1801] 
dice. would bar a. difpaffionate. appeal to 
the tribunal of truth :—There wiil. be ad- 
duced indifputable proofs of the exiftence of 
traditionary remains, in the form of ancient 
tales and Jongs, containing the ground -work 
or materials ; and wherein may be recog-> 
nized, but in a detached order, the leading 
incidents and characters of Macpherfon's 
epic. But the unton and combination of 
them into that regular whole in which they 
appear, I fufpec? will turn out to be the 
avork of a modern hand. 
Highly gratitying, it, would be to me 
that more might be proved of the legiti- 
macy of the Mufe of Offian, than is here 
anticipated, as well for the honour of the 
Gaelic minftrels, as for the character of him 
whofe veracity has become fo queftionable, 
however it may extenuate his fame, as a 
poet. Yet, to expect.any thing further is 
nearly hopelefs, when all the circumftances 
are duly confidered ; and particularly that 
total want of old writings, which prevails 
in the Highlands. Why there fhould ex- 
ift no fuch books, is to.me a very furpril- 
ing fact, on taking a retrofpect of the ftate 
of literature amongft the ancient Welth; 
who have bequeathed many hundreds, nay 
even a few thoulands, of manufcripts to 
their defcendants: but they have little ap- 
preciated the gift ; as it may be fafely af- 
ferted, that a number, equal to what now 
remains, has perifhed through neglect 
within the laft two hundred years: but 
Tam happy in being enabled to fay, in 
juftice to the zeal of a few individuals, 
fome atonement is now making, by the 
publication of a Welfh Archaiology, two 
_ volumes of which are already before the 
world. ; 
Out of the firft volume of the above- 
mentioned Archaiology, page 168, [take 
the liberty, Mr, Editor, of prefenting you 
- with a produétion, which may excite in 
you confiderable furprife, and, being of 
fuch a tendency, it is of confequence to 
prevent every ideaof impofition. In order 
to do fo, I beg leave to mention, that there 
are feveral copies of it in old manufcripts, 
and particularly in theHengzuyrt Library*, 
the title of which piece is given by Lizwyd, 
in page 258 of his Archaologia Britannica, 
in decribing the contents of the manu- 
{cripts of that collection. What I lay 
before. you is an Elegy by Talie/iz, the ; 
- fabje& of which is not'one of his patrons, 
mo, not even one of his countrymen; but 
is wholly Irith; yes, is to be found 
among the heroes of Offan! 
* The feat of Gr.Howell Vaughan, efq. ia 
Merioneththise, ; 
, the year 1440, 
On an Elegy of Taliefin. | 883 
Marwnad Coroi. mab Dairi, a gant Taliefiz. 
Dy fynon lydan, dyleinw ages ; . 
Dyzaw, dyhebgyr dybris, dybrys: 
Marwnad Coroi a’m cyfroes ! 
Oer deni gwr garw ei anwydau! 
A 0ez mwy ei zrwg nis mawr giglau s 
Mab Dairi dalai lyw ar vor dehau 5 
Dathyl oez ei glod cyn noi adnau ! 
Dy fynon lydan, dyleinw nonau ; 
Dyzaw, dyhebgyr, dybrys dybrau ; 
Marwnad Coroi a’m cyfroes ! 
Dy fynon lydan, dyleinw dyllyr; 
Dy faeth dycgyre draeth, dwg dybyr 
Gwr a oreigyn mawr ei varanres, 
A wedi Mynaw, myned trevyz; — 
Aethant wy. fres fraw wyonyz. 
Tra vu vuzygre vore zygrawr, 
Hwedlau am gwyzir o wir hyd lawr: 
Cyvranc Coroi 4 Cyewlyn, 
Lliaws eu tervy{g am eu tervyn; 
Tarzai pen amwern gwerin gozvwyné 
Caer y fy gulwyz, ni gwyz, ni gryn3 
Gwyn ei vyd yr enaid ai harobryn! 
TheElegy of Coroi, fon of Dairiy fung by Taliefins 
Thy ample fountain, it overflows the plain; | 
it comes, it difpenfeth with a courfe, it hur- 
rieth onward: with the death-cry of Corot it 
hath difturbed me! Gloomy the diffolution 
of a man of rough paffions! None greater 
in deed of ruin hath been often heard of than 
him: the fon of Dairi was wont to hold the 
helm on the fea of the fouth; {plendid was-his ° 
fame, ere he was laid in earth ! 
Thy ample fountain, it overflows the 
bounds; it comes, it difpenfeth, it haftencth 
woes: the death-cry of Corot hath difturbed 
me! 
Thy ample fountain, it overflows the 
fpreading fand ; thy arrow doth approach the | 
fhore, it bringeth wot! A man purfuing ) 
conqueft with a fquadron of mighty front, 
who, paffing the Jj/le of Man, approaching of 
towns, penetrated the frefh rippling ftreams. 
While the courfe of victory, through the 
morn, heaped carnage, to me rumours were 
revealed down from air: the confli& of Cora 
with Cuchullin, who urged the frequent tumult 
round their borders; the yawning flough 
rifing to end the toil-enjoying multitude. 
A fecure refuge exifteth, ruled by lovey, 
which fhall not rall, fhall not be moved 5 hap- 
py is the foul that fhall it inherit! | 
That a Welfh bard of the fixth century 
fhould mention Cuchulliz, is a proof of his ee), 
being a great charaéter in his time: but | 
it feems that he was of uncommon cele- | 
brity; for, which is very remarkable, £ 
find him again fung of by Llawzen, about 
This poet addreffes an 
ode to his patron, wherein he compares 
him to feveral perfonages of high fame ; 
3° Di. and 
