Welsh Journals

In this decade of sunshine and shadow, the gaieties of the wedding were followed exactly a month later, by news of the death of the Halls' old friend, Sir Charles Morgan.31 Although he had reached the age of eighty-six, and had been failing for some time, they were saddened by yet another link with the past which had gone for ever, and not even the continuance of the friendship between the Tredegar32 and Llanover families, could quite make up for the loss of his enthusiasm for the encouragement of the Welsh language and culture, which had endeared him to both Sir Benjamin and Lady Hall, who had delighted in the annual exchange of visits, and the close ties between them, which differences of opinion in politics had failed to weaken. In February, 1847, the Halls heard with regret of the death of Taliesin ab 1010,33 son of Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg).34 Taliesin was most anxious that his father's great collection of Welsh manuscripts should not be scattered, and directed that it should be disposed of to the British Museum, and the money paid to his widow. Lady Hall approached the Museum on behalf of the family, but Sir Frederic Madden35 (Head of the Department of Manuscripts) would not make an offer without seeing a catalogue of the contents. Taliesin's son36 made the necessary list, but still the authorities refused, as they had copies of a number of the items. They reported to Lady Hall 'That the Committee had deliberated upon the lolo MSS. and they had decided to have nothing to do with them'.37 The manuscripts were left in the widow's38 home in Merthyr,39 and were consulted there by Thomas Stephens40 and Archdeacon John Williams.41 In 1853, hearing that the family was in want, and fearing they would be dispersed, Sir Benjamin Hall bought the manuscripts and had them transferred to the library at Llanover. The fact that many of the manuscripts were forgeries was, of course, quite unsuspected, even by the British Museum authorities, but modern research has not only brought these to light, but has discovered a nucleus of untold value to Welsh scholarship, and in 1916 they were transferred to the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth. Professor G. J. Williams, in his masterly work Iolo Morganwg^ pays a well-deserved tribute to the debt of gratitude owed by Welsh scholars to the 'patriotic and literary family of Llanover',44 who ensured the preservation of the manuscripts, and for over sixty years heartily welcomed any Welsh scholars who wished to consult them. The general election which had been expected in 1846 finally took place in 1847. Sir Benjamin was again returned for Marylebone, but he was very uneasy over the contested election in Monmouth County, which was decided more upon personal than on political issues. Feeling ran high all through the latter part of 1846 and up to the time of the Election in 1847, and the anxiety of the Halls and many others in the