should be obliged to you for the perusal of them. Nothing can be more agreeable to me than the honour you design. me, in electing me for one of your Corresponding Members; but being conscious of my want of proper qualifications, and knowing how very little service I can do your Society in return, I know not how to accept of your kind favour. Were I as able as I am willing, something might be hoped for: but it were a piece of imprudence (to say no worse) to let my ambition carry me beyond my abilities. If I durst make any pretensions to your favour it should be entirely on the score of Poetry and Philology; (for I pretend not to any skill in History, Philosophy, &c.) But I am too well aware of my inconsiderableness, even in those, to expect to be honoured with such a distinguishing mark of the esteem of your honourable and learned Society. If being. merely a well-wisher to our Nation and Language were sufficient to recommend me to a Membership, my title would be indisputable, for none can be more so, (I speak with sincerity) than myself. And I conceive some hopes of the possibility of retrieving the antient splendour of our Language, which cannot possibly be better done, than by the methods pointed out by your Society, viz., laying open its worth and beauty to Strangers, and publishing something in it that is curious, and will bear perusing in succeeding ages. Such performances cannot fail of drawing on them the Eyes, and exciting the curiosity, of Strangers. Strangers! did I say? Good God what if we find our own Countrymen the greatest strangers to it? I blush even to think it, but am afraid the reflection will be found but too just on Cambria's ungratefull, undutifull Sons. An egregious instance of this I met with last week at my own house. For having been invited sometime ago to an afternoon's drinking at a neighbouring Clergyman's house, (according to the custom of this Country) I invited him again to my house, and desired he would bring a Countryman and name—sake of mine, that is Curate
of a neighbouring Parish, along with him;[1] for I was
- ↑ Ar waelod y ddalen yn y Llawysgrif—"The Revd. Mr. Edwd.Owen then Curate of Crosby, now Rector of Warrington, afterwards a great friend to Gronwy. He translated Juvenal and Persius."
