I ddwys ovidion Israel gwyra glust, Uwch yr Arabiain ddwvn y chwariai vrig ?”—P. 13. The advent of the Messiah in the following extract is also described in a rich vein of poetry, to which Mr. Pughe has done ample justice. "Nor vain their hope:-bright beaming thro' the sky, Earth's utmost isles exulted at the sight, "Na gwag eu gobaith:-yn pelydru drwy "Gwela Psalm 1xxx. 8-14." A geisynt! ai, yn eddain uwch ei bèn, Ac uwch gwyll maith trugaredd brydia ias."-P. 23. We must here, though reluctantly, close our extracts from "Palestine," in order to leave room for a short specimen of the "Bard," which, for reasons already adverted to, has its peculiar claims on the Welsh reader; and there are some, no doubt, who will also give it a preference on account of the more national metre, adopted in the translation. Unfortunately, we can only afford space for the commencement of the Ode; and the happy manner, in which Mr. Pughe has transfused into his version the wild abruptness of the original," Ruin seize thee &c.," cannot fail to be noticed, and the whole is executed, with the same spirit. As this poem of Gray's is so well known, wę deem it unnecessary to transcribe the original lines. "RHEIBIED tranc ti, vrenin trwch! Càn drwst cei wae o dristwch ; 'O gwydd, o gawdd banieri, Gyvgaened wèn na phènawr, 'Ni weddant dy rinweddau, dreisiad! chwaith, Na letho arnat laith lwyth ovnau Nos, ac annosant nwydau Cymru lwys Val hyn yn rhyn rhuadwy "* B. A. 1282. Cyrchai Iorwerth I. àr y Cymry, ac y deuai un o ci Ar wysg rhwysg Iorwerth certh y taenai Fordd ei osgordd vaith, daith ddiervai: Ryn ias àr wanas argyveiriai †.” —P. 41. · To give, in a few words, our general opinion of these translations, we have no hesitation in pronouncing them worthy of their author. The same native energy and beauty of diction, the same nice discernment in the choice of expressions, the same rejection of uncouth and vulgar phraseology, that distinguish Coll Gwynva, are conspicuous here. And the feeble termination of lines, to which we objected as a trivial blemish in the former poem, is not of such frequent occurrence in the publication before us, of which, we think, we may also say, that it adheres, more literally, to the sense of the originals than the Translation of Paradise Lost. We are also glad to observe, that Mr. Pughe has, on this occasion, very properly rejected the double F, so preposterously retained in our modern orthography, without one argument of reason or common sense in its favour. In a word, whoever admires our ancient language for those characteristics, for which it is chiefly valuable, will hail, with pleasure, this new illustration of them by one, so well qualified for the task. Of the miscellaneous poems, some translations and others original, a few have already appeared in the CAMBRO-BRITON, and one will be found in a subsequent page. The remainder it is our intention to insert hereafter. The work, we should also mention, is very appropriately dedicated to those English gentlemen, that patronize a cultivation of the Welsh tongue; we say appropriately, since it appears to be one of Mr. Pughe's main objects, in all his writings, to instil into strangers such favourable, and, at the same time, correct ideas respecting our venerable language, as they are very unlikely to acquire from the generality of modern Welsh publications. vyddinoedd gan vrad, trwy avon Gwy, wrth y Buallt, ac yno ar warthav y tywysawg Llywelyn, ac y lladdid ev, Rhagvyr 10, 1282; ac aethai Iorwerth rhagddo i oresgynu Gwynedd ; ac y daliai y tywysawg Davydd, ac y dygid i Amwythig, a dienyddid eve yno." "Hwn oedd Gilbert de Clar, à gyveenwid Y Coch, Iarll Caerloew a Henfordd, mab-yn-nghyvraith i Iorwerth." Awen Cymru. A'th rodd yw athrwydd Awen.-ÉDM. PRYS. PENNILLION. CI. Y MAE clod ac anghlod yn gonglog, CII. Bu yn agos i mi ddywedyd I HAV*. Ti Hav, hoew nav y nwyvau, Mawr, o rym nawd erom ni, Gàn gor dy ganorion di. IDRISON. * We extract this from among the MANION in Mr. Owen Pughe's new volume of Poems, of which we give an account in this Number.-ED. English Poetry. TRANSLATION OF THE PENNILLION. CI. In praise or blame no truth is found, Than man with double face to know. CII. My speech, until this very day, A CAMBRIAN MELODY. Mourn! for the bright day of thy glory Mighty names adorn thy pages, All, alas, are gone: Spots, where Fame has spread her pinions, Still to gaze upon. Though Time's wing hath long swept o'er thee, Mother of the brave! On each lonely rock and mountain Great were those, who died to save thee, Peaceful in their urn |