414 Abstract of Bic 'lat 



tion to generation from time imme- 

 morial. 



It has been thouj^lit that the Pennil- 

 lion owe tlieir origin to the Druidical 

 institution, and that thoy embodied 

 the precepts of morality or wisdom 

 whicli were taught under tliat ancient 

 system. Caesar, j'ou may remember, 

 speaks expressly* of tlic number of 

 verses which the pupils of the Druids 

 were obliged to learn; and when he 

 tells us, that the student was in some 

 cases tlius occupied for twenty years, 

 it may supply us with a notion of the 

 extent to wliicli the pracUce was car- 

 ried. The Pennillion of the present 

 day may sliortiy be characterized as 

 uniting the simple, the moral, and the 

 pathetic, with a degree of expressive- 

 ness seldom equalled in the epigram- 

 matic productions of otlier languages. 

 Indeed they often assume a loftier 

 tone than that of an epigram, accord- 

 ing to the popular acceptation of the 

 term ; and combine with the terseness 

 of that species of composition the un- 

 assuming charms that belong to a spon- 

 taneous How of the tcndercst and best 

 emotions of the heart and head. And, 

 when to these qualities are added the 

 peculiar attributes of Welsh versifica- 

 tion, you will readily imagine that it 

 is no easy task to render justice to the 

 Pennillion in a translation. However, 

 even under these disadvantages, I 

 shall send you a few specimens in an 

 English dress ; but you will be sulfi- 

 cicntly prepared, from what I have 

 said, not to expect to find Ihem exact 

 copies of the originals. I sliall, how- 

 ever, adhere to the metre as closely 

 as the diflcrcnt natures of the two lan- 

 guages will admit. 



I. 

 Yon sweet harp, liow it resembles 

 Some fair maid, vvliose soft form trembles 

 To yonr toucli, and soon you find her 

 Grow beneatli it kinder, kinde . 



II. 

 Where can be the nse, I pray, 



From happiness to sever ? 

 AVliile I am botli yoinig and gay. 



My heart I'll conquer ever. 

 Conquer still, llio' cares befal. 



Yet some are e'er complaining; 

 Wealth we need not, great or small, 



Wliere"cr content is reigning. 

 III. 

 How gay seems you valley with rich wa- 

 ving v\htat ! 

 Fair lands and fair Iiouscs, and shelters so 

 neat ; 



"~ * jBgll. Uall. lib. vi. c. ij. 



s Theory of Life. [June 1, 



While the whole feather'd choir to delight 



us conspires : 

 The mountain yields nothing but turf and 



turf-fires. 



IV. 



I have read, what schoolmen teach. 

 That there are eight parts of speech, 

 And that women, — praise be given, — 

 To themselves have taken seven. 



V. 



The trees are fast blowing, 

 Fiow'rs ronnd us are growing. 

 The leaves of the primrose on each hillock 

 spring ; 

 AVlnle the birds on each spray, 

 Full of glee, ehaunt away. 

 Till the groves, as you hear, with their 

 melody ring. 



VI. 



Thy sweet lips, my Betsy dear. 



Are like the juicy pear; 

 And thy breasts, they do appear 



Like downy peaches fair : 

 But how strange these charms should shine 

 With a heart so hard as thine. 



Such are the Pennillion, though with 

 more pains I might perhaps have sup- 

 plied more favourable specimens, and 

 especially with respect to the subjects. 

 But these will serve my present pur- 

 pose, which is merely to illustrate eur 

 national custom of singing with the 

 harp, which however, to be thoroughly 

 understood, must be enjoyed among 

 the mountains, to whieli it owes its 

 birth. 



Again farewell, my dear Frank, and 

 believe me, " Your faithful 



Fcstinioy; Griffith Tudor. 



July 20, lb22. 



For the Monthly 3Iagazine. 



ACCOUNT o/"m. BICHAT's THEORY 

 of LIFE. 



EVERY thing around living bodies, 

 according to M. Biehat,- tends 

 constantly to their destruction. And 

 to this inlluence they would necessa- 

 rily yield, were tiiey not gifted Milh 

 some permanent principle of reaction. 

 This jjiinciplc is their life, and a living 

 system 



* Mr. Bicliut was born in 1771. Kc 

 studied under the celebrated Desault, 

 whom he assisted to the end of his life in 

 his practice, in his studies, and in his lec- 

 tures. At the age of 27 he published his 

 Treatise <>n the Membranes ; and in the 

 succeeding year his Researches upon Litis 

 and Deatli. His next work was his Gene- 

 ral Airatoniy; and he began a work on 

 Deseripiivc Anatomy, of which he lived 

 to complete only two volumes. He died 



