Welsh Journals

Reminiscences By Sir GRANVILLE BANTOCK PENCERDD YR HEBRID." Mor o gan yw Cymru y gyd. GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS in the 12th century A.D. recorded sundry impressions of Wales and the Welsh people, which have a prophetic significance to us at the present day. The following extracts are gathered from his Itinerary Through Wales These people being of a sharp and acute intellect, and gifted with a rich and powerful understanding, excel in whatever studies they pursue, and are more quick and cunning than the other inhabitants of a western clime. Their musical instruments charm and delight the ear with their sweetness They enter into a movement, and conclude it in so delicate a manner, enlivening with wanton levity, or communicating a deeper internal sensation of pleasure, so that the perfection of their art appears in the conceal- ment of it They make use of three instruments, the harp, the pipe, and the crwth In their rhymed songs and set speeches they are so subtile and ingenious, that they produce, in their native tongue, ornaments of wonderful and exquisite invention both in the words and sentences. Hence arise those poets whom they call Bards of whom you will find many in this nation In their musical concerts they do not sing in unison like the inhabitants of other countries, but in many different parts; so that in a company of singers, which one very frequently meets with in Wales, you will hear as many different parts and voices as there are performers, who all at length unite, with organic melody in one consonance "-and so on. On my first visit to Wales many years ago, I was accompanied by an old friend, the grim and urbane W. M. Gibbons, who later occupied the distinguished post of Registrar at Sheffield University. Under his expert guidance we ascended Cader Idris by the Slippery Fox's Path, and lost our way trying to find a less arduous descent by following our noses, involving a considerable waste of time, and ending in the romantic adventure of rescuing three damsels in distress, a lady and her two daughters, who had wandered like ourselves from off the beaten track. Fortunately, we were able to lead the party to safety and hotel accommodation for the night at Dolgelly.