The next Though it was urged a second time, by a letter written by the 251 empress's own hand, he still persisted in his refusal. year another, perhaps more enticing though less lucrative, offer was made him hy the king of Prussia. That illustrious philosopher, and patron of philosophers, invited D'Alembert to meet him at Wesel after the peace of 1763, and, on the first interview, affectionately embraced him. The king's first question was, "Do the mathematics furnish any method of calculating political probabilities?" To which the geometrician replied, "That he was not acquainted with any method of this kind, but that if any such existed, it could be of no use to a hero, who could conquer against all probability." The king, who would, doubtless, be gratified by such a compliment, and who was already well acquainted with the talents of D'Alembert, made him an offer of the presidency of the academy of Berlin, vacant by the death of Maupertuis. The ferment which had lately been excited in France by some articles in the Encyclopædia, especially that of Geneva, and the odium which had particularly fallen upon himself, might have furnished a good reason for seeking a peaceful asylum in the court of a philosophical prince. D'Alembert, however, chose to decline the offer; and the king, far from being displeased at the refusal, maintained a friendly correspondence with him as long as he lived. The letters which passed between them will be found in "The Posthumous Works of the King of Prussia." This correspondence, together with that which he carried on with Voltaire and other philosophers; the constant intercourse which he had with illustrious persons at home, and with learned foreigners; his influence in the academy of sciences, and, above all, in the French academy, of which, after the death of Duclos in 1772, he was secretary, were circumstances which concurred to give importance to the character which D'Alembert, during the latter part of his life, sustained in the republic of letters. And, though his enemies called him the Mazarin of literature, candour requires us to believe, that he owed his influence less to artful management and supple address, than to the esteem which his talents and virtues inspired. His aversion to superstition and priest-craft carried him, it is true, into the region of infidelity; and his enmity to the Jesuits and the clergy produced in him a degree of hostility against the religion of his country, which sometimes obliged even the philosopher Frederic to read him a lesson of moderation. The eccentricity of his opinions did not, however, destroy the virtues of his heart. A love of truth, and a zeal for the progress of science and freedom, formed the basis of his character; strict probity, a noble disinterestedness, and an habitual desire of obliging, were its distinguishing features. Many young people, who discovered talents for science and learning, found in him a patron and guide. To worthy men, even in adversity and persecution, he was a firm and courageous friend. To those who had shown him kindness, he never ceased to be grateful. Gratitude induced him to dedicate two of his works to two ministers, when they were in disgrace, the count D'Argenson, to whom he had owed his pension, and the marquis D'Argenson, who had given him many proofs of respect and esteem. When, in early life, mad. de Tencin, informed G.2. informed of his singular talents, came to him, and fondly caressing him, discovered to him the secret of his birth, "What do you tell me, madam?" he cried out: "Ah, you are but a step-mother; it is the glazier's wife who is my mother!" Through life he retained for his nurse the affectionate sensibility of a grateful son. He remained in her house near thirty years, and did not leave it, till, in 1765, after a long illness, his physician represented to him the necessity of removing to a more airy lodging. His health being recruited, he continued to ocenpy his honourable station among philosophers till the 29th of October 1783, when, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, he expired; leaving behind him the reputation of amiable virtues, and eminent talents. Perhaps no character has ever appeared, which has more completely exemplified the union of strong mathematical genius with an elegant taste for polite literature. Eloge de F. le Rond d'Alembert par M. Condorcet, dans l'Histoire de l'Acad. Franc. 1783. Nouv. Dict. Hist. Supplem. to Hutton's Mathem. Dict.-E. It will be observed that, in this memoir, Dr. Enfield has but slightly touched on the infidelity which marks some of the writings of D'Alembert; particularly in that copious fountain of French scepticism, the Encyclopedie:-but it should be remembered that such was not the general tenor of D'Alembert's publications; and that his religious or anti-religious tenets but little interest the investigator of his mathematical and other philosophical labours, or the reader of his compositions on subjects of general literature.