The Cymmrodorion have within the last two years voted a very liberal donation for the continuance of the archaiology, thus forwarding the very object of the founder of the Gwyneddigion, the patriotic Owen Myvyr, and the publication of the Mabinogion, a work exceedingly curious and interesting, in its translated form, to the literary world generally.*

"The council" are not now constituted judges of the merits of the papers sent in for prize adjudication. Do not the names of Wiffen, Sharon Turner, Dr. Owen Pughe, Sir S. R. Meyricke, "Walter Davies of Manafon," sufficiently of themselves repel the assertions which the writer has made against the respectability and influence of the society? and who, by the bye, do not compose "the council," and we much wish it were possible that they did so honour the Cymmrodorion, for its station would then be equally high as that of any literary society in Europe. Will it be believed that such men would wink at a perversion of the fund at the disposal of the society, or in any way allow themselves to be mixed up in literary jobbing? we need say no more-our readers will be satisfied on this part of the subject.

We accord in opinion with the writer on one point, commented upon in page 177, namely, that an annual concert appears to be not in unison with the affairs of a Welsh Literary Society, interspersed as it may be with Cambro-British music; but this part of the business being decided on by a majority of the London members, the council are bound to abide by their decision.

We now proceed to another material topic of the article of our contemporary, in which he attempts to confute some of the arguments of an essay published under the patronage of the Cymmrodorion, and for which one of its prizes was awarded. The following question, however, is very facetiously asked in an appended note:

"May we ask, what reference the subject of this essay has to the original purposes of the Cymmrodorion, and why it was selected on the present occasion? We should like to know, also, how many candidates there were for this prize."

We have already stated that the society was founded upon principles of general utility to the Principality, and we feel this to be a question which, if properly solved, would be extremely beneficial to society, inasmuch as its most important interests are involved in the proper regulation and well-being of its national church. The second question we cannot do better than answer in the words of Dr. Wm. Owen Pughe: "it would be highly desirable that this essay should be printed by the Cymmrodorion, under the sanction of its author."

The first objection taken by this Goliah of critics is certainly of the most insignificant character; and, in reply to the latter part of the note, we beg to state that there were two candidates

*The early nursery tales of certain tribes of the ancient Britons.

for this prize. We shall now give another extract, for they afford us considerable amusement:

"The title of this paper is derived from one of the last successful prizeessays of the Cymmrodorion, which the author has anonymously published, under the clumsy title of An Essay on the Causes which have produced Dissent in Wales from the Established Church.""

The writer has thus proceeded warmly to the work, determined to quarrel with some one, and, consequently, knocks down a title which was given to the essayist, as a trial of his skill, by the society itself. Besides which, we see none of the "clumsiness" complained of, and much wish that the reviewer had rescued his character from the charge of hyper-criticism by affording us some other in his own peculiar phraseology. There are two points upon which we feel it absolutely necessary to make a few remarks, before we further proceed: first, as to the cause of the Merthyr Tydvil riots, which mainly originated in the machinations of certain Staffordshire emissaries, added to the very great distress from the unprecedented depressed state of the iron and coal trade, acting on the poverty of the unfortunate and ever to be commiserated colliers. The second point is, a total denial that Sir Watkin was the subject" of very cordial execration amongst his own cheerfully-respecting dependents:" for it is a fact, well known every where and to every one, excepting our author," that he was chosen by the operatives themselves to act as mediator upon the occasion. We trust we need offer no apology for the numerous extracts we are induced to make, partly for the amusement of our readers and partly for the refutation which we subjoin to them. But here comes one that partakes so largely of the former class, that it behoves us to inform the peasantry, some of whom we are proud to say are the readers of our pages, of the cockney idea of their state of wretchedness. "Thus, actual want, except in cases of sickness, or other unavoidable misfortunes, is rarely the lot of the Welsh peasant. His condition, God knows, is poor and wretched enough, as far as the absence of all luxury can make it."

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We consider that there is frequently a "luxury" in the bosom of a poor Welsh peasant, hard as the times may press upon him, which many of our modern authors seldom experience, and this is a feeling of humble but contented independence, added to that which not a few of our London periodical writers rarely possess, we mean the "luxury" of being out of debt.

There is a truism, almost a solitary one, in this article, to which we most cordially assent; it is a comment on the character of the respected member for Merionethshire, for whom we, in common with every one who has the pleasure of knowing him, entertain the greatest regard, and even gratitude, for the example he has afforded to his country. He is one of those oldfashioned worthy individuals so often referred to even at the present day, but too rarely met with. The next point against

which "our author" stumbles, for he proceeds so circuitously in his arguments that, when he happens to write with any thing approaching to rationality, it appears to be the effect of accident rather than design; he states, however, that "he must endeavour to set mankind right," with his "accustomed energy and facility!" Now, how does he perform that which he so modestly proclaims to be an attribute of his labours of criticism? Guided by the infallibility of this "accustomed energy and facility," he enters into a long tirade against the divine Wesley, whom he insinuates (in common with some of the " primitive professors") to have seceded, in the first instance, "either in accordance with their own wild whims, or to effect some purpose of a nature not strictly pious." The primary cause of dissent we assert to be a difference of opinion, (sometimes arising, as in Wales, from an inefficient performance of divine service,) and persecution is its consequence; but not, as "our author" states, that dissent in religious matters is to be referred always " to persecution." Then follows a lengthy quotation respecting the commencement of dissent in Wales, purporting to be translated from a Welsh periodical, entitled the Trysorfa. Now, as this account is given, the reader would at once suppose it was a clever translation of "our author's," with his accustomed energy and facility;" but, upon reference to the introductory chapter of the Prize Essay, we find that this interesting little history has been extracted without any acknowledgment from the pages of the essayist. Following this is about half a column of print, given as original matter, but, having once "caught the Turk," we are unwilling to let him go without affording him a further proof of our tonsorium capability. The reader will discover our meaning upon comparing the half column, mentioned in page 178 of the periodical, with page 6 of the Essay, being another long extract which the essayist has acknowledged in his notes to have obtained from an original source.

