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" ADGOFION GWILYM FYCHAN."

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ADGOFION GWILYM FYCHAN." A correspondent writes:-In Screit Cymiu for June 24th, Gwilym Fychan continues his interesting reminiscences under the above heading. In his present communication Gwilym calls up recollections of the Rev. Samuel Williams, Garnfach, Nantyglo of Nefydd" and of the Rev. John Lewis, Blaenau Gwent. With regard to the first- named he very properly speaks of his true Christian character and of a circumspect, decorous bearing and careful deportment which, while it lent dignity to his office, shed an effulgence upon the Gospel which he preached. Of Nefydd, again, Gwilym speaks in terms of high praise, and I think that it could be only out of kindness of heart that he refrains from pointing out the striking difference that in certain particulars marked these two men. I believe I should be within the bounds of truth were I to declare that Samuel Williams—prim as a daisy, serenly unruffled, and wisely avoiding a multiplicity of irons in the fire "-had never been known to miss an engagement or to be un- punctual in any degree but I do know that I should not be within those bounds if I asseverated half as much in favour of Nefydd. A man of multifarious engage- ments — ministerial, educational, editorial, eisteddfodic, local, and what not ?—sought after, too, by worthy folk from far and near in need, of advice of widely varying kinds, and by no means the most methodical man in Monmouthshire punctuality was not his strong point. The following jeu cV espret of Cynddelw bears upon the difference which I have mentioned, so I will relate it "I saw," said their tormentor, at ten minutes past two in the afternoon, at the Blaina railway station, Samuel Williams and Nefydd. Williams was there to catch the 3 o'clock train, and Nefydd the 2 o'clock." Dear old Cynddelw! I see again thy bulky form-the leonine head, the shock of grizzled locks, the bland, impressionable eyes twinkling good-naturedly under those bushy eyebrows, the ever-mischievous smile that so wontedly mantled thy unimpassioned, but intellectual and character revealing, countenance, and more than all, the infectious muffled chortle which pushed home so well thy good-humoured banter At peace thou wert with all the world, and all the world with thee! Stay! No, not all the world. One there was, forsooth, whom thou didst mightily (though all unconsciously) offend-an aspirant to lyric fame with a spice of jealousy in his nature, one from whom the sisters nine" had withheld their favours, for he had, it must be con- fessed, never emerged from the chrysalis (talcen slip) state. He it was who brought against thee the dreadful indictment that thou hadst libelled thy maker in the line (occurring in a verse under thy engraved photograph) If A luniwyd yn lanach na'r gwreiddiol." May I recall an incident in the experience of Nefydd in further support of my state- ment above ? One Sunday morning he was about to open the service at Salem, Blaina, when he was amazed to see the Rev. John Emlyn Jones (loan Emlyn), of Nebo, Peny- cae, walking up one of the aisles. The latter was equally surprised to see Nefydd there, for had they not arranged an exchange of pulpits for that day To climb the steep hill that lies between Penycae and Blaina and to reach Nebo chapel was an arduous task, and it was not surprising that when Nefydd was nearing the goal he met the good Neboites coming away from a prayer meeting which they had held in lieu of the ordinary service. All returned to the chapel with the preacher, and it is said that the meeting was deeply leavened with yr hwyl." Stalwarts there were about the middle of the last century round those old Gwentian hills. Cynddelw, theologian and poet loan Emlyn, philosopher and author of Bedd y Dyn Tylawd Mathetes, impassioned orator and profound thinker; Rees, Cendl, author of "Nonconformity in Wales"; Owen Michael, well read, and a writer in his own language equal to the best of his contempo- raries while down in the groves and glades near Pontllanfraith might be heard the dulcet notes of Islwyn. Nor should we omit to name Eiddil Ifor and Gwilym Gwent. Cewri there were, too, who came on visits to their fellow-worthies for instance, there were Talhaiarn, Owain Alaw, Caledfryn, lorwerth Glan Aled, Gohebydd, Caradog, and others. I remember that the portly, well set frames and ample beards of the first two (" Tal and Alaw ") imposed upon my childish fancy the idea that they re- sembled the Eastern grandees of my picture- books. Of the Rev. John Lewis, who is the subject of the last of Gwilym Fychan's sketches, it may be said that he was a deeply pious man of exemplary life, and much honoured by all who knew him. As I have given Cynddelw's quip re Samuel Williams and Nefydd, I venture, though with some compunction, to relate an oddly-put remark, placing Nefydd and John Lewis in juxta position, of an old landed proprietor of the district whose sporting instinct seems to have led him into a degree of irreverence Robats am bregeth Ond fi ddalia i hanner coron unrhyw ddydd ar weddi John Lewis!

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