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CHEPSTOW.

EBBW VALF.

THER.PONTYPOOL.

BISCA.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE…

SIRHOWY.

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C- The late Rev. D. Rhys Stephen. The Rev. D. Rhys Stephen, the eloquent preacher, the instructive lecturer, the bard and patriot-the man of brilliant intellect, of cloudless temper, and of social heart, has passed away from amongst us. The feelings of regret, affection, and sympathy, with which we are actuated for departed excellence, are, in this instance, rendered painful, by a consideration of tho fact, that Mr. Stephen has died in poverty—too often, alas, the cheerless concomitant of genius—and has left his widow and six children to the humane consideration and mercies of his countrymen, in whose sei^ice his best years and energies were spent, zealously and without stint; for all who knew the deceased, are well aware, that his patriotism was as generous ^s it was unaffected, fervent, and constant; and it may truly be said, that in feeding the lamp of knowledge, he exhausted the lamp of life. It would be out of place here to attempt a memoir of one whose fame as a Welsh scholar and instructor must endure for ages, when the eye of the future historian grows bright in contemplating and recording the mental p 0 eminence of those whose talents have cast a halo on their time or we might dwell at some length on his intellec. tual achievements, amongst which are the bold, vigor- ous, adventurous, aye, and greatly successful task of in- structing the masses of the people, by his individual la- bours. We might enlarge on his chivalric and triumph- ant defence of the character of the women of Wales, against the slanderous imputations of government com- missioners we might proudly point to his establish- ment of literary societies which he fostered in their in- fancy, and which now flourish in healthy maturity but our duty at present is not to laud the gifted dead, but to implore co-operative aid in behalf of the bereaved living to entreat the humanity of a generous public, a confi- deuce in whose sympathies towards those who wei'e dearest to him in life, soothed the road of death to Mr. Stephen, in the last hour of his existence in this world. For he was heard, faintly but fervently to utter a confi- dence through God's mercy that his widow and fatherless children would be visited and cared for in their affliction and their helplessness. At a meeting held at the room of the Mechanics' Institute, Town Hall, Newport, on the 27th of April, it was resolved-that Committees of the friends and admirers of the late liev. D. It. Stephen, be formed in Newport and other towns of the district, in order to solicit the humane co-operation of a generous public, ever ready to comfort the afflicted and alleviate distress-in order to raise a fund, which may be prudently applied in succouring the family of one whose abilities have been uniformly devoted to the instruction of his fellow-man, and who has performed so distinguished a part on the theatre of human life. 0 Fondly is it hoped that this beneficent work may pros- per—that the helpless wail of woe may be calmed and comforted-and that the benefactions of the commis- serating,may, in the hour of serious thought, in this life of vicissitude, afford a sunshine to the heart of the willing giver. FUNERAL DIRGE. "And they mourned over him, saying, alas,.my Brother !lst Kings xiii, 30. "ALAS, my Brother:" is our plaintive cry O'er Stephen's honoured bier, Sighing, with one absorbing sympathy, And tear responding tear, "Alas, my Brother. The Christian's and the patriot's t-Bought recalls Ilis rich full eloquence, As all its fervour, all its unction, falls On memory's wakened sense, Alas, my Brother!" The lover of mankind, whose equal eye Ranges the world in love, And he who socks life's true philosophy, The one lament approve, Alas, my Brother The scholar, ever covetous of lore, Ancient, or strange, or new, Who shared, and haply swelled his learned store, Murmurs the sad adieu, Alas, my Brother Saxon, Celt, Briton, form one solemn choir— Warm heart and teeming brain All with one sorrow from his grave retire, And one elegiac strain— 1, Alas my Brother The Swansea Journal pays a just tribute to the worth of the late Mr. Stephen, and gives a short outline of his life, from which we glean that Mr. Stephen was born at Merthyr Tydvil on the 23rd of April, 1807, so that he completed his 4.5th year on the day previous to his demise. He was for several years pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist chapel, at Swansea at Newport; and at Manchester his last ministrations being at Abercarn, in this county. At Eistcdd- fodau, in occasional lectures, and at public meetings, as well as in constant and most able communications on various topics to the press, he proved himself the indefatigable pioneer to the develop- ment of that intelligence which is rapidly expelling the thick darkness that heretofore hovered over our beloved country. a8It.IiØ

MONMOUTHSHIRE AND GLAMORGANSHIRE…

HuUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY.

THE REASON WHY.

. FROM FRIDAYS LONDON GAZETTE,…

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BLAENAFON.