Welsh Journals

290 BYE-GONES. Sept., 1883. art schools*, in Welsh towns; but let all that be brought about in order ; and not under the wing of an institution which is intended to bring out the latent talent of the peo¬ ple in essays, poetry, and song. Taking the Denbigh Eisteddfod and the Cardiff one as models of the reformed dispensation, it seems to me that far too little time is de¬ voted at these gatherings to great things, and far too much to very little ones. We want the reform Committee re¬ formed, with a view of encouraging small Eisteddfodau all over the country for young competitors, reserving the national one for competitors selected out of the prize win¬ ners at the former; but always providing a handsome prize in money, and a Chair, for the Chair subject of the year, so as to keep the national feature of the Eistedd¬ fod intact. The Marquis of Bute, at Cardiff, urged the Welsh to cast away all narrow prejudices, and to strive to keep themselves abreast of the times ; but surely that should be done within the accredited lines of the Bardic Institutions; and hence I would ask first, what are the clear and definite rules applicable to Welsh Eisteddfodau ; and next, how these rules can be legitimately amended, if upon enquiry they are found to be inapplicable to the times in which we live ? Bye-goncs is a store-house of knowledge, it has become the accepted medium for seeking information upon all matters affecting the history, the habits, and the recreations, of the people of North Wales and the Borders. Walter Davies was a master of Eisteddfod lore, and the Welshpool meeting of 1821, with which he had somuch to do, was, I suppose, conducted upon the proper lines of Bardic law. In what respect has Cardiff been an improvement upon Welshpool ? Or putting it the other way, what made Welshpool Eisteddfod historical, as a great success, and what was wanting at Cardiff to cause it to be a failure? Let some learned pundit in Eisteddfod Jaw tell us. Ieuan Dwebdwy. CURRENT NOTES. Great rejoicings took place at Bangor on Saturday in honour of the incorporation of the ancient city, and its selection as the site of the North Wales College. Open- air meetings were held, at one of which the charter of in¬ corporation was read, and in the evening^ there was a banquet, at which the Dean was the principal speaker. The folic wing formal award was received on Mon¬ day :— Privy Council Office. We hereby determine and award that Bangor become the site of the College intended to be e tablished and endowed in North Wales. This decision is unanimous. Carlingford, Bramwell, August 24, 1883. A. J. MuNDELLA. The South Wales College.—The Committee of the South Wales University College have decided to rent the Infirmary buildings, at Cardiff, at £400 per annum, for college purposes. Arrangements have been made for opening the college early in October next. Pauperism in Shropshire. - A return has been issued, giving the average cost of paupers, including all charges connected therewith. The average cost of paupers in Shropshire was £10 163. ll|d ; and to the population per head, 53. 2d. The average cost of officers per head of paupers was £1 18s. 5|d. The average of the moneys ex¬ pended out of the poor rates for purposes totally uncon¬ nected with relief per pauper was £12 9s. 7d., and 58.11 J. per Lead of the population. The average of the payments towards the police out of the poor rate per pauper was £4 6s lid, and per head of the population, 2s 4d. The remaining amounts were for school, sanitary, and other Boards. Mr. John Thomas, harpist to the Queen, has succeeded in founding a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, for students born in Walts, or of Welsh parents. The scholarship will be tenable for three years, and the first triennial competition (for female vocalists) will be held at the Royal Academy on Sept. 29th. The statue of the Rev. Daniel Rowlands has been erected at Llangeitho. It has cost nearly £600. The unveiling is to take place on Friday, September 7th, and the General Assembly has appointed the following gentle¬ men to represent it on the occasion :—The Revs. Dr. Ed¬ wards, Dr. Owen Thomas, Joseph Thomas, Principal Howells, Trefecca, Principal Edwards, and W. Williams, Swansea. Mr. William Williams, late treasurer of the county of Merioneth, and the fourth son of the late Mr. L. Willian.3 of Vronwnion, Dolgelley, died a few days ago. He was brought up to the sea, and for several years followed that profession, and commanded some of the finest vessels trading between London and Bombay. About nineteen years ago he gave up seafaring life, and entered into partnership with his father in the old banking firm of Messrs. Williams and Son, Old Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelley, in the management of which he took a very active part, until the business was transferred to the North and South Wales Bank. He was appointed county treasurer about eighteen years ago, and he held that appointment until the last Quarter Sessions, when his resignation was accepted. He married Miss Walmsley, daughter of the late Sir Joshua Walmsley, who died about six years ago. Mr. Williams's health had also been failing for some years. He was an exceedingly kind- hearted man, and was very much esteemed. He leaves four young daughters. __________SEPTEMBER 5, 1883.__________ NOTES. HOLLY BUSH INNS.—The Welshman newspaper, in its admirable report of the Fishguard meeting of the Camb : Arch : Society, refers to the " Llwyn Celynen," a roadside hostelry (near Pontfaen Church), we visited on Wednesday, Aug. 15, and states, that it was '' said once to have possessed the privilege of selling ale without a licence ;" and the writer adds, that one of the party men¬ tioned an old tradition that no licence was necessary for selling ale under a holly bush." It was also remarked that there was, " hard by an old holly bush which local folk declared was almost as large as a banyan tree a few years back.'' I refer to the subject here because it was perhaps a remark I made in front of this house that caused any reference to be made to the name of the place. I stated that there had once been a discussion in Bye-goncs about "Holly Bush Inns," and that correspondents had shown that it was by no means uncommon at fairs, wakes, and races last century to hang a holly bush over a door (or above a barrel on the road-side) and sell ale for the day without a licence. Some of these places, I remarked, had become permanent and licensed inns, and were still known by the name of the Holly Bush, and I speculated as to whether the " Llwyn Celynen " was one of these. But we had no local opinion on the matter, so it is still an open question. A.R. QUERIES. OSWESTRY CONFEDERATE HARRIERS. - During the first quarter of the present century there was a noted pack bearing this name. As far back as May, 1873, it was inquired about in Bye-gones, and the