majestic varieties, was progressively reared." Hence I have assumed, and I still think correctly, that the original language "was not the effect of an immediate revelation from heaven, but the result of a natural aptitude in the organs of speech to utter certain determinate articulations according to the impulse of man's internal emotions." Yet this, the writer of the objections seems to insinuate, is "to divest the Deity of his prerogatives, and to appropriate them to man," as though I had assumed that man was him-self the inventor of those elements of speech which are to be found in the natural articulations of the human voice. These, I admit with the objector, as being implanted in the nature of man, were, undoubtedly, the boon of his Creator; nor can it be deemed a less wonderful act of divine power, that man should have been enabled to form a language out of materials so simple, than if he had, at once, been gifted by the Almighty with one of the most complete and accomplished character. In fine, the discrepancy of opinion between the writer alluded to and myself is, as above intimated, one more about words than ideas; for, when he speaks of man having been originally "capable of increasing the primary elements of speech by different modifications," he does but express, in other words, the very principle upon which my position, with respect to the origin of language, has its foundation. The following, then, in a few words, is the summary of my opinion on this point, and of its application to the foregoing argument in favour of the antiquity of the Welsh tongue :-" Language, in its origin, must have been composed merely of certain determinate natural sounds, capable of being multiplied upon a regular and immutable principle, and likewise susceptible of numerous simple combinations, concurring with the progress of society, and the consequent augmentation of human ideas and exigencies. These primitive elements, upon the miraculous confusion at Babel, to whatever perfection they had then advanced, were necessarily dispersed and frittered, as it were, among the various dialects, to which that event gave birth, and have since formed the basis of all other tongues. Consequently, there exists no language in which a certain number, however few, of these elementary sounds may not be discovered; and those languages, which have retained the greatest proportion of them, must necessarily be allowed the highest claim both to purity and antiquity."

J. H. P.

HU GADARN:

NEU

GYWYDD, YN DAIR RHAN,

AR DESTYN Y

Cymmrodorion*.

GAN Y PARCH. EDWARD HUGHES, A.M.

PREFACE.

THE following POEM is divided into three parts, not so much on account of its length as that it appeared to be the natural arrangement of the subject. The pauses may also have the effect of counteracting, in some measure, that satiety, which the frequent recurrence of a like ending, in so confined a metre, has a tendency to produce. The prefixed ARGUMENT is intended only for such persons, as can neither read nor understand the Welsh, should any such be desirous of knowing what the Poem contains. As to the few marginal notes, they are of no importance, unless the reader, when referred to them, thinks the passage requires an explanation. To the judgement of the intelligent Welsh critic the Poem, in itself, is submitted, without regard to any of its adjuncts.

"HU GADARN; or a Poem, in three parts, on the subject proposed by the CYMMRODORION, by the Rev. EDWARD HUGHES, A.M." This Poem gained the prize at the last Anniversary of the Society, May 22, 1822.—ED. Tr.

THE ARGUMENT.

PART THE FIRST.

ADDRESS to the muse of old times-The dispersion of mankind—HU THE MIGHTY at the head of the descendants of GOMER in the Summer CountryHis character and attainments-The increase of the CYMRY under his mild and patriarchal government-His meditation on the necessity of migrating with a part of them-The guardian angel of PRYDAIN appearing to him in the night, and encouraging him in his design, with the promise of a fair country enclosed by the sea under the setting of the sun-The assembling of his people, and their resolution to leave their old country-Description of their last parting.

PART THE SECOND.

Description of the morning in the Summer Country, when Hu and his followers took their departure-Their last view of their old country-Their progress, in their migration, by the Black Sea, and along the Danube-Description of the countries through which they passed-The settling of some of them upon the continent-The speech of Hu to them-His farther progress, with the most active part of his followers, along the rivers leading towards the setting of the sun- -Their arrival on the sea-coast, and their situation described-The same divine messenger from PRYDAIN appearing again to Hu, and urging him to pass over the sea to the promised country -Description of the voyage-Their first view of PRYDAIN-Their landing in it the following morning.

PART THE THIRD.

The guardian angel of PRYDAIN acquainting Hu with the seasons and principal productions of the new country-A general description of PRYDAINHu and his followers fixing their abodes in the choice places of the island -The old age of Hu-His calling together the heads of all the tribesHis last speech to them-His death-His deification-The remains of Druidism-The blessings conferred on the CYMRY-The conclusion.

