The Praise And Commendation Of A Good Woman
As a wise child excells the sceptr'd fool
Who of conceit and selfishness is full--
As a good name exceeds the best perfume,
And richest balms that from the Indies come.
A virtuous, cheerful, and obliging wife
Is better far than all the pomp of life,
Better than houses, tenements and lands,
Than pearls and precious stones, and golden sands.
She is a ship with costly wares well-stow'd,
A pearl, with virtues infinite endow'd,
A gem, beyond all value and compare:
Happy the man, who has her to his share!
She is a pillar with rich gildings grac'd,
And on a pedestal of silver plac'd,
She is a turret of defence, to save
A weak and sickly husband from the grave,
She is a gorgeous crown, a glorious prize,
And ev'ry grace, in her, concent'red lies!
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The Ewe
So artless art thou, gentle ewe! Thy aspect kindles feeling; And every bosom doth bedew, Each true affection stealing. Thou hast no weapon of aught kind Against thy foes to combat; No horn or hoof the dog to wound That worrie... The Fairy's Song
"Heavens defend me from that Welsh fairy!"--SHAKSPEARE. I am a wand'rer o'er earth and sea, The trackless air has a path for me; Ye may trace my steps on the heather green, By the emerald ring, where my foot hath been; Ye may hear my voice in ... The Faithful Maiden
At the dawning of day on a morning in May, When the birds through the forests were skipping so gay; While crossing the churchyard of a parish remote, In a district of Cambria, whose name I don't note: I saw a fair maiden so rich in attire, ... The Farmer's Prayer
poems of the "Good Vicar Prichard of Llandovery" would be incomplete. This excellent man was born at Llandovery, in Carmarthenshire, in the year 1579, and died there in 1644. After a collegiate course in Oxford he was inducted to the Vicarage of... The Flowers Of Spring
beautiful stanzas, from which the following translation is made, was an eloquent minister of the Baptist Church in Wales, and died on the 20th day of January, 1873, at the age of 54 years, at Beaufort, in Monmouthshire, leaving a widow and seve... The Golden Goblet, In Imitation Of Gothe
There was a king in Mon, {62} A true lover to his grave; To whom in death his lady A golden goblet gave. When Christmas bowls were circling, And all was joy and cheer, He passed that goblet from him With a kiss and with a tear. ... The Grove Of Broom
The girl of nobler loveliness Than countess decked in golden dress, No longer dares to give her plight To meet the bard at dawn or night! To the blythe moon he may not bear The maid, whose cheeks the daylight wear-- She fears to answer to his... The Hall Of Cynddylan
The Hall of Cynddylan is gloomy to-night, I weep, for the grave has extinguished its light; The beam of its lamp from the summit is o'er, The blaze of its hearth shall give welcome no more! The Hall of Cynddylan is voiceless and still, The s... The Holly Grove
Sweet holly grove, that soarest A woodland fort, an armed bower! In front of all the forest Thy coral-loaded branches tower. Thou shrine of love, whose depth defies The axe--the tempest of the skies; Whose boughs in winter's frost display The ... The Immovable Covenant
the Welsh of Mr. H. Hughes, was a Minister in the Baptist Church, and was possessed of extensive learning, and a highly critical taste. After officiating as Minister at a Church in Swansea and other places, he finally settled at Builth, where he... The Lament Op Llywarch Hen
The bright hours return, and the blue sky is ringing With song, and the hills are all mantled with bloom; But fairer than aught which the summer is bringing, The beauty and youth gone to people the tomb! Oh! why should I live to hear mu... The Legend Of Trwst Llywelyn
Once upon a time, Llywelyn was returning from a great battle, against the Saxons, and his three sisters came down here to meet him; and, when they heard him coming, they said, "It is Trwst Llywelyn," (the sound of Llywelyn,) and the place has been... The Lily And The Rose
Once I saw two flowers blossom In a garden 'neath the hill, One a lily fair and handsome, And one a rose with crimson frill; Erect the rose would lift its pennon And survey the garden round, While the lily--lovely minion! Meekly re... The Lord Of Clas
The Lord of Clas to his hunting is gone, Over plain and sedgy moor; The glare of his bridle bit has shone On the heights of wild Benmore. Why does he stay away from hound? Nor urge the fervid chase? Where is the shrill blast of his b... The Monarchy Of Britain
Sons of the Fair Isle! forget not the time, Ere spoilers had breath'd the free air of your clime! All that its eagles beheld in their flight Was yours from the deep to each storm-mantled height! Though from your race that proud birthright be torn... The Mother To Her Child After Its Father's Death
My gentle child, thou dost not know Why still on thee I am gazing so, And trace in meditation deep Thy features fair in silent sleep. Thy mien, my babe, so full of grace, Reminds me of thy father's face; Although he rests beneath the tree... The Mountain Galloway
