363

was not a single word in the Welsh language showing any trace of the old tongue. The professor then gave an exhaustive history of the Welsh down to the present time, and concluded by saying that, as a part of British people, they were better off and enjoyed greater advantage than if they were a separate people in their own native hills

THE dark, small people who were now scattered over Wales, Ireland, Sootland, and the West of Europe were at one time homogeneous, when, of course, they exercised a far greater influence, and were of much greater importance; than when they had scattered into isolated fragments. At the very beginning of history, the small, dark people occupied a vast portion of France and the whole of Spain. In the neolithic, or polished stone, age. they occupied also the British Isles, and it was to the small, dark race that we owed all our domestic animals

dogs, short-horned oxen, and species of goats and pigs. To them also we owed the arts of husbandry and all the pastoral arts; not only husbandry but spinning, weaving, and potterymaking. And they were the cause of the very existence of Liverpool, having introduced navigation.

WHEN the Roman conquered Gaul, they found the Celts in occupation of the whole of Gaul and the Mediterranean seaboard. The small, dark people were gradually crushed out, and their tongue was now entirely represented by certain Basque dialects, which were rapidly dying out. The small race were non-Aryan, and when the Continent was invaded by the Aryans, the small people were gradually pushed back, and at present there

BY MR. BRYNMOR JONES.

"Cymro, Cymru, a Chymraeg," Mr.. Jones observed, were pleasant sounds his mind memories of an honorable to a Welshman's ears, and recalled to character. Professor Rhys told us that Cymro meant compatriot. It could not but affect one to think that called themselves in days long distant the name by which our forefathers called themselves in days long distant when they were making brave struggles for independence was one which emphasized their kinship. The proposer of the toast was naturally expected to say something about Wales and Welshmen. But they knew the difficulty of playing Hamlet with the part of Hamlet out. He found himself in an analogous difficulty, for he the nature of the occasion from touchwas precluded alike by his office and ing on those party questions which were agitatating the Principality, even if he had the desire to do so "Man," said Aristotle, "is by nature a political animal," and it must be confessed that the Welshman was a political animal indeed. He (Mr. Brynmor Jones) was a mere looker-on -not indeed an unconcerned spectator-and though it could not be said that the looker-on at what might be called the game of politics saw most of it, yet it might be that one who took no part in the contest might see more clearly the nature of the issues involved and the forces at work.

There was in the Wales of to-day a great unrest and mental activity which, if well directed, might be fruitful of much good, but if misdirected would be productive of evil. There were not wanting signs that the outcome of the movement in Wales might possibly be an assertion of the rights of nationality, such as had been seen in Ireland and in countries on the continent of Europe. Why it was that just at the moment when what might be termed the commercial view of politics and international relations seemed almost to have triumphed, when old legal and other barriers between States were being removed, when the solidarity of mankind was so loudly proclaimed, this demand for recognition of nationality should be made with such persistence, was one of the most difficult questions raised in contemporary European history and politics. But the demand was made and statesmen had to deal with it. The difficulty was to reconcile local and national aspirations with imperial and general interests. With regard to Wales, he earnestly commended thoughtful men on both sides to treat Welsh questions on their merits, and to study the history of the Welsh. People were too often in the habit of talking of the Welsh as the decaying, slow disappearing, remnant of a once great nation. This was not a true view. Whatever might be ultimately decided by scholars as to the ethnology of the Welsh counties, when the Kymry first appeared in authentic history they could have been by no means numerous. According to Professor Thorold Rogers, who had carefully studied the matter, the population of England and Wales at the end of the reign of Edward III., nearly 100 years after the conquest did not exceed two and a half millions, It was practically certain that not above a quarter of a

million lived in Wales. The popula tion now was a million and a half, and if the figures of the Departmental Committee of 1881 were correct, nearly a million persons spoke Welsh. In the light of these figures and of the advancing commercial prosperity of the Principality, it was clear the Kymry were a progressive race. Some nations withered away when brought into contact with English rule. It had not been so with the Welsh people, and the fact was a remarkable proof of their energy and adaptability. He trusted that these and the other facts of their history would receive due weight at the hands of English statesmen.

DR. LEWIS EDWARDS, BALA, ON LEARNING THE WELSH LANGUAGE.

In one of his literary essays, containing a review of that admirable work by Sir Thomas Phillips, "Wales; the Language, Social Condition, Moral Character, and Religious Opinions of the People considered in their relation to Education," Dr. Edwards says: "From the depths of my heart do I endorse every word Sir Thomas Phillips says about the necessity of teaching Welsh children in the Welsh tongue. Even if it were conceded that it would be beneficial to put an end for ever to the beautiful language of the Welsh people, that would not affect the question at all. The question is, what is the best means of educating a nation? Is it by means of a known tongue or by means of one that is not understood? If the opponents of the Welsh language were able to communicate miraculous gifts, and to make all the Welsh children English at once; if all the sons and daughters of Wales were, after going to bed as Welshmen, to awaken the next morning pure English, from

Anglesea to Monmouthshire, then the controversy would be at an end. The Welsh tongue would then be the language of the learned, and every portion of every Welsh book extant would become immortal. But in the meanwhile is it our duty to leave our people in ignorance? Let every educational facility in schools and in books be given them in their native tongue. The truth is that the easiest way to teach English to Welsh children is to give them a taste for learning in their native Walsh."

