taste, and have a high moral tendency. And when we considered that the author was only in his teens when they were composed, they are a proof of a wonderfully industrious and fertile young mind, and an earnest of a bountiful poetical harvest should his life be spared; as he himself says in his intro- duction to the "Blaenffrwyth: "
" Os caiff y Blaenffrwyth hwn dderbyniad,
Cynhauaf mawr fydd y canlyniad."
The Blaenffrwyth was well received, and a great harvest was the result. We insert here a couple of englynion composed to welcome the Blaenffrwyth, which appear on the title page:—
"Blaenffrwyth" dawn yn llawn dillynion—roddir,
Arwydda caiff beirddion
Gynhauaf o ganeuon,
A saig bur—ysgub yw hon.
—Mynyddog.
Wele'n awr, ar lawr, ar len—syw hapus
Rawn sypiau heb amgen;
"Blaenffrwyth" da i Walia wen
O gynhauaf gwin awen.
—Clwydfardd.
He began versifying at 14, and continued for 20 years, until he died at 34. And what Welsh poet ever wrote so many superior compositions before reaching that age? We can safely say of him as Emrys said of Ieuan Gwynedd, who died at 32:— "Pa Gymro gyflawnodd orchestion cyfartal Cyn cyraedd terfyngylch tridengmlwydd a dwy?"
During the seven years the family lived at Plas Llanychan, Risiart Ddu spent some time at a lawyer's office at Ruthin, boarding with the family of Rev.
