CYWYDD HIRAETH AM WLAD FON, ATTEB I GYWYDD HUW Y BARDD COCH.1 PAHAM i fardd dinam doeth This poem was written in reply to one addressed to Goronwy by Huw Huws, of Llwydiarth Esgob, in Anglesey, better known in the poetical world as the Bardd Coch. Its date is 1753. Like many other productions of our poet, it breathes forth the longings of his heart for a home among his native mountains. Had it been his good fortune to obtain preferment there, he would have enriched Wales with a valuable literature, not only from his own pen, but by bringing to light the works of ancient bards scattered in MS. over the country. And more, we doubt not but he would have lived and died an honoured and happy man in the land of his fathers. 2 The epithets applied to Huw Huws show that, in our author's estimation, he was no common bard. A short biography in the Diddanwch Teuluaidd, published in the year 1817, describes him as a gentleman of independent means, living on his patrimonial estate in An glesey, and deriving his lineage, according to the Welsh genealogies, from Tegeryn ap Carwed, the lord of Tur Celyn, in the same county. His early education had been meagre; but he industriously persevered in after life to make amends for what he had lost in youth, and so to befit himself for his station in life. With Lewis Morris, it is said, for his instructor in Welsh poetry, he successfully wooed the Awen; nor the Awen only; he made advances towards winning the favour of the English Muse. Several poems of Huw Huws have appeared in Welsh compilations, such as the Blodeugerdd and Dewisol Ganiadau. He translated also two English works into Welsh, entitling them, Deial Ahaz wedi ei ysprydoli, and Deddfau Moesoldeb Naturiol. He left behind several valuable MSS. containing poems, translations, genealogies, tales, and biographies. While many of them have been lost, a few are preserved in the library of the British Museum. Ofyn cân a chynghanedd Gan ddigrain was main nas medd? Dieithryn adyn ydwyf; Gwae fi o'r sud! alldud wyf.1 Pell wyf o wlad fy nhadau, Ac i dir Mon estron wyf; Dyeithr i'n hiaith hydriaith hen, Dyeithr i bêrwawd Awen. Gofidus, gwae fi! ydwyf Ni chyngan hoyw gân ag och ; Pobl anwar Pabyloniaid,5 3 Braidd ddau lle 'r oedd gynnau and expression. How admirably, gant. W. M. 4 He was at this time in the heart of Shropshire, at Donnington. 5 This paraphrase of the 137th Psalm is one of Goronwy's happiest efforts. A closer or more beautiful version could hardly be given. The poet has brought not only thought and feeling to enrich his composition, but an accurate knowledge of language—a mastery over idiom for instance, taergoeg tells its tale ! It describes the demand of the Babylonians for one of Israel's songs as at once importunate, derisive, and hollow. The term is replete with irony. The beauty of this psalm renders it difficult of translation. Of the many English versions, Lord Byron's may be deemed one of the best; and yet he has imported into M O'u gwledydd tra dygludynt it that which is scarcely intelligible. Fine it may be; but it certainly 6 Tref sorth tan orthrech is a vigorous expression. While swrth describes the city's forlorn, defiled condition, gorthrech represents the strong iron bonds of her captivity. The poet seems to have had in mind Isaiah's delineation of her fallen state, lii, 2, "Shake thyself from the dust; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion." 7 Ammorth. Positive nouns with negative prefixes are, as in most languages, powerful and graphic in the Welsh. Ammorth is far more expressive than 'newyn' or its Latin and English equivalents, 'fames' and 'famine". 8 W. M. gives instead of these:- Mawr fy nghwynfan am dani; Na byw 'n hwy, oni bai hon. Troi yma wnaf, tra myn Ner, Duw nefol a'm deoles Duw 'n rhwydd im', a llwydd, a lles; 9 For these W. M. has : Ac o Fon a'i gwiw fwyniant 1 Dillynion, fine things, such as jewellery, trinkets, etc. 2 Cedrwydd, formed of ced and rhwydd, a free gift'. CYWYDD I'W GYFLWYNO I DYWYSAWG CYMRU, AR Y TESTUN, 66 REGET PATRIIS VIRTUTIBUS ORBEM"; Gwedi ei gyfieithu o'r un Lladin a ysgrifenwyd gan, CHRISTOPHER SMART, AELOD O BRIF-YSGOL CAERGRAWNT.1 Pwy ddysg im'-pa dduwies gain- Wir araith i arwyrain Gwraf2 edlin3 breninwawr, Blaenllin Cymru, fyddin fawr? Ai rhaid Awen gymmengoeg O drum Parnassus, gwlad Roeg? What muse shall I invoke to celebrate the youthful hero, whom Cambria is proud to own her Lord? Shall I ascend the 1 In the early part of 1753 it was made known to the Welsh bards that an ode, in the language of the country whence he derived his title, would be presented to the Prince of Wales on St. David's day. A Latin original* had been written by Christopher Smart, a graduate of the University of Cambridge, which they were to render into Welsh. Goronwy's translation, both in language and general merit, far excelled those of his competitors; and it was presented to Which will be found in the Appendix. His Royal Highness by Dr. John Thomas, Bishop of Peterborough, at that time the Prince's tutor. 2 Gwraf, the superlative of gwr, truly heroic, manly. 3 Edlin, heir, one in the line of succession. Wotton would make this word a stray one in our language, deriving it from the AngloSaxon Ædelinz; but the true etymon is, doubtless, the prefix ed and llin, 'a line of ancestry.' This has more than probability in its favour, and does not compel us to travel out of Celtic ground. |