dest of three
children. His parents were peasants and so exceedingly poor that they
were unable to send him to school. Even, however, when an unlettered
child he gave indications that he was visited by the awen or muse. At
length the celebrated Lewis Morris chancing to be at Llanfair became
acquainted with the boy, and struck with his natural talents, determined
that he should have all the benefit which education could bestow. He
accordingly, at his own expense sent him to school at Beaumaris, where he
displayed a remarkable aptitude for the acquisition of learning. He
subsequently sent him to Jesus College, Oxford, and supported him there
whilst studying for the church. Whilst at Jesus, Gronwy distinguished
himself as a Greek and Latin scholar, and gave such proofs of poetical
talent in his native language, that he was looked upon by his countrymen
of that Welsh college as the rising Bard of the age. After completing
his collegiate course he returned to Wales, where he was ordained a
minister of the Church in the year 1745. The next seven years of his
life were a series of cruel disappointments and pecuniary embarrassments.
The grand wish of his heart was to obtain a curacy and to settle down in
Wales. Certainly a very reasonable wish. To say nothing of his being a
great genius, he was eloquent, highly learned, modest, meek and of
irreproachable morals, yet Gronwy Owen could obtain no Welsh curacy, nor
could his friend Lewis Morris, though he exerted himself to the utmost,
procure one for him. It is true that he was told that he might go to
Llanfair, his native place, and officiate there at a time when the curacy
happened to be vacant, and thither he went, glad at heart to get back
amongst his old friends, who enthusiastically welcomed him; yet scarcely
had he been there three weeks when he received notice from the Chaplain
of the Bishop of Bangor that he must vacate Llanfair in order to make
room for a Mr John Ellis, a young clergyman of large independent fortune,
who was wishing for a curacy under the Bishop of Bangor, Doctor
Hutton--so poor Gronwy the eloquent, the learned, the meek, was obliged
to vacate the pulpit of his native place to make room for the rich young
clergyman, who wished to be within dining distance of the palace of
Bangor. Truly in this world the full shall be crammed, and those who
have little, shall have the little which they have taken away from them.
Unable to obtain employment in Wa