the Wye, he composed a poem in honor of the damsels of Cardigan to be sung at an out-of-door festival, from which I quote the two stanzas: Fair Tivy, how sweet are thy waves gently flowing

The wild oaken woods and green eglantine bowers:

The banks with the blush-roses and eglantine glowing

While friendship and mirth claim these laborless hours!

Yet weak is our vaunt, while something we want,

More sweet than the pleasure which prospects can give,

Come, smile, damsels of Cardigan, Love can alone make it blissful to live.

ship can give,

Come, smile, damsels of Cardigan Love can alone make it blissful to live. I shall quote later on another poem written in sight of Welsh rivers and mountains, from which Sir William drew a real inspiration. But the interests of William Jones were in no sense limited either by his birth or by his early surroundings. The attention of his story-simple and uneventful as that of every man of let ters will be found-lies in the variety of circumstances, the many colored life with which it comes into contact. The sea and the mountains, the workshop and palace, orient and occident, French, German, Russian and Pole, honesty and fraud, jostle one another in the story, and throw light from many sides in turn on the straightforward and simple character of William Jones. The father's life of itself suggests an adventurous spirit: born on a small farm in Anglesey, in 1680, he showed a taste for mathematical

37

studies, and began life by teaching them on a man of war. Thus he obtained the friendship of Lord Anson. In his 22nd year he wrote a treatise on the Art of Navigation, which met general approbation. Notice, that at this time there was no system of It was a time, sometimes, I think, schools, elementary or intermediate. described as one of oppression and injustice to the Welsh, and yet a young man of energy could push his way to thef ront so rapidly. We do not know who the teachers and friends were who thus helped forward young William Jones; perhaps men of liberal minds who had helped a hundred others who brought them no special credit, but all their efforts were surely well repaid in the second generation if not in the first, as I hope to show to-day. In the next year, William was present at the capture of Vigo, and he tells us that in the plunder of that town he fixed his eye on a bookseller's shop alone. Alas! he found no literary treasures, and a pair of scissors were all the booty he won and could display to his friends in later years. On his return he settled in London, and established

himself as a teaǝher of mathematics. The town of Caerludd is best known

for its gigantic size, and its citizens have perhaps some reason to protest that this particular distinction has caused its higher glories as mother of arts and home of poets to be obscured. The scientific attainments of William Jones won him an entry into distinguished society, where his agreeable manners secured his position, and he could count among his friends such men as chief Justice Hardwicke, Lord Parker, (afterwards President of the Royal Society), Sir Isaac Newton, Samuel Johnson, and others. The same path of honor was open to merit in trade and manufacture. George Nix was a cabinet

maker in London; but his skillful workmanship and frank conversation won him welcome at the tables of the great, and in particular of Lord Maclesfield. There William Jones became aquainted with his daughter Mary, whom he afterwards married'; their third and youngest child was William (the II.), the subject of this address, born in 1746. Of Mrs. Mary Jones, I find nothing more distinctive recorded than an ingenious deception -I leave it for our debating society to judge whether it was justifiable which she practiced upon her husband when she learnt the terrible secret that he was suffering from a disease which must soon be fatal. At this time, a well-meaning friend, knowing his situation, sent him one of those lengthy epistles of condolence, full of philosophic maxims on the brevity of life, of which we find so many in printed volumes of correspondence of A century back. Mrs. Jones opened the letter in her husband'e presence, and at a glance saw its purport. Her husband asked her to read it, and in a moment she composed another lecture so clear and reasonable that Mr. Jones had no idea she was not reading from the paper throughout, and was highly gratified and amused by the centents of the supposed letter. The death of her husband soon left her with the sole charge of the education of three children. As Anglesey lads made their way in the world before a school system existed, so there were women in the best sense educated and learned before ever the higher education of women became a prove b; and it is to such women and their early training that we Owe the career of many of the most eminent of our menof science and letters. Mrs. Jones studied, under her husband's care, algebra, trigonometry, and the theory of navigation in order that she might conduct the education

