their Davieses, their Middletons, their Gambolds, &c to consult I had no other Guide, but Nature uncultivated, no Critic but my own ear, no rule or Scale, but my own fingers end: 'till you out of mere pity were pleased to give me some usefull hints, which were far from being in folio; and tho' your instructions are far more valuable, than all our Grammarians put together, Yet at the great distance we were asunder I was obliged to be (as I am still) uninformed, unsatisfied, as to many of the most material points and most essential properties of our Poetry. Mr. Ellis indeed, by Mr. Wm Morris's recommendation was pleased to make me a present of Dr. John Dafydd Rhys's Grammar, but it was unforntunately sent to Shropshire, after I was come from thence hither, and by that means never came yet into my hands and perhaps never will. But if it comes with the rest of my Books, (which I shall endeavour to get hither as soon as possible) I fully intend to aim at something out of the common road, and try whether our Language will bear a Heroick Poem. I know owr Critics will have neither patience nor mercy with me; they will think it a rash and mad attempt, but what care I for that? I don't write for them, but for rational creatures such I mean as have sense enough to form a right judgment of things and candour enough to pass an impartial one. Ond beth a dâl bygwth! If I live, it shall be so. I can't discern that I have any natural inclination to llusg and Sain, any more than to Croes and Traws I flatter myself, that I am Master of a fluency of words, and purity of diction; and, if so, be the Poetical vein ever so slender, all the Cynghaneddau must be equall, if equally understood.—Cornelia, the Mother of the Gracchi, is commended in History for having taught her Sons, in their infancy the purity of the Latin Tongue. And I may say in Justice to the memory of my Mother, I never knew a Mother, nor even a Master, more carefull to correct an uncouth, inelegant phrase or vicious pronunciation; and that I must own, has been of infinite service to me
- Wyf eich ufuddaf Wasanaethwr
