Weekly Mail

r Tà CONTRIBUTORS. --Mriewe(3n"lLthanka 111(2 wi!I aPPear shortly c"Eul0^ thanks"Nungram. "Nero" *• *u and w. P. J.u ncro< ■ V —————————

A NEW YEAR'S WISH FOR THE "WEEKLY MAil." I r (NEW Lucx IN 1890.) AK^N,.eW Year"1 wiah the Weekly Mail » °d wid08t circulations. T » uidFnend, extend thy bound?, prevail Q evaiy cUnae, to edify all nations. wand at ail times, T trust it will this year v its grandest efforts to refresh us Th 016831 gems, cull'd from afar and near— newest, Hie most readable and precious, rjglife to its Proprietors; may they Enjoy tliis year, devoid of all vexations A 8 profita to them may their journal pay- A recompense for heavy speculations. Manager, the Publisher, and Staff, *» •? they remain in amity and concord; j»e J^'ar from the cup of bliss they'll quafl, «ns New Year's success shall beat the re- cord G< £ b^ the Chief—tho Editor I mean— Yiij_ terror to the novice Literati. Fear trom errors may his sheets be clean Paueoce surely moriteth our pity, ew •» Cymric hwy V to MORIEN." Long may he "*}. to exPreaa ^'3 thoughts in Welsh an<! many yet, ■will see ills rcy columna headed by his portrait. k Mas. HELPFUL," ME. MCIR, J xvisli theun, with all blessings To bnn^' w'1^ ^)0st o{ health, secure- To «r race wilh tlieir Sran(1 takings. NONCON, and the rest L»t thtoi P°^enaic controversy, Por trun^* amone tlwir cause contest— slorv8 sotely. not ^ot their own To « pttlL And »iif7NE 1 would due hornag* pay, Tn*stia» L ma happy year in Ninety, But f-\ "P1 UBe his Pow'rs to "ky, To li budding genius with all mercy. Com*j*'?,'ri the Sanctum of tho Mail— A Drfttiv^81^0'8, ^Porters, pressmen, readers— p0rp^.r?us yar I wish yo without fail, leacT^ n0t w'10 WI't0 ^Annti0^'8 would wish fur him To !iaPP? year to gain experience— no his "cues," and keep his type in LA H M> *"6 no mistakes, and plod along with p Patience. luck in Ninety for the Nowsboys all, But treljle t!ieir increase in sale of copies; i Dot by ousting each, with vulgar brawl, Whilst- todd'iiog on to earn their honest pennies. {«une and pay I vote the scribbling race, A B*us*cuins, poets, fictionists, et cetera fresh impulse, to move the Mail apace, way one and all this year receive thsir quota. In wishing all a genuine New Year, I'd say. Stick to the Weekly Meal, and read it. 10 1890 MAY ye havo nauco cheer— The best. thii world c-in give, with long lifo in it." Bird.grove, Llansamlct. W. GWYNNE SMITH.

LITERARY NOTICES. With the New Year Messrs. Ward and i.ock o°uim..nce the publication of the Wh- ■UK ,ltl0a of Lippincotfs Magazine, loh h as long stood in the foremost rank of J-aeruan monthlies. It is, without doubt, e ohcapeat of all the American imports," deli«kninf fs ~oes ^4 pages and two 44 \fMr P e8, principal contents are, bp i iICeiJ an(^ K°salind," a complete tale, h» ^llan Hawthorne; Newspaper Fiction." • Westall; The Theatrical Renais- 8„Ce Shakespeare," by Edward Fuller eral poems, and the introduction to what e^»nVS08 to be a very remarkable work! liah 'J -^ea^'s Man's Diary. The pub- no^ kraJ? in the least when they itself i" and Rosalindis in hsn»n f8er amount of fiction than can woght for a shilling. Altogether,; is '^8 breezy tone, IJjyincott's list acquisition to our magaz:ne 'eadif Monthly is not such light ver, as t^e magazine just noticed, but it is thio«n estillg- Excluding fiction, the best! 11 the ol^are ^n £ lisil L°ve ^°ngs," wherein >r*iae P^.e^s oome in for a good deal of ,moderns are scarcely the L Preottr8or of Milton, in which T»h» • -r °* ^>arad'se Lost is accused ^'«nnglar'8m .^rom Avitus, Bishop of, &n<^ ev*dence in support of the accu- an<^ Government ef Journal is full of fashion pictures! eni°Vm 61 ma^ter which the fair sex find a"d a powerfully-written story, tueiwi' -^lercy of Tiberias," is com- geiiQr-n'; character of the fliuty old1 iS e*tremely well pourtrayed. -^rs' Bee ton's Book of bo°jj ^°'d Management'' is conoloded. The stand J8 ^on8 since been recognised as a greati*r Coo'{t;rv book, and in its present or noyfeG,ar&ed ai'd revised form it has little Uearly 1ar displaced. It contains *ration8 P^-gea, with hundreds of illus- g "Jeton's Gardenin Booli," which is as aijQ n 'J~s way as the Household Book," is Just °nc'Q<^ed with Part 13. The new serials are Industrial Self-inatrac- Soi /• s Dictionary of Dates," Qatxie ° lJiec,'«*tion8," and Beeton's: achjpj1, anagement(all of which have v- i a vast share of popularity), and a Wt.u 0n the World's Religions." This work is splendidly illustrated and 11 an interesting style.