of a nephew: she used these attainments in the bringing up of her own son. At a time when the birch was in high repute as an educational method, Mrs. Jones determined that her son should be led and not driven to progress. I grieve to add she practiced another deception upon him for in answer to his childish questions, she replied always, "Read, and you will know," and by this artifice William (the Second) was early induced to become a good reader, and perhaps also to forget happily the questions he had raised at first: for it is certain that so ingenious a child must have raised more difficulties than all the philosophers in the world could solve. In his seventh year, he was placed at Harrow School, where now a boy is thought to present himself soon enough, if he is twice that age. Of the headmaster, Dr. Thackeray (a relative, I believe, of the novelist), we are told that he made it a principle never to praise his pupils, lest they shonld become idle. His school studies were interrupted for twelve months, owing to his breaking a thigh-bone; but on his return to school he was placed in exactly the same class as he would have reached if he had been in the school throughout; and corporal punishment was promply applied if he failed to do the work of the class. When you hear that in this twelve months the greater part of the Latin accidence had been studied, you will have some sympathy for young William's position, especially if you consider that he was not even shown the books from which he could acquire the knowledge he was assumed to possess. The brutality of this master made a permanent impression, says his biographer, on his mind: one is glad to believe, that other impressions were not perman-ent. But this ill treatment did not check his; progress; he discovered

the text books he needed, and in a few months was at the head of the class in which he had been disgraced. As a revenge on his master, he set to work composing verses in imitation of Ovid, which had never before been done in the lower school at Harrow. In his twelfth year, he was placed in the upper school. It is said that one ofh is schoolfellows proposed to act a play, and Jones suggested "The Tempest." But a copy was nowhere to be procured. Jones wrote out the play for them from memory, and acted himself the part of Prospero. His mother, it may be mentioned here, had from his earliest, years accustomed him to learn by heart long poems in this way. Afterwards he not only trauslated, but wrote plays for his schoolfellows, and astonished all one day by the discovery that the plays of Terence were in verse. The boys-and we must infer the masters also-supposed them to be in prose. He was still more useful to his schoolfellows by writing their compositions for them, as he did for two years. Althongh not much given to games, he invented one for his schoolfellows, in which the fields round Harrow were divided out into kingdoms according to a map of Greece, and the boys assumed the names of their ancient rulers. Others personated the barbarians and made attacks. The parties on both sides held councils of war, formed alliances, and delivered harangues to their men. One may conjecture that the smaller boys, or common soldiers, found there was too much haranguing and too little fighting, and so tired of the game, and brought it to an end. Dr. Thackeray was succeeded by Dr. Sumner, and Jones soon became his friend more than his pupil. He now studied Arabic aud Hebrew at school, and French and Italian in the Holidays. Often he sat up whole nights at his work, keeping himself awake by pota

39

tions of strong coffee. At this time we find we find him addressing to his sister a letter of consolation on the loss of a friend. very characteristic of the times and of the years and precocity of the writer:-DEAR SISTER,— When I received your letter I was very concerned to hear the death of your friend, Mr. Reynolds, which I consider as a piece of affliction common to us both. For although my knowledge of his name or character is of no long date, and though I never had any personal acquaintance with him, yet, as you observe, we ought to regret the loss of every honorable man, and if I had the pleasure of your conversation, I would certainly give you any consolatory advice that lay in my power. But what reason is there to disturb yourself on this melancholy occasion? Do but reflect that thousands die every moment of time: that even while we speak some unhappy wretch or other is either pining with hunger, or pinched with poverty: some one is giving up his life to the point of the sword, torn with convulsive agonies, and undergoing many miseries which it were superfluous to mention. We should, therefore, compare our afflictions with those who are more miserable and not with those who are more happy. I am ashamed to add more, lest I should seem to mistrust your prudence but next week, when I understand your mind is more composed, I shall write you word how all things go here. I designed to write you this letter in French, but I thought I could express my thoughts with more energy in my native language. I come now, after a long interval, to mention some more private circumstances. Pray give my duty to my Mamma, and thank her for my shirts. They fit, in my opinion, very well; though Biddy says they are too little in the arms.

(To be Continued.)

STATES.

BY HON. THOMAS L. JAMES, EX-POSTMASTER GENERAL.

(Continued From Last Number)

The majority of Welsh emigrants who come to the United States engage in either farming or mining. They are largely represented in the mining districts of Pennsylvania and the West. Senator John P. Jones of Nevada, himself a Welshman, bears testimony to their industry and their prowess; he says that when Welshmen do get fighting in a mine they show no quarter and ask for none. While in the mine engaged in an affray brought about in some personal quarrel, liable to happen where men of different nationalities are employed, he has seen a heavy bucket fall on a Welshman's head, but he would pay no attention to it and finish his battle. As dairy farmers the Welsh in this country have always had a high reputation, and the quality of their butter and cheese has not been excelled even by the Danes, whose proficiency in that direction is well known. The Welsh are excellent mechanics, and they turn out as good work in that line as the natives of any other country. The first practical application of the steam engine, as a locomotive power, took place in 1804, on a railroad at Merthyr Tydvil, Glamorganshire,. South Wales. The engine was constructed by Messrs, Trevethic and Vivian (both Welshmen, the latter name being a transformation from Vychan, in English, little, or Vaughan), under a patent obtained by them in 1802. This engine in form and structure resembled those which have since been used for a like purpose.

