were sung, enlivened the festivities of the evening; and the influence of the Awen was strongly evinced in several extemporary effusions of much merit. A learned address in Welsh from the Rev. John Richards of Anglesey, Critic to the Society, was read in the course of the evening; and, as on the former anniversary, the Rev. gentleman's erudition called forth the well merited applause of the meeting. In a word, the spirit, displayed by the members of this infant society, is highly creditable to the natives of Wales, resident in Liverpool, and is well worthy of imitation in other large English towns, where a similar observance of our national customs would not only help to unite our countrymen in a brotherly league amongst themselves, but would also bind them to their native mountains more,” and thus contribute to the expansion of that patriotic flame, which has, at length, been so happily kindled in Wales. a LITERATURE. CYFRINACH Y BEIRDD.-It is well known to those, who have any acquaintance with our ancient MSS., that there exists, under the preceding title, a treatise, of considerable antiquity, on Welsh poetry, and, more particularly, on its prosody. Proposals have recently been made for publishing this work from a MS, in the possession of Mr. Edward Williams, the celebrated Bard of Glamorgan; the expenses of the publication to be paid by subscription, and the work to be put to press as soon as a sufficient sum is subscribed for that purpose. If the MS. of this treatise, in the possession of Mr. Williams, be similar to that under the same title in the Hengwrt collection, it consists of various tracts on grammar, rhetoric, and prosody, and cannot fail, therefore, to prove a rich treat to the Welsh scholar, and particularly to the votaries of the Awen. For, it is somewhat remarkable, considering the predilections of the Welsh for poetical productions, that no regular dissertation on the peculiarities of our national muse has yet appeared, with the exception, indeed, of the learned work of Dr. J. D. Rhys, which, however, does not come up to the full idea here contemplated. At all events, an English treatise on this subject is still a desideratum, and one which the publication, now proposed, is not meant to supply. Yet the mate rials, in which it will necessarily abound, must furnish a valuable accession to this branch of our national literature, and of which, it may be hoped, some future writer will avail himself, to illustrate, in a full and satisfactory manner, the particular cha a a racter of Welsh poetry*. For, at present, the phenomena it presents, as compared with the principles of the poetry of other countries, are entirely unknown beyond the boundaries of Wales; and even within them a perfect knowlege prevails only to a very limited extent. For these reasons it is extremely desirable, that the project, here noticed, should meet with every encouragement. The Hengwrt copy of "Cyfrinach y Beirdd" was transcribed from a MS. of Gutyn Owain by the celebrated antiquary Mr. Robert Vaughan, and by whom it was enriched with several elaborate annotations, as well as some important additions, which might, possibly, be of service in the publication now contemplated. At least, the Hengwrt MS. ought to be previously consulted. The proposals, alluded to in this article, originated at a sort of bardic festival, held, in the early part of last month, at the hospi table residence of the Rev. J. Jenkins of Kerry, whose truly patriotic ardour, and liberal exertions, in the cause of Welsh litera ture, so justly entitle him to be regarded as the Ivor Hael of the present day. OBITUARY. NOVEMBER.-22d, Mr. Owen Rees, of Haverfordwest.-27th, At Cardigan, aged 24, William Morgan Williams, Esq., of Trefach, Pembrokeshire.-29th, At Hieres, in the South of France, aged 43, William Shipley, Esq., eldest son of the Very Rev. Dean of St. Asaph, being accidentally killed by the gun of a peasant, who accompanied him on a shooting excursion, and which occasioned his immediate death.-ib., At his residence in North Wales, Lord Viscount Kirkwall, heir presumptive to the earldom of Orkney, in his 42d year.-30th, At Dan-y-coed, Cardiganshire, aged 81, the Rev. Phillip Maurice, who had, for 45 years, been a diligent minister of the Independent Churches of Ty-'n-y-gwndw. and Ebenezer.-ib., Thomas Jones, Esq. of Llandissilio, in the county of Denbigh.-DECEMBER.-2d, In London, Fdward Corbet, Esq., of Ynyysymaengwyn, in the county of Merioneth, a gentleman, who had been long distinguished by his politeness and hospitality.-6th, At Neath, after an illness of two years, Mrs. * In a letter from Mr. Edward Williams in the third volume of the Cambrian Register, p. 377, the venerable bard expresses his intention to write "a little treatise on the versification of Welsh poetry from the earliest ages, of which we have any remins, to the present day." He would do an essential service to his country by completing this patriotic design. The letter, here cited, was written in 1810. Catherine Morgan.-13th, Miss A. Morgans, aged 22, of Penywern, near Aberystwith.-14th, At St. Ishmael's Vicarage, Carmarthenshire, William, second son of the Rev. John Griffiths, Vicar of that parish.-ib., Mr. Briscoe, Sen., of Penley, Flintshire, aged 79.—At Pwllheli, aged 49, Mr. Lewis Humphreys, Tide Surveyor of that port.-20th, Richard Willding, Esq., of Llanrhaidr Hall, Denbighshire, aged 78, generally and deservedly esteemed for his amiable character and many private virtues.-24th, Thomas Meredith, Esq., of Brecon, aged 79.