The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-17 00:00:00

PROSPECTUS.

This Society has been formed for the purpose of tran-
scribing and printing the numerous unpublished Bardic and
Historical Remains, still extant in the Principality and other
parts of the world, which have hitherto been allowed to con-
tinue in a state of obscurity, without any effective measures
having been adopted to lay their contents before the public,
and secure such valuable literary treasures from the various
accidents to which they are liable. In addition to the gene-
ral decay, which from their perishable nature these venerable
relics have been for ages undergoing, within a short space of
time whole collections have been destroyed by fire, and of
those copies distributed throughout the country, numbers
which are known to have existed a few years ago are no
where to be found.

