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WORKMEN'S TOPICS.
WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY MABON. THE NEW FACrORY BILL. Unless something unforeseen should happen to out short the existence of the present Parlia- ment, it promises well for another pood piece of legislation in the shape of the Faebory Bill, and that daring the present Session. This new Bill DUCh. to pass through both Houses with com- parative ease, in which case it will be the chief industrial legislative achievement of this year. Still, should it fail to pass immediately, it will be P* great advantage that such a Bill has been introduced, for it will make certain that a Bill of 110 less importance will soon be passed, whatever Party may be in power. It is undoubtedly a most important measure, and it will entitle its Author to rank among the most prominent indus- trial legislators of the century. Although Mr Asquith is a man void of any enthusiasm, his Power of clear exposition, almost unrivalled Among public men, and his accounts of this Bill appear to be most lucid. The object of the Bill he defined to be to provide for all classes of workmen, and to apply to them those reasonable conditions of safety for life and health which were observed by all wise employers in all well-conducted undertakings. He grouped the provisions of, the Bill under three heads. The firat to be dealt with was overcrowding. This is already an offence under the law, but the present Government had come to the conclusion that it was desirable to lay down a statutory definition of overcrowding which would be applicable to every factory and workshop. Tbere- fore they proposed in this Bill that there shall be minimum of 250 cubic feet of space for every person, and 400 cubic feet of space for every person doing overtime, and that the Secretary Of State should be empowered to add to this mmi mum during hours in which artificial light is employed. Then came the question of the dangers involved in the cleaning of machinery. It is proposed to extend the provisions Of the present law, which prohibits chil- Iren from cleaning machinery in motion, to young persons. Then it is proposed that in tU new factories self-acting machines, which are ased in mills and spinninglfactories, should not be fctlowed to pass out within 18 inches of any plnar or fixed structure. As to danger from nres, Which are more common in workshops than lactones, the Bill proposes that where defects are found to exist her Majesty's inspectiOr8 may tequire structural changes to be made, and that on application of the inspector a court of summary jurisdiction, when satisfied that the necessity exists for a more adequate means of escape should be provided, may make an order for its execution. The next porvision is with regard to dangerous factories and machines; and gives power to a court of summary jurisdiction, on the complaint of an inspector, and on the court being satisfied that any manufacturing process cannot be carried on without danger to health, to prohibit its being carried on until the necessary changes have been made. This clause will strike a blow at the poisoning methods in white-lead mills and at the abomina- tions in the alkali works, out of which Lord Salisbury makes big dividends. The law relating to notice of accidents, which come under the same category, is also simplified and extended, and every occupier of every factory or workshop shall be compelled to keep a register of accidents. which shall be open to the inspection of her Majesty's inspectors and of certifying surgeons. Power is also given to the Secretary of State, such as already exists under the Coal Mines Act, to direct an inquiry by experts into any accident that has taken place in a factory or workshop. Turning from this branch of the subject to that which deals with sweating in workshops, I am bound to say that I don't believe that any remedy for sweating will be effective so long as the existing economic conditions remain. Therefore, I am sorely afraid that Mr Asquith is not going to put down sweating by any kind of factory legislation. He seems to think that by striking at insanitary workshops he will destroy to a great extenb the sweating system. True, that to some extent he may, but not to anything like the degree he thinks, for sweating, though intimately connected with in- sanitary places, is the outcome of direst poverty, and this factory legislation does not deal with. Next comes the ticklish question of overtime, and this provision is very satisfactory on the whole. Although Mr Asquith expressed himself as being afraid that it would be impossible to abolish overtime altogetherintradesinwhichit was now localised, it is proposed to prohibit overtime absolutely in the case of young persons, who are defined as persons under 18 years of age; while in the case of women overtime is reduced, and home work is prohibited after full hours' work in the factory. I think, however, that it is a great pity that the Bill does not raise the minimum age to 12. I am not enamoured wirh the reasons given for not doing so;; they are not good enough. One reason given for this was that it was thought desirable to deal with the school age and the age of employment as one, and in a separate manner. Another reason was that parents, as well as employers—as he believes wrongly-would oppose any change at the present time, and as he wished to make the Bill non-controversial he had so far deferred to the prevailing feeling, but if it became apparent that the age of employment could be raised to 12 the Government would be only too glad to put it in the Bill. This is all very well, but I think that the conclusion that the present is not quite opportune and practicable is weak. Considering what numberless evils result from child labour, and how impossible it is to educate children that work in mills, a stronger course, in my opinion, ought to have been taken, even at the risk of offending a certain section of the foolish and sbort-sighted parents who think it pays them to eke out their own scanty wages with the earnings of their young children. In the next place new industries are to be included within the scope of factory legislation, tuch as laundries, bakehouses, docks, wharves, and quays. Then come tenement factories, where the owner or landlord lets off the rooms to different occupiers, occupying none of them themselves, and, as a rule, employing none of those who work in them. In this the owner is made responsible for the sanitary condition of the premises, the fencing of the machinery, lime- 'vhiting, and the affixing of abstracts and notices. These provisions are most important and salu- tary. Laundries as at present conducted are merely sweating dens, and where labour, which may almost be regarded as slavery, is carried on, while recent revelations as to bakehouses, especially in London, show a state of things full of danger for the public as well as of extreme hardship for the workers. Next comes the provisions dealing with dangerous trades. Here it is proposed that -here a certificate is given that a trade is dangerous or injurious to health, the Secretary of State may prohibit employment or limit the Period of employment of any class of workmen e.gaged in the trade. And lastly, it provides that all factories and workshops in the country, Present and future, shall be registered, and that annual returns shall be made in all factories and workshops of the persons employed, and of the Particulars as to age and sex. This Bill is certainly a piece of thorough instructive statesmanship. It will doubtless "Attire better conditions of labour for those who actually in work; and so far it is likely to "av« a useful and benefioial result; and the workers of the country will be more satisfied with a measure which, if carried through and Paøeed into law, will in a marked manner raise the standard of labour and efficiency.