"The old grievance of appointing English clergymen to Welsh benefices is revived by our essayist, with a virulence quite alarming. In allusion to this subject, What,' he asks, 'is the fact at the present moment in Wales? All the highest church preferment is in the hands of men utterly ignorant of the Welsh language:' and forthwith follows a woful lamentation, because 'a whole district should be virtually deprived of the rite of confirmation'-this, in our author's opinion, being the principal benefit conferred upon his flock by a bishop."

It is admitted therefore to be "an old grievance," that of appointing Englishmen to Welsh benefices, and that the bishops, against the express words of the 24th article, administer the rite of confirmation in a language not understood by the people. The flippancy of the arguments and observations made upon this subject, are unworthy a writer professing himself to be a defender of the church of England; and we are convinced that no pious clergyman could read them without the strongest feelings.

of disgust and indignation: it is impossible for any one to set up any thing like a decorous argument in favour either of English bishops, or an English service, to a Welsh congregation. In the page adjoining that of our last extract, it is gravely allowed that a large portion of the income of the Welsh church is in the hands of Englishmen who can perform no duty in return, and therefore, he adds, they are the very persons on whom they ought to be conferred! It is incorrectly stated that "all the secluded and inland parishes are served by Welsh incumbents; while it must be within the recollection of many that an instance occurred in a parish consisting of a Welsh population, of a gentleman attempting to do duty in the English language, which created a strong feeling of disunion between himself and his parishioners, who, being warmly supported by one of those societies whose cause we have espoused in a former part of this article, produced the gratifying result of the respected individual alluded to, qualifying himself in such a manner for the performance of the service in the language of the country as to effect a perfect and happy reconciliation. It is further asserted, that the town of Machynlleth is "as civilized a town as any in North Wales, inhabited by a numerous race of well educated gentry:" and this remark is made for the purpose of proving that the worthy clergyman is fully qualified for affording spiritual aid to his congregation; we trust and hope it may be so. But we are well informed on this point that the writer possessed no correct knowledge of the town of Machynlleth in making the remark of its being inhabited by "a numerous race," &c. The fact is, there may be half a dozen families of opulent fortune, as also respectable persons employed in professional and commercial pursuits, but there is likewise a comparatively large body of people who are entirely ignorant of any other than the Welsh language. The instance even of Barmouth is not applicable to the argument; for the influx of English visiters alone has been the cause of the building a church for English service, the natives of Aber Mawddoc (anglicé Barmouth,) generally being of the poorer class, whose pursuits in life and isolated situation have limited their knowledge to their native tongue; or if (in consequence of collision with strangers) some of them have learnt the English, even that small number prefer the Welsh; it is therefore only during the summer season that there can be need of an English service. So much for the two instances in illustration of the reviewer's argument.

We had conceived that our labour of refutation would here have met with a resting-place, but it seems that, like the stone of Sisyphus, the article still moves onward, and that we are doomed again to take in hand the pen of criticism, nay, again

*This we conceive to be another luminous proof of the utility of these societies.

pur

to raise the lash of correction; the cause alone compels us to be severe, for, in a note affixed to the first the article page, ports to review the second edition of this Essay; whereas, had this been the case, the reviewer would have perceived that instead of the essayist confining his remarks to the county of Montgomery alone, that the three counties, Merionedd, Caernarvon, and Anglesey, which he so triumphantly asserts have not been noticed, in the very edition which he professes to review, a full exposition is given of the state of the churches, comprising four counties of North Wales. If the essayist had been equally negligent with the answer, we should have been the first to reproach him; but it is presumptuous and unpardonable in one of such "accustomed energy and facility," who throws the gauntlet, and flourishes the sword so mock-heroically, to commit errors unworthy even the thesis of a schoolboy.

There is another extract made (page 180,) in the piratical manner before described, and which is so unworthy a writer of any pretension to talent, or even common principle, that we cannot help adverting to it. His manner, however, of ending his article is quite original, the subject of bundling being so extremely applicable to the cause he has been espousing. Surely, if "our author" had felt the least respect for the religion we presume he professes, he might have introduced, in conjunction with his remarks, a more decent and more creditable conclusion. It accords much, we are grieved to observe, with the same spirit that induced him to reflect on the situation of Sir Watkin, while in the chair at a meeting of the London Eisteddvod,—a false insinuation for the purpose of insult, and introduced as an intended witticism, a sad misapplication of the word, even to describe it as such.

In concluding the remarks we have made on the article before us, we are induced to stray somewhat from the subject, by a desire to stimulate those country societies, founded, as we have already stated, on the most philanthropic principles, and generally directed by able and honest individuals, to co-operate and forward by every means in their power the patriotic views of similar institutions in the metropolis. It is not enough in these times, when the genius of man struggles for pre-eminence, that we should do well only, but that we should ever aim to do our best; principle that will find sympathy in the bosoms of many. is very immaterial to the grand purposes of Christianity under whatever denomination its professors may be classed; but it matters greatly how they apply the means and talents they have at their command. We recommend the principle of co-operation among all classes, as vitally important to the interests and institutions of our country; for without this, the good we can effect will be but partial, while with it we may defy the pen of slander, and repel the attack of insidious enemies.

Having therefore dissected" a literary curiosity," the intention of which has evidently been even at the sacrifi e of truth; to

It