the priests alone; and we find they performed this office in the war against the Midianites 2. "Sound an alarm, your filver Trumpets found, "And call the brave, and only brave, around.". I have now concluded the account I intended of the Mufical Inftruments of the Ancient Welsh, viz. the Harp, the Crythau, the Bagpipes, the Pibgorn, the Cornicyll, the Bugle-Horn, and the Tabret; that is, Six in number, the two Crwths being the fame fpecies of inftrument; the Pibgorn and the Cornicyll being likewife fomething fimilar to each other, confequently I include them as one. Two of the above inftruments were unfortunately omitted in the mufical trophy, at the beginning of this Differtation; that is, the Bagpipes and the Cornicyll, as they are not now general in Wales, and were therefore forgotten to be inferted till after the engraving was executed. The following are the National Melodies, or Bardic Tunes of the Aboriginal Britons, (or Welth, who formerly inhabited all this Ifland,) which have been handed down to us by tradition, and fome of them from very remote antiquity: Thefe have often refounded through the Cambrian halls, in the days of feftival, with an unlimited harmony of Harps, Cruths, Pipes, and Voices. The original melodies of the Airs are preferved here with the moft fcrupulous fidelity; the only licence I have taken is the addition of new Baffes, with Variations to feveral of the Tunes; becaufe, fince the regular Eifteddvodau, or Bardic Congreffes, have been discontinued, which were the confervators and correctors of our Mufic, Poetry, and Hiftory, the performers of the Harp and Cwth of the latter ages have forgot and mutilated the original harmony of these ruins of genius. Moft of them were never before committed to writing, at least not in modern notes. I have collected thefe Songs of the Bards with infinite pains, from hearing the old Muficians, or Minstrels, of Wales, play them on their inftruments, and from their being chanted by the Peafantry, as well as the Pennillion, or Poetical Bloffoms, which are ufually fung to the Tunes, and were retained in the fame oral manner 3. What is most pleafing to the generality of people is that which is most familiar and common, and which accounts, in fome degree, for these venerable remains of Mufic and Poetry having fo long been preferved by tradition. The ftriking merit of many of these native Melodies is that of their being fo extremely characteristic of their origin: part of them probably were extempore compofitions of the Bards, excited by incidental events at various periods. Some are Mournful and Pathetic; others breathe a fpirit of Heroism'; fome are tinctured with Gaiety and Mirth; others again with Rurality, Simplicity, and Love, as refined tafte is always most favourable to love and friendship. But, the choiceft ftyle of mufic of the Weish themselves is that in the Bragod Gywair, (compound, or mixed, key,) which generally expreffes a plaintive content, or a pleafing tranquility. Even the most inferior of thefe Tunes and Ballads are not deftitute of harmony or nature. Some of the Airs undoubtedly are very ancient; and the latest of them were probably compofed previous to the reign of Elizabeth'. See farther on the fubject in the preceding pages 54 and 55, and in the following Mufic. In the early ages the character of a Druidic Bard was perhaps the most revered and accomplished of all others; and anciently, it seems, Mufic was fo united with Poetry, Mythology, Philofophy, Government, Manners, and Science in general, that an univerfal knowledge was requifite to complete that master of literature ".. "And the Levites flood with the inftruments of David, and the priests with the Trumpets." 2d Chronicles, Chap. XXIX. v. 26. "And seven priefts fhall bear before the ark feven Trumpets of rams-horns: And the feventh day ye fhall compafs the city feven times, and the priests fhail blow with the Trumpets." Joshua, Chap. VI. v. 4.- Kings, Chap. 1. v. 34 and 39.-- • Blow up the Trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our folemn feast-day."-Pfalm LXXXI. v. 3 2 Numbers, Chap. XXXI. v. 6.—2 Chronicles, Chap. V. v. 12. Deuteronomy, Chap. XX. v. 2.—1 Maccabies, Chap. III. v. 58. -Exodus, XIX. v. 19.—— By the loud Trumpet which our courage aids, "We learn that found, as well as tenie, perfuades." Waller. The Cornet was a different inftrument from the Trumpet, and probably blown by the Chiefs. See the 2d Book of Samuel, The Welsh terms for a Trumpet are Udgorn, Tolgorn, or Llú gorn ; 4 "Thefe venerable ancient Song-enditers 5 If Heroic Songs had ftill been coaunved to be ung, as they were formerly, I am well perfuaded that our modern warriors would have fought with greater fuccefs than they fometimes have done.-— • The refources in mufic are inexhaustible; and Dr. Johnson Chap. VI. v. 5.-Daniel, Chap. III. v. 5.—1 Chronicles, Chap.fays, that Mufic is the only fenfual pleasure without vice.— The tone of the Bugle-Horn is more melodious and foft than the brazen Trumpet, and poffibly it would be farther heard. 