[No title]
A What have you learned at school to- £ »y. Hobby ?—Robby: Just how to take the off my history and fix a real good Indian *? into it, so the teacher can't-find out that I
South Wales Under the Commonwealth.…
South Wales Under the Commonwealth. a ITS CIVIL POSITION. When, in the troubled period of 1642, the two Houses of Parliament, or a section of them, essayed the difficult task of governing the coun- try without the formality of a .King, they at once found themselves confronted with the knotty problem of raising funds to carry on the public service, or, in other word?, of providing the sinews of war. having openly disjointed and broken to pieces the ordinary machinery of government, they soon became involved in extreme financial straits, and were oftentimes at their wits' end to secure a sufficient supply of ready money to pay their soldiery and maintain their forces in the field. Many were the expedients tried, one after another, to secure the required amounts, and curious is the story of these proceedings, as re- vealed by the recent Government publications dealing with the great Civil War and the Inter- regnum. As early as 14th November, 1642, an Order was made in Parliament that the public faith of the kingdom should be given for the repayment, with 8 per cent. interest, of all loans of money advanced for the public service, and on 26th November following a committee was formed at Haberdashers' Hall, London, to take charge of the matter and carry out the project. At first the money was chiefly and voluntarily advanced in London and its adjacent counties, where the inhabitants were generally attached to the interest of Parliament as opposed to that of the King, but as years went on, and mere money was required, the area whence the committee derived their sup- plies was necessarily increased. Moreover, as the money so voluntarily advanced did not flow into the coffers of the committee for the advance of money in sufficient quantities and fast enough to satisfy the continual craving of Parliament, the joint Houses were repeatedly urging the committee to fresh exertions, and so it came about at last that every man's estate, friend or foe, real and personal (excepting such small properties as were under JB100 a year in value or so) became liable to assessment, and was expected to furnish money for fighting the King. The ratio of assessment was originally fixed at the one-twentieth value of the real estate, and the one-fifth of the personal estate; but these fictitious values were seldom realised, M the committee soon discovered that owing to the insecurity of life and the uncertainty of tenure of property, consequent upon the general dis- organisation of society, they were obliged often- times to take what they could get, and in fact might have adopted as their motto, No reason- able offer refused." As county after county became subject to the Parliamentary forces the committee proceeded to act, more especially in the ominous and signifi- cant motto of Fo! vir;tis," and in 1645 local committees were appointed in every shire to assist the Central Committee in London, and upon these county committees, as they were called, really depended the success or failure of the financial policy of the Commonwealth. On 25th August. 1646, the London committee was ordered by Parliament to limit their assessments to delinquents, as the Royalists were called, or to those who had not contributed in any place to Parliament, and as the greater part by far of the landed interest of the country lay in the hands of the adherents of the King this measure naturally concentrated the efforts of the committee men upon their avowed foes. It must not, however, be thought that the Royalists had hitherto escaped scot free, for where their mansions had not been pillaged or destroyed by the soldiery their estates were liable to be sequestered wholesale by the Sequestration Commissioners, but as the tide and success of war ebbed and flowed, such sequestrations were, in the nature of events, liable to sudden interruption, as an unex- pected incursion -f th" Xlirg'u for set s-m- pletely turn the tables, and cause the Parlia- mentary Commtoeioners to drop their inventories and flee for their lives. The county committees were exposed to many temptations, and underwent several changes. Composed in most instances of men of obscure origin, who, unfettered with a superabundance of personal honour and rectitude, had in the chaos of civil war pushed boldly to the front, and by dint of daring and resolution achieved prominent positions and wielded great power; they started on their course with much show of zeal for the State, and having greatly taxed the patience of the London committee with their vexatious delays in prosecuting their business, would, after a lapse of time, more or less, be dismissed from their office, and be succeeded by a fresh body of man, who speedily evinced a strong if not laud- able desire to follow in their footsteps, which, from the frequenoy of the charges made against them, seemed to be neglecting the service of the State, and on the other hand attending instead to their own personal interest and feathering their own nest. They were charged with growing rich in a short time; with accepting bribes from Royalists in order to save their estates from sequestration or to let them off lightly and with renting or making leases of lands to their own relations and friends at much less than the actual value, to the great prejudice of the State. The following is an example of these charges:— 1651, Dee. 2.-Articles by Walter Jenkins, of oo. Carmarthen, against Wm. Watkins, Fras. Blethin, Thoo. Evans, Jenkin Franklin, and Wm. Morgan, late Sequestration Commissioners for South Wales. 1. That for 2% years they have only paid in £1,556 6!3 6d for all the estates in South Wales, and have B5,000 unaccounted for. 2. That they have not returned duplicate lists of Papists and delinquents of estates sequestered or discharged, of leases made, or of sums re- ceived, and this purposely to conceal their pro- ceedings. 3. That for four or five years past the treasurers and agents have bad the receipts, letting of leases, etc., and have concealed and defrauded the State of £ 100,000, built themselves costly houses, bought vast estates, etc., especially Col. Phil. Jones, who bad but £7 a-year, but has pur- chased estates worth £1,000 a-year, and his servant, W m. Watkins, who has been sub-comm'ssioner 2% years, and has bought estates worth J3200 a-year. 4. That they are all Jones' creatures, having been his servants or officers under him. 5. They have neglected for private reasons to sequester several notorious delinquents, especially Thos. Games, who obtaiued his discharge fraudu- lently, and has an estate of £1,000 a ytar he was confined prisoner at Cardiff during the late invasion of the Soots at Worcester, for corres- ponding with the Scots King. 6. They have let sequestered estates to their own friends and creatures for their own benefit, refusing far greater offers for them. 7. Some of theCommissioners, named in the Act for Propagation of the Gospel in South Wales, gave them the letting of tithes and church livings, worth £ 5,000 a-year, besides those of the outed minsters £3,000 more, but they have rendered no account thereof. 8. They have refused to meet when applied to, except at their own inclination, so that many Papists and delinquents have gone unpunished, and many have been undone by their refusal to execute orders, particularly in the case of Mary Lloyd and her children. (To be continued.) Ii
RETALIATION.
RETALIATION. HK* You're all alike, vanity; madam, you re nothing buc vanity-why you never saw a roan powder and paint ? „ SHE No; but I've seen a man of sixty care- fully comb bis two or three hairs over the bald patch and try to pM8 off for thirty. new forgave her.)
[No title]
Andrew Fletcher, ot Sattoun, in a letter to the Marquis of Montrose, wrote:— know a very wise man that betieved that if a. man were permitted to make all the ballads he need not care whe should mane the laws of the nation."
LABOUR. '!
LABOUR. If some great angel spake to me to-night In awful language of the unknown iand, Bidding me choose from treasure infinite, From goodly gifts and glories in his hand The thing I coveted, what should I take ? Fame's wreath of bays 2 The fickle world's esteem? Nay, greenest bays are worn on brows that ache, And world's applauding passeth as a dream. Should I choose love to fill my empty heart With soft, strong sweetness, as in days of old ? Nay, for love's rapture hath an after-smart, And on love's rose the thorns are manifold. Should I choose life, with long succeeding years ? Nay earth's longest life is longer time for tears, I would choose work and never closing day To work without weak hindrance by the way. Ah, if an angel came to me to-night, Speaking in language of the unknown land. So would I clioc)sti from,tromtiro infinite. But well 1 know the blessed gift I crave, The tireless strength for never ending task, Is not for this life. But beyond the grave It may be I shall find the thing I ask; For I believe there is a better Jand, Where will, and work, and strength go hand in hand, CHARLES KIELY SHRTTNRt.T.
A MANX BALLAD.
A MANX BALLAD. She WM Joney, the rich man's only child, He was Juan, a son of the sea. Thy father hath cast me forth of his door, But, poor as I am, to his teeth I swore I should wed thee, 0 graih my chree." He broke a ring and gave her the half, And she buried it close at her heart. I must leave thee, love of my soul," ho said, But I vow by our troth, that living or dead, I will come back rich to thine arms and thy bed, And fetch thee as sure as we part." He sailed to the north, h" sailed to bhe south, He sailed to the foreign strand, But whether he touched on the icy cone Or the coral reef of the Indian zouej It turned to a golden land. And he cried to his crew, Hoist sail and about, For no more do I need to room; I have silks and satinf, and lace and gold, I have treasure as deep as my ship will hold, To win me a wife at home." They had not sailed but half of their course To the haven where they would be, When the devil beguiled their barque on a rock, And down it sank with a woful shock On the banks of Italy. Then over the roar of the clamorous waves The skipper his voice was heard, I vowed by our troth that dead or alive I should come back yet to wed and to wive, And by t' Lady I keep my word. I will come to thee still, 0 love of my heart, From the arms of the envious sea Though the tempest should swallow my choking breath, In the spite of hell and the devil and death I will come to thee, graih my chree." HALL CAINK, in London Borne.
