Y PEDWAR MESUR AR HUGAIN.
[At Richard Morris, Ion. 2, 1754]
DYMA fу hen gyfaill anwylaf, y Parch. Huw Williams, yn awr periglor Aberffraw yn Mon, wedi gyrru imi Ramadeg Siôn Rhydderch i'm hyfforddio yn yr hen gelfyddyd. Nid yw 'r Gramadeg hwnnw, e wyr Duw, ond un o'r fath waelaf; eto y mae 'n well na bod heb yr un; canys y mae ynddo engraphau o'r "Pedwar Mesur ar Hugain"; ac y mae hynny yn fwy nag a welswn i erioed o'r blaen. Disgwyl yr oeddwn weled ryw odidog ragoriaeth o gywreindeb gorchestol rhwng gwaith y beirdd o'r oesoedd diweddaraf; sef, Dafydd ap Gwilym ac eraill, a gwaith trwsgl yr hen feirdd gynt yn amser Taliesin, Llywarch Hen, Cynddelw, a'r cyffelyb; ond, i'm mawr syndod, nid oedd hynny ond siomedigaeth.
I find that all the metres, despised and antiquated as they are, were really what all compositions of that nature should be; viz., lyric verses adapted to the tunes and music then in use. Of this sort were the several kinds of Englynion, Cywyddau, Odlau, Gwawdodyn, Toddaid, Trybedd y Myneich, a Clogyrnach, which to any one person of understanding and genius that way inclined, will appear to have in their composition the authentic stamp of genuine lyric poetry, and of true primitive antiquity. As to the rest—I mean Gorchest y beirdd, Hupynt hir a byr—the newest, and falsely thought the most ingenious and accurate I look upon them to be rather depravations than improvements in our poetry; being really invented by a set of conceited fellows
