520 Rev. Mr Williams on one Source of the 



The Cumrian name for a river, next in importance, is Avon, the 

 same word as the Latin Amn-is. It must be remembered by 

 etymologists, that the Latin M was not our strong labial conso- 

 nant, but a vocal sound corresponding to our English w at the 

 end of words. Without this explanation, it is impossible to ac- 

 count for its perishable nature in verse at the end of words fol- 

 lowed by vowels. In those terms which the provincial Cumrians 

 originally borrowed from their conquerors the Romans, and have 

 since retained, the M, especially in the middle of words, be- 

 comes a v, thus — 



Animal Anivail. 



Numerus Niver. 



Romani Rhuveiniaid. 



Thus also Amn-is, Avn, then Aven and Avon. In its simple form 

 we find in Italy only two, — 



among many others, may be quoted as a proof of the indestructibility of names, ex- 

 cept by the absolute extermination of the inhabitants. The Dorians of Tarentum 

 gave it the name of Eurotas, after their own Laconian stream ; and, in the days of 

 Polybius, it was, as we are informed by him, more generally termed the Eurotas. 

 But as Greek influence declined, the original name prevailed, and the Galaesus has 

 been immortalized in many a poet's verses. Assuredly, it is not owing to chance 

 that the two words meant the same thing, the one in the Cumrian, the other in the 

 Greek language. Eu-£w7-aj, the fair stream ; Gal-wys, fair water. In Owen's Dic- 

 tionary, we find the following explanation : Gal, " clear," " fair." 



Avon reawg ai hynt hir mewn gwaundir gal. 

 A river running with its course long in meadow-land fair. 



Here, perhaps, I ought to add, that the Bradanus, the largest stream which falls 

 into the Tarentine Gulf, still called the Bradano, has its representative in the 

 Guildford river in Surrey, which bore both the generic name " Wey," and the spe- 

 cific one Brad-an. The specific name has, however, I understand, perished among 

 the people, although retained in history. 



