I am, Your assured friend, And servant, LEWIS MORRIS. _Llandeilo Vawr_, _April_ 23, 1752. * * * * * The same to the same. DEAR SIR, My brother gave me yours of the third, with an excellent ode to the King of Prussia. The faults in it I take to be owing to your careless writing of it; for they are such as cannot be from want of knowledge, as the ode itself shows. However, as you desire my corrections (which seems to be a sort of menial office, like a plaisterer, who daubs mortar on a grand piece of building, designed by a great architect) I give you my labour for nothing, and choose whether you follow my opinion or no; for I am no oracle. In my last alterations, in Cowydd Teifi, your line— Dy lif y loywaf afon— is certainly best. I only wrote something that came uppermost, to egg you on to do better. Your notion of _Maelienydd_ is wrong. You have been imposed upon by Camden, Selden, or perhaps, by Girald. Cambrensis; or by some of those strangers that knew nothing of the matter. _Maelienydd_ was the country to the south and east of those mountains. But this is besides my purpose. Well, as you think the unity of design, scene, and action of your poem was about _Llyn Teifi_, I shall not urge the description of _Teifi_ as low as the sea (for there it goes.) And I could have wished you had done it; for nobody else in Cardiganshire is able to do poor _Teifi_ that kindness. As for your sheltering under Horace’s adage, I mind it as nothing. He was a stranger to our methods, handed down to us by his masters, the druidical bards; who knew how to sing before Rome had a name. So never, hereafter, mention such moderns as Horace and Virgil, when you talk of British poetry. Llywarch Hen, Aneurin, and followers of the Druids, are our men; and nature our rule. With respect to your borrowing Gronw’s manuscript, you may make yourself easy about it. I dare say he would sooner part with his wife, and, for aught I know, children too; but his wife I am sure. Your sentiments of Gronw’s capacity as a poet, are I believe just; for he has had greater opportunities than any poet since the Norman Conquest. But, if you take my word, you will not be behind him, if you stick to it. And, that you may not complain for want of the necessary requisites, as soon as ever I have any leisure, I will send you an ode or two of the ancients, which are not in Gronw’s book, to whet your Awen with. I have a fine collection of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, which I value more than their weight in fine gold. Your most humble Servant, LEWIS MORRIS.