1 Vide the explanatory notes to the different I unes. 8 See the feven excellences in p. 83; the games in p. 36: And, the feparation of the Bardic profellion in pp. 29, 83, 84, and 85. I i A few years ago I published a fimilar work; but, having fince collected very important and more confiderable documents on the subject, I thought it more judicious, instead of giving an additional volume, to blend the chief matter of the former publication with the prefent; by which means every thing is here arranged in its proper place, and endless references and confufion are avoided It is now augmented to much more than double the fize of the former. CORRECTION S. The Reader is requested to correct the following errors which have escaped the prefs. In page 1, in the thirteenth line of the 1ft Note, read Conan Ditto, in the twentieth line of the zd Note, read Dyvnwal, In page 2, the Reader is requested to take notice, that the etymological account of the Derwydd, Bardd, and Owydd, was given only upon conjecture; but, having fince found that venerable system, of which thefe are the terms of its different degrees, as ftill preferved in a part of Wales; it now appears, that what is advanced refpecting them is effentially wrong. Instead of what is there faid, the BARDD is to be confidered as the title of the primary clafs, or foundation of the order; the OVYDD is the honorary degree, by which a man was admitted on account of his learning and scientific knowledge; and the DERWYDD was fuch of either of the other two claffes as was destined to inftruct, and conduct the religious ceremonies. In page 2, in the third line of the Notes, read Lewis's Hiflory, p. 67, Chap. XXXV. In page 5, in the thirteenth line of the 2d Note, read p. 43. In page 8, after Note 10, add the following: Dr. Borlafe has preferved a series of British Coins before their intercourfe with the Romans: See Borlafe's Antiquities of Cornwall, Chap. XII. p. 259, &c. and plate XXIII, of the fecond edition.— In page 13, to the Note with the ftar, add the following: Tri chyntevigion Beirdd gorfeddog Ynys Prydain, Plennydd, Alawn, a Gwron: The three primitive Inftitutional Bards of the Iland of Britain were, Plennydd, Ålawn, and Gwron. In page 14, in the eighth line of the Notes, instead of were, read was, In page 29, in the fecond column of the 1ft Note, read Fflam Gurgan. In page 34, in the thirtieth line, read philofophical In page 36, in the fifth line, read excurfions In page 38, in the eighth line, read Cyhelyn Vardd ab Gwyn-vardd; In page 49, the ninth and tenth lines, read John Gwynedd, Dr. of Mufic, a native of North Wales, about the year 1533. In page 50, instead of Laurel of Fame, read Oak-wreath of Fame, In page 52, in the thirty-eighth line, read buried In page 60, in the feventeenth line of Note 10, read Llanrwst In pages 61, 63, 65, 73, &c. in the titles, instead of Welk Sonnets, read Poetical Blooms, or Epigrammatic Stanzas, and Paftorals. In page 69, the laft word of the Text, read Ordinales. In page 74, in the last Welsh stanza, inftead of gold, read glőd; In pages 79 and 80, in the Title, inftead of Triades, read Triads. In page 96, in the fixteenth and in the twentieth lines, read chromatic, In page 97, in the ninth line of Note 3, read 1580, In page 107, in the fecond line of the fourth ftanza of the Ode, read combine, In page 117, in the fifth line, read Tabwrdd, In page 118, in the tenth line of Note 6, read Comptroller. "Such were the founds, that o'er the crefted pride "As down the fteep of Snowdon's fhaggy fide "He wound, with toilfome march, his long array."-Gray's Bard. Majestic Gorhoffidd Gwyr Harlech. * _ The March of the Men of Harlech. Harlech Caftle, in Merionethfhire,was formerly a celebrated Fortrefs, and is faid to have been built by that warlike Prince Maelgwn Gwynedd, about A.D.530. In the beginning of the sixth Century it was called Tŵr Bronwen y Brenhinoedd; from Bronwen, the Daughter of Prince Lŷr,of Harlech;who probably lived in the Caftle; and the higheft Turret of it, to this day, goes by the name of Bronwen's Tower. This Caftle was rebuilt,or repaired, about the Year 877,by Collwyn ab Tangno, one of the fifteen Tribes of North Wales,and Lord of Evionydd, Ardudwy, and part of Lyn; and from him it was called Caer-Collwyn;or Collwyn's Castle. This venerable Caftle is perhaps the moft ancient remains of all the British Forts; and it is a moft stately ftructure of exceeding ftrength both by Art and Nature;being fituated on a lofty Rock, which commands a fine bay of the sea, and the Pafsage of entrance upon that Coaft. Nennius's Brit: Hist: and from an old M:S. Affectionately + Mwynder Meirionydd. ___ The Courtesy of Meirionethf. neu, Marged fivyn ach-Ifim. h The County of Meirionydd has always been famed for Mufic, Poetry, and Hospitality. Erddigan Caer Waun.* _ The Minstrelsy of Chirk Castle : D Caftell y Waun,or Chirk Castle, in Denbighshire, is the grand Manfion of the Middletons, and the most perfect habitable Caftle in Wales; It stands upon an eminence, and commands a moft beautiful picturesque Country. When it was occupied by its ancient Barons it appears to have been the receptacle of Bards. |