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resident in America.

Five guineas (given by Miss Mary Davies) and a silver medal (by Mr. Rees Jones of Landore) for a soprano song, to Mr. R. S. Hughes of London.

The prize for a cantata with pianoforte accompaniment, offered by the London Welsh choir, was not awarded.

IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSICAL EXECUTION.

Two guineas for singing a contralto solo, divided between Daniel Prothero of Ystradgynlais, and Miss Annie Jones of Carmarthen. Three guineas (given by Madame Wynne) for a soprano and tenor duet, to Miss M. Lewis of Pontlottyn, and Mr. D. Howells of Aberdare. Three guineas and a silver medal for pianoforte playing, to Mr. F. J. Lyons of Newport. Six guineas for quartette singing (given by Signor Foli) to Mr. Wigley and party, of Tredegar. Seven guineas for orchestral performance, to the Merthyr band, led by Mr. Scott. Two guineas for penillion singing, to Mr. Wm. Jones Davies, of Bethesda, Carnarvonshire. A violin, value five guineas, for violin playing, to Mr. Wm. Evans of Swansea. Twenty-five pounds and a gold medal for a rendering of part of "Habakkuk's Prayer" (J. A. Lloyd), to the Tabernacle Choir of Morriston, led by Mr. David Evans. Two guineas and one guinea (given by Messrs. Wright and Round of Liverpool) for cornet playing, to Mr. W. Berry of Merthyr, and Mr. John Francis of Swansea. Two guineas for a baritone song, divided between Gwilym Thomas of Caerphilly, and Mr. Dan. Price of Dowlais. Three guineas for pedalharp playing to Mr. Wm. Morgan of Bargoed; two guineas (given by Mrs. Crawshay) to Mr. John Evans of Troedyrhiw, one guinea (by Mr. Lewis Morris) to Charles Pearce, aged six, of Treherbert. Two guineas for a soprano solo (given by Mrs. Cozens of Ynys y plwm), to Miss Mary Morgan of Llantrissant. Five guineas, and twenty-five volumes of "The Standard Course" (given by Messrs. Curwen of London),

for part singing, divided between the Taibach and Aberaman Glee-party, led by Mr. Leyshon Davies, and the Maesteg Minstrels, led by Mr. Evan Jenkins. Ten guineas and a silver medal to the Tredegar choir (Mr. Davis Jones, leader), for congregational choir singing. Two guineas for a soprano solo, by young ladies under seventeen, divided between Miss Maggie Beynon, and Miss Amy Ryan. Two guineas (given by Mr. E. Biddle), for harmonium playing, to Miss Mary Jessie Lloyd. Two guineas for a tenor solo, divided between Mr. David Davies of Treherbert, Mr. Tom Felix of Treorky, and Mr. David Howells of Aberaman. Five guineas and a silver medal, for drum and fife playing, divided between the Penydarren and Llantrissant bands. Five guineas for trio singing, to a party from the Rhondda Valley. Three guineas for pedal harp playing, by lads under eighteen (given by Mr. T. T. James of Mountain Ash) to Walter Thomas Barker of Caerphilly, a pupil of the Royal Academy of Music. Five guineas and twenty-five vols. of the "Standard Course" for singing, by male voices only, to the Morriston Glee-party, led by Mr. D. Francis. Two guineas for penillion singing, to Mr. Daniel Lloyd, of the Rhondda Valley. Twenty guineas and a gold medal, to the Cyfarthfa brass band, led by Mr. G. Livesey. A trombone, of the value of eighteen guineas, to the Corris brass band, led by Mr. Tidsbury. Five guineas for pedal harp playing, divided between Miss Annie Jones of Carmarthen, and Mr. Thomas Barker of Caerphilly. Two guineas for piccolo playing by lads under sixteen, to Fred. Griffiths of Swansea. Two guineas for a bass solo, to Gwilym Thomas of Tynewydd. Two guineas for soprano singing, to Miss Nellie Jones. The great prize of £100 and a gold medal, for rendering "Ye Nations” (Mendelssohn), and "Hallelujah, Amen" (Emlyn Evans), to the Rhondda Philharmonic Society, 250 in number, led by Mr. D. Prosser (Eos Cynlais). Four guineas, for a duet, to Mr.

W. Thomas of Neath and Mr. David Phillips of Aberdare. Two violins, viola, and violoncello, for a quartette of stringed instruments, to a party from Merthyr.