BASHFUL,
BASHFUL, MAnl. (to bar young man): But now you must ask papa for his consent. YOUNG MAN (very aby): Ob I certainly. Your caoet
Our Country Column. ,-
Our Country Column. A Paying Pig. Of the coloured pigs the Berkshire rightly is held in the highest estimation. It is found in most parts of the country, and is the chief factor in the improved breeds of America. As with most other stock, the improvement of the breed has been attended with diminution in size. This is done intentionally, fortize beyond a certain point is generally attended with coarseness and slow powers of maturing. The old Berkshire was a. huge animal, and, reduced as it is, by no means a small one; It is possible that the improvement has been due more to careful selection than to crossing, though undoubtedly fresh blood has been brought occasionally to the breed. Perhaps the Berkshire is too much in-selected to suit some tastes, and a few of the more refined strains may lack the size deemed desirable but, after all, size is easily at. A BERKSHIRE PIG. j tained, while quality takes time. At any rate it I points in one direct iozi --that it has been kept pure—which cannot be said of all breed?, even m the bands of noted exponents. The pig breeds quickly, so that in a few years a totally distinct animal may be produced. I know that a few years since one of the finest breeds in this country was kept up to standard by the use of well-bred mongrels, these being occasionally brought in to counteract the effect of too much in-breeding. When the offspring, ItS was the case for a few generations, threw back and produced a. type not wanted—the little spotted stranger was quietly put out of the way. It is, however, doubtless dua to the infusion of this new blood that the size and vigour of tho Berkshire was maintained and if it ever wants size, it will not be long in wanting it. For ordinary purposes, however, Bevkshires do not want it. As coloured pigs, they are as universally useful as the middle whites are among the white breeds. They possess fine hardy con- stitutions, are prolific, and have a fa:r proportion of meat to offal they are active, yet docile and contented; and they may be'kept fit to kill at any age, from suckling pigs upwards. It is difficult to find a better porker at from 8 to 10 stones, or a more economical general purposes pig at 10 to 15 stones while they are bacon anywhere from 15 to 40 stones, as fancy may dictate. The breed is well suited to the farmyard, and turns to good;acoount the food it receives. Our illustration is from a drawing by Mr F. Highman, of Salis- bury. Carnations and Picotees. Carnations and picotees are much admired, and not only admired, but generally grown by persons who are fond of flowers which are both bandsorae and sweet scented. Now is a good time to plant young specimens of desired kinds, the cost being about 5s to 6% per dozen, and after the first planting there is no reason why the stock should not be almost indefinitely increased by pipings or layering. All plants of the Dianthus family like a rich, friable and loamy soil, which must be free from wireworin 11.d other pests. Deep cultivation is necessary, and there should be no chance of the beds becoming water-logged. The manure used should be thoroughly decayed, and where beds are devoted exclusively to these plants the latter should be put in about a foot and a half apart.. All classes of carnations need sup- port to the flower stems, but unless grown for exhibition they require no other attention. Of course, all new varieties are raised from seed, but only here and there does it happen that one is worth naming, although nearly all the seedlings come in for border decoration. Most seedsmen I supply good seeds for the purpose of obtaining border plants, with an occasional good variety for n am inf. and the way to raise these is as follows:— A piece of ground is selected on a warm border uqd worked down fine, and after -mark-iug--rA-the the rows. Hero they will make nice plants, some, perhaps, flowering the first season and in the autumn or spring, as convenient, they should be removed to their permanent quarters, where they will bloom freely. Even single flowers are valuable for cutting, but it is not worth while keeping these after the flowering season is over, only doubles being retained and a half-crown packet of seeds each year will make a good stock to v*ork with. Celery. Celery is one of thoso things which nearly everyone ivho has a garden likes to grow, but the majority of amateur gardeners do not start earljj enough to gefr plants of their own suffi- cietwly forward, and those which are purchased are not always in the best condition. A good variety should be chosen, and Superlative Red is certainly one of the best all round sorts there are. Seeds should be thinly sown in boxes or pans, using a fairly rich friable soil, and keeping in a steady temperature of 60 deg. F. until the young plants are large enough to handle. When this occurs they should be pricked out about three inches apart on a bed of good soil some seven or eight inches deep, made up on a declining hotbed, nnd here they will grow into stout plants. Air must be given to gradually harden them off, as they are required to be strong at planting time in May, June, and July for the latest orops. When the final planting out is to take place, trenches about fifteen inches wide and the same d".pth should be thrown out, having them from four to six feet apart, according to the vigour of tho kinds grown. In the bottom of the trenches should be placed from six to eight inches of thoroughly-decayed lich manure, well forked over to mix it with the soil. Apply a heavy drenching of water over-night, and the following day plant the celery along the centre of the trenches about a foot apart, or with strong-grow- ing kinds a foot and a half, and water well to settle the soil round the roots. Care must be taken not to injure tho roots in lifting the plante, as checks are undesirable, and, where possible, a ball of earth should surround the roots. Celery, being a semi-aquatic in its wild state, requires plenty of water during its growth; and watering and keeping free from weeds will form the chief of the work until the middle or end of August, when the earliest rows should be earthed up to blanch, the main crop remaining until the middle of September. In earthing-which is a dcuble- handed job-the stems should be drawn together, care being taken that the soil does not enter the hearts, and digging can commence about three weeks after the earthing has been done. Golden Rules for Butter Making. CHURNING. Churn in a room as near 60 deg. F. as possible, never in a very hot or vwry cold room. Never fill the churn more than half full. Churn at tpedium speed, 40 to 48 revolutions per minute, unless the new rapid type of churn is used. Invariably use a thermometer, and take care that it is correct. Press the vent, and allow the escape of gas a few minutes after commencing.' Stop immediately the butter breaks, open the churn, and add a little cold water. Churn a few seconds gently, to allow the grains of butter to gather until they are ari large as grains of wheat, tben draw off tlw butter- milk through a strainer, and add clean cold water for washing. Churn a few revolutions for this purpose, but so gently that the grains will not gather, and then draw off the wafer. Repeat this operation three or four times until the wate" runs off clean ths-n make brine of the purest fine dry salt, and again wash the butter, allowing the brine to remain 10 or 30 minutes before drawing off. Draw off all the moisture possible. Remove the butter to the worker, and there express the remaining moisture, and work up into a lump. If the butter is to besatted on the worker, sprinkle the finest and driest salt over granular butter, oz. to the lb. for mild, and oz. to the lb. for salt or potting butter. After salting, place tho butter in a cold but sweet apartment, or cooler, for six to twelve bours before making up. For packing, use prepared butter-paper or cloth never leaves of any kind. Nevr pack butter when soft. The cream mky be salted if there is no objection to tho buttermilk being spoiled-most of the salt going into it.—James Blyth. Answers to Correspondents, "Canis" (Worcester).—Canis writes to ask if there is any way to prevent a dog barking at night. I have found that dogs comfortably housed rarely do bark unless disturbed—and then their barking is useful. If a dog barks' without apparent cause, surprise it in the act, armed with a whip. Do not strike it, but talk at it scoldingly, as one would to a child. If this does not do, it may be slightly thrashed, keeping up the scolding. This, a. few times repeated, usually has the desired effect. By this treatment I have never had a dog—except a new one-which barked at night. J. Lane (Trowbridge).—My own opinion is that chickens hatched from the middle of March to the middle of April do as well as those hatched earlier in the yoar-that is for everything except show purposes. One is then fairly sure of escaping cold winds and snow, and natural insect- food is beginning to be abundant. Personally, I have always aimed for the 10th of April, and have never been disappointed in the result. Of course, something depends upon the variety of the chickens. "Pig-keeper" (Huntingdon^-—Th« Berkshire ifJhlMki *ou will find a on ifclhis weftSh
Welsh Tit-Bits. ..
