C Y M R A E G

Siencyn Morgan to Iolo Morganwg, 30 November 1771

(NLW 21282E, Letter 282)


This letter provides an insight into the poetic activity in Glamorgan during Iolo's youth. It reveals that the poets supported each other by exchanging poems and comments on their verses. Here, Siencin Morgan thanks Iolo for lending him a vocabulary and also expresses patriotic sentiments which were a feature of poetic and antiquarian study in this period.

Go to the English translation


Siencin Morgan to Iolo Morganwg


30 November 1771


Llythyr 282 Siencin Morgan to Iolo Morganwg, Nov 1771

Llythyr 282 Siencin Morgan to Iolo Morganwg, Nov 1771


Address: <T>o Edward Wiliam, maso<n> <a>t Santathan
Postmark: none
Source: NLW 21281E, no. 282
Status and condition: paper worn at folds

Tachwedd y 30 1771 <Pe>nriwfer, Llantrisant

Y cyfeillgar Gymro Iorwerth Gwilim,
Danfonais rhai geiria i'ch anerch unwaith drachefan dan obeitho y bydd ir llythyr hwn eich cyfarfod yn eich cynefin iechyd fel y rwi fi yn bresenol, u Dduw y byddo'r diolch. Y rwi yn diolch i chwi am eich cyfyillach ach greso pan bum i yn Santathan ach benthig, sef eich geirlyfyr, yr hwn sy yn fy ngyfrwyddo mewn amryw eiria or hen iaith Gymraeg. Mi'ch erfynais yn ddyfal ir llan y nol eich addewid: pwy fodd y ffaulodd ichwi ddyfod? Wyi n erfyn atteb. Ny chawson fawr or bydd r ychydig y ddaeth yngyd. Yr ydym wedi setlo cyfarfod y 17 o Ionawr 1772 sef hen ddydd Gwyl Ystwll, os cawn eich cyfeillach ini am deni. Mae Nedi Wiliam y pwrpasu danfon rhai geiria ich anerch; wyi yn bwrpasu dyfod i Drifflemin geda mrawd yn yr hen wila. Os cai'ch cyfarfod fe fydd hoff geni. Ny dyw ein disgwyliad y bydd i gyfarfod y Llan ond difflannu o eisia cael eich gora chwi i ddanfon at Edward Eva<n> o Abardaer i ddyfod i gyfarfod a chwi uwaith neu ddwy i drenfu petha yn sefydlog, yngyd a Wiliam Dafydd o Lynogwr. <Fe> alla fod ofawr fantais ag adailiadaeth ir hen iaith Gymraeg yngyd a manteision eraill ag adailiadu cariad rhwng gwladwyr ai giddil a chynal ychydig awan yn ein mysg yngyd a dehongli amryw o ddychmygion yn ein cymdeithias er Bydd a mantais i'n gi<li>dd.

Dau o eiria truban

Dwg hyn o bepryn bychan
Yn fanol ag yn fuan
Ar fyr ir fro or glennydd fru
Nes teithio i Santathan
Ar <ff>o yn ffe<l> [--]lu
[--------] ganu
[--] ia.th rhodd y cyfaill llon
[--] awan bron difflannu

Dau o eiria unodl inion

Pam, Iorwarth brydfarth brydydd - (modd doetha')
Na's daethost i fynydd
Llan[--] unol er llawenydd
A chael ir daith degwch dydd?

Bym ynno'n cyro cerad - fab dwysgall
Yn disgwl am danâd;
Gwauledd oedd gorfod gwilad
Bardd o'n bro ai gael a brad.


Hyn yn bresenol oddiwrth ych aneilwng gyfaill ach ewyllyswr da Siencin Morgan. Byddwch wych a chyd ddygwch am beia.


Endorsement:
Englynion <Pen>rhiw fer

English Translation


[November 30 1771 <Pe>nrhiw-fer, Llantrisant

The friendly Welshman Iorwerth Gwilim,
I sent a few words of greeting to you once again hoping that this letter will find you in your usual state of health as I am at present, God be thanked. I thank you for your friendship and welcome when I was at St Athan, and for lending me your vocabulary book, which instructs me in many of the words of the old Welsh language. I earnestly entreated you to come to Llantrisant according to your promise: how did you fail to come? I request an answer. We benefited very little from it, those of us who came together. We have settled upon a meeting on 17 January 1772, which is the former Epiphany, if we can have your company for that day. Nedi Wiliam intends to send a few words to greet you; I plan to come to Flimston with my brother during the old festival. I will be very happy to be able to meet you. We can only expect the Llantrisant meeting to die out unless you make your best effort to send to Edward Eva<n> of Aberdare, together with Wiliam Dafydd of Glynogwr, to come and see you once or twice to make firm arrangements. It could very beneficial and constructive for the old Welsh language, and could bring other advantages, and build bridges between fellow countrymen, and sustain the muse a little amongst us and enable us to interpret many of the notions within our society for the benefit and advantage of each other.

Two stanzas in the triban [triplet] metre

Take this small piece of paper
Carefully and swiftly
without delay to the Vale from the mountains above
Until you reach St Athan
Escaping cautiously [---]
[--------] to sing
[--] gift of the cheerful friend
[--] the muse almost disappearing.


Two stanzas in the englyn unodl union [direct monorhyme quatrain] metre

Why, Iorwerth, beautiful poet - (of the wisest order)
Did you not come to the mountain
Of Llan[--], for the sake of merriment
And let the journey take place in the beauty of daylight?

I was there loitering in worry - serious and discerning son,
Waiting for you;
It was a poor thing to have to wait
For a poet from our Vale, and to find he had betrayed me.

This for now from your undeserving friend and well-wisher, Siencin Morgan. Farewell and bear with my faults.

Endorsement:
Englynion <Pen>rhiw-fer]

The Correspondence of Iolo Morganwg, I, pp. 60-3
Admin