-25th, Mr. Edward Jones, of Denbigh, father of the Rev. Master of Ruthin School. At Hereford, aged 78, the Rev. Samuel Beavan, Rector of New Church, Radnorshire-William Jones, Esq., of Groes, near Denbigh.-ib., Robert Thompson, Esq., aged 55, of Tintern Abbey, in the county of Monmouth, a gentleman, whose integrity, honour, and charitable disposition had procured him the general respect of the country.-26th, Mr. Vaughan, of Gungrog, Montgomeryshire, aged 65.—30th, At Hakin, near Milford, Robert Robertson, Esq., Captain and Paymaster of the Pembrokeshire Militia.-31st, At Ludlow, Charles Rogers, Esq., of Stannage Park, in the county of Radnor, a gentleman distinguished by the possession of many moral and christian virtues. INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY. DECEMBER. At Mold, Flintshire, Mrs. Mary Hughes, aged 96. At Croes Hywel, Denbighshire, Mrs. Elizabeth Roberts, aged 102.-At Perthill, near Aberystwith, Mrs. Williams, aged 96.-24th, Mrs. Catherine Francis, of Tre Hywel, Pembrokeshire, aged 93; she had been a member of the Baptist connexion about 60 years. ERRORS CORRECTED. No. 17. P. 210. 1. 26. for " Chwl" read Chwi.-1. 32. for "lfafar read llafar. P. 211.1 7. for "adaw" read anaw.-last line of the Notes, for "Enid," read Æneid. P. 217. 1. 2. dele the first "have." · P, 221, l. 16. for "Cretanau" read Coetanau.-1. 21. for "Gruffydd Cynan" read Gruffydd ah Cynan. P. 222. last line, for " mince" read mincer. P. 232. 1. 227. for "ddoll" read ddol. In this Number.-P. 253. 1. 11.for "firemen" read freemen. THE CAMBRO-BRITON. MARCH, 1821. NULLI QUIDEM MIHI SATIS ERUDITI VIDENTUR, QUIBUS NOSTRA IGNOTA SUNT. THE TRIADS.-No. XVII. TRIADS OF THE ISLE OF BRITAIN. LXXVI. THE three Strong Crutched Ones of the Isle of Britain: Rhineri, the son of Tangwn; and Tinwaed Vaglog [the Crutched;] and Pryderi, the son of Doler, of Deivr and Brynaich. [Triad XXI of the first series agrees with the above in one reading, excepting that Pryderi and Doler are called Pryder and Dolor; but in another reading the three are thus named :—Rhiveri, Dinawc, and Pryder: and the Triad is not in the second series. The exploits, by which these cripples became distinguished, so as to have their names recorded, are not known.] LXXVII. The three Grave-slaughtering Ones of the Isle of Britain Selyv, the son of Cynan Garwyn; and Aväon, the son Taliesin; and Gwallawg, the son of Llenawg: that is, they were called grave-slaughtering ones, for having avenged their wrongs from their graves. [Triads LXV of the first and xxx of the second series agree with the above text. But we are left in the dark as to what the wrongs therein mentioned were, or how they were avenged. The names of Aväon and Gwallawg have before appeared in former Triads†; and the history of Selyv ab Cynan is not now known.] LXXVIII. The three Golden Corpses of the Isle of Britain: Madawg, the son of Brwyn; Ceugant Beilliawg; and Rhuvawn the Splendid, the son of Gwyddno Garanhir: that is, they were so called because their weight of gold was given for having them delivered from the hands of those who slew them. [Triad LXVIII of the first series and XXXIX of the second only record the names, without the explanation why they were so de VOL. II. * Arch. of Wales, vol. ii. pp. 60, 61. Tr. 7581. nominated and in the first series the second name is Ceugan, or Cyngain, Peilliawt.-The histories of Madawg and Ceugant are lost; and the name of Rhuvawn, or Rhuawn, has appeared in a former Triad*, where he is called the son of Dewrarth Wledig, and not of Gwyddno.] LXXIX. The three Froward Ones of the Isle of Britain; Eiddilig the Dwarf; and Trystan, the son of Tallwch : and Gweirwerydd the Great: and there was nothing that could divert them from their purposes. [Triad LXXXVIII of the first series records only the names, without the illustration, thus-Eiddilig Gòr, and Gwair Gwryd Vawr, and Trystan. This Triad is not in the second series.The name of Eiddilig Gòr has appeared before, in Triad LIV; and more will be made known of him in a succeeding Triad, as one of the three magicians of Britain. Some acccount of Trystan also has been already given in a former Triad†. Gweirwerydd, here mentioned, was the son of the celebrated Cynvelyn, or Cunobelinus.] INSTITUTIONAL TRIADS. 1. The three first Institutional Bards of Britain were Plenydd, Alawn, and Gwron §. 2. The three reasons, why the Bards are entitled "Bards according to the rights and institutes of the Bards of the Isle of Britain :”—first, because Bardism originated in Britain; secondly, because pure Bardism was never well understood in any other country; thirdly, because pure Bardism can never be maintained but by means of the Institutes and Conventional Voice of the Bards of the Isle of Britain. For these reasons Bards, of what * Vol. 1, p. 204. † No. 18, p. 241, These Triads are copied, with a few occasional variations of diction, from the small collection at the end of Mr. Edward Williams's "Lyric and Pastoral Poems," published in 1794. Mr. Williams gives the originals also, but does not state upon what authority: it may be presumed, however, that he would not have ventured to make them public, without being convinced of their genuineness, as memorials of the singular system of Bardism, or, as it is more generally called, Druidism, which anciently prevailed in this island. It should be mentioned, that the leading maxims only of the Bardic Institution are supposed to be comprised in these Triads.-ED. § These three persons are recorded also in the Historical Triads, as the "three primary Bards of the Isle of Britain." See CAMBRO-BRITON, No. 16, p. 145.-ED. |