Welsh Tit-Bits. Neu Wreiohien Oddiar yr Eingien. IBY CADRAWD.} A History of Wales. The editor of the South Wales jDaily Ifews, in an article last week, lamented the want of an exhaustive and trustworthy history of the Principality. We shall endeavour in this oolumn to show that several attempts have been made throughout the ages to supply this want; which hitherto have not succeeded in the pro- duction of a. thoroughly scientificihistory of Wales. The material for the task is abundant in the following works, when the genius is found who will be able to accomplish it. Julius Caesar, who came to this country about 50 years before Christ, in the history of his wars writes a little concerning the Britons as he found them and their country. For several centuries after his time Greek and Roman historians write of the Britons, particularly the following:— Diodorns Siculue, Lucan, Strabo, Horace, Martial, Suetonius, Eutropius, Agricola, Taci- tus, etc. Dion Cassius wrote the history of the Britons after the year A.D. 200. Several of the ancient fathers in the Christian Church wrote also of the Gospel being brought into Britain in t'he first century and by whom. Gi!das was the first Welshman to attempt a history of the Welsh. He wrote about the year A.D. 548. He wrote his history in Latin, De Excidio Britannia, in which he describes the misery of his countrymen—first, by their corrupt livine and secondly, the merciless ravages of the Saxons. Bede, the first English historian, wrote a good deal about Wales and the Welsh. He died about the year 733. Nennius, of the Monastery of Bangor, wrote ",HistOlia Britanum." It is supposed that he flourished about the year A.D. 800. Florence, of Worcester, wrote the history of the world iugeneral, aad the Britons in particular, up to the time of his death, which took place in the year A.D. 1119. Walter -Calonius, Archdeacon of Oxford, who was a Welshman, wrote the British Chronicles (Brut y Brenbinoedd) about the year 1120. Jeffrey Arthur, Archdeacon of Trefonwy, afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, better known as Geoffrey of Monmouth, translated the British Chronicles "into Latin, on account of which his name became famous throughout Europe; but because of the additions he'made to them in the shape of fabulous and trifling stories he is designated by the late lolo Morganwg as Siefre Gelwydd Teg" (Geoffrey t) Fair Lied). William of Malmesbury wrote the history of the Britons from the invasion of the Saxons up till the year 1142. This work was written in Latin, and is of great historical importance. Alfred Beverley wrote the history of the British about the same time as William of Malmesbury, but he is indebted for his material, as it is supposed, to Geoffrey of Monmouth. William, of Newborougb, wrote thehistoryof the English, in which he is most disrespectful towards the Welsh, and declares that the work: of Geoffrey of Monmouth is but a conglomeration of falsehood. Sylvester Giraldus Cam breusis, was born in Pem- brokeshire, in the year 1172, and was educated in the University of Paris. He accompanied Prince John to Ireland in 1185, and wrote an account of that Island. In 1188 he made the itinery of Wales with Balwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, to preach the crusades, of which he wrote an account in Latin. The most valuable edition of this work is that by Sir Richard Hoare, who published in the year 1806 a translation of the same, with notes and illustrations, in two splendid volumes, with a memoir of the author, and an account of his several works, giving the places where the dif- ferent manuscripts are deposited. i, Caradoc, the Monk of Llancarfan, wrote the history of t(|p'Welsli Princes, in Wdttg £ g|iff« caHodJtis book "Brub y Tywysagion." He is ^ifpfSolaci to liuve (J between 1100 IInd 1157. Roger Hovedon, an English historian, wrote a continuation of Bede's history, up till A.D. 1200. Though it is of the English he writes, there are occasional allusions to the Welsh in his work. Matthew Paris, a Monk of St. Alban, near London, wrote two books, one containing the history of the world from the Creation till the days of William the Conqueror, the second from the Conqueror's time up to the aut'hor's death, which took place in A.D. 1259. Matthew, of Westminster, wrote the history of the world up till A.D. 1380. After his death this work was continued, under the title "tTtores Historiarum." Leland published his itinerary of Wales about the middle of the sixteenth century. Sir John Price, a very eminent Welsh historian, and a great defender of the nation. He wrote Fides Historiae Britannise Historic Britannise Defensie "—a description of Cambria. He also translated to the Welsh, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. He died in the year 1555. Polydore VirgiJ, an Italian, lived in this country for nearly 50 years, and in the meantime be wrote the history of the Britons, which was much com- plained of by Mr Leland, Humphrey Llwyd, and Sir John Price, of Breoon, the Jatter having written an answer to it, a work most deserving of notice, which he called Defence of British History (above mentioned), and published by his son, Richard Price, in 1573. Humphrey Llwyd, of Denbigh, a learned an- tiquarian, and a true friend of his country. He translated the "Chronicles of Caradoc" into English with many additions. He was also the author of the following :—" Commentariole Britannise Descriptionis Fragmentum," De Mona," "Druiduro Insula," De Armameu- tario Romano," etc. He died about the year 1570. Dr. David Powell, vicar of Ruabon: He pub- lished in 1584 the English version of Caradoc's Chronicles of Wales," with annotations, be- sides assisting in the translation of the Welsh Bible. Dr. John Pits, Papist, and a. great traveller. He wrote, amotfg other things, De An- tiquitate," "Ecclesise Britannise," "De Aca- demiis, tam Antiquis Britonum, quam recen- tioribus Anglorum." Died 1616. William Camden. a great historian. He wrote Britannia and Remains Concerning Brtain." Sir John Doddridge, of Devonshire, among other works, wrote "History of the Ancient and Modern Estate of the Principality of Wales, Dutchy of Cornwall," etc. Dr. Richard Broughton, Roman Catholic, wrote ecclesiastical history of Great Britain, doduced by ages, or centuries, from the nativity of our Saviour to the happy conversion of the Saxons- a trve memorial of the ancient, most holy, and religious estate of Great Britain, flourishing with apostles, apostolical men, monasteries, religious houses, and orders in great number in the time of the Britains and primitive church.—" Monasticon I' Britonum, or an historical narration ot tho found- ing and flourishing state of the ancient monas- teries, religious houses and orders of Great Britain in the time of the Britons. Died 1634. Dr. James Usher, archbishop, wrote the follow. ing De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britanni. carum;" also, The Religion of the Irish and Britons." Dr. Thomas Powell, of Breconshire, wrote Fragmenta de rebus Britanniois," or a short account of the lives, manners, and religion of the British Druids and Bards. ( To be continued.)
SMART.
SMART. ITEACHXB I GAVE you the cane only YESTERDAY and nowy^e.a bad girl again to-day. aJJSHwi* itdown'* do
GOSSIPS' CORNER.
