Llythyrau Goronwy Owen/Llythyr 6
| ← Llythyr 5 | Llythyrau Goronwy Owen golygwyd gan John Morris-Jones |
Llythyr 7 |
𝔏𝔩𝔶𝔱𝔥𝔶𝔯 6.
At WILLIAM MORRIS.
SYR.
Mi a dderbyniais eich caredig lythyr o'r 31 o Awst, yr un mynud ag yr oeddwn yn cau fy llythyr at eich brawd Llewelyn, sef oedd hynny Medi'r 16, yn ol y rhif newydd, a hyn a roes i mi gyfleusdra i chwanegu darn at ei lythyr ef y'mherthynas i'r hyn yr ydych chwi yn ei grybwyll yn eich llythyr; a gobeithio y caf atteb cysurus. Nid oes genyf amgen (a pha raid ?) i'w roi i chwi na bendith Dduw, a diolch am eich caredigrwydd a'ch cymmwynasgarwch, a'ch gofal am danaf.
Drwg iawn ac athrist genyf y newydd o'r golled a gawsoch am eich mam: diau mai tost a gorthrwm yw y ddamwain hon i chwi oll, a chwith anguriol ac anghysurus, yn enwedig i'r hen ŵr oedranus; eithr nid colled i neb fwy nag i'r cymmydogion tlodion; chwychwi oll, trwy Dduw, nid oes arnoch ddiffyg o ddim o'i chymmorth hi yn y byd hwn, ac a wyddoch gyd â Duw i ba le yr aeth, i Baradwys, mynwes Abraham, neu wrth ba enw bynnag arall y gelwir y lle hwnnw o ddedwyddyd, lle mae eneidiau y ffyddloniaid yn gorphwys oddiwrth eu llafur, hyd oni ddelo cyflawniad pob peth, ac yno, wedi canu o'r udgorn diweddaf, a dihuno y rhai oll a hunasant yn y llwch, y caiff pob enaid oll eu barnu yn ol eu gweithredoedd yn y cnawd; a chymmaint un a hunasant yn yr Arglwydd a drosglwyddir i oruchafion Nefoedd, yno i fod gyd a'r Arglwydd yn oes oesoedd.
Ond nid wyf fi yma yn amcanu pregethu, mewn llythyr, ac afraid yagatfydd fuasai i mi ddywedyd dim wrthych chwi ar y fath achos; oblegyd eich bod chwi, yr wyf yn deall, yn fwy cydnabyddus & brenin y dychryniadau na myfi; ac felly yn llai eich arswyd o honaw: canys mi glywais iddo o'r blaen fod yn anian agos attoch, cyn nesed a dwyn ymaith yr ail ran o honoch eich hun, sef asgwrn o'ch esgyrn, a chnawd o'ch cnawd chwi. Duw, yr hwn a'i galwodd hi i ddedwyddwch, a roddo i chwi oll amynedd a chysur.
I'm sorry my letter to Mr. Ellis was not kind enough; I think I thanked him for that and all other favours. What, did he expect that I should burst out in ecstacies, and launch forth into a panegyrick on his extraordinary erudition and deep skill in his mother's tongue, a specimen whereof he had inclosed in his letter. I was not so well-bred as to learn to flatter, and if that was what he expected, I am not sorry he .was disappointed; I thought the Doctor had been a man of sound years, and could take up with truth in its own native dress, without the bawd's stakes and garb of soothing and flattery. I have known him of old to be of a morose and peevish temper, an instance whereof he gave me at your house at Holyhead; for having given me a thesis to make a theme on, when I waited on him with it, made, I suppose, in the best manner I was then able (which was no way con- temptible considering my years) the good Dr. (I conceive, expecting that I should have outdone himself and Tom Brown too) fell into such extravagancy of passion as little became him, crying "What stuff is here! Out upon it! I've done with you! I don't want your Latin myself" (a wonder, forsooth, for a fellow of a College), and a great deal to the same purpose. Now I might as well have sent him back his Welsh paper with a What stuff! I can write better Welsh myself (a greater wonder) and I don't want it, &c., &c. And might have added likewise, and can write as good Latin or any other School language. However, if want of kindness in my letter is the reason why Cywydd y Farn is dropt, I am no way concerned at it; let him know (with thanks and compliments) that he does me a special and notable piece of service. But if it be for want of notes, &c., surely, he that could make the Cywydd, can also write notes on it; and if the noise about it is so far gone abroad as to raise a general expectation, I don't know but it may be advisable to print it,.. and even requisite in some measure. Now your crown (if you can find in your heart to part with it upon so trifling an occasion) and mine, and another of Mr. Hugh Williams, will compass it, and we may have it and some two more printed. here, under my own eyes, at Salop, and afterwards equally divided betwixt us, to be disposed of of at pleasure. As to our national indolence and contempt of our own language, we can but take one view of the state of letters. 'Tis a melan- choly consideration; so full of discouragement, that I choose. to say no more of it.
