Some Specimens of the Poetry of the Ancient Welsh BardsEvans, Evan
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Some Specimens of the Poetry of the Ancient Welsh Bards
Evans, Evan
Welsh poetry -- To 1550; Welsh poetry -- Translations into English
Those learned men are, therefore, mistaken, who suppose, that the Druids
never committed any of their compositions to writing; when it is evident,
that these and others of their productions have been conveyed down to us.
Taliesin, as I have before hinted, informs us, that he was instructed by
them in many of their mysteries, particularly in that of the
μετεμψυχωσις, and in many other rudiments of their philosophy. And hence
it is, that his works are more obscure than those of any other of the
ancient bards.
There is also a certain degree of obscurity in the very words and
language of Taliesin; and the same may be observed of the compositions of
Aneurin Gwawdrydd and other bards of the same age, a catalogue of whose
works may be found in the learned Edward Llwyd’s Archæology, collected
from the notes of William Maurice, Esq., of Cefn y Braich. But Mr. E.
Llwyd never saw any of the poetical compositions of Taliesin, Aneurin,
and other early bards, except those of Llywarch Hen, which he found in
_Llyfr Coch o Hergest_: and the works of these ancient authors will
afford us very material assistance, not only in the investigation of our
ancient British language, but also in examining historical facts, and in
tracing the origin of the various tribes, who inhabited this island
during that early period. Taliesin, in a poem, of which the following is
the title, “_Cerdd am Feibion Llyr ap Brychwel Powys_,” mentions three
separate nations, who had taken possession of different parts of Britain,
previous to his time, viz., _Gwyddyl_ (Celts or Gauls,) _Brython_, and
_Romani_, (Romans.)
Gwyddyl, a Brython, a Romani,
A wna hon dyhedd, a dyfysci;
Ac am derfyn Prydein, cain ei threfi.
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