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At that moment Lord Rosebery and Mr. Acland came in, and we all stood up to receive them. I need not say that I need not say that our reception was cordial. Lord Rosebery spoke as one who had paid sympathetic attention to our struggles. "Though I do

not belong to Wales," he said, "I have watched for years past the energy and munificence with which Wales has striven to put her educational machinery on a level with that of the older institutions of the other parts of the kingdom." He struck a chord in the meeting when he said, "There is one form of nationality that appeals to all. I mean that form which insists, not in putting forward political schemes, but in endeavouring to preserve ancient traditions, ancient literature, ancient language, and to press forward in the race with other nations so as to make the nationality to which one belongs equal to any. As a sign of that high and just principle of nationality, I welcome the Welsh University, and, as occupying the chair on this occasion, I and all associated with me wish it God speed."

Mr.

Mr. Acland was enthusiastically greeted, not as a friend and sympathiser only, but as a fellow worker. It can be said with truth, that no English Cabinet Minister has done so much for Wales as Arthur Acland has. Lord Aberdare, of course, we regard as a Welshman who, while in the Cabinet and out of it, has done service to Welsh education that it will be almost impossible for any one man to surpass. Acland knows Wales so well, and has done such great work shoulder to shoulder with us, that he is regarded by us and by himself as being almost a Welshman. He gave the history of the University as the crowning of the educational movement in Wales, a movement, it need not be added, that found one of its most indefatigable workers in Mr. Acland himself. He described our hopes when he said, "I hope the University will do all it can to foster and develop that capacity in the men and women of Wales which lies at the very root of national character and national progress."

Lord Aberdare and Mr. Rathbone moved + Lee Print ni

and seconded the vote of thanks, and the Ministers then departed, leaving us to begin our arduous duties. Lord Aberdare naturally took the Chair, and Dr. Isambard Owen naturally took the provisional secretaryship. It was decided to do the necessary work first, to appoint a committee for the drafting of statutes for governing the conduct and the business of the Court, and to appoint a committee to advise the Court what were to be recognised as departments of study. Until this is done, the course of study for degree examinations can not be laid down, for the Court is to act upon the recommendation of the Senate, and the Senate is to consist of the heads of departments. The committees were appointed, and the Court then appointed another numerous committee to report upon the exercise of the power of conferring degrees in Theology.

No long speeches were made, and consequently business was done. It was most difficult for the reporters to follow the proceedings of the Court, because the speakers, well known anywhere in Wales, were quite unknown to them. I heard one. reporter ask one of the youngest members of the Court, a representative of the Guild of Graduates, whether he was the Principal of Bala College. Another could not make up the list of the University Colleges. "Bangor I know," he said, "and Aberystwyth I know, but which is the

third?"

The most important danger the Court has to guard against is, as Mr. T. E. Ellis suggested, the multiplying of committees and making them too large. When the committee merely reports to the Court, the smaller it is the better. The great distances between the constituent colleges, and the rigid economy which must be observed, make it imperative that the committees should be small. If the constituent colleges trust each other, and guard the unity of the University as jealously as the interests of each separate college, the proceedings at future meetings will be as harmonious as at the first meeting of the Court, and as much work will be done,

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IN preparing the design for the cover of WALES, Mr. S. Maurice Jones has tried to make the outside of the magazine characteristic of what the editor means its contents to be. It will be seen at a glance that the most important place is given to the history of Welsh education. The three University Colleges stand at the top of the page; and one side of the cover is given to Owen Glendower, Charles of Bala, and Sir Hugh Owen. The picture of Owen Glendower is taken from his seal,-he represents the desire for a University of Wales, and a distinct Welsh Literature. The statue of Charles, the work of Mynorydd, stands at Bala; Charles represents the Sunday school and religious education in Wales. Sir Hugh Owen, his statue is at Carnarvon, In represents secular education. selecting these representatives I was guided, to a certain extent, by the portraits available. I wish I could have placed Bishop Morgan and Griffith Jones of Llanddowror with the other three; but I could find nothing typical of them to place in the artist's hands.

