Welsh Journals

The difficulty, we recognise fully, lies in the presentation of the Christian faith to a people whose values are so entirely different from ours, and who, as a mass, are so intensely auspicious of Christianity. It is here, probably, that the value of Sundar Singh's experience lies. He understands a men- tality, a method of approach, which no European, however he may try, can ever hope to understand in full; and he can impart, in terms of that men- tality, the eternal verities of the faith he has adopted, and towards which, there is no doubt, much that is best in India is turning. He has, in his own life, given proof also of the practicality cf Christianity in the life of India. The future of Christianity in India is a subject on which even those best acquainted with the land must hesitate to be dogmatic; but we can only ex- press the hope that the influence of a character like that of Sadhu Sundar Singh will outlive his own life, and that his work and memory will not simply lapse into the long list, with which the religious life of India is strewn, of mystics whose influence has been ephemeral. T.P.E. Bach's Extended Chorales: With English and Welsh Translations. Edited by G. Whittaker, Mus. Doc. Oxford University Press. These form a welcome addition to the music avail- able for our Choral Societies, Church and Chapel Choirs, and merit the attention of Choirmasters and Secretaries of Eisteddfodau. Nine numbers have so far been issued in both notations. The English translation is from C. S. Terry's Bach Cantata Texts," and the Welsh version by R. Williams-Parry and E. T. Davies. Helpful notes and hints are given on the tunes and concerning the accompaniments. A capable organist is absolutely necessary to do full justice to the fine accompani- ments. The printing and production as one would expect leave nothing to be desired, but in spite of good editing there are a few points of syllabic divisions which need elucidating, for instance we find Rhyj— fedd— ol; Rhy-tfe— ddaoh Rhyf-edd- od-au; and dai-o-ni; hael-io-ni. These are minor points upon which we do not seem to have a standard. We wish these editions the success they deserve and sincerely trust our Solffa Choralists will use the dual notation, and enjoy the complete picture as set out by the great J.S.B. J.C.McL. Can y Crug, gan Alfred P. Graves, cyfieithiad gan T. Gwynn Jones. Wrecsam, Hughes a'i Fab, 1927. pp. 8. Price 6d. Cyfansoddiadau Buddugol Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Frenhinol Cymru, Caergybi, 1927. Wrecsam, Hughes a'i Fab. Tud. 80. Pris: Swllt. Can v Grug" is a masterly translation into Welsh by Professor T. Gwynn Jones, of a poem in English by Dr. Alfred P. Graves, the author of Father O'Flynn and other good things. Com- parisons are invidious but it is difficult for any reader to resist, in a case like this, the temptation of comparing the merits of the original and the translation Here however one can truly say, what in similar cases is usually untrue, that the trans- lation in sheer literary merit is not inferior to the original. The .prize poetry of this year's National Eisteddfod is decidedly disappointing; the bulk of it is imitative, mediocre and commonplace. After listening to the adjudications at the Eisteddfod one wonders what on earth the critical canons of the adjudicators can be. In the sonnet competition the adjudicator divided the prize between a passably good second-rate sonnet and another which is fourth-rate or worse. The adjudicator himself is without a doubt one of the most brilliant writers of sonnets in the British Isles, but this decision proves him to be an un- reliable critic even of sonnets. The crown poem is promising but scarcely deserves the praise given it by the adjudicators. The best thing is the Mon englynion bv Mr. William Morris; these and Wil lianas englyn justify the expenditure of a shilling on the booklet. R.S.R. Seven Days and other Poems. By Clarissa Graves. Methuen and Co., Ltd., London. pp. 96. Price, 5s. The Festival and other Poems. By W. H. Williams- Treffgarne. Selwyn and Blount, Ltd., Adelphi. pp. viii., 80. Price, 3s. 6d. Both these volumes are well printed in clear type on good paper, and neatly bound. They are well worthy of the publishers. The first is a sincere attempt to give literary ex- pression to a dream experience of life. A dream is always a combination of past experiences in a per- muted form, and therefore not totally divorced from reality. These dreams of Miss Graves are poetry, for they are animated with spiritual experience. It is the business of the literary critic to decide whether a book has achieved what dt has set out to achieve; and judged by this criterion, Seven Days and other Poems is a success. The book has many beautiful things to offer the reader. The author is deeply in love with the sonnet, and much of the best in the book is cast in this form; good examples are Distances," The Erasing Tide," The Acorn," What is Love?" and Farewell," to men- tion only a few at random. But she can sing a dream in narrative form also, as is proved by The Stranger," described as an early poem. It will be interesting to read maturer narrative work by Miss Graves; and we hope that she will give us more in! the future. She is able to touch things that matter without being heavy or dull; her themes may be tragic, but her voice is never hopeless or depressing. This volume is a promise of greater poetry to come. Will the promise be fulfilled or will The Erasing' Tide" submerge and obliterate this too? Mr. Williams-Treffgarne has written a book of witty verse in an atmosphere of cloistral peace and classical learning. His is not the poetry of the open country, of mountains, valleys, lakes, but rather the poetry of the University and the town. He also has a poem with the title "The Stranger"; but his stranger is not a creature of dreams and phantasies but his next door neighbour in the town who has been there for years and who has never looked his way or ex- changed a word with him. He does not attempt great poetry, but contents himself with everyday themes, and The 'Cello is a good example of his style. But the reading of his volume will repay the reader who is seeking pleasure and amusement; and this is really high praise, for if a poet fails to please, he fails altogether. He is, as a rule, witty and never sentimental, witness his lines On a navvy Here's one whose brawny arms were spent In service of the borough. His job was digging up the street And making-fares not thorough-, So when through heaven's gate he trudged, He did not sing nor sup; Damn it, he found a pick at last And dug the pavements up." R.S.R. How To Enjoy Pictures. By J. Littlejohns. (Black, 6s.), is a good example of the more intelli- gent method of trainine- children which has gained ground in recent years. The author does not seek to emphasize the descriptive or the literary qualities of the pictures which he examines. His chief con- cern is with composition, a technique which he understands very thoroughly. His analyses make painting seem ridiculously easy a sure method of approach to young art lovers. The weakness of the book lies in its author's praise of artists who cannot stand critical analysis as masters. The same fault of indiscriminate thinking makes him confuse Composition with Design. I.W.K.F.