annica. Indeed it is
impossible to be so exact_, _as to fix the year when the Bards wrote
their several pieces_, _unless the actions they celebrate are mentioned
in our Annals_, _because some of them_ _lived under several princes_.
_This I thought proper to mention_, _lest any should blame the translator
for his inaccuracy_, _in settling the Chronology of the Poems_.

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF TALIESIN,

_The Chief of Bards_, _and Elphin_, _the son of Gwyddno Goranhir_, _his
Patron_.

Gwyddno Goranhir, was a petty king of Cantre'r Gwaelod, whose country was
drowned by the sea, in a great inundation that happened about the year
560, through the carelessness of the person into whose care the dams were
committed, as appears from a poem of Taliesin upon that sad catastrophe.
In his time the famous Taliesin lived, whose birth and education is thus
related in our ancient manuscripts. He was found exposed in a wear
belonging to Gwyddno, the profit of which he had granted to his son,
Prince Elphin, who being an extravagant youth, and not finding the usual
success, grew melancholy; and his fishermen attributed his misfortune to
his riotous irregular life. When the prodigal Elphin was thus bewailing
his misfortune, the fishermen espied a coracle with a child in it,
enwrapped in a leathern bag, whom they brought to the young prince, who
ordered care to be taken of him, and when he grew up gave him the best
education, upon which he became the most celebrated Bard of his time.
The accomplished Taliesin was introduced by Elphin to his father
Gwyddno's court, where he delivered him a poem, giving an account of
himself, entitled, Hanes Taliesin, or Taliesin's History; and at the same
time another to his patron and benefactor Elphin to console him upon his
past misfortune, and to exhort him to put his trust in Divine Providence.
This is a fine moral piece, and very artfully addressed by the Bard, who
introduces himself in the person and character of an exposed infant. As
it is probable that the prince's affairs took another turn since that
period, this was done with great propriety. Sir John Pryse mentions the
poem that Taliesin delivered to king Gwyddno, in his Historiae
Britannicae defensio. "Taliesinus quidem in odula, quam de suis
erroribus composuit, sic inscripta Britannice (Hanes Taliesin) videlicet
errores Taliesini, ait se tandem divertisse ad reliquias Trojae;

"'Mi a ddaethum yma at Weddillion Troia;'

"neque du