WHAT'S IN A NAME i- (' '&rot,'IP, the name of a man living in South Goqj'?*1—Harmon Dive-over Jump-under ^r-to-tne Out-yonder Go-fetch-it tJarrZ0811"* William Hugh Hall Iliram! lziah Jones. The last is from aj '4Jien?05^. ncar Wetumka, Alabama: — p "ter Demi Hitter Erami l.'itter Cream-Tartar Caroline Bost- daughter of Bob and Sakey gir| • It was the name of a little negro

p p ?^ee (aged 40): I wish to see a ner: For yourself, miss ? Miss an^ MilHner: ATarie, run down- £ fit me ze hats for zee ladies ^°18 ,na 255.^ I^ited th actress of fine abilities, who tked to +*1? ,P.nited States many years ago, > A.tl»nt- ^ls 9^OT7- On the voyage aoroi# a10 waB OB d«ck one day, and Sreat shook from seeing one of the Uielln no°^ down one of the crew who J10 mutiny. So much did the <fld ,v?tf that she retreated to htr not again appear on deck until Then she peroeived at the lUito* aha had seen knook«d WJ With deep sympathy she asked ^tfc. bead now ? VVest-and- I -"allt," tke .wer,

WIFE INSURANCE MONEY. A case of interest to men who insure their lives for the benefit of their wives was recently, decided in St. Louis. The case was one in which a man had taken out such a policy. His wife died and he married ag-iin-having children by both mar- riages. At his death a dispute arose as to who was entitled to the insurance. The decision of the court was that, as the insurance wos taken out for the benefit of the first wife, her children alone were entitled to the money.

LADY SMOKERS. Smoking is so much popularised among women that there is now a layge sale for pastilles for ladies after smoking. A young lady in one shop where they ore sold admitted that a good many ladies were among her customers—as well aj mashers." There has been a great inerease of smoking among women," she said. "and ladies buy these to hide the strong flavour of E,ypti-- cigarettes."

COURT PATCHES. A new veil is called Court patches." The veil is ornamented with patches of black velvet, which fall on the cheek like a beauty spot. Ti t yatches are cut into all sorts of shapes-hearts, crescents, moons, or stars.

XaeTHAcHB WQeL, f&lb. lostamt cure destroys the nerve. Of Cheynista. Post tresaeven stamps. sole Proprietor, T. 0. Richards (lata Keevill), Olt*mfet. York- iMriUUgg, Clifton. Bristol. 7221.,

SgiMBWftWaaMWMMMUJMWf. Til "GgfflPil XOTES AND QUERIES" relating to the pas! history of Wales and the Border Counties. | Contributions intended for publication in this column should be addressed" Editor, Notes and Queries, VVKKKLY MAIL, Cardlp." Real namesand addresses must be given in confidence, and M>SW. must be written legibly on one side of the paper flnlp.J "WEEKLY MAIL," JANUARY 11, 1890.