GOSSIPS' CORNER. There are only four Shakespearean antogfaptM in existence. At the Bombay Zoological Gardfin the skin of,& sea serpent 64ft. in length is on exhibition. The Hon. Judith Harbord has succeeded the Hon. Mary Byng as maid of honour in waiting- to the Quesa. On Moy Farm, near Campbeltown, a lamb which had been buried in the snow for 17 days was taken out alive. At Heidelberg in Germany there is a great cask 36 feet broad and 24 feet high, which is capable ot holding 283,200 bottles. The Bank of France is guarded by soldiers, who do sentry duty outside the bank, a guard being kept on duty inside as welL It is suggested that there should be a gather- ing of the London and provincial octogenarians and upwards of the medical profession. The longest game of chess on record required between five and six years to play it. One player was in this country and one in Australia. The Richard Wagner Museum is to be estab- lished at Eisenach. A wealthy resident in Berlin has contributed 40,000 marks to the fund. A mathematician has discovered that a bicyclist can travel 15 miles over a good road on his wheel with less exertion than he can walk three milee. At an elevation of 15,645ft. above the sea level on the Peruvian Central Railroad it was dis- cerned that 100 men were required to do the same amount of work that 60 would do on a am level. It is announced that the Life of the late Pro. fessor Blackie" will be published nexs autumn by Messrs Blackwood and Sons. The biographer is Miss Stoddart, daughter of the Border poet. all old and intimate friend of the professor. The Boerson Courier, of Berlin, understands that the military tribunal has acquitted Herr von Kotze, Master of the Ceremonies, who was accused of having sent anonymous letters to various personages at the German Court. The Duke and Duchess of York have intimated their intention of visiting Sheffield on May 10th, and of remaining there until May 14th. They will open the new wing of the public hospital and distribute prizes to the Artillery Volunteers. A New York widow, in looking over her late husband's effects, found an old savings fund book having but a jingle deposit of 5 dols., dated 1820. She lay claim to the money, and, to her surprise, found that the principal and accumulated interest amounted to 248 dols. Dr. Hyde Clarke, the eminent philologist and financial authority, whose death is recorded, bad been in the Consular Service in Turkey, and was much struck by the improved condition of the Jews in the Turkish Empire since his first acquaintance with that country. A French paper announces the engagement of Baron Henri de Rothschild to Mdlle. Mathilde de Weisweiller, a granddaughter of Madame Sulzbach. The baron is at present studying for a medical degree in Paris, with the object, it is said, of practising among the poor. In the House of Commons a return baa been called for of the number ot sailors and soldiers killed or wounded in war or warlike operations carried on by the Government of this country, tbe Government of India, and Chartered Companies during the past four years. Jtt^jDoke of Bedford, in a oiroul|* Jotter, w1nf|jpjji} tbe chairmen of the varices*}parieh councils in Bedfordshire* where he is the owner of suitable land for allotments, intimates that he is prepared to transfer to the various councils all bis field allotments on certain terms with a yearly tenancy. At the moment when war was declared between France and Germany, in 1870, the French were so sanguine of success that the Parisian streets abounded in such notices as Maps of Germany sold within for the entry into Berlin," and German-French dictionaries, for the use of the French when at Berlin." While Divine service was being held in the Protestant Church at Lom Palanka, in Bulgaria, the building was invaded by a riotous mob of the Orthodox inhabitants, who assaulted the worshippers, tore up the prayer-books, and before the police could interfere completely wrecked the interior of the building. M. Armand Dumaresq, the French military painter, has died at the age of 69. He wat patronised by the late Emperor Napoleon, whc commissioned him to execute a series of 1,206 water-colours representing the various uniform* of the French Army from 1790 to 1865 th< drawings now hang in the galleries of Versailles. Daring the past ten years the number of full. blood aboriginals in New South Wales has de. creased at the rate of nearly 200 a year, whitt there has been an average annual increase among the half-casts of 86. On October 15th, 1894, the aboriginal population of the colony was 7,702, of whom 3,756 were full-bloods and 3,265 half-bloods. Here is a story from a Philadelphia paper:- At the age of 61, August H. Merrike, of Laporte, Indiana, fell in love with a comely young woman of 20. She refused him, but be declared bet opposition should be broken down, and for 30 years he has been paying her assiduous court. Finally he prevailed, and at the age of 91 he hat won his bride, wbo is now 50. It is said that one member of the House 01 Commons, who was conspicuous in the discussiofi and division about the failure to capture Jabet Balfour, is himself a serious sufferer by the Liberator frauds, having been persuaded tc invest his savings by the assurance of Jabet that the society was as safe as the Bank of England." It is to be hoped that the new giraffe at the Zoo will not have to cry, Save me from my friends." When the late giraffe at the Clifton Gardens died he was duly dissected (such an opportunity is not offered every surgeon), and in his inside WM found a Prayer Book. A too zealous Clifton college boy was Ifie owner of the volume-whick the unregenerate giraffe must have found indiges- tible stuff. Professor Bridge, of Westminster Abbey, hat juSt come into possession of a manuscript score ol I Purcdl's great Te Deum and "Jubilate," in the composer's handwriting. It is said to diffet materially from the edition of Dr. Boyoe, and it will, no doubt, be heard, as far as possible, in iti original form, at the festival performance is commemoration of the bioentenary of PuroelPs death this year. A Naples correspondent, writing on tbe 7tb inst., says:—Yesterday we had here abnormal weather, continual hail showers, and snow and sleet. The state of the sea only rendered the position of the Oroya worse, and it is believed that a kind of dock or hollow will have to be made around her to relieve her of the sand in which her hull is buried. Divers will have to be employed, and the operation will take at least If days. Passengers and mails will lw sent on 69 Egypt by the Orotava.
