Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

while, as we are engaged in our editorial labours, we hear the loud artillery proclaim, to the listening metropolis, that our gracious king has, this moment, seated himself on the throne of these realms, to declare his sentiments to the assembled lords and We are thankful that we were about to close this article, as the feelings with which we are now imbued are of a nature too comprehensive and exciting to allow of that concentration towards our subject which would have been so necessary to its extension.

commons.

We are convinced there does not exist one true Christian, or real friend to his country, who will not join us heartily in that prayer which will today be read in both houses, and wherein is this memorable passage, "That all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations.'

December 6, 1831.

OLD PETITION TO THE MAYOR OF CHESTER.

"THE petition of David Molynton Walker, to Jo. Hope, Maior of Chester, against Richard Walker, his apprentice, that he played at dice, for dry mony, contrary to his comand, for wh he did bete him and chastise him, for which the sherriffes of the citty do trouble him contrary to law and reason; seing there is no law to punish any man for bateing of his wife or prentice, he, therefore, desires that he may not be any longer vexed, but may chastice his apprentice for misgovernance, &c."

British Museum, Harl. 2099.

CYWYDD I ANERCH

THOMAS ROBERTS,

LLWYNRHUDOL,

AR OL MARWOLAETH EI WRAIG,

Yr hon a fu farw y 29ain. o Fawrth, 1829.

TOMAS, mae yn fraint imi
Gynnal serch i d'anerch di,
Cawsom gynt, gyda hynt hael
Ein deuwedd, ddyddiau diwael;
A gweled pob argoelion

O ofal dyfal Duw Iôn,

A'i nawdd beunydd sydd heb siom
Teg eto tuag atom.

Ond nid byd o hyd yw hwn
Di gylus da y gwelwn,
Namyn byd hefyd yn hau
Anwadal gyfnewidiau;
Mae pawb yma, gyrfa gain,
Yn y dymhestl un damwain:
Pa le cair dyn briddyn brau
Byw grasol heb ei groesau?
Gorthrymder, blinder yn blâ,
Siomiant pob peth sy yma,
"Ni ddaw ochenaid i ddyn
Byw digroes heb ei deigryn."

Neud Tithau, Frawd, wyt weithon

Dan drymder o brudd-der bron

Am golled, di arbed oedd

Nefoles, un o filoedd;

Colli i'w bedd Gydwedd gu,
Galar nas gellych gelu:

Nid hawdd yw gwneyd dyhuddiant
I Wr blin am farw ei blant,
Ond colled am eu Mammaeth,
Gwn y gwir mae yn gàn' gwaeth.

Gwraig oedd gywir egwyddor
Ar berffaith da waith Duw Iôr,
Gwraig uniawn goreu gynnydd
O henw da fu hon i'w dydd,
Gwerthfawr oedd yn gyhoedd gu
Ei thalent yn ei Theulu,
Nis bu Cyfeilles bywyd
Ragorach, burach mewn byd,

Gwir yw un o'r goreuon,
Urdd frig hardd, fu y Wraig hon,
Cafodd dalentau cyfoeth

Rhinwedd dda yn mhob rhan ddoeth
Cai ddysgeidiaeth odiaeth aidd
Ban ddygiad boneddigaidd,

A gwnaeth ddefnydd i'w dydd, do,
Hyd einioes da o hono,
Ail Sarah sefyllfa fad,

Mor addas ymarweddiad !

Balchder yspryd fraenllyd fri
Nid oedd yn deiryd iddi,
Yn addurn ei blyneddoedd
Da ei dull a diwyd oedd,
Gwir ffyddlon yn moddion maeth
Gloyw deg ei galwedigaeth,
Gwinwydden bèr gynnyddiant
Gwir hoff les i'w Gwr a'i Phlant,
A'i hymdawr, dirfawr derfyn,
Yn ddi dwyll at Dduw a dyn.

[blocks in formation]

FORMATION OF THE ST. DAVID'S CLUB.

At a Meeting of Literary Gentlemen held in London, on Saturday, the 12th of November, 1831,

JAMES CONOLLY, ESQ. IN THE CHAIR,

IT WAS RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY, that the gentlemen who have sent in their names do constitute a Club, to be entitled the "ST. DAVID'S CLUB," and that no further admissions into it be allowed for the present, the meeting being fully sensible that the power and vigor of any literary or scientific institution are not constituted by the numerical strength of its members, but rather by the strenuous and intellectual co-operation of a small number of able men, zealous in the cause.

It was also resolved, that the members of the ST. DAVID'S CLUB be not confined to natives of Wales, as the designation would seem to imply, but that those of other countries, who may be distinguished for their patriotism and love of learning, be admitted.

