Welsh Journals

correct and purify the tongue. It failed after eighty-five issues. John Voss,1 and the bankers John, Thomas, and David Walters,2 aided by its printer, David Jenkin, and its editor, the Rev. Joseph ('Gomer') Harris,4 raised more than £ 2,000 to bring it into being. Theirs was a missionary rather than a business enterprise. Much devoted effort was expended on the paper, especially by Harris who, every week, translated many columns of national news, corrected and re-wrote a great deal of what was sent in by semi-literate contributors and who, though a poor man, readily made Welsh translations free of charge for advertisers. The failure of the Seren was not due to any negligence on the part of its promoters. At first, it was greeted with enthusiasm, and received many thousands of promises of support; but, as its novelty waned, and as bills fell due for payment, criticism of its content and policy began, and subscribers fell away. Another £ 2,000 was put down by the proprietors in response to Harris's plea that it be kept alive a little longer.5 Since advertisers refused to support it, they raised the price from 7d. to 8d., and appealed for 2,000 regular subscribers to cover costs, but did not find them.6 English prejudice and Welsh poverty undoubtedly contributed to the Seren's defeat, though apathy and hostility also played their part. The Principality, some thirty years later, met a similar fate. The three successful papers which were founded before 1830 were English prints. They appealed to a different readership, and had other problems to overcome. The Cambrian7 was promoted by a proprietary of businessmen in the Swansea area, led by George Haynes and Lewis Weston Dillwyn, both Englishmen, and both newcomers to Wales. They raised £ 2,500 in a hundred £ 25 shares.* The Cambrian espoused no cause except the 'spirit of Improvement' and commercial enterprise. It avoided taking sides in parliamentary contests, and was able to do this since Swansea was but one of eight boroughs which joined to return a member of parliament. However, it offered the use of its columns impartially to both sides,. 1 G. T. Clark, Limbus Patrum, pp. 469-70; Ifano Jones, Printing and Printers, p. 149. F. Green, 'Early Banks in West Wales'. West Wales Hist. Rec, IV, 161-3. Principality. 9 March 1849. 4 D. R. Stephen, Gweithiau Joseph Harris (Llanelli, 1839). J. Samuel, A Sketch of the Life. of Rev. J. Harris (Swansea. 1825). 6 Seren Gomer, 12 November 1814. Holdings of Seren Gomer complete at N.L.W. 1814 file at B.M., Collindale. ) Carmarthen Journal, 3 August 1821; Cambrian, 22 September, 27 October 1821. (Correspondence regarding the Seren.) 7 Holdings complete at R.I.S.W. Microfilm copy at Swansea P.L. 8 Cambrian, 9 January 1830 (obit. George Haynes); 7 September 1855 (obit. L. W. Dillwyn); 15 July 1870 ('The Late Miss Jenkins .). Haynes from Warwick, c. 1784; Dillwyn from London, 1802/3; both potters (E. M. Nance, Pottery of Swansea and Nantgarw, pp. 34-6).