Llythyrau Goronwy Owen/Llythyr 16
| ← Llythyr 15 | Llythyrau Goronwy Owen golygwyd gan John Morris-Jones |
Llythyr 17 |
𝔏𝔩𝔶𝔱𝔥𝔶𝔯 16.
At WILLIAM MORRIS.
DEAR SIR,
THE Papist I know, reckon sloth among these sins which they term mortal. And I doubt not (if you were one of the persuasion) but you would think me in a very desperate state, and advise me out of mere charity, to confess and be absolv'd (if possible) tho' it should cost me the price of a bill of twenty years penance, or even a barefoot pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Well, to be sure, it is an heinous sin to be lazy, and perhaps I might confess something, were I but sure of a mild penance and speedy absolution. Pa fodd bynnag, nid oes gennych yna yr un Pâb, am hynny ni wiw cyffesu, gwell, gwell ymdaeru peth, and say I am guilty of nothing but what is venial. If you knew how busy I've been some weeks past, you would, I am persuaded, easily pardon my dilatoriness. Tra thrafferthus y gwelaf fi hel ychydig ddodrefnach yn nghyd, a hyny oedd raid i mi wneuthur mewn byr o amser, oni fyddai well genyf werthu fy hun am a dynai fy nannedd. Hawdd yw cadw un pen; ond y mae pedwar pen yn gofyn gryn lafur. Pa fodd bynnag, dyma fi, i Dduw b'or diolch, yn y Tŷ yn y fynwent, a'm teulu gyda myfi, ac ar ddarparu byw yn ddigon taclus, os Duw rydd hoedl ac iechyd. Mi yrais i chwi o'r blaen hanes. yr ymgomio a fu rhyngof â'r Alderman Prisiart, mi a'i gwelais unwaith neu ddwy wedi hyny. Gwr mwynaidd iawn ydyw. Mi gefais y dydd arall lythyr oddiwrth Llewelyn o Llundain; yr oedd o a'i frawd yn siongc, ac wedi agos drechu ei elynion, ac yn dwrdio bod gartref yn Ngallt Fadog yn mhen y pythefnos. Mi atebais ei lyther o yn union; ond nid wyf yn disgwyl yr un arall oddiwrtho hyd oni elo adref. I have waited impatiently for a long time for my books from Shropshire, and with them, Dr. J. Davy Rhys's Grammar, but have hitherto waited in vain. If I had my books here I would endeavour to paraphrase all the Gorhoffedd as I did the first two stanzas. I beg you would from time to time, favour me with the remaining part of that excellent Poem, or any other that is equally ancient. I'm persuaded the main difficulty in the Gorhoffedd is, if the stanza be as intelligible as any modern piece, and the next perhaps as uncouth and unintelligible as the Pictish language or that of Utopia, that very few MSS in any language have escaped being corrupted from time to time by some means or other, sometimes by the negligence and, oscitancy, but most frequently by the ignorance of the transcribers. And I can't see by what privilege our language above all others. can plead for an exemption [from the common] fate? Besides, all books of value in most other languages (except Irish and few besides) have been preserved in print for several centuries past, but in ours they have not. So that upon the whole, I think if the true reading could be restored the rest would be easy. 'Rydych bellach, nid oes ammeu, yn disgwyl dau neu dri o Gywyddau yn iawn am fy esgusodion, ac achos da paham. Ond os coeliwch y gwir, ni fedrais unwaith ystwytho at Gywydd nac Englyn er pan ddaethym i'r fangre yma. Nid oes genyf lyfr yn y byd na Chymraeg na Saes'naeg, ond y Bardd Cwsg yn unig; ond gobeithio y caf fy llyfrau ataf cyn y b'o hir. Mae rhyw achos yn fy llestair i mi fyned yn nghyd a dim Prydyddiaeth nes y catwyf fy llyfrau yma, a hyny yw, because Llangynhafal and Evan Brydydd Hir have made some objections against my Cywyddau, viz., that they had not a sufficient variety of Cynghaneddau. This Mr L. Morris informs me of, and as I have never a one of 'em by me at present, nor a Grammar to consult, I can't answer that objection, but am resolv'd to write no more till I am better assur'd of the truth of their criticism, and better guarded from a slip for the future. How should a man use all the vast variety of Cynghaneddau that knows not one of 'em all? Another reason that suspends my muse is, that I intend, when I have the J. D. Rhys's Grammar, to try whether our language will bear a Heroic Poem, and so am loath to exhaust any good subject or jade my muse before I undertake it. If I have any spare time no man's ill-nature or criticising humour shall hinder me from writing. But I'll see what I do write. One would not willingly be holden to every rifraff pedant for mending a hole in one's stocking. After all, I know not whether their charge be true or no, neither can I examine into it, till I have the Graminar. I believe it is not true: and if it is, it hinders not but mine may be as good or even perhaps preferable to any of theirs with all their variety; for, as I take it, no poet ever thought himself bound to write a set number of lines in a Cywydd, of each kind of cynghanedd, but rather at liberty to use what cynghanedd he pleased, arbitrarily and indifferently, as his case and inclination led him. But enough of this; I beg you would be so good as to keep (at least copies of) all my Cywyddau that you have by you; for I'm afraid I burnt 'em in my hurry among sonie loose papers when I left Donnington. I thought I had safely put 'em up in my bags, with my Sermons, &c, but can't find one of 'em all. I hope Mr. Ellis recovers stoutly; please to present him my humble service and hearty thanks, and accept of the same to yourself from, Dear Sir, Your most humble servant,
P.S.-Mae genyf ddarpar bardd arall etto, ond nas gwn pa sut i'w alw, oddigerth Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, neu Lywarch Brydydd y Moch