—and so cannot tell how such a Cywydd ought to be made; neither do I call this a Cywydd Marwnad, but Cywydd Coffadwriaeth. I did not rightly know how to go about it; for I could not form any proper idea of it in my mind; and so I was obliged, as it were, to build without a plan. I saw myself under several difficulties. Poets in these cases. are—and I think are allowed to be, though they ought not. —very lavish of their praises, even to an hyperbole, and seldom free from flattery, even of the grossest kind, that is, hard lying. I proposed to myself to keep a strict eye on truth; but then I saw that my truth, would, of necessity be so like other men's falsehoods, that the counterfeit would hardly be distinguishable from the sterling coin; and for that reason I was afraid to say what my love of truth would needs force me to say. I saw that I could say nothing of that excellent woman—though perhaps true of her only, and peculiar to herself—but what had been ascribed before by the prostituted breath of some execrable poetaster or other to, perhaps, the most worthless miscreant. I am sure my main. endeavour was to avoid all appearances of flattery; and that at the expense of suppressing some truths. And if anything looks like it, it is foreign to my intention, and I utterly disclaim the meaning of whatever may be perverted to such. a construction. These were some of my main difficulties; but whether I have surmounted them I leave you to judge. I have one favour to ask you; and that is, that you would. present this Cywydd in my name to your father, whom I am really sorry for; and send me a copy of Y Bardd Coch's Cywydd, i gael gweled pa ragor rhwng Coch a Du. But for love's sake do not you take example by me in deferring to write. I beg I may hear from you as soon as conveniently may be; and I shall never again be faulty in point of expeditiousness
Os gwyddoch pa le y mae, rhowch fi ar sathr y brawd Llewelyn Ddu. Yr wyf yn tybio ei fyned i Lundain cyn hyn; ac os felly, yn iach glywed na siw na miw oddi wrtho hyd oni ddychwelo.
My compliments to Mr. Ellis; and if he chooses to join in the publication of the Cywyddau, he shall be very wel-