My tried and trusty mountain steed, Of Aberteivi's hardy breed, Elate of spirit, low of flesh, That sham'st thy kind of vallies fresh; And three score miles and twelve a day Hast sped, my gallant galloway. Like a sea-boat, firm and tight, ... The Poor Man's Grave
'Neath the yew tree's gloomy branches, Rears a mound its verdant head, As if to receive the riches Which the dew of heaven doth spread; Many a foot doth inconsiderate Tread upon the humble pile, And doth crush the turf so ornate:-- ... The Praise And Commendation Of A Good Woman
As a wise child excells the sceptr'd fool Who of conceit and selfishness is full-- As a good name exceeds the best perfume, And richest balms that from the Indies come. A virtuous, cheerful, and obliging wife Is better far than all the pomp of... The Rose Of Llan Meilen
Sweet Rose of Llan Meilen! you bid me forget That ever in moments of pleasure we met; You bid me remember no longer a name The muse hath already companioned with fame; And future ap Gwilyms, fresh wreaths who compose, Shall twine with th... The Rose Of The Glen
Although I've no money or treasure to give, No palace or cottage wherein I may live, Altho' I can't boast of high blood or degree, Than all these my sweet Rose is dearer to me. The lambs on the mountain are frisky and gay, The birds in the for... The Shipwreck
a Welsh Congregationalist Minister, and an eminent poet. His Ode on the wreck of the ship Rothsay Castle, off Anglesea, is a very graphic and forcible Poem, and won the chief prize at an Eisteddfod held at Beaumaris in 1839, which was honoured... The Sick Man's Dream
Dans le solitaire bourgade, Revant a ses maux tristement, Languissait un pauvre malade, D'un long mal qui va consumant.--MILLEVOYE. It was a dream, a pleasant dream, that o'er my spirit came, When faint beneath the lime-trees' shad... The Song Of The Fisherman's Wife
Restless wave! be still and quiet, Do not heed the wind and freshet, Nature wide is now fast sleeping, Why art thou so live and stirring? All commotion now is ending, Why not thou thy constant rolling? Rest thou sea! upon thy bosom Is on... The Swan
Thou swan, upon the waters bright, In lime-hued vest, like abbot white! Bird of the spray, to whom is giv'n The raiment of the men of heav'n; Bird of broad hand, in youth's proud age, Syvaddon was thy heritage! Two gifts in thee, fair bird, uni... The Vengeance Of Owain {96}
Gruffydd ab Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd, or North Wales, and he succeeded his father on his death in 1137. Father and son were illustrious warriors and patriotic rulers. They were also celebrated for their munificent protection of the Welsh Bards.... The Withered Leaf
Dry the leaf above the stubble, Soon 'twill fall into the bramble, But the mind receives a lesson From the leaf when it has fallen. Once it flourished in deep verdure, Bright its aspect in the arbour, Beside myriad of companions, Once it... The World And The Sea: A Comparison
Like the world and its dread changes Is the ocean when it rages, Sometimes full and sometimes shallow, Sometimes green and sometimes yellow. Salt the sea to all who drink it, Bitter is the world in spirit, Deep the sea to all who fathom, Dee... To May
the following and several other poems in this collection. He was a native of Cardiganshire, and, following the example of his countrymen, he assumed the bardic name of _Daniel Ddu_. He was born in 1792, and died in 1846. His compositions were ... To The Daisy
Oh, flower meek and modest That blooms of all the soonest, Some great delight possesses me When thy soft crystal bud I see. Thou art the first of the year To break the bonds of winter, And for thy gallant enterprise I'll welcome thee and sin... To The Lark
"Sentinel of the morning light! Reveller of the spring! How sweetly, nobly wild thy flight, Thy boundless journeying: Far from thy brethren of the woods, alone A hermit chorister before God's throne! "Oh! wilt thou clim... To The Nightingale
river of that name was born at Mold, in Flintshire, in the year 1797, and died in 1840, in the parish of Manordeivi, Pembrokeshire, of which he was Rector. He participated much in the Eisteddfodau of that period, and his poems gained many of the... To The Spring
Oh, come gentle spring, and visit the plain, Far scatter the frost from our border, All nature cries loud for the sunshine and rain, For the howl of the winter is over. Approach gentle spring, and show the white snow Thou cans't melt ... Translated By The Rev William Evans
God doth withhold no good from those Who meekly fear him here below; On them he grace and fame bestows, Nor loss, nor cross they e'er shall know. Cast thou on him thy troubles all, And he will thee with plenty feed; He will not let the... Translations From Miscellaneous Welsh Hymns
Had I but the wings of a dove, To regions afar I'd repair, To Nebo's high summit would rove, And look on a country more fair; My eyes gazing over the flood, I'd spend the remainder of life Beholding the Saviour so good, Who for sin... Tribanau
Serjeant Parry, the eminent barrister) says: "The following translations will serve to give the English reader a faint, though perhaps, but a faint idea of the Welsh _Tribanau_, which are most of them, like these, remarkable for their quaintness,...