NOTES. SECOND FRUIT SUPERSTITION (ante Nov. 9, 1889).—The very saiie belief as to the ill-luck of having a second fruit crop exisls in Montgomery- shire. We had at Caersws a splendid tree of magnum bouums, which produces a second crop in 1886, 1 think it was. Although they were hardly as fine or as abundant as the first crop, they were to us a curiosity. Many who visited the tree held the second fruit to be a certain sign of soma misfor- tune. There was also in the village the same year an applo tree that blossomed twice, but the fruit never quite ripened. A CEIBIOG-HDQHES. Ntwcctslle-on-Tyne, TEA GROUNDS SUPERSTITION (ante Nov. 2, 1889).—This old belief was very common a few years ago among the servaut girls and farmers' daughters of Glamorganshire, acd even now it is occasionally heard of in remote country districts. After tea, it was usual for each one to take up her cup, give it a few momentary revolutions, and turn it upside down on a plate. The process of dweyd ffortwns," would then begin. Picking up the cups, they would closely examine the nature and shape of the "grounds" within, and the inter- pretation thereof would be as follows:—The small If sticas" in the "grounds" at the bottom of the cup indicated the number of innocent swains from which each one would have the privilege to choose; and their comparative lengths—long or short—were indicative of the statures of the wooers. Much fun would be involved if it hap- pened that a tall, strapping country girl had only short sticks in the bottom of her cup-a sure pro- phesy of a dwarfish husband, The fun ran equally fast and furious when it was discovered that some short, perky little maid, bad only prospects of a Hercules for a liusband. If the leaves in the bottom of the cup bad, by the turning process, resolved themselves into the shape of a ring, there was much Buttering of hearts and reviving of hopes. A marriage was, in this ease, looked upon as certain, and congratulations would flow from every side. If, on the other hand, the leaves assumed the form of an ugly, confused heap, it was held that the young woman would have to look to it, other competitors being in the field. Not many years ago there lived at Pontypridd an old woman, who told the "fortunes" of young folks in this manner. Facilities were given them to take tea with her, and after that was over she would walk round the table end interpret the prospects ("darllen tynged ") of each one. Resolven. BEILI GLAS. A PHILOLOGICAL STUDY. Bangor :—This is a compound of Ban" (High) and Cor" (sheep), and means Higli place for sheep." It came afterwards to be applied to describe an enclosure, where High Learning was tnught. "Cor" is now obsolete for sheep, in Cymraeg, in which language it is only fouud now in old compounds —" Corgi" (sheep dog); "Corlan" (sheep fold). "Cor lan" means, literally, the same as Bingor Lan" (Radical Llan) means ir lan," or being up," In full this would be, "I yr lan." During Druidic times all places for Divine worship were on the highest hills: hence the high places referred to in the Old Testament. Wd still say Going up to the House of God," even when the said h JUS is in a valley. Eglwys :-This is from Ecclesia," and beginning using it in Wales denotes a period subsequent to the coming of St. Augustine (596 A.D.). We can by Llan and Eglwys" distinguish between the primitive Cambro-British Churches, and those which came into existence after the Latin Church began to exercise its influence within the pnle of the old British Church of Wales. Cymmer:—" Cym" (together) and "Mer" (wliter). Some may suppose this "mar" is derived from the Latin "mare" (sea), or the French mer," but it is significant to find that the Latin for water is "aqua," and the Prench ,f eau whereas "mer" is the oldest Welsh name for water. We have it in the verb di (un) vern (difern)—un watering. W find in "Gwy" (Afon Gwy—Wye River) the Gaelic and Erse nime of water combined—" Uisge," from which the name whisky is derived. That the Gwy (Wye) bore that name before the Roman Invasion we know, by the fact that they called Gwent (Gwy hyut-tbe course of the Wye), Venta Bilurum. We are here met by a great linguistic curiosity— Wysc" (Isca Silutum). What does" Wyac" mean ( It is made up of Gwy and Disge." Bede calls the people dwelling on the banks of this river Wiccii." The antiquity of this curious com- pound is sufficiently established by the Roman Isca Silurum and the Wiccii" of Bade. My opinion ns to the origin of Wysc" is as follows :-A Celtic tri', in some remote epoch called water "Gwy"; another Celtic tribe came and ex polled the Gwyites, and, thinking that "Gwy" was a proper name and not the name of water in general, called the river in question "Gwy," or "Water." The same mistake was made by the Saxons in England: they supposed Avon was a proper name, instead, as is the fact, the name of the river in general. We see this error in the Saxons giving the name Avon" to a river in Somersetshire, and to a river in Warwick- shire. But how came uisge" to be added to Gwy in Gwysc ? It was done, evidently, for the purpose of distinguishing one river from the other; so that one came to be named 14and the other "Gwysc," or 4,Cxwy- uisge" (water—water). In the same way probably the Indo-Germanic races or Aryans found that the original inhabitants of Europe, the Cymry-the Cimbrii of Plutarch-called any water "Mer," mistakenly supposing it was a proper name for sea, and gave to the sea in conse- quence the name "Mare," which assumed the form Mer among the Franks. I know it is supposed the Cymraeg itself is of the Aryan family; but, iD- asmuch as it is older than the Sanscrit, as some have found reason to believe, it appears to have settled in Western Eurepe long before the Aryans crossed the Danube I Byw byth y bo hi!" MonreN.