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Pistyll Rhaiadr, in Powys, represents the physical characteristics of Wales; the history of Welsh political institutions is represented by Carnarvon and Caerphilly castles,-the one in Gwynedd and the other in Glamorgan.

History and education will not, however, be the only subjects of WALES. Considerable space will be devoted to the development of Welsh industry. As far as possible, the history of mediæval princely Wales, and the history of modern industrial Wales, will be told side by side. Sheep farming, slate quarrying, tin-plate working, coal mining, gold mining, spinning and weaving, woodcarving, bee farming, and other industries, will be the subjects of illustrated articles.

Reprints of rare books will be given, or of parts of rare books, especially of those throwing light on the social history of Wales at different times. The experiences of pilgrims to shrines and holy wells, of travellers finding themselves in difficult situations, of the first English visitors to Welsh watering places, of outspoken critics who have regarded the Welshman as a hopeless liar and an incorrigible thief,-these will be given without note

or comment.

WALES will contain articles on religion and politics, but regarded entirely from their historical and non-contentious side. The accounts given

PAGES.

of the Wales of the past and of the present and of the future will, as far as the possibility lies with the editor, be unbiased by the prejudices of religious sect or political party. The majority of the contributors will, probably, have unbounded faith in the Welsh people; but many, especially John Jones-Jones, Esq., J.P., of Jones Hall, will have perfect freedom to express their many doubts and their semi-serious criticisms.

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Shrewsbury, the first place of meeting for the Guild of Graduates, has had a long connection with Wales. Its mythical founder is Dyfnwal Moelmud, "bald-mute Donnell,' -one of the Celtic dark gods who, according to Professor Rhys, are represented "as bald, cropped of their ears, deprived of one eye, or in some way peculiar about the head." It is the traditional meeting place of the British tribal kings, who opposed the Roman attack on the western province. It is the Pen Gwern, the crown of a hill rising from among alder trees, of Cynddylan the Fair, whose desolate home is described in the earliest Welsh poetry, without fire, without light. It became the capital of the Norman, cursed equally for his cruelty and for his ability, who aimed at establishing the independence of a half Norman half Welsh Wales. It was stormed by Llywelyn the Great, after the murder of a child that was kept as a hostage within its walls. It saw the defeat of Owen Glendower's allies, while Owen himself had not completed the subjugation of the English parts of South Wales. It opened its gates to Henry Tudor when on his way to Bosworth, it welcomed Charles the First when he had declared war against his Parliament.

There are many architectural remains, especially in St. Mary's, carrying us back to Owen Glendower's time, and further.

The first translated classical Welsh prose work to be published in WALES is Ellis Wyn's Visions of the Bard of Sleep. The translator is T. Marchant Williams, J.P.

An enterprising newspaper has determind to discover that the new Education Code is a dead letter. The report and sensational headings seem to have been written by one hand, and the evidence by another. The reader is haunted by a suspicion, also, that the report came into being first, the evidence afterwards.

It is interesting to notice how very easy it is to prove, to those who have a burning desire for be

lieving, that Mr. Acland's Welsh educational reforms were not needed. One might take places like Abergavenny and Chepstow and Tintern, which are far more English than English towns like Oswestry or Shrewsbury or Chester, and point out triumphantly that in them Welsh is neither taught nor used as a vehicle for the teaching of English. If aber does not sound Welsh enough, one might make a list of voluntary schools in Llans, and ask schoolmasters, who are ignorant of the language their pupils speak, what they think of teaching a language they despise, and a language they do not know. The result will be a collection of general statements, as stale as proverbial wisdom and as old as dulness, condemning the lifelong work of enlightened educationalists as a mistake, and the mature opinions of statesmen and teachers as nonsense. We do not avail ourselves of the provisions of the present code," says the master of a National School in Cardiganshire, "and shall never do so. There is no affinity whatever between the two languages," adds this superior of Bopp and Grimm, "and I look upon the provisions as absurd in the extreme.' Another master, with more directness than grace, describes the whole thing as "utter nonsense." A third public servant, betraying a little tender feeling for his own interests, as well as a delightful ignorance of the best method of teaching, confesses that it is enough trouble to teach the children English, let alone Welsh, which they know already." Another worthy opines he can devote his time to better advantage in teaching other subjects.