WELSH GLEANINGS. a
WELSH GLEANINGS. a Mr T. Goschen Evans (Llandovery), now a student at Trefecca College, has accepted a call to become the pastor of the Presbyterian Church at YnysybwI. Mr Evans will terminate his course at Trefooca. next June. Wales never suffered greater oppression than during the period between 1284—1536. At this epoch a man, not in the roll of common men," appeared upon the stage in the person of Owain Glyndwr, whose ideals are to-day fast becoming realised. Mr Thomas Champness, 152, Fleet-street, publishes the first number of a series of sermons to young men by the Rev. R. O. John?, Tredegar- ville, Cardiff. The title is "A Breach of Promise," and the discourse is simple, earnest, and full of tender appeal. The diary of Howel Harris is at present under- going a careful research. Portions have for the first time been published in Wales, while the Rev. J. Morgan Jones, of Cardiff, is busily extracting from other parts matter tor his Tadau Methodistaidd." The first part of the diary was written in Latin. The memory of the late Master of Balliol will long be cherished in Wales. A great admirer of Welsh scenery, Dr. Jowett loved its inhabitants, and always took a keen interest in their ancient literature. Speaking of the villages, he once remarked, I always like to go to Wales. In every little village there is a bard, and I think that is a very hopeful sign." The following is a specimen of the muse of Dafydd ab Gwilym, the Ovid of Wales. He sings to the lark— Sfntinel of the morning light, Reveller of the spring. How sweetly, nobly, wild thy flight. Thy boundtess journeying. Far from thy brethren of the woods alone, A hermit chorister before God's Throne. One of the most popular poems in the Welsh language is the "Cyfamod disigl"—the Immove. able Covenant. Like the majority of Welsh masterpieces, it is the production of rustic genius. It was written by Huw Derfel, a \V"lsh labourer, while crossing the Berwyn from Llangynog. The silent grandeur of those bleak mountains will ever be remembered by those who have traversed them. Y Stren Gomer for March contains an excellent history of the late Joshua Thomas, of Leominster, the historian of the Baptist denomination, to whom reference has been recently made in this column, and the continuation of a timely article on Prince Llewelyn," by Ieuan Dyfed, Merthyr, together with a short article on Brotagne, by Mr Pierre Coutellect, of Bangor University. Professor J. Young Evans, M.A., Trefecca, contributes to the current number of the Monthly Treasury a very interesting article on The Book of the Three Birds," by Morgan Llwyd. The article is written in characteristic and racy style. He points out that the perusal of such works as those of Vicar Prichard," Morgan Llwyd," and Bardd Cwsg cannot help being a building up of mind and heart. An interesting incident is told in connection with the ready wit of the la.te Lord Aberdare. His lordship was chairman at a lecture held near his place a few years ago, and when a submarine object of some interest was being shown to the audience by the aid of a magic-lantern, a man, evidently of the seafaring class, who had been imbibing rather freely, shouted out, Is 4that latitude or longitude ? His remark created a good deal of uproar, and as he continued to can out he was forcibly removed. At the close of the meeting Lord Aberdare, in responding to a vote of thanks, said, referring to the incident, tha^ he was much obliged to his frlsud who httd kindly removed lilS'*K5iWcte The latest of Lord Rosebery's^t^iflffces in connection with the smging of Welsh hymnsat the great Canton meeting, which he described as that of a huge trained choir, is not generally known. Speaking to Mr Herbert Roberts, M.P., the Premier recently declared that though it had been his privilege to listen to the classic music of German and English operas, none, he emphati- cally assured his friend, bad left the indelible impression on bis mind which the singing of "Byddnayrdd oryfeddodau" and other hymn tunes did on that memorable night. Lord Windsor and Dr. Mackenzie's tributes to the singing of the vast assembly at the Pontypridd Eisteddfod, our readers will remember, wore still more flattering—" Mor o g&n yw Cymru i gyd." Dafydd Jones o Gaio's literary work was by no means confined to hymnology. Although his chef d'oeuvre was the translationlof Watts's hymns, the old sage of Cwmgogerddan found many other topics congenial to bis ready muse. Among many other good things he wrote may be instanced "Can y geiniog," "Rhybudd ir Meddwon,"|and other poems, which were at a ater date published in two little volumes en- titled "Blodau Dyfed" and "Diliau'r A wen." One of the old poet's most marked features was his ready wit. In this particular he was not even second to Clwydfardd. The following epi- gramatic lines of his may be adduced .%s an example Mae chwe' peth a sych yn chwipya Carreg noeth a genau meddwyn; Cawod Ebnll, tap heb gwrw, Pwll yr haf a dagrau gweddw. It has often been averred that the merit of certain works is enhanced by their translation into other languages. Instances are plentiful that would brand the Welshman in particular with this pet illusion. Gwilym Teilo's rendering of Dyer's Grongar Hill" may be adduced as one of many instances. Davies Castellhywel's trans. lation of Gray's Elegy" has not fallen short of attaining the same distinction. Certain it js that the old Unitarian minister has succeeded in preserving in a marked degree the extreme pathos and sombreness of that immortal poem. His rendering of the introductory lines is exceed- ingly happy. They read :— Dacw ddolef y ddybudd gloch Yn oer ganu cnull y dydd, Dacw'r ychain gwar lluddedig Yn dod adre' i fynd yn rhydd, Ar ilissg arddwr yn ymfusgo Ar eu bolo glun i glun Pawb, gan ado'r byd a'i ffwdan. Ant i orphwys ond fy bun. A very interesting fact was stated by Principal Edwards at the Cymmrodorion dinner. In responding to the toast of Our Educational Institutions," he referred to the Sunday-school as one of them, which has done so much for the Principality. He has been examining some of the papers of the Welsh Baptist Sunday-school Union, the senior division (20 years of age and upward), and some of the scholars were very senior indeed. One it seems was 73 years of age, who sent in an excellent paper, and one juvenile, 68 years old, secured the maximum number of marks. There were some of 50 and upwards who did exceedingly well, and several of 40 and upwards proved themselves sound Biblical scholars, and showed intimate acquaintance with the heresies and tendencies which John combats in his Epistles. What other country can produce a parallel case ? The Literary World furnishes a prominent and favourable review of A History of the Welsh Church to the Dissolution of the Monasteries," by the Rev. E. J. Newell, M.A., of Porthcawl. From a rapid glance at the footnotes they credit Mr NeweU with genuine work under peouhar difficulties. Referring to the chapter on Welsh saints, they believe that of these by far the larger number are mere names preserved in place- names as founders of churches. Of a few we have professed biographies, but since the 12th century piety, to which they are chiefly due, was more concerned with edification than historical accuracy, it is only after much companson of documents that an outline, more or less conjec- tural, can be traced. The famous names asso- ciated with such monasteries as Llantwit and Llancartan, and with the foundations of the Welsh Sees, are certainly those of historical characters, but Illtyd and Cadoo, David, Teilo, Padarn, Deiniol, and Kentigern foand no Adamnau among their successors, whilst authentic materials and living tradition were accessible." The historical value of the book must of necessity be enhanced not only on account of its conscientious treatment, but also the amount of tiring researoh which it jausltave
THE HOUSEHOLD. I--.-,
