aside, and the brave courage of the
dauntless Achilles been stopped. The whole pleasant season of May is
spent in dismal sorrow; and June is comfortless and cheerless. It
increaseth my tribulation, that Griffydd with the red lance is not at
liberty. I am covered with chilly damps. My whole fabric shakes for the
loss of my chief. I find no intermission to my pain. May I sink, O
Christ! my Saviour, into the grave, where I can have repose; for now,
alas! the office of the Bard is but a vain and empty name. I am
surprised that my despair has not burst my heart, and that it is not rent
through the midst in twain. The heavy stroke of care assails my memory,
when I think of his confinement, who was endowed with the valour of Urien
{47b} in battle. My meditation on past misfortunes is like that of the
skilful Cywryd, {47c} the Bard of Dunawd. {47d} My praise to the worthy
hero is without vicious flattery, and my song no less affecting than his.
My panegyric is like the fruitful genius of Afan Ferddig {48a} in
celebrating Cadwallon {48b} of royal enterprise. I can no more sing of
the lance, in well-laboured verse. Since thou doest not live, what
avails it that the world has any further continuance? Every region
proclaims thy generosity. The world droops since thou art lost. There
are no entertainments or mirth, Bards are no longer honoured: the palaces
are no longer open, strangers are neglected, there are no caparizoned
steeds, no trusty endearing friendship. No, our country mourns, and
wears the aspect of Lent. There is no virtue, goodness, or any thing
commendable left among us, but vice, dissoluteness, and cowardice bear
the sway. The great and towering strength of Mon {48c} is become an
empty shadow, and the inhabitants of Arfon {48d} are become insignificant
below the ford of Rheon. {48e} The lofty land of Gwynedd is become weak.
The heavy blow of care strikes her down. We must now renounce all
consolation. We are confined in a close prison by a merciless
unrelenting enemy; and what avails a bloody and brave contest for
liberty.

* * * * *

_Having finished the present small collection of the British Bards_, _I
take this opportunity to acquaint the reader_, _that the time in which
they flourished is not accurately set down by Dr. Davies_, _at the end of
his Dictionary_, _nor by Mr. Llwyd_, _of the Museum_, _in his Catalogue
of British Writers_, _in the Archaeologia Brit