Welsh Journals

Cipdrem ar Hanes Tregaron a'r Cylch, by M. E. Morgan, Tregaron. The author of this little book must be complimented upon his assiduity in collecting the materials for a history of Tregaron. It is on the basis of such facts, gathered together with patience, that the future historian will be able to arrive at a true perspective of the history of Wales. The task of the present author was peculiarly difficult in proportion to the paucity of materials for a place of its size the origin of Tregaron is mysterious and unaccountable, and that mystery still remains in part. This explains a certain amount of assumption in the Cipdrem, e.g. on page 11 it is mentioned that it is quite possible that the registers of the Parish prior to 1653 were kept by the monks of Strata Florida even circumstantial proof of this statement would be worth producing. The chapter on the growth of education in the place is very interesting, and one would wish that it were longer the details that the author supplies concerning the old schools and teachers are full of vitality and not merely dry bones. It must be confessed, however, that the treatment of Twm Shon Catti is not very full. The personalities of the chief men connected with Tregaron as far back as the 18th century are definitely fixed in the mind, but Twm Shon Catti still remains an elusive personality. Attempts have been made of late to whitewash the famous character, and, if tradition has wronged him, it is "up to the men of Tregaron to establish his better fame upon sober historical fact. It is instructive to find that St. Caron's feast day is the 5th of March, while the date of the great Ffair Garon is the 16th. Is this another instance of the effect of the change in the calendar brought about in the 18th century? The book is full of varied interest, and we heartily wish that in other parts of the county the writer's example may be followed, and local stories and legends collected. Cymraeg y Mabinogion, gan D. Samuel, M.A. Swyddfa Cymru," Caernarfon. This unpretentious little booklet aims at summarizing the chief linguistic and orthographical peculiarities of the Mabinogion, and cannot but prove exceedingly useful to those who are engaged in either studying or teaching Welsh. It is the work of an experienced and successful teacher, who has long been known to students of the language from his articles on such kindred topics as the Welsh of the Apocrypha, and we feel certain that this little volume will be warmly welcomed. Those to whom" yr orgraff has proved a difficulty may find comfort in the fact that Welsh orthography was evidently as unsettled in early days as it is now. Thus we find pawb and pawp, pob and pop,