-A few particulars of this distinguised man occur in our last Appendix, p. 508-512. in mentioning a posthumous publication of some of his epistolary and miscellaneous productions. Before we close our account of this volume, we cannot but express our wish that it had been begun on a scale somewhat less extensive. Many names occur even in this well-selected collection, of which perhaps few readers would regret the omission. These must tend to swell the limits of the work to a wide extent. The present volume, though a thick quarto, closely printed, goes no farther in the alphabetical order than BAR.-Who the gentleman is who fills the place of Dr. Enfield, we are not informed: but we understand that he is a very proper successor of that worthy and well-qualified man. We think that each volume should be accompanied by a table of the names which are celebrated in it. Wall..e ART. II. The Royal Tribes of Wales. By Philip Yorke, Esq. of Erthig. 4to. pp. 200. and 12 Plates. il. 1s. Boards. White. 1799. T HE inhabitants of conquered countries are partial to their antiquities; and however happy they may be under a new government, government, they have a propensity to lament the loss of that pristine grandeur, which, when they were in full possession of it, they perhaps unwillingly contributed to support. We are animals of habitude in some things, and of variety in others. It is difficult to relinquish old customs and comforts under a new government; and, under an old government, we are languishing for variety. The work before us seems to possess a local interest: we say local, because harsh and barbarous national appellations are repelling to all except the natives of the country, who are acquainted with its history and worth. In general, writers on the antiquities of the region which gave them birth, and on the feats of its heroes, are insensibly impelled to overload description with panegyric, in endeavouring. to excite wonder and respect in the minds of their readers: but no weak partiality and enthusiasm for the author's country, and its antient inhabitants, appear in this work; which is written with the abilities of a scholar, and with the candour of a gentleman, Mr. Yorke temperately relates what is praiseworthy and what is blameable; and he appears to see the ridi cule of some characters and customs, as well as the merit of others. We are inclined, indeed, to regard this genealogical account of the descendants of the first inhabitants of our island, as the most accurate, temperate, and judicious, that our literature can boast; and we would advise our readers, who may likewise be Mr. Yorke's readers, not to be dismayed by the genealogical dryness of the first 30 or 40 pages; because the subsequent part of the work is enlivened by anecdotes and historical information, which will interest not merely the natives of Wales, but the inhabitants of England who are in any way. connected with that principality. It is difficult to detach passages for citation from a work so well digested. Mr. Yorke complains of the want of dates in the historical MSS. of Welsh history: but a chain of facts. from the poetical remains of the Bards may be formed with tolerable accuracy. Welsh antiquaries boast that the Bards never dealt in fiction, like the poets of other countries: " Bard (say they) and a Genealogist were synonimous terms." This may perhaps account for the omission of dates; which it is so difficult to hitch into verse. We have no dates in Homer and Virgil. a From the time of Gruffudd ab Cynan, in the 12th century, chronology is pretty well preserved. In 1135, we are told, 6 Gruffudd ab Llywelyn, in concert with Owain and Cadwaladr, the sons of Gruffudd ab Cynan, made a successful irruption on South Wales, and returned with a large booty; no light object in the warfare of that period. This 1137. This year (says Powel) died Gruffudd ab Rhys ab Tewdwr, the light, honor and support of South Wales;" who by his wife Gwenllian, the daughter of Gruffudd ab Cynan, had Rhys his son who succeeded.. Our Chroniclers are encomiastic of this character. The Lord Rhys ab Gruffudd, say they, "was no less remarkable in courage, than in the stature and lineaments of his body, wherein he excelled most men." In 1143 he distinguished himself against the Normans, and Flemish, in Dyfed. His life was a continued warfare, too much engaged against his countrymen and relations; exhausting the national strength in domestic hostilities. On the submission of North Wales to the Second Henry, and in the pacification which ensued, Rhys was not included, but alone supported himself against the English, and obtained terms from them. In the absence of Henry in Normandy, Rhys renewed the war, encouraged by the Welsh prophecies, that the King would not return. Henry however was soon in South Wales, and Rhys, unable to