O’i wiw y ŵi weu ê â, a’i weuau
O’i ŵyau y weua;
E’ weua ei ŵe aia’,
A’i weuau yw ieuau iâ.

“I perish by my art; dig mine own grave:
I spin my thread of life; my death I weave.”

The other a distich on thunder, the grandeur of which is scarcely to be surpassed in any language.

Tân a dŵr yn ymwriaw,
Yw’r taranau dreigiau draw.

“The roaring thunder, dreadful in its ire,
Its water warring with aërial fire.”

The metre of the Welsh poetry is very artificial and alliterative, possessing such peculiar ingenuity in the selection and arrangement of words, as to produce a rhythmical concatenation of sounds in every verse. The old British language abounded with consonants, and was formed of monosyllables, which are incompatible with quantity; and the bards could reduce it to concord by no other means than by placing at such intervals its harsher consonants, so intermixing them with vowels, and so adapting, repeating, and dividing the several sounds, as to produce an agreeable effect from their structure. Hence the laws of poetical composition in this language are so strict and rigorous, that were it not for a particular aptitude that it has for that kind of alliterative melody, which is as essential as harmony in music, and which constitutes the great beauty of its poetry, the genius of the bard must have been greatly cramped. To the ears of the natives, the Welsh metre is extremely pleasing, and does not subject the bard to more restraint than the different sorts of feet occasioned to the Greek and Roman poets. From the reign of Llywelyn to that of Elizabeth, the laws of alliteration were prescribed, and observed with such scrupulous exactness, that a line not perfectly alliterative was condemned as much by the Welsh grammarians, as a false quantity was by the Greeks and Romans.

THE
CAMBRIAN TOURIST.

These are the haunts of Meditation, these
The scenes where ancient bards th’ inspiring breath
Ecstatic felt.

Thomson.

As a centrical situation from which to undertake a Tour to either North or South Wales, and to which conveyances are now established from all parts of England and Scotland, I fixed on Oxford. And should the Tourist’s undertaking be commenced early in the season, and his time to enjoy it be ample, he will have the opportunity of viewing this seat of learning and nursery of the arts to advantage; the elegant piles of building which Oxford exhibits, the stores of learned wealth which it possesses, and the beautiful paintings which adorn its halls and colleges, are so cheaply and so fully described in the Oxford Guides, that to attempt to do it in this work would be superfluous, if not ridiculous: still I may be excused for pointing out to those whose period of stay may be limited, the objects more particularly worthy their attention. The three churches generally viewed are St. Mary’s, All Saints, and St. Peter’s in the East. St. Mary’s is the church used by the University on Sundays and holidays: All Saints is a beautiful modern structure, in the High-street: St. Peter’s in the East is very ancient; it was formerly the University Church, and is now, during Lent, attended by the members of it for afternoon service.

The Bodleian or University Library, one of the largest in Europe, as well as the Picture Gallery, are to be seen in summer, from eight to two o’clock, and from three to five; in the winter only till three in the afternoon. The Arundel marbles are placed in a large room on the north side of the Schools. The Theatre, in which are held the Public Acts, called the Comitia and Encænia, and Lord Crewe’s annual commemoration, in June or July, of the benefactors to the University, when the prizes adjudged to particular performances are publicly recited, is a superb edifice, and was built by Sir Christopher Wren, at the expense of Archbishop Sheldon: it cost 16,000l.; its roof has been greatly admired. Near this, on the west, stands the Ashmolean Museum of natural curiosities, coins, &c. &c. and on the other side of the Theatre, the Clarendon Printing-house. Southward of the Schools stands in a fine area the celebrated Radcliffe Library, a noble building with a handsome dome.

St. Mary Magdalen College at the east end of the city, near the river Cherwell, is particularly worthy of attention, were it only to see the picture of our Saviour bearing his cross; supposed to be painted by Guido. Such is the awful solemnity of the place, and the impressive beauty of this painting, as well as of the windows, particularly of that representing the last judgment, that none can be better calculated to give a favourable bias to the mind of youth; for should religion waver in the mind, the sweet benignity of Him who died to save mankind