QUERIES. WELSH CHILD NOMENCLATURE. My friend Mrs. Jones, of Ty Cawellawnsaetban, whose small family of seven daughters have all Welsh names, having exhausted her stock of national appellations, is anxious to obtain- a list of distinctive Welsh "fore" names in view of requirements in the near futurr. Can some of your correspondents oblige her, and, at the same time, others who would like to have their chndren bear some of the old names. Mrs. Jones has I slrwdy Gladys, Blodwer, Angliai-ad, ? Enaid, Gwynhwyvar (Guiaevere), and Gwenlliun. 10 confidence, I may s-ty bis dat qui cito dat, and perhaps it would be well to montion at least tv/6 distinctive and pretty names for either sex. Cardijf. A. P, J

REPLIES. ST. DYFRIG (Oct. 13, 1833;.—The assertion at this date that St. Dyfrig or Dubriiius was a native of Pembrokeshire is at variance with the generally accepted version that he was a Herefordshire man, the illegitimate son of Eurdil, who was daughter of Pebiau, tho Driveller (son of King Erb), who was king of the petty kingdom of Ergingfield, ia the fifth century. The legend, translated by Foe- brooke, in his Ariconensia, is as follows:- "Pepiau having gone against his enemiei upon an expedition, and returned to his owl territory, ordered his daughter, by name Eurdil, tt wash his head, on account ot the fatigue in the battle. When she attempted to execute his com. mand, her father perceived by her size that six was pregnant. On this account the King, exces- sively angry, ordered her to be enclosed in a bid< and thrown into tho river [Wye], in order that whersoever fortune might take her she might be sunk in the deep of the liver. Which thing, because it by no means pleaged Gotl, he was unable to effect. For before the offspring which she had in her womb could be born, tho Lord thought worthy, by showitig her mercy and protection, to exhibit of what merit it was about to be: sinca the mother could by no means be sunk in the water. Fur, as often as she was placed in the river, so many times she was carried again uninjured to the bank. Hence the indignant father, because he was unabla to immerse her in the waves, ordered her to be burned with fire, at whose order a pile is imme- iliately prepared for her destruction and the terror of other girls, into which Eurdil, the daughter of the aforesaid king, is put in burning flames. But on the morrow morning, whilst she was thought to have been completely burnt in the fire-wesson- gers having bef)d sent by her father to inquire if any of her bones remained unburnt—they foun4 her safe and holding the son whom sh(t had brought forth in the midst of the Art in ber bosom, her clothee and hair being uninjured by the fire. For a very great stone was placed near the spot where she brought forth her son. in token of the birth of the boy. But the place in which the bey was born was called in the British tongue Maismail Lochon by some, Matle by others, because the blessed little rogue was born there: which place, by the cor- ruption of the English idioms, is named Medeley. [Madley, a few miles west of Hereford.J But the boy, as soon as he obtained the laver of regenera- tion, is called Dubriiius, and is immediately filled with the Holy Ghost; but who was bis fathei remains unknown to the man of this time, and, therefore, some mistaken people fabulously pre tend that he had no father." Newport. W. H. G-REKNS. CANU COCH SIR FON (Nov. 16, 1889). never heard this phrase before July last, when 1 resided at Merthyr. My friend Nathan Dyfed, it passing remarks on some rhyme or other for- warded him by a correspondent for publication in the Welsh column of the Merthyr Express, said 01 it "Rhyw ganu coch Sir Fon yw peth fel hyn (" This is a kind of canu coch Sir Fon.") Sinct my arrival hero I find that the expression is frequently used in Anglesea, but it is not exclu- sively applied to singers it is simply a contemp- tuous name for any poetical effusions of a low order of merit. J. MYFENYDD MORGAN, Llanvaelog, Anglesea. A musical friend of mine, a native of Sir FaD, sends me his version of the term, Canu Coch Sir Fon:— By the above I always understood (and believe I am right) the untutored, uneducated style of singing by the peasants or country natives, who produce their own harmony according to their own primitive ideas, i.e., a wan sings his own baar to any given air, another his own tenor, and aU perhaps yelling out screw-driving harmonies an-t lock-jaw expressions, only appreciated by th. aborigines of Llanfair pwllgwyngyllgogcrjchwyrn drolwch. I Canu Coch' of any country means the primitive uncultivated shout of the country folks who are ignorant of every rule or musical law." Newcastle-on-Tyne. A. CKIRIOG Hughes. Editorial Notices. Received with thanks and will appear shortly: Mr. W. D. PINJI, Leigh, Lancashire (Pulestou M.r.'i and Progeres of Gwaindee); &" (Pembrokeshire Sayings); Mr. S. PAnntXD, Cardiff (Pembrokelåir. Sayings); THISM-HBOON," Canada (" LlADjuke") j GWTNFARDD DYFMD," Haverfordwest (** Eat and drink and be Nott," Ivy Bush Inns and Magpfv Superstition).

