Welsh Journals

'Trioedd Ynys Prydain in Welsh Literature and Scholarship' (published in 1969), these Triads were valued (one might say, over-valued) as a unique historical source by a long line of scholars which begins with William Salesbury, and is followed by such names as those of Archbishop Ussher, William Camden, Robert Vaughan, Edward Lhuyd, Moses Williams and Lewis Morris. The prestige which had been long accorded to the Triads is indeed reflected in the fact that in the original constitution drawn up for the Hon. Soc. Cymmrodorion in 1755 'the British Book of Triads and its Authority' is listed first among the subjects specified for periodical dis- cussion by the Society. It is also slightly inaccurate and potentially mis- leading to call (p. 60) Iolo's 'Third Series' in the Myvyrian 'The Triads of Bards of the Isle of Britain', since this title was in fact used by Iolo for a quite separate series of didactic Triads, which are to be found among his extensive fabrications in the My vy nans' third volume (MA2 pp. 874 ff.). Incidentally, I note that the Bibliography makes no mention of lolo's own English translation of his Triads, published and annotated by me from Iolo Aneirin Williams MS. 71 in T.H.S.C. for 1968 and 1969. I also note here two other minor errors concerned with other points: p. 12. for 'the ancient poems of Llywarch Hen' read 'the ancient poems dealing with the story of Llywarch Hen'; p.30. poem no. 9 in the Ychwanegiad is there presented as the poet's own lamentation on his old age; it is not (as here stated) put into the mouth of Morfudd. The book is commendably free from misprints. I have read it with con- siderable interest and enjoyment, and I am in full accord with Dr. Parry's assessment in Barn that Prys Morgan's Iolo Morganwg was one of the most valuable publications on Welsh literature to appear in 1975. RACHEL BROMWICH New Hall, Cambridge CONTRAST AND CONNECTION: Bicentennial Essays in Anglo-American History. Edited by H. C. Allen and Roger Thompson. Bell & Sons, 1976. Pp. ix, 373. £ 8.95. In the mid-sixties, American historians seemed about to leap on to the bandwagon of 'comparative history'-the re-assessment of their national experience in the context of the Atlantic world, in whole or in part. That the wagon never really rolled testifies to the continuing dominance of the Turnerian Amero-centric historians. Significantly, this examination of some of the shared and distinctive characteristics of American society includes only two American authors, D. G. Allen and C. S. Campbell. The sole organising principle is the theme of likenesses and differences. Although most periods of American history are represented (including, predictably in Bicentennial year, three essays on the Revolution in the 'engine room' of the book), there are two inexplicable and unexplained major gaps. The whole of the 'Early National' era (1783-1865) is ignored -despite recent distinguished work in Britain by Peter Parish, Christine