THE HOUSEHOLD. I URING the unpropi- tious weather outside window boxes possess litblecharmfor anyone, but a window box in. side is a decided itn- provement and asonrce of beauty if not a joy for ever. We all know the style of stuffing up one's window with pots I of flowers, which prevents the window being opened for proper ventilation, but this need not be the case with our model flower box, which combines the advantage of a low window- blind and box in one. Just now hardy ferns would perhaps be the best for filling them, but as spring creeps on apace we could add tulips and hyacinth bulbs, and in summer the flowers might be as beautiful as our purse could buy. The great point is that the box and its trellis work above is arranged so as in I A MODEL WINDOW BOX, I no way to prevent the window opening and shutting. I may further add that I found there was one great advantage, simply indescribable, of having the box in a back-room, which was that of stretching tightly across the trellis work some fine muslin, through which the air can penetrate without the dust. which in some thoroughfares seems an inevitable accompaniment The beat plan on which to construct such a box is to make the bamboo tramecomplete to fit your window exactly, and then to order a zinc or tin interior to measure, pierced with circular holes, which you can lift out when necessary to water. Quite recently I came across an exceedingly appropriate and ingenious idea for a covering for the keys of the piano—and if neatly carried out nothing would make a. nicer little present or form a better article for bazaars and raffles, always in demand at this season of the year. In the first place you will require a strip of white flannel of rather a fine texture, which should be out to fit the piano, bearing in mind to cut it so that the piano can be closed. The flannel strip will next require to be hemmed down, after which trace with a blue pencil the design given in the bottom part of my sketch, the upper part of which shows a corner of the cover finished. Any air or favourite I A OOVER FOR TRIt prANO KEYS. tune could be represented, and the flowers could either be actual representations or conventional, the birds in yellow could easily be represented as canaries, and with a little ingenuity and fore. thought a cover could be evolved of which any girl might feel proud. Whilst on this subject, I cannot abstain from giving my readers a hint that may prove a benefit to many. The atmosphere of the room in which a piano stands should never be permitted to get too dry or yet too cold, as either affects the sounding of the instrument very materially. The temperature should vary from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but a very good indicator on this point is a growing plant placed on the piano itself or near it, as if your plant thrives, the piapo is all right, if not it is for you to find out if the atmosphere is too dry too hot, or too cold, and act accordingly. ln any case do not permit the sun's rays to fall directly upon it, and see that it is properly closed when dusting or sweeping the room. I am going to bring my letter to a close this week by giving you suggestions for upholstering and covering a basket chair. I think people are beginning to realise how very pretty they are, when they see them completely turned out and finished in, an uphosterer's shop, but very few understand how to take one fresh from the hands I A PRKTTT BASKtT CHAHt. I of that wonderful erection on wheels guided through the streets by the Chairs-baskets-to- mend" man. Personally I am exceedingly fond of gilt wicker-work, and as gilt is being more and more re-introduced into our rooms, we will sup- pose that the chair In my second sketch is treated in this fashion. Then the back must be completely oovwred with stuffing and but- toned. Plain material in a soft shade of peacock blue-sabeen will do as well as any. thing else, or there is a certain cretonne rep that is even better. Over this must be arranged in a loop festoon a piece of some pretty cretonne, repeating the colour of the blue, poppies with green loaves and a cream backgrourfd boing exceedingly effective. The seat is rendered com- fortable by means of a round cusbion at the back and a bolster in the front, the one being covered with a plain material and the other with the patterned cretonne. If the obair, however, is intended, we will suppose for the smoking or dining room, it had better be stained a bright mahogany, and then upholstered in brown cotton rep, the festooning consisting of multi-ooloured Algerian wraps, which are always to bit picked up in any Oriental depactmentt) for very little money. Nothing gives a room the air of homeliness and comfort so strongly as a few easy and inviting chairs. I am not, of course, referring to what, for want of a better word, I call the show room," but to the living, the general, the homt. room. A few ohairs such as I illustrate, well upholstered as suggested, will induce your brothers and husbands to sit down with a book or a paper, a pipe, or a cigar, instead of going out,JWre readilythanany other foatore-oi bong* Shod*
"THE WELCH MEN'S JUBILEE."…
"THE WELCH MEN'S JUBILEE." [BY oswrvn GWENT. The perusal in thlh British Museum some time ago of a ourioua little tract entitled The Welch- men's Jubilee," suggested the thought that an inquiry into the manner in which. outporffathMs celebrated St. David's Day might prove by no means uninteresting. It may as well be confessed at once that so far as the present writer is con- cerned the inquiry yet remains tlb be undertaken. In the meantime, however—especially as we have just celebrated another annual tribute to Givyl Dewi Sant—it may not be omiss to sbringtogethor a few odds aud ends relating to the subject which have been picked up here and there. By wi-y of beginning, let us examine the afore- said tract, though it will»vield but little in the Morgan, Gent. London: Printed for I. Harrison." The good Welsh name of Morgan, it is much to be feared, concealed the identity of SOITK* English wag who desired to Poke a little sly fun at th. pecutianties which for affes past it has been the cmtom of John Bull to attribute to Taffy. The author," says Thomas Bearne, the Oxford Antiquary, was some merry fellow who writ it to get a penny." That Hearne was right in classing the pamphlet as a hasty catch-penny performance, a statement by the author himself goes far to show. If," he says at the close, I have been barinn of expressions for the honour of St. David, you muat excuse the breviti# of time wherein it was composed. Very little wit or humour can be extracted from The fun is of the mildest, not to sav feeblest, character, albeit thoroughly "good-tempered. The author delights in big words and sonorous phrases. St. David is referred to as the We!"hn)en's "Grand Signior of Chivalry," as "once the pillar of then hopes, the glory and sole fame of their country. A good example of our author's magniloquent style is furnished in the following sentence He that esteemed not his dearest blood suffi- cient to accommodate bis country is eternised, or at least solemnised, by the sime, and liatb, moreover, a respective remuneration for his magnanimous puissance," For St). Ditvid the worthy Morgan b<vs nothing but praise, and he is ooli^ed to ingenuously that he "cannot but highly extol the indulg'infc sedulity of the Welshmen in rememberiijcr their aaint with such annual devo- tion." It ia when, having first requested the gentle reader to "give me leave to expatiate myself a whi V Mt proceeds to see whether I can scrutably and in a credible probability search out the meaning and cause of the Welshman s custom of WEARING A rrzk IN THE FIAT on St. David's Day that he begins to be face- tious. Some report," he observes, that they wear this leek because of their general affection unto it; othera jaHn-m the cause to be because of the numerous multitude of leekes that grow in their [country. But these tales lie summariiy dismisses as •' falliblo." It is mors.- credibly declared," he toes on, that St. David, when he always went into the field, in Martiall exercise, he carried a leek with him and once, being 11 1 -e(i almost faintto death, he immediately remembered himself of the leek, and by that means not onle ly preserved his life, but also became victorious: nwice is thetaythotcnieof the leek derived, and henca it was that they ever since continued respectively thg investigation of the saptie, to thb Kempitel•na,. honour of their chjCrnpiou. St. David." Much virtue in eatingifh^ splendour perhaps they may have the curtesie to toast it." Anxious to prevent any misunder- standing, T. Morgan goes on to explain that nothing could be further from his intention to jest on such serious topics as the Welsh and th«ir patron Saint. "Think not," hA bids the element reader. that I speak this in a ludicrious jeer or abuse of the countrie, for I sp"ak altogether in praise and commendation of it." Tho" excellent merry sonnet promised in the title-page, with which the tract concludas, i? introduced as "A MERRY HYMN OR PANYGKRKJK." It is in reality a commonplace English drinking song, wherein thu cwfwdda beloved of Welshman is spoken of with positiva contempt—it" makes the cheeks pale," says the poet !—while th., sherry sack, which had become "h.. fashionabla tipple of th" degenerate Saxons, is lauded to the skies. Hera are the first, second, and fourth of the seven stanzns, transcribed with all their imperfections Come quaffe off your sherry and let us be merry, All you that look to be sa-ved Then tone off your bowles and be merry souls, For this is the day of St. David. This is a good week, when we wear the Leek, And carouse in Bachus fountains We had better be heresthen in poor small beer, Or iii our Country Mountains. Let those that are civill, now go to the DeviU Lot us be as wise as Bees Those Rebels we'll beat that offer to ea.t Our Leeks or tosfcod Cheese. By way of tail-piece tl The Welchmfcn's Jubileo is embellished with a rough wood-cut portrait entitled The Valiant Welchman," which had doubtless served the printer's turn before, under oth."