HU GADARN.

RHAN I.

CYN-VYWYD cana, v’AWEN,
Byw wyt ti, er y byd hen:
I'th einioes, ddoeth Awenydd!
Diluw ddwvr, na dial ddydd
Nid yw glwyv na newid gwlad
Annedwydd gyvnewidiad.
Y'nghor Nev Iôr anvarwawl,
Bu dy lu'n emynu mawl;
I'r BOD a luniai'r bydoedd,

Duw 'n ei waith i'w adwaen oedd !
Gwelaist yr holl drigolion,
A'u rhyw, ar y ddaear hon :
Dechreuad mawrhâd eu rhiv,
Dan eu NER, do, 'n aneiriv:
Pa wlad oedd eiddaw 'n TADAU,
Prid hen vod! cyn PRYDAIN vau :
A'u dygodd, pwy, hyd eigion,
I le teg yn y wlad hon.

Neud yr Iôn, awdwr Anian,
I'w bobl a roes, bawb hael ran :
Ar chwaliad y gorchwylwyr
Yn SINAR, a gwasgar gwyr.
Rhai y Dwyrain, rhyd araul
Cychwyniad rhediad yr haul,
Y* geisient: rhai 'n agosa'
Wlad Gogledd ryvedd yr Iâ:
A rhai' veiddient (rhyveddol)
Diriaw 'n wych, heb droi yn ôl,
Dros oror y dyvnvor dig

A muriau rhew 'n AMERIGT.

* In South Wales the y is often used instead of A, as the affirmative adverb before the persons of verbs; and, consequently, is frequently so used in this Poem.

+ It is the common opinion, I believe, that AMERICA was peopled from ASIA; and that the first adventurers passed over the ice of Bering-Straits. The late excellent Sir W. Jones has also very satisfactorily traced the origin of all nations to SHEM, HAM, and JAPHETH: and has demonstrated, that three great branches of language are sufficient to account for all the languages of the known world.

I'r deau, mànau mynych
Vwystvilod, annorvod nych!
Aent ereill :-yn eu tiroedd
Gwiberod, llewod hyll oedd ;
Ar viniau yr avonydd,

Drwy gras dir draw a gwres dydd.

HU GADARN oedd hoeyw geidwad
Hil GOMER, val doethber dad:
Gwr o barch patriarchawl,
Nawdd i vyd newydd, o vawl!
Gwlad havaidd, hyglod hevyd,
Cae'n rhan, oreu ban o'r byd :
Llawr heulawg, lle 'rheolai,
Mewn hedd, a rhinwedd bob rhai.
Mawr oedd, ym more addysg,
Wr cyviawn, ei ddawn a'i ddysg:
Dawn a dysg, di gymmysg gynt,
Duw i hwyliaw da helynt!
Da' gwyddai hyd agweddion
Y sér, a dyvnder y dòn:
Da nyddiad y winwydden,
Pob hâd, a rhad daear hên!
Gwyddai Hu bob egwyddor
Idd ail vyd, dros ddiluw vor,
A'i ddu ing a ddiangodd,
Celvyddyd hen vyd, iawn vodd!
Pob ofer cerdd, pob efaith,
A rydd Awenydd i waith:

Pob rhodd oedd iddaw' n nodded,
Dawn a gras, a Duw 'n ei gred*.
Ond rhyvel, a'i ddrwg helynt,
Na bri yr hen GAWRI gynt,
Na thrawsder, i'r uchder aeth,
Yr HELIWR di reolaeth,
I dir Hu, i dori hedd,
Ni ddygwyd, na eiddigedd.
Ei wlad, iawn Ynad, a wnaeth
Yn lle hydrevn llywodraeth:
Lle diwair, lle d'ai AWEN,
Rwydd ei gwaith, i roddi gwên
Ac enw ar Hu, gwn yr hawg,
Eres wr yr oes eurawg!

Nid rhyvedd myned rhiviad
Ei lu yn ormod i'w wlad:

It may easily be supposed that Hu fully believed in the God of his ancestors; a supposition assumed in every part of this POEM. The corruption of Druidism was, most probably, introduced after his death.