The conductor's bâton was wielded on the four successive days by Dafydd Morganwg, the Rev. W. Glanffrwd Thomas, the Rev. A. J. Parry, and the Rev. D. F. Evans (Ednyfed).

Five guineas were awarded for an original bust, to Mr. Alberti of Manchester. Five guineas (given by Mr. W. Merchant of Pontypridd) for an original painting, to Mr. J. C. Fairburn of Aberdare.

In wood-carving, for which a prize of two guineas was offered by Mr. Wm. Jones of Cyfarthfa, there was no competition.

THE CYMMRODORION SECTION.

The Cymmrodorion Section held its meetings in the Temperance Hall on August 29th and 31st, and September 2nd, under the Presidency of the Ven. the Archdeacon of Llandaff. The proceedings were opened on August 29th by an address from the President, dealing with the history, the work, and the position of the Cymmrodorion Society.

At the second meeting, on August 31st, Mr. Gwilym James, High Constable of Merthyr, in the chair, a paper on "The Home Life of the Collier" was read by the Rev. T. D. Jones of Tonyrefail. A second paper, on "The Report of the Departmental Committee", by Mr. T. Marchant Williams, B.A.

At the concluding meeting, on September 2nd, the Rev. W. B. Joseph (Y Myfyr) of Colwyn Bay, in the chair, a paper on "Wasted Energy and Material in Wales", was read by Dr. Humpidge, of the University College of Wales. A second paper, on "Education in Merthyr", by Mr. T. C. Fawcett, M.A., of the Merthyr Proprietary School, was read in his absence by the Secretary of the Section.

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Reviews of Books.

WHO ARE THE WELSH? BY JAMES BONWICK, F.R.G.S., etc., etc. London: David Bogue. 1881. Price One Shilling. THE plan of this little book is an excellent one. A work, giving within a small compass the principal facts which archæology and history furnish as data for the ethnologist in determining the composition of the Welsh people, together with the inferences which competent scholars have drawn from those facts, is a desideratum. In preparing himself to answer his own question, the author has not been sparing of labour; he has read very extensively, and gleaned in all sorts of fields, from the ponderous folios of the past centuries to the magazine and newspaper articles of to-day.

But Mr. Bonwick has unfortunately used his authorities far too indiscriminately. His net, like that in the parable, has "gathered of every kind", but he seems to have utterly forgotten to "cast the bad away". A book of this kind, if of any use at all, is for popular use, and should serve as a guide; and to quote in it all the outrageous notions which foolish people have, with the courage of ignorance, thought fit to propound from time to time, is worse than useless. This the author has done much too freely, the result being a most incongruous combination of "authorities", Myfyr Morganwg and Professor Rhys, Zeuss and Margoliouth, Richard of Cirencester and Dr. Freeman, etc., etc. In this way we find on one page (113) Robert Vaughan, Twm Sion Catti, Morien, Nash, Stephens, Sharon Turner, Herbert, Iolo Morganwg, G. D. Barber, Ab Ithel, and Myfyr Morganwg, collected in one happy family! This utter absence of selection makes the

book rather disappointing, not to say exasperating reading, and detracts very largely from any value it might otherwise have.

Among points of detail it is to be observed that Welsh words and proper names are not unfrequently sadly tortured. What does the author mean by saying that " The Welsh of a few hundred years old is so very different from that now spoken' (p. 8), and again that "Even MSS. of the twelfth century can hardly be deciphered now by Gaelic scholars" (p. 58) ?

Again, "It is admitted that the Welsh of the day is far more unlike old Welsh than modern English is unlike the old English" (p. 78). By whom is this remarkable admission made?

On p. 26 "Llyn Savathan of Brecon" and "Lake Llangorse of Brecon" are spoken of in different paragraphs, much as if the writer thought them two distinct lakes.

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Such expressions as "Cymry-speaking" and Cymrytongue" do not commend themselves to eye or ear.

If the author had exercised more discrimination in the choice of authorities, and taken more pains to separate the wheat from the chaff, his wide reading should have enabled him to produce something more satisfactory than this tantalising little volume.

But in parting, none of our readers will feel disposed to quarrel with him on the conclusion of his preface, where he says that" For those elements of character constituting a prudent, orderly, virtuous, and happy nation, the Welsh may boldly challenge the whole world in competition”.

VOL. IV.

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