Y derlwyni dir lawnion Ni wneir mwy yn anair MON: Anhygoel overgoel vai. Ond trech, na'r rhai'n, cromlechau, Ond, vy ngwlad, er llygriad llu, Eu hen ddysg, ddigymmysg iaith? * Upon looking back to the bloody rites of Druidism, the Cambrian Christian can no less than feel an excitement to gratitude and exultation, when he considers, that in no country on the face of the earth is Christianity more universally received than it is in Wales at this present day. Rhwng creigiau, muriau moroedd Syw Deyrn gynt, SADWRN ac IAU*: Od Awen y adewir. Ond gyd a chynvyd och aeth, I hen vyd, a hevyd Hu! Saiv undod di-ddarvod ddydd: "These are the people," says Abbot Pezron, " who have the honour to preserve the language of the posterity of GOMER, JAPHET's eldest son, and the nephew of SHEM, the language of those princes, called SATURN and JUPITER, who passed for great DEITIES amongst the ancients." [It may be proper to remark here, that the popular notion of the descent of the CYMRY from GOMER, however suitable to the purposes of a poetical composition like this, is by no means to be regarded as an historical fact. Had M. Pezron been versed in Welsh, he would have known that it was contrary to the genius of the language to derive Cymry from Gomer; whereas, on the other hand, we are abundantly justified by history in identifying the CYMRY with the CIMBRI and CIMMERII of ancient writers.-See p. 14, ante, and, also, the CAMBRO-BRITON, vol. i. p. 47, and vol. iii. p. 286.-ED. Tr.] THE Author of the following Poem begs leave to remark, that he has treated the subject in a simple historical strain, leaving out all fabulous accounts of HU GADARN, whom he considers merely as a Great Man, or, in other words, a HERO, worthy of having his name immortalized. It is true, that the historical facts concerning him are but scanty; nevertheless, sufficient is said in the Triads, and in the subsequent allusions to him in the Works of the Bards, to pronounce him a person of pre-eminent qualities, and of great note in his time. Therefore, imagination may easily fill up the chasm in a plain and natural way, without recourse to mythological or abstruse speculations. That Hu was a chieftain who led a party of his countrymen from a certain place in Asia (then called Defrobani) into Gaul, and thence to Britain, cannot be doubted. Other chiefs, such as Prydain ab Aedd Mawr, &c. followed his example; and thus our isle became first peopled by different tribes of one nation, called CYMRY. In the Poem before us nothing improbable or irrelevant to the subject has been introduced. The Author, therefore, respectfully submits it to the perusal of his countrymen, without farther comments, than briefly to state (for the sake of those not thoroughly acquainted with the Welsh language) that the following are its general contents. THE ARGUMENT. THE Awen requested to assist in the work, and to give the author a glimpse of former ages, and particularly of the primitive state of the CYMRY, amongst whom HU GADARN was a conspicuous chief, endued with wisdom, and a proficient in the sciences, especially music and poetry. He is favoured with a view of Gwlad yr Hav, (or summer land,) where the CYMRY resided-Their primitive happy state-Afterwards their discords and intestine quarrels, which caused Hu and his friends, who were peaceably inclined, to quit their native land, and eventually their landing in the Honey Isle, since called Britain (Prydain). Allusions to Madog ab Owain Gwynedd, who quitted his country from similar motives, and discovered a new world, since called America. The joy of Hu and his followers at discovering so fair and fertile a country -They retire to rest on the green sod-Address to Sleep-Hu hath a vision respecting the future state of his colony-Their various vicissitudes to the present day, at the bright prospect of which he awakes full of rapture. Hu ascends a hill to view the surrounding country-Addresses the rising sun and other luminaries, which leads him more devoutly to pay his adoration to their Great Creator, whose blessings he implores on his infant colonyReturns to his companions-They explore the country, and fix on proper situations for their Druids and Bards-He teaches his countrymen to cultivate the land by the use of the plough-The oxen taught to assist in it, and in draining several parts hitherto overflowed, which is signified by the Ychain Banawg, or fat oxen, drawing the Avanc from the lake of floods, &c. and stopping its farther progress by embankment-The colony flourishes -Music and poetry cultivated-Their love of Liberty-Address to Liberty-Their bravery in defence of it, &c. Hu lives to a good old age, beloved and respected by all-The fable of the Ychain Banawg treated of as allegorical, signifying the cultivation of the land by means of patience and industry-The conclusion. HU GADARN: CYWYDD. BY MR. THOMAS JONES*, OF LONG Acre. CYNHYRVED can hy ervawr, Cymry cu,-dy deulu di, Eve ydoedd hyv awdur, Llawn ei ben o bob llen bur; Eve oedd Dad mwynvad maeth, Ebrwydd ddawn, ein Barddoniaeth; * Author of the Prize Ode, for 1821, above inserted, and on which account it was that Mr. Jones very liberally withdrew this Cywydd from the competition for the present year. Its merit, however, has induced the Society to give it a place in their TRANSACTIONS.-ED. TR. + The three pillars of the Isle of Britain-the first, HU GADARN, who conducted the Cymry into the Isle of Britain, &c.-The Triads. [See this particular Triad translated in the CAMBRO-BRITON, vol. i. p. 45.-ED. TR.] |