<rnames. A right lusty swash- buckler be looks in his brevo cavalier clothes, with his sword and dagger and staff and sputred boots. The industrious and amusing iNIr Pepys, whn seems to have seen everything and recorded everything in the London of his day, writes in his diary on March 1st, 1667 In Mark-lane I do observe (it being St. David's Day) the picture of a man, dressed like a Welchman, hanging by the neck upon one of the- poles that stands out nt the top of one of the merchant's houses, m full proportion and very handsomely done which is one, of the oddest sights I have seen a good while." From which it is clear that the differfmce in apparel between a Welshman and an English- man of that day must have been marked. Probably this effiffy waf* exhibited, by an enter- prising Welsh tradesman, quite as much to giv? himself a bold advertisement as to honour St. David." Coming down to the second quarter of the eighteenth oontury, we find the Society of Antient Britons bad begun the practice, which they have kept up ever since, of dining together on St. David's Day and collecting money for their charity school. is is recorded that on Thursday, February 25th, 1731, the stewards of th« honourable Society of Antient Britons waited on the Prince of Wales to invite his Royal Highness to dinner on St. David's Day, and had the honour to kiss his hand." The Frmce of NYal-,s then was Frederick, son of George II. At this time, too, each succeeding 1st of March saw great feasting and revelling at St. James's Palaoe, not so much in memory of the great Welsh warrior-priest as because it was tha birthday of tb" Quat-n, Caroline of Anspaoh, tho unhappy spouse of George II. On ond of these occasions —Monday, March 1st. 1731—we read that there vaa a splendid appearance of nobility and gentry at St. James's; hor Majesty was magnificently dressed, and wore a flowered musliu head and ode,ing," whitd Lord Portmore was said to have bad the richest dresb, though an Italian count had twenty-four diamonds instead of buttons." Again :—" Saturday, March 1, 1735, being her Majesty's birthday, it was celebrated at Court with extraordinary magnifi- cence. The nobility were dressed in an EXOKKDING MOH AND GRAND MANNER, the ladies chiefly iu stuffs of gold and silver, the gentlemen in cut and flowered velvets; and scarce any but of our own manufacture." Poor Caroline As she died in 1737 there were very few more birthday firsts in store for her. For many yearm after Caroline's deatb, however, there was some kind of festival at the English Court on the Welsh saint's day, as the following 6ntrios will show March 1, 1749, being St. David's Day, was observed at I Court us a high festival. The King and the Royal Family woro crosses, and the knights of the three Orders their respective collars." Sunday1, March 1, 1778, being St. David's Day, the celebration of the same at Court was deferred till Monday, 2, when the knights companions appeared in the collars of their respective orders.' Thursday, March 1,1781, being-St. Davids Day, the same was observed at Ooort as usual. By 1771 it had become an established custom for thj officers of the Society of Antient Britons to wait in person upon the Prince of Wales, with the objtict of receiving from him a subscription towards their funds. In that year they were most graciously received;" but when, in the following year (headed by Lord Grosvenor, then president), they presented themselves at the palace on a similar errand they wera crtainly received graciously." The annual present towards maintaining, clothing, and educating tho helpless orphans of indigent Welsh parents how far does this description apply to the present inmates of the society's schools ?—was forth- coming, bat they wore also "given to understand that future applications ol that kind would be digQOpntenanrwn." r The FtiBot) ot Wata—oftwr* wards George IV.—was not than nine yoars old. lossibly it was not so much the app'ication for the money— £ 100—that was viewed with dis- favour as tha annual visit by this bat id of Welsh gentlemen beggars. Be that as it may, we shall see that the Prince of Wales's subscription again swolled the funds in 1777, though, of course, it I. may have been discontinued in the meantime. notion of the manner in which the Antient Britons kepi 7reen the memory of St. David at this period may be gathered from the I following passage which, like most; of these already quoted, is abstracted from the Gentleman's Magazine :—" Saturday, March 1,1777. This being St. David's Day, the Society of Antient Britons went in grand eavaicadu from the School- honse at the bottom of Gray's-inn-!ane, to S. Andrew's Church. Holburn, where a sermon was preached by the Rieht Rev. the Lord Bishop of Liohtield and Coventry after which they pro- ceeded to the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, where an elegant entertainment was pro- vided by the stewards. The collection for the use of the charity amounted to £4.038s Od, of which JE105 was given by the Prince of Wales, £20 by Lord Cardiff, B20 by the Hon. Mr VM-non. £ 20 by Sir W. W. Wynne, and £10 by John Roberts, E'q." Lord Cardiff was John Stuart, fourth earl and first Marquis of Bute, who had been created Baron Cardiff in 1776. In the European Magazine for March, 1782, The Mnn of the Town" devotfis the second of his lucubrations to a fancy picture of a St. David's Day celebration by LONDON WELSH FOLK OF THE HTJMBMCR SORT. It seems to be to some extent fouuded on lact, and, therefore, no apology is needed for noticing it. The supercilious strain of the writor, who poses as a dandy of the first water, is not a little laughable. His friend George Fairford, a perfect Don Juan in his way, calls on him on the nvorn- ing of the 1st of March in his chambers in Lincoln's Inn and bids him instantly to set forth for Lambeth to spend the day and the night among the hot-bloodid Welshmen." We shall have," says George, a world of entertainment, for thft gicls have the prettiest red cheeks and ronnd faces in the world, and on this day they are as wild and as veiiturous ns the goats upon their mountains." Stimulated by the sight of "a couple of tight Welsh lasses" who trip past the window at that moment, they set out for a certain tavern at Lambeth. The description of what they saw there is good enough to quote: We found several hundreds of both sexes assembled, each with the emblem of the leelc, which was decorated with all the gundy ornaments that awkward fancy could uupply. I never in my life saw a number of girls so generally handsome as these met together in these rooms." Could ever Professor Biackie be more enthusiastic in praise of the beauty of Welsh girls ? But the men also came in for a shure of admiration Wo see in the robust con- texture of the limbs of these sons of St. David the vigour of body which dnunted the steady enter- prise of the invading Romans in our aucient fathers. We see in the winning smiles and the glowing cheeks of these daughters of the same saint the fascinating beauty of those British damsels who were the pride and admiration of our men." The English strangers joined heartily in the feasting and dancing, and the man of fashion "couid not help envying them the vigour of their delieht, the lustiness of their joy, so superior to the splendid tedium of the scenes which I generally frequent." George, although ho had been cautioned by bis friend not to arouse the jealousy of the choleric Welshmen, decoyed a most beautiful damsel from her partner in a country dance. THE LITTLE WKLCHMAN forthwith called him to account, and a quarrel ensiu-d, the Welshman shouting S'phit, sir," the Englishman, S'death, sir." Happily, there was no blood shed. Harmony, indeed, was quickly restored, and they all continued dancing, drinking, romping, and singing till three o'clock in the morning." "St. David's Day; or the Honest Welobman," was the title of a musical play in two acts, written by Thomas Dibdin, and performed for tho first time at Covent Garden Theatre on March 25th. 1800. It seems to have been a very slight and trivial production, albeit such estab- lished favourites as Inoledon, Mandell, Fawcett, and Townsend were engaged in it. The scene was laid in a village on the Welsh coast, and part of the action took place while the people were Velebrating their Samt's day. Owen, the hero, is anafter-ptect) to "Speed tho Plough." Ic was presented for the thirteenth time ou Jane 11th, 1801, and that unlucky number appears to have proved fatal to it. By the way, another play with a Welsh title-" The Combro-Britons "-was produced at the Haymarket Theatre on Juno 26th, 1801.
A SATURDAY SERMON.
A SATURDAY SERMON. Perhaps nothing will so much hasten the fciua* when body and miad will both be adequatelj cared for as a diffusion of the belief that the preservation of health is a duty. Few seem conscious that there is such a thing as physical morality. Men's habtiual words and acts imply the idea that they are at liberty to treat thoir bodies as they please. Disorders entailed by disobedience to Nature'e dictates they regard simply as grievances, not as the effeots of a conduct more or less flagitious. Though the evil consequeocslI inflicted on their dependents, and on future generations, are often as great as those caused by orime, yet they do not think themselves in any degree criminal. It is true that, in the case of drunkenness, the viciousness of a bodily transgression is recognised; but none appear tft infer that, if this bodily transgression is vicious, so, too, is every bodily transgression. The facf is that all breaches of the laws of health arc physical tins. When this is generally seen, tbeDc./ and perhaps not till then, will the physioal training of the^yQQSg receive the attention it deserves.