_London_, _Nov._ 13, 1756. * * * * * The same to the same. DEAR SIR, It is now almost an age since I heard from you. From an annual animal it would be a proper expression; and I am but little better, as I change for the worse every year, till I shall be no more. I was glad to hear you had got to Llanrhychwyn; a place scarcely ever heard of by the inhabitants of the level countries; where you roll I suppose, in ancient MSS. and curiosities; and where the arms of the invaders hardly ever reached. Mr. W. Wynne was with me one night lately; and it seems he hath as many ancient MSS. as other people have printed books: _Gwyn ei fyd_! I was very much out of order when he was here, which deprived me of the pleasure I should otherwise have had. I had a visit paid me lately by John Bradford, of Glamorganshire (darn o brydydd &c.) It seems that country is entirely drained of it, valuable antiquities or else, their MSS. are buried among the rubbish of old libraries unheeded. The more I look into Nennius the difficulties encrease: for he has been so mangled by ignorant or unskilful readers and transcribers, and by Gale the editor, that, without a body had a sight of all the manuscript copies of it in the public libraries, or elsewhere, there is no attempting to interpret it. Mr. R. Vaughan’s MS. at Hengwrt would be a vast help; but I see no likelihood to come at a sight of that. Any ancient copy of it on vellum, which has not been dabbled with, or compared with the Cambridge, the Oxford MSS. &c.; that is, one which we might call a virgin manuscript, which hath not been ravished by Camden, Markham, Sir S. D’Ewes, or Usher, would give great satisfaction; but where is that to be found? That which Sir J. Pryse had may possibly exist somewhere; and that which Humphrey Lloyd had, may likely be in the neighbourhood of Denbigh still. I have not had a week’s health since I saw you, and therefore have been in no good humour to read or write. Have you, among Taliesin’s works, Ymddyddan rhwng Ugnach ab Mydno o Gaerleon a Thaliesin o Gaerdyganwy? If you have it not, I will send it you. It is from the Llyfr Du o Gaerfyrddin. My chief business of late has been to put the names of men and places in an alphabetical order, and to prepare them for my Celtic remains, from Taliesin’s works, Sir J. Pryse’s Cambria, the Triades, the Gododin, Beddau Milwyr, Aera Cambr. Brit. L. G. Cothi, and extent of Anglesea. Remember that you promised me the remainder of the Gododin, and never performed it. The last lines of the fragment which I have, are Tymor tymhestyl Tymhestyl dymor Y beri rhestr rhac rhiallu.