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supposed to proclaim this lesson, that the monarchy reposes 
more safely on the affections of an united people, than upon 
the serried array of the bayonets of Imperial power. The idea 
of the extraordinary destiny of “ the Anglo-Saxon race ” finds 
its way into unexpected quarters, as in the following extract : 
“ There is at the bottom ” (of the May Meetings) “ a real desire to do 
good to others, with the added notion that the Anglo-Saxon race is the 
proper vehicle of good to everybody .” — The Times, May 20th, 1879. 
I hope, therefore, it will not be thought that I am treating 
of “ things remote, impossible, and false,” but rather of “ that 
which before us lies in daily life,” when I endeavour to show 
that to review our dim original and prime ” is essentially 
necessary. It is surely disgraceful not to know what pertains 
to our own country. 
Camden, in his Britannia, has well shown how many of the 
names of our towns, our rivers, and our local sites are Welsh, 
so that we cannot comprehend the names of these without its 
help, nor understand the meaning of our rivers, so graphically 
named as they were by the original dwellers on their banks. 
The Wharf, for instance, of which Camden says, “ If any one 
would derive the name of it from the British word guer, swift, 
the nature of the river will favour him.” The Dee, of course, 
is the blach river, whilst on the other hand Pont-aber-glas-llyn, 
in few words, describes a bridge and the river flowing under 
it, proceeding from a lake coloured blue-green by copper ore. 
This lake is in the hollow of Snowdon.* We cannot name 
a basket without being reminded that the word ( basged ) is 
purely British, as well as that of the witluj (givydd), from 
which it may be constructed. We cannot spread the festal 
board aright unless the board is the Welsh bwrdd, that is, a 
table. The door (dor) of our house is British, and when we 
go forth through it, it is to be understood that we go on our 
way (ff'ordd). The implements of the husbandman's toil, such 
as the coulter ( cwlltyr ) of his plough, may often speak Welsh. 
A cord, at any rate, is explained as something twisted (cord, 
from cordeddu, to twist) ; and even in the prince's motto, Ich 
* The word glas is originally derived from woad (Herbert, p. lvi.). 
“ Illinent certe aliis (herbis) alias faciem in populis barbarorum feminse, 
maresque etiam apud Dacos et Sarmatas corpora sua inscribunt. Simile 
plantigini glastum in Gallia vocatur, quo Britannorum conjuges nurusque 
toto corpore oblitae, quibusdam in sacris et nudce incedunt, iEthiopum 
colorem imitantes.” — Pliny, lib. xxii. 11. i. 