FREE SALE AND EX- CHANGE COLUMN. -.0 OPEN TO ALL RKADERS OF THE WEEKLY MAIL. SALE OR EXCHANGE. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.—A new Victoria Organette and a hundred feet of music for sale cheap.—GKORGB HUNT, The Grove, Kisca, naer Newport. BIRW.-For Sale, or Exchange for a Oock Black- bird,(a Cock Skylark; wilt give salidactim- THOMAS MOROAM, 15, Gloucester-road, Coleferd, Gloucestershire. MUSIC.—A Quantity of Tonic Sol-Ik Boofca, in good condition; will Sell for Half-priee, or Exchange for Anything Useful.—TONIC SOL-FA, Weekly Afail Exchange, Cardiff. DOGS.—For Sale, a Rough Skye Terrier Bitch, evenly-marked; good at rats or rabbits ant) splendid house-dog. Price 15. or will exchange for fowls.—JOHN WILLIAMS, Pontcaedderwn House, Quaker's Yard, near Treharris RJ3.0. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.—For Salf, one oft Besson's first-class Solo Euphoniums; four valves I magnificent tone. List price 14gs. (have had water key added); price, 96.-Tiros. BKVAIT, Station-road, Lydney, Gios. CHESSMEN.—A very old Set of Ivory Cliessmea (one pawn missing); price £ 1.—PEAK, Weekly Mail Exchange, Cardiff. LAMP.—For Sale, or Exchange for Lamp Glasses, One Intensive Jupiter Suspension Lamp. witt; enamel reflection ud safety burner; 80-candlQ power; suitable for a large room or workshop. Drawing of same can be had upon application, Price 25s.—CHAKLBG PBICE, Port Talbot. BICYCLE.—Splendid Safety Bicycle, almost newi cost end of last season £ 80: will sacrifice for £ 10j real bargain.—JUPITBK, Weekly Mail Exrhangdj Cardiff. FERNS.—Twelve large assorted Ferns, price 1" twenty-four smaller, b, 3d.—"PEAK," We&lj Mail Exchange, Cardiff, FOREIGN STAMPS.—Good Collection of ovel 350, all different. What offers ?—" WKST," 53r Oakfield-street, Cardiff. SEEDS.—One Peck each of Kentish Invicta- and "Market Favourite" Seed Peas to be Sell cheap, or will Exchange for 8S1DfJ quantity oi Broad Beans.—CHAKI.ES FiBics, Port Talbot. THE ARCHITECT," 11 Velumes, 1871 to 1876.. half roan, 208. "The Builder," 10 Volumes, 1872 t4 1876, half roan, 203. Splendidly bound Family Bible, with fine steel engravings. Illustrated Family Begieter. Henry and Scatf's Commentary* brass rims,clasps, &c., nearly new cost 70s., price 15s.—B, 23, Coningham-road, Shepherd's Bush, I London. DOG.—For Sale, a Pug Bitch, eighteen roontbt old; silver grey; very affectionate viob cWJdren f cost a guinea; will take 15s. If act approved money rawmed,- Margarvt Jonss, London House, Blaenllecha. BOOKS AND MUSIC.-A quantity of jdatit and Novels to Exchange. Send lists.—JirSi HELPFUL, Rhydymwyn, near Mold.

WANTED FOWL HOUSE ROOF.-A small Roof, iron, oa anything that will do for a small fowl house.- -.Mm MMLPFVL, Rhydymwyn, near Mold. FOREIGN STAMPS.—Small low, or collwigoof Foraign Postage Stamps, collected prior fas liJS Send number and price.-W. E. TaonAa, Douet H-^u^e, P.)ntypool-road, Mon.