The Mississippi river, owing to its perpetual muddy water, could never have been successfully navigated had

a

steam engine, the invention of Oliver Evans of Philadelphia, who was poor boy of a Welsh farming family in Pennsylvania and self-taught. Before this important invention it was found that the sediment of the water choked up or wore away the sliding valves of the low-pressure engines. During the American revolution he made great improvements in wire, wool and cotton cards. In April, 1855, the editor of the Philadelphia Enquirer stated that he had seen a manuscript indorsed by Oliver Evans, and probably written by one of his family, in which it is stated that in 1775 or 1776 Evans conceived the idea of propelling boats with his engines by means of wheels at the sides, and had communicated his discovery, in 1777, to others who were then living to testify. In 1784 he had so far matured his idea of a steam engine applicable to the purpose of propelling carriages and boats that in 1786 he petitioned the State Legislatures to secure to him the right of propelling land carriages, and obtained favorable legislation for this purpose from Maryland and New Hampshire. Cadwallader Colden, a well-known New Yorker of Welsh descent,discovered the mode of stereotyping, and in 1779 sent a description of his method to Doctor Fraklin, who was then in Paris. Franklin communicated it to Didot, a famous printer, and the art was first introduced in New York in 1813. Edward Davy of London of Welsh descent, invented the first electrical chemical telegraph and ob. tained a patent for the same in England in 1838.

From a clannish point of view the Welsh in this country cannot be called a social race. The Scotch have their national games and love to meet one another in quaint old ale vaults where they indulge in a quiet game

of shuffleboard; native-born Englishmen frequent the few chop houses that are still left in New York; the Frenchman hovers around the "French quarter," near Bleecker St.; the Italian is to be found in a restaurant kept by his countryman, where he can eat macaroni à la Milanaise and drink chianti; but for Welshmen there is in New York no common place of resort. They are strickly orthodox in their religious belief and are not given to even the most innocent amusements; they, of course, look upon excessive drinking as a grave sin and dancing is considered immoral.

Yet it would be wrong to suppose the Welsh people devoid of humorous traits, and a keen taste for certain kinds of social enjoyments. As particular soils are naturally favorable to one sort of crop or another, so do certain races evince strong hereditary tendencies to certain tastes and pursuits.

Music, poetry, oratory, &c., have more especially occupied Cambrian minds from the earliest period of their written and traditional records, and it is as natural for a Welshman to sing, rhyme and preach as it is for the skylark to warble, fly and soar above its native hills of Wales.

'Delight of Cambria ! Harp of ancient days!

Uttering, ere Romans trod its island's shore,

Devotion's sacred tones in lofty lays.
Content's glad voice, and stirring notes of

war.

An aged Welshman who has been acquainted with his countrymen in New York for the past fifty or sixty years says that in all that time he has not known a half a dozen saloons where Welshmen were in the habit of meeting to take a social glass. But in considering Welshmen as emigrants to this country and in noting this seeming want of sociability this

41

fact must be borne in mind: they consider the United States the very acme of governmental desire. Their early history shows them to have been a proud-spirited people, haters of all forms of tyranny and lovers of independence. It is interesting to observe that in the ancient institutions of Wales the Welsh had no name for prince as that word is understood in English; their "princes," so called, were simply leaders and were elected by the people. They were not princes by right of birth, for they could be removed and others substituted in their places. Their kings were also elected.

(To be continued.)

JOHN MILTON.
MILTON'S ODE "ON THE MORNING OF
CHRIST'S NATIVITY.

Of all the songs to their own music chanted which have celebrated the birth of Christ, there is none which will for one moment compare with Milton's lofty ode. Unequalled in the grandeur of its ideas, it is also unequalled in its rhythmic melody. Written when the poet was but twenty-one years old, we hear it in the roll of his father's organ. From childhood he had listened to the sound of that organ. He himself doubtless often gave breath to the soundboard, standing with his hands on the lever of the bellows, while his father's

volant touch,

Instinct through all proportions low and high,

Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue:

and the father's organ-harmony we yet hear throbbing and pulsing in the son's verse, and nowhere so grandly as in His matchless hymn on the Nativity of Christ. As we read and ponder it, we are lifted up as on angel wings, and are constrained to cry,