resist, submitted to do him homage, and gave hostages for his obedience. This ceremony was performed at Woodstock, and Rhys swore fealty to the English King, and to Henry his son.' We are told, p. 66, that Cyfeiling, a prince of the third royal tribe, * Was a distinguished Bard also, as what he left + may testify; and in our Augustan ‡ age of Welsh poetry. The Saxons, at least for * Mr. Andrews has well observed, that the tale of Edward the First's cruelty to the Bards, in the next century, has no foundation, but an obscure tradition, and a hint in the Gwydir history. Edward hath been also accused of having destroyed all the ancient records and writings in Scotland. This is ably refuted by Sir David Dalrymple. But an order at that time subsisted to silence the Welsh Bards. Our countrymen were more severely treated by the Fourth Henry, when the Welsh were rendered by an act of parliament incapable of purchasing lands, or of performing any office in any town, or of having any Castle or house of defence. English Judges and Juries were to decide disputes between English and Welsh: Englishmen that married Welshwomen were disfranchised, and no Welshman might bind his child to any trade, nor breed him up to literature. The absurdities of these ordinances counteracted their virulence; and the moderation of the Fifth Henry having laid them to sleep; if not repealed, they were at least forgotten.' His poem, called HIRLAS OWAIN, (finely translated into English verse by the Reverend Mr. Williams of Fron,) affords a specimen of his martial spirit, as well as of his poetic talents.' Poetry and good language was in greater perfection in Wales, a little before and a little after the Norman Conquest, than it hath been since; and the historical part of our Poems is a great light to Henry no doubt was jealous of the charms of our countrywomen, and fearful of their influence on his English subjects.' Histo for some time, were no poets; they landed here, without an alphabet. The Normans had their Jongleurs *, Troubadours, and Provencial songs; the Monks jingled their Latin doggrel; but until the days of Gower, Chaucer and Lydgate, native English numbers were in a manner unknown; the scholar since hath excelled his master; • Nosque · Historians, both English and Welsh, Irish and Scotch. Goronwy Owain on this subject says, "I find the old metres were, what all compositions of that nature should be, that is, Lyric verses adapted to the tunes and music then in use. Of this sort were the several kinds of Englynion, Cywyddau, Odlau, Gwawdodyn, Toddaid, Trybedd y Myncich and Glogyrnach, which appear to have in their composition the authentic stamp of genuine Lyric poetry, and of true primitive antiquity. As to the rest, I mean Gorchesty Beirdd, Huppynt hir and byrr, being the newest, they were falsely thought the most ingenious and accurate kind of metres. But I look upon them to be rather depravations than improvements in our poetry. What a grovelling, low thing that Gorch.est y Beirdd is! And I would have an impartial answer, whether the old, despised, exterminated Englyn Milwr hath not something of antique majesty in its composition. Now, when I have a mind to write good sense in such a metre as Gorchest y Beirdd, and so begin, and the language itself does not afford words that will come in to finish with sense and Cynghanedd too, what must I do? Why, to keep Cynghanedd (i.e. the alliteration) I must write nonsense to the end of the metre, and cramp and fetter good sense; whilst the dictionary is overturned and tormented to find out words of a like ending, sense or nonsense; and besides, suppose our language was more comprehensive and significant than it is, (which we have no reason or room to wish) what abundance of mysterious sense is such an horrid, jingling metre of such a length able to contain! In short as I understand that it and its fellows were introduced by the authority of an Eisteddfodd, I wish we had an Eisteddfodd again, to give them their dimittimus to some peaceable acrostick land, to sport and converse with the spirits of deseased Puns, Quibbles, and Conundrums of picus memory; then would I gladly see the true primitive metres reinstated in their ancient dignity, and sense regarded more than a hideous jingle of words,' which hardly ever bear it." The Welsh poetry had great compass and variety. Dr. John David Rhys the physician and grammarian, who took his degree in Italy, introduces a comparison between the Welsh and Italian poetry, and inserts a whole Italian poem, marked in the manner he has done the Welsh. In Metastasio is a poem similar to a very favorite measure in Welsh poetry; viz. In this, the end of the first line rhimes to the middle of the second, and the end of the second to the middle of the third.' This species of Minstrels ended in the conjuring art; hence Our Jugglers. We must not wonder, if the English verse in those carly cen turies |