It was also resolved, that the permanency and usefulness of any literary undertaking must, in a great measure, depend upon the selection of a secretary, active, able, and intelligent; and the enrolled members of the ST. DAVID'S CLUB, being well aware that the unremitting perseverance evinced by the secretary of the Cambrian Quarterly Magazine, in the establishment and conduct of that valuable periodical, has been such as to merit the thanks of the Principality at large, and he, having been offered and having accepted the office of secretary in promotion of the objects to be embraced by the ST. DAVID'S CLUB, is hereby appointed secretary to the same.

It was also resolved, that the offer made by that gentleman, of rendering the Cambrian Quarterly the organ and medium of intelligence through which the members of the ST. DAVID'S CLUB may report their proceedings to the public, be accepted with the most cordial acknowledgments of the meeting.

It was also resolved, that the patriotic and highly valuable proceedings of "The Literary and Translation Society of Wales" having, shortly after its commencement, been frustrated, in consequence of the serious illness of its learned and estimable founder, the ST. DAVID'S CLUB, as far as possible, without intending to usurp or interfere with any future sphere of action of "The Literary and Translation Society," do co-operate and render all the support in their power to the furtherance of the objects of such society; and that the secretary of this Club do attend to all communications (post paid,) to be addressed "to the secretary of the ST. DAVID'S CLUB, Cambrian Quarterly Office, 15, St. Martin's-le-Grand."

It was also resolved, that the reports of the meetings of the ST. DAVID'S CLUB be introduced to the public in the form of dialogues, being the conversations actually occurring at their meetings, and that they be printed in the Cambrian Quarterly.

The chairman having vacated the chair, the thanks of the meeting to him were proposed, seconded, and carried in the usual way.

THE SECRETARY'S REPORT.

In pursuance of the above resolutions, the ST. DAVID'S CLUB held their first meeting at their chambers in Jermyn street, St. James's. A gentleman was voted to the chair,-whom we shall introduce as Professor Northwold, of Lincolnshire.

The Secretary was directed to read his report, the chief points of which were, that the correspondents in the country, from whom he had the honour of receiving letters, had impressed him with the belief that the present state of Welsh literature was far more respectable as to the quality of its composition, as well as the topics it embraced, than it had been at any period since the decline of the Bards; that several Welsh periodicals now in existence, if they could not boast of those high pretensions which are assumed by those of their Saxon contemporaries, still avoided absurdity of diction, ignorance of grammar, and that stupid prejudice against admitting any thing which did not originate in matter indigenous to Wales, however inapplicable a vast portion of the ancient records or manners of that country might be to the feelings and customs of the present day for instance, as regards national feeling, twenty or thirty years ago, a gentleman from the wolds of Lincolnshire would have been no more admitted into a Welsh Club than the hideous Zealander or disgusting Hottentot would now be tolerated in the salons of the city, par excellence Paris; but, happily, good sense and increased information, both in Wales and in the rest of the kingdom, has had the effect of dissipating prejudices which could belong but to an age of barbarism.

Amongst the Welsh literature of the day, the Seren Gomer (Gomer's Star,) was a magazine published in Caermarthen monthly; its circulation extended to upwards of 2000, and, though in the interest of the Dissenters, its pages were never sullied by harsh disputation on subjects of religious controversy.

The Gwyliedydd (the Watchman,) was another monthly periodical, ably supported by the clergy of the church of England: there were several articles in the Gwyliedydd written by men of high attainments, and, without any invidious distinction, he believed that many contributions to that work were deserving the greatest attention: that they were entitled to a station among the standard theological writings of the nineteenth century; but how was such exertion patronized? Unfortunately the Gwyliedydd obtained a very disproportionate share of public attention: after being established a considerable time, it barely reimbursed the spirited publisher, and he believed the services of the writers in the Gwyliedydd had been gratuitous. Its sale did not at that moment amount to the disposal of seven hundred copies: strange to say, this neglect of a sound theological work was attributable to a total reaction of feeling among the middle classes of the Welsh, for, as had been observed formerly, an exclusive attachment (as far as it went,) to native lore absorbed their attention, though fifty years ago the middle classes paid but little attention to any kind of literature. Unfortunately now, as had been fully demonstrated by a writer in the Cambrian Quarterly, a considerable portion of the important class alluded to considered it, in spirit and acquirement, a degradation to be thought Cambrian: how contrary in its chilling consequences was this apathy compared to sectarian enthusiasm! The Dissenters supported any polemical effort, no matter from what quarter proceeding, if in it were advocated their principles: he ventured his opinion, that in the present remarkable period of

* Maelog.

« AnteriorContinuar »