TWO GREAT WELSHMEN CONNECTED WITH WESTMIN

STER ABBEY.

In an interesting article entitled "A Stone Book," in a number of The Nineteenth Century, Miss Bradley, the daughter, we persume, of the present dean, gives some particulars of the restoration of the Northern entrance to the famous Abbey. This door, which is known as "Solomon's Porch," is really an architectural and sculptural Book of the History of Westminster. In the long list of notable men and women who during the past thou sand years have helped to build and endow and render illustrious this most famous church of Britain, occur the names of two Welshmen, of whom Miss Bradley says:

Gabriel Goodman, the second dean of Elizabeth's new collegiate body, is chosen to represent the first dean and chapter since he spent nearly the whole reign of the maiden Queen at Westminster, and died only two years before his friend and patroness. He was made a prebendary in 1550, the date of Elizabeth's foundation, and succeeded Bill as dean in 1561. Dean Stanley calls him the 'real founder of the present establishment, the Edwin of a second conquest.' He holds the new collegiate statutes drawn up by

his predecessor Bill.

His portrait bust upon his monument in the Abbey has been copied here. Another Welsh dean, John Williams, is appropriately placed by Goodman's side; he was educated at Ruthin, a school founded by Goodman. Williams deserves a foremost place amongst the benefactors to the Abbey. He not only repaired the structure, which had fallen into great decay, and put up some new statues, including one of Abbot Islip, in the west front, but conferred a great and lasting benefit upon the chapter by converting a waste lumber room into the presen tlibrary. He is here represented, after the portraits which hang in the deanery and in the chapter library, in his robes as Lord Keeper, with the great seal. He succeeded Bacon in this office, and held the seal for four years.

THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS, DECEMBER, 1620.

The story of the landing of the Pil. grims cannot be made too familiar to us all. It was on Thursday morning early, November 9th, 1620, old style, that they had their first sight of Cape Cod. They described it as a goodly land and wooded to the brink of the

sea.

But they had intended to settle at the mouth of the Hudson, where New York is now, and so they turned southward; but finding rough weather they put round again for the Bay of Cape Cod. On Saturday morning, November 11th, they ride in safety in what is now known as Provincetown Harbor. Here they are filled with thankfulness, though they are in a strange land and in the early winter, surrounded by what perils of wild beasts and wild men they knew not. It was at Provincetown on the end of the Cape that the Pilgrims first landed, and not at Plymouth.

The Sabbath following they remain

on board, scrupulously keeping the Lord's Day. On Monday, the 13th, their journal says: "Our people went ashore to refresh themselves, and our women to wash, as they had great need." And now the shallop, or small sail-boat, had to be repaired. It had been cut down to ride between decks and injured by the people lying in her, so that seventeen days were occupied in her repair. This was a bad delay at this season of the year. Meanwhile those not thus engaged were fitting handles to their tools, cutting wood, and studying the land and sea. On Wednesday, the 15th, sixteen men, under the command of Captain Miles Standish, set out for a short exploring expedition, and saw a few savages, who ran away. Next day they came upon a spring, cleared land, an Indian grave, a hut, a kettle, and baskets of corn hid in a heap of sand. They borrowed some of this, which they paid for afterward. It was Wednesday, December 6th, before, with great difficulty, they got off the sand at Long Point with the shallop. After a night on shore on the way, and their first hostile encounter with the Indians, they come into the unknown Plymouth Harbor, and anchor under the lee of Clark's Island. They venture ashore, and spend that Friday night on the island. On Saturday they explore its shores and woods, "dry their snuff, fix their pieces, rest themselves, return God thanks for their many deliverances, and here the next day keep their Christian Sabbath." This was their fourth Sunday. Their only record of it is, "On the Sabbath day rested."

It was on Monday, the 11th of December, according to the old style of reckoning, the 21st according to ours, that they crossed the bay to the mainland and landed upon a large bowlder at the edge of the shore.

The "Mayflower" was yet at Cape

Cod. It was twelve Pilgrims and six of the "Mayflower" crew who made the landing. Five days later the "Mayflower" anchored in the harbor, and was the home of the women and children until houses were built. Cleared land for planting, a "sweet brooke" for water, a harbor for their boats, and a hill for defense were strong attractions to these new settlers. Here they built their common house or fort, and their dwellinghouses, and endured the hardships of their first winter in New England.

How much we owe of all that is best in our land to the hardy courage and sincere faith of these noble Puritans, it would be impossible to tell. "Lord, keep their memory green."-Forward.

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.

Has the spirit of Christmas come to you? I do not mean the spirit of Christmas as evinced by the dainty things from the Christmas tree, the plums in the pudding, or the rich juice of the gravy; but I do meanare you ready to put out your hand to her or to him whom you have thought did you an unkindness?

Are you ready to ask forgiveness for the thoughtless word spoken?

Are you ready to overlook what seemed to you a slight? And are you ready to ask that each one near and dear to you may be joyful and happy, and that the stranger at the gates may not be forgotten?

Unless you can do all this the Christmas spirit is not in you.

Do you want to make a happy Christmas for yourself and for other people? Then give, and give royally. Royal giving means generous bestowing of the best that you have to those least used to possessing.

Your royal gift may be but a loving message; but be sure if it is given in the name of that little Child it will