Welsh Journals

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no disgrace to any language, in its poverty, to borrow. The work is divided into two parts-Astronomy and short biographies of the great Astronomers of the world, followed by those of a goodly company belonging to Wales. The volume is set off with a good many illustrations, which are helpful but the one on p. 170 might well have been left out, we think, as it is not exactly scientific." Mr. Silas Evans deserves well for his effort in popularising the science among his Welsh-speaking countrymen. Like all other nations, the Welsh have always taken a lively interest in the heavenly bodies." We much hope that the present edition will be soon sold out, and that our author can see his way to add one more chapter to the book, which could be done without adding to its size, by cutting down some of the longer biographies and the Einstein section. We mean a chapter on Welsh Astrology, which, after all, is only Astronomy gone wrong." It is astonishing the part Astrology played in the life of the old people, who knew absolutely nothing about the use of delicate instruments, but knew the names of a great many of the planets and their influence." Pantycelyn might well say- Nid yw drygau'r holl blanedau Yn abal gwneuthur niwed im' but we have known old folks who could not wholly subscribe to that. Ample material for short notices of the old astrologers is to be found in Hen Ddewiniaid Cymru," 1901. It should prove a most interest- ing final chapter, and would round off the study of the stars. RELIGIOUS developments IN WALES m)04-irjt)ZK By Thomas Richards, M.A. Pp. xviii + 547. Published by the National Eisteddfod Association, 64, Chancery Lane, London. 1923. 15s. Mr. RICHARDS is a very diligent worker. The present volume is one of three on a very difficult period of Welsh religious history, but extending over no more than 30 years. His first volume, The History of the Puritan Movement in Wales," 1639-53, appeared in 1920, and the third volume, covering the years 1662-9, will be pub- lished soon. This volume is divided into two parts-the Days of Triers and Trustees, and the Struggle for Uniformity. It is a work which, by its exhaustive research, has entailed many years of close study. It is characterised by great detail on every page, and docu- mentary authority is turned up for every statement. Mr. Richards' predecessors in the same field come in for criticism and refutation, and every effort is made to secure accuracy. The volumes will for long remain the authoritative work on the brief but very tangled period they deal with. The phrase in which the vicar of Llanbeblig (p. 399) is accused of connering from the Prayer Book is not a little obscure. It seems