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A careful perusal of the evidence gathered by the directed correspondents shows that the new Education Code is gradually, but surely, coming into operation throughout the whole of the Welshspeaking districts of South Wales. Leaving out of consideration the insignificant voluntary schools,— many of which have been a curse, rather than a blessing, to Welsh education,-it is seen that the great schools, managed by elected representatives, and taught by well-educated masters, are adopting the Code. The change must come about very gradually, the bilingual text-books for all standards are not ready, the teachers have not in all cases finished their own study of Welsh. The best plan is to introduce Welsh, at first, into the lower standards only, and to let the children continue to learn it as they pass into higher standards.

The most humiliating confession comes from Treorky. It is a libel upon schoolmaster and inspector alike. "The masters, we understand, think that the taking of Welsh, in lieu of another special subject, would seriously affect the percentage of passes."

With deep gratitude to the Western Mail,-often the Balaam of the Welsh press, intending to curse, and really blessing,-I copy the report of the correspondents concerning some of the most important schools in South Wales,

GELLIGAER (Glamorganshire).

BARGOED BOARD SCHOOL.--Welsh has been taken here as a specific subject since 1886. Only two cases have occurred in

which parents have objected to Welsh, and these have been Welsh parents. About 70 per cent, of the Standards V., VI., and VII. avail themselves of the privileges. Only the headmaster (Mr. T. M. Jones) is capable of carrying out the provisions of the code.

GELLIGAER VILLAGE BOARD SCHOOL.--Code adopted in this school. Last year Welsh was taken as a class subject, instead of English, in Standards I. and II. This year it will be taken in Standards I., II., III., IV., &c. In each year a higher standard will be taken until a stage is reached when Welsh will become a class subject throughout the school. All scholars avail themselves of the privilege, and all the teachers of the school on the teaching staff are capable of carrying out the provisions of the code in this particular, inasmuch as the method is a progressive one, commencing with Standard I., and taking a higher standard each year.

HENGOED

BOARD SCHOOL. Code adopted, Welsh being taken in Standards V. and VI. as a specific subject for the last three years. There are 96 children in the mixed department. Of these. 29 have availed themselves of the privilege this year in Standards V. and VI. The whole of the teaching staff are capable of carrying out the provisions of the code.

TREHERBERT (Glamorganshire).

TREHERBERT BOARD SCHOOL. - Welsh is taught here in the same way. This year Standards I. and II. take Welsh according to code requirements. In the ensuing school year three successive standards will be likewise engaged. Songs with Welsh words are prepared for the inspector. Quite nine-tenths of the staff are capable of teaching Welsh.

RHYMNEY (Monmouthshire).

There are three schools at Rhymney under the Bedwellty School Roard. In the Upper Rhymney Board School Welsh is taken as a class subject in three lower standards; 73 per cent. of the children have availed themselves of the privilege, and the headmaster and four assistants are capable of teaching Welsh. In the Lower Rhymney Board Schools the position is the same, except that here only 69 per cent. of the children avail themselves of the code, and the capable members of the staff are limited to four. In the Middle Rhymney Board Schools Welsh has not been adopted, is not desired, and could not be taught.

MOUNTAIN ASH (Glamorganshire).

DUFFRYN GIRLS' SCHOOL.-The only school in this town that has adopted the present code permitting the teaching of Welsh is the Duffryn Girls' School, of which Mrs. Griffiths is the headteacher. At this school the teaching of Welsh was commenced in 1893 in the lowest standard. The teaching is continued with those children who have passed into Standard II., and it is prcposed to continue thus until all the standards are reached. All the children in the first and second standards, being about 39 per cent. of the whole school, are availing themselves of the privi lege, and it is noticed that the children of English parents are as sharp as the Welsh children in picking up the lessons. Five out of seven of the teaching staff of this school are capable of carrying out the provisions of the code in this particular, the headmistress and second-mistress being both thoroughly conversant with the language.

The Merthyr and Swansea School Boards have determined to put the new Code in its entirety in force. But I shall not call attention to these important centres at present, as WALES will contain articles upon education in the coal and tinplate districts.

As a contrast to the schools of the great industrial centres, I give the evidence relating to a group of country schools. The St. Clears district is interesting to the historian, being a district in which Welsh has ousted English; it is interesting to the educationalist because it was in it that Griffith Jones' Welsh circulating schools began.

LLANDDOWROR NATIONAL SCHOOL.-No Welsh taught; mistress not capable; P. T. has a conversational knowledge of Welsh. BOARD SCHOOL (1st Class).- No Welsh taught; teachers capable. ST. CLEARS NATIONAL SCHOOL.-No Welsh taught; master and P. T. not capable.

TAVERNSPITE NATIONAL SCHOOL.- No Welsh taught; master not capable; P. T. has a conversational knowledge of Welsh. WHITLAND BOARD SCHOOL. No Welsh taught; may begin after next examination in May next; staff capable.

VAUGHAN'S CHARITY SCHOOL, LLANGUNNOCH.-No Welsh taught. In the opinion of the master, teaching Welsh would delay acquisition of English. Teachers able to teach Welsh,

This collection of traditions is the work of many hands. The traditions are given, as far as possible, in the words of those who related them as received from times that have gone. May I appeal to those who have collected traditions. ghost stories, and all manner of weird tales, to let them appear on these pages? Of the following, I found the first in a collection of Penllyn traditions, written by a farmer. The second tradition, which will be found in the next number, was related to me by a very old man.

I. ARTHUR'S SLEEP.

N the old times

a boy was taken by his father from Llanuwchllyn to see Bala fair.

While the boy was strolling among the crowd and wondering at the grandeur of

all the stalls, he saw an old man watching him intently. At last the old man asked him,-pointing to his hazel stick,

"Where did you get that stick, my boy?" "I cut it in a hazel grove, near a big rock, just where you leave our fields and go to the mountain."

"Will you show me the place?"
"Yes, that I will."

Before many days had gone, the old magician, for a magician he was,-came to the boy's home, and asked him to come and show the place where he had cut the hazel stick. The boy led him to a gloomy place, and they saw the desolate mountain stretching its wide expanse before them.

"It was here I cut the stick," he said, "under the shadow of this big rock."

"Let us dig," said the magician.

They dug, and before long they raised a slab, and the mouth of a cave yawned before them. They entered into the cave, and the boy saw many wonders. The cave was vast, and full of knights, in a sitting posture, all clad in bright steel armour,

each with his spear at rest beside him and his shield at his feet,-and they were all sleeping. Far away, right in the middle of the cave, was a throne and a round table. A crowned king sat on the throne, and his crown glittered so that it could be seen from the furthest recesses of the cave.

"That is Arthur," whispered the magician, "and those are his knights. They are all asleep, they have been asleep for a thousand years, awaiting the fulness of the time for delivering their country."

While they stood at the entrance of the cave, they noticed a table, on which stood a bell. "Do not touch it," said the magician to the boy, "if anyone rings it, all the army you see will awake."

They passed among the armed multitude, and came near the throne. There they found endless heaps of gold. The magician took as much of the gold as he could carry. But the boy took none,-his mind was full of the desire for seeing that mighty army awaking. And when they came to the bell, he rung it before the terror stricken magician could interfere.

The vast army rose, Arthur's crown gleamed with greater light, and the whole mountain shook. Many of the awakened. knights shouted, "Has the day come?" "No," said the magician, "sleep, Arthur, sleep."

Arthur's voice came, like the sound of many waters, and hushed the army into sleep again,-"He seeks gold, not deliverance; the time has not come. Sleep."

The light of the crown paled, and darkness fell upon the cave. The boy found himself near the copse where he had cut the hazel stick, but the magician had disappeared. Often did the boy watch the spot, expecting Arthur's army to appear.

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THE LITERATURE OF WALES.

and

I.--AN OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF WELSH LITERATURE.

THE literature of Wales, like its Medieval history, falls into two well-defined modern. periods. The first period is that of the literature of the princes, when the literary language was the Welsh spoken in the courts of the princes, and when every poet had some prince as his patron. The second period is that of the literature of the people; the period in which we are now living. For want of a better, we might, perhaps, take the following rough division,—

I. THE LITERATURE OF THE PRINCES. 1063-1536.
1. The Patriotic Period, 1063-1284.
2. The Golden Period, 1284-1536.

II. THE LITERATURE OF THE PEOPLE. 1536-
1. The Period of Translations, 1536-1730.
2. The Period of Awakening, 1730-

The first extant collections of Welsh literature belong to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. But the style of these earliest specimens of poetry and prose show that they are the products of an advanced stage of literary development. Geoffrey of Monmouth, and a host of chroniclers, romancers, and poets found plentiful material in the literature of Wales; and it is difficult to know how much the his

torians and romancers of Norman times give as they found it, and how much they added to suit the spirit of their own times.

of the

-1100.

The struggle between the Welsh The making princes and the Norman lords Mabinogion. caused a great literary awakening in Wales. Before 1150, Geoffrey of Monmouth had written his history of the kings of Britain, while wandering reciters were carrying the Welsh tales from the courts of Welsh princes to the halls of Norman barons. The poetry of an earlier age was recited and written, probably with many changes, the war songs and querulous wisdom of gods or heroes like Taliesin, Aneurin, or Llywarch Hen, The prose of the time is, however,

incomparably more important than its poetry; the magnificent collection of romances known as the Mabinogion, with their varied contents and highly polished style, must have been recited for centuries before they became the delight of mediæval baron and monk. Probably they are the work of the age which came between the struggle against the English and the struggle against the Normans. Some of the romances are older than Arthur, some older than Christianity, but the tendency is to connect everything with Arthur and his knights.

The century which saw the perfection of the romance, saw also the beginning of the study of contemporary history and manners. Giraldus Canibrensis, combining Welsh imagination with Norman keenness of observation, gives descriptions of Welshmen that are true up to this day. But, like Walter de Map, he is important in Welsh literature only in so far as he gives material for others, for he wrote in Latin.

poets.

It was the union of Welsh and The patriotic Normans that brought the Mab1100-1282. inogion into their perfect form; it was the struggle between Welsh and Normans that brought into being the first poems whose history we know. The first great opponent of the Normans, the the man who wrested Gwynedd from them, was Gruffydd ab Cynan; and it is his death, in 1137, that makes Meilir strike the first note in the poetry of mediæval Wales.

The second struggle against the Norman kings, under Owen Gwynedd and Rhys ab

The earlier works mentioned, up to about 1282, are found either in the Black Book of Carmarthen, a twelfth century book reproduced in facsimile by J. Gwenogvryn Evans, or in the Red Book of Hergest, that "corpus of Cymric literature," parts of which are published in Mr. Gwenogfryn Evans' beautiful volumes, and in the Myfyrian Archæology.

Some of the works of the poets between 1282 and 1536, are to be found in Rhys Jones' Gorchestion Beirdd Cymru, and Dr. W. O. Pughe published an edition of Dafydd ab Gwilym's works. But most of the poetry of the Golden Age is still in manuscripts scattered all over Wales. The works of Huw Morus are published, but most of the seventeenth and eighteenth century poetry is in manuscripts. From the "awakening" on, everything available is published,

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