Welsh Journals

yS WELSH PERIODICAL LITERATURE. Titus Lewis, Joseph Harris and David Saunders, with the same result, only two numbers appearing. Dafydd Ddu Eryri resusci¬ tated the Euvgrawn, at Carnarvon, during the same year, but had to give it up after the appearance of two numbers. Seven years afterwards (i814) the Rev. John Roberts, vicar of Tremeirchion, Flintshire, published a magazine of the same character at Chester, called Cylchgvawn Cymru, which shared the same fate as its predecessors, only four numbers appearing. These repeated patriotic and self-denying efforts by educated Welshmen to instruct and elevate their countrymen, are a noble testimony to the high character of the literary men of the period, and a complete answer to the modern accusation that the "reviva¬ lists " alone cared for the elevation of the people. They were actuated by the same motives as Bishop Morgan and other good men who, for two centuries previously, devoted their lives and energies to the welfare of their countrymen. This noble aspiration which animated educated Welshmen since the Reformation was proof against disappointments, discouragements, and losses. They rose, one after another, like the Phoenix from his ashes, and took up the good work in which their predecessors had spent their lives and substance. In 1814 the Rev. Joseph Harris, better known as "Gomer," began his great work of publishing Seven Gomer—the greatest, perhaps, in the history of Welsh periodical literature. The heart of Joseph Harris yearned for the mental and moral elevation of his countrymen. He was a native of Pembrokeshire, and settled at Swansea in 1801 as a Baptist minister, and evinced a warm interest in the literature of his country. He induced his friends, Mr. Voss, Mr. Walters, and Mr. David Jenkins, a printer, to unite with him in starting a newspaper in the Welsh language. On January 1st, 1814, was published the first number of Seven Gomer, and it appeared regularly until June, 1815. Mr. Harris was the editor, and it is difficult for us to conceive the magnitude and arduousness of the task under the circum¬ stances. All the national intelligence it contained he was him¬ self obliged to translate from the English papers ; nor did he have less labour with many of his correspondents to prepare their papers for the press, licking them into tolerable shape before they met the public eye. Not a few sent him their con¬ tributions in English, asking him to translate them, and this he did with the most courageous patience. No labour was too great, no possible self-denial too harassing or painful, so that he might secure to his countrymen a useful public journal. As a pecuniary