Lapland, on the west shore of the White Sea:-Cwenland, or Cwenaland, Finland, or all that tract lying east of the Gulf of Bothnia, from the Gulf of Finland northward to the White Sea. Observations. 1. The name of Lapland was not known in the ninth century; and the people now inhabiting that country and Finland speak a common dialect, and which is totally different from the languages of all their neighbours. * The old Irish chronicles make mention of a Spanish colony as coming tó Ireland, under the name of Kin Skuit, or Skuit nation. 2. The names of Finnas, Finnias, and Screidi Finni are only known as applied to a few scattered people, in the northern wastes of Sweden and Norway, and on the extremity of the west shore of the White Sea. 3. The appellation of Cwen Sea is very remarkable, as applied to the White Sea, if we take into consideration, that Gwyn, m. and Gwen f. imply White, in Welsh: and which the Saxons would turn into Cwen, in the same manner as our common cognomen of Gwyn has been changed into Quin by their descendants. 4. There is a great probability that the names of Finnas, or Finni, and Finland are only dialectical mutations of Cwenas and Cwenland; and, as a curious fact, in proof of such a probability, just so the Irish do actually change the Welsh Gwyn and Gwen into Fin and Fion, which mean white in both dialects. 5. There was no part of Europe known in the ninth century, to which the appellation of Cwenland, Gwenland, Finland, or White-land was so appropriate, as the region extending from the Gulf of Finland to the White Sea, from its being covered with snow during a great part of the year. 6. Names, descriptive of the features and characters of countries, are the most permanent of any; for they generally remain, as memorials of the first inhabitants, notwithstanding all subsequent revolutions of languages. Even Sweden and Norway, like the rest of Europe, present such memorials, in the names of their rivers and mountains, which are inexplicable by the Gothic dialects of the present inhabitants; and which names appear to preserve the characteristics of a Cimbric origin. We may instance the Dofrine Mountains, which run south and north, like a back bone, dividing the low lands of Norway from the vales of Sweden: or, to use a Cimbric word, that form the DYFRYN, or Vale, on each side. 7. Our historical Triads say, that the first colony of the Cymry came to Britain in a direction from the present Denmark, originally called the Peninsula of the Cimbri: and it is worthy of remark, that they must have brought with them their name of Lochlyn, for the Baltic Sea; and which name is so perfectly descriptive of such an inland body of waters, that it could only have been applied by a people well acquainted with its form. 8. A dialect of the language, spoken by the ancient Cymry, is still preserved by the Wendi of Lusatia, who, in the time of Orosius, extended also over the present Sudermania, along the shore of the Baltic eastward: and this dialect is the connecting link between the Welsh and the various dialects of the Sclavonic. In conclusion, allow me to express my regret, Mr. Editor, that your correspondent P. B. W. should have, this month, given strangers to our language room to doubt, as to the true derivation of the name of Gwyddel, when, certainly, it presents no doubt whatever to those who have a correct knowledge of the Welsh. P. B. W. shows a cultivated talent for general investigation; and, for that reason, his tracing Gwyddel from Gwydd, presence, or cognizance, is the most entitled to notice. He ought, however, to have known the derivation of the name to be from Gwydd, wood; and, also, that the terms Gwyddel and Gwyddeli are still used for a copse of wood, and thickets. And our bard D. ab Gwilym is a satisfactory evidence to the point, when he describes himself, in one of his adventures, to be "is y cel' wyddeli”,— beneath the concealing thickets*. HANESAI. Dec. 7, 1820. WELSH LINES AND EPITAPH. To the EDITOR of the CAMBRO-BRITON. SIR,-Reading an old Welsh MS. lately, I was much amused by the following finely descriptive accomplishments, as apper taining to the character of an ancient British chieftain :— "SAITH CAMP A DDYLY FOD AR WR-BONEDDIG†;" Bod yn oen yn ei ystafell; Bod heol; Bod yn ddoeth yn ei ddadl ; Bod yn llew ar y maes; In the same old MS. I admired the following lines upon the subject of Iolo Goch's tenure. Probably, the land was the gift * The mistake, for such it certainly is, to which Hanesai here alludes, is not chargeable upon P. B. W., but occurs in the "Preface by the late Rev. Evan Evans," of which P. B. W. is merely the translator. Mr. Evans's error was adverted to in a note by the Editor. See No. 16, p. 156.-ED. †There is, perhaps, a better copy of this production in the Arch. of Wales, vol. iii. p. 125. entitled "Dewisav gwr Taliesin," which will be translated at a future opportunity.-ED. of his munificent patron Owain Glyndwr,-Iolo being his domestic bard and son of Lacy's widow, the countess of Lincoln, who married Iolo's father. "Y TRI OEDRAN." "Tri oed pawl gwern à fernir yn oedran ci; O'm gwarant i, ar y grwn tir." To the reader, who is learned in the Saxon language, I shall be obliged for a translation of the above verses, and to the Welsh antiquary I shall feel equal obligation, if he will inform me (through the medium of your valuable publication), who is the author of these beautiful lines, which are on a tomb-stone in my native church-yard, Caerwys. "Er rhoi fy nghorph i orphwys→→ Ddyn hawddgar!—i'r ddaear ddwys; ANON. TRANSLATIONS OF THE PRECEDING WELSH LINES AND EPITAPH. An English version of the Welsh articles comprised in the preceding communication is here given, as well to gratify one part of the writer's wish, as to consult the convenience of those readers of the CAMBRO-BBITON, to whom the originals may be unintelligible. The Editor is unable, however, to answer his correspondent's inquiry respecting the author of the Epitaph at Caerwys, which is certainly well worthy of the epithet above bestowed on it. SEVEN QUALITIES, THAT OUGHT TO BE POSSESSED BY A GENTLEMAN. To be a bard at his table: To be a lion in the field: To be an instructor in his house. THE THREE AGES; By IOLO GOCH, Three times the age of an alder pole are judged to be the age of a dog: Thrice the age of a dog makes the age of a horse: of Thrice the age of a horse makes the age of a man : THE EPITAPH AT CAERWYS. Though now, beneath this mound oppress'd, My ashes, gentle pilgrim, rest, Still from their cell they shall ascend, Corrupt to incorruption tend, When to the host of earth is given The summons of the trump of heaven, * An account lately appeared in the public papers of a hawk having died in the county of Norfolk, which had been in the same garden fifty years and was considered an old bird when brought there.-ED. + The patriarchal age, to which the oak grows, is well known. The celebrated tree, which lately stood at Nannau, was a remarkable instance of this fact, having existed, according to tradition, in the time of Glyndwr, and perhaps some ages before. An interesting account of it may be found in the first volume, pp. 226 and 467.-ED. |