I've received the repeated favours of two letters from your brother Richard, and have in answer to the second, at his desire, sent him Cywydd y Farn, and expect next. post to hear from him again. Da iawn a fyddai genyf ddyfod i fyw ym Môn, os gallwn fyw yn ddiwall ddiangen: ac nid wyf yn ammeu na fyddai Llangristiolus yn ddigon i mi fagu fy mhlant pe'i cawn. Ni rwgnach ffrencyn ar ddwyn llen gyfan o bapur, mwy na phed fai onid hanner hynny, ac am hynny mi a yrrais i chwi ar y tu arall i'r llen ryw fath o gywydd, nid y goreu, ond y diweddaf a wnaethum. Mi a'i gyrrais i Geredigion. yn y llythyr diweddaf; ond ni chlywais etto pa un ai da ai drwg, ai canolig ydyw-dyma fo i chwi fal y mae gennyf finnau. Llawer iawn o drafferth a phenbleth a roes Duw i'm rhan i yn y byd brwnt yma; ac onidê mi fuaswn debyg i yrru i chwi ryw fath o'r Gywydd Coffadwriaeth am yr hen wraig elusengar o Bentre Eirianell; ond nis gallwn y tro yms.
Mae'r Ysgol ddiflas yn agos a'm nychu fi. Pa beth a all fod yn fwy diflas a dihoenllyd i ddyn sydd yn myfyrio, na gwastadol gwrnad a rhincyn cywion Saeson? prin caf odfa i fwytta fy mwyd ganddynt-a bychan a fyddai fod cell haiarn i bob un o honynt o'r neilldu, gan yr ymdderru a'r ymgeintach y byddant; ac fel tynnu afangc o lyn yw ceisio eu gwastrodedd. Ond nid hyn mo gorph y gainge 'chwaith; mae'r rhieni yn waeth ac yn dostach na'r plant; pobl giaidd, galedion, ddigymmwynas, anoddefus ydynt oll—a'r arian yn brin, a'r cyflog yn gwtta, a'r cegau yn aml, a'r porthiant yn ddrud gyd & minnau—Duw a'm dycco o'u mysg hwynt, i'r nef neu Gymru, yr un a welo yn oreu.
I would not have you to communicate the contents of my letter to Mr. Ellis, not that I fear him or any of his kidney, but because I suppose his spleen is already on the stretch, and more provocation would do him harm. If his own ill nature and pride carries him to an indecent. height, it is what I cannot help, I am sure I designed him no offence or affront. If his notions of things and mine. do not exactly tally, where is the harm of it? Our thoughts and sentiments are free born, and cannot be brought into subjection to any one, and like our faith, can be wrought on by nothing but the convictions of reason and argument; whatever cessions and compliances may be squeezed out of us by awe and interest are but mere hypocrisy and dissimulation. And for him to deny me the liberty of enjoying my own sentiments (which by the bye, I doubt not, were juster than his own in that case) is, I say, as great a piece of tyranny as ever the man of Rome usurped over men's consciences: I beg you would let me know. in your next what part of my letter he was principally offended at. You may, if you please, make my compliments. to him as usual, and, if you will, shew him the Cywydd, which I wrote on the other side, on purpose that it might be cut. off from the letter. I have no more to add at present, but that I am, Dear Sir, your most obliged humble servant,
P. S. If Llangristiolus could be had at all, I suppose it would not be till after the Λεαθ of the πρεσεντ Ινκυμβεντ. Mi a adwaen yr hen gorph, a hen walch gwydn yw mi a'i gwrantaf. I don't understand this affair rightly; I am very well acquainted with Esq. B. do. 1. but would not take the world to write to him but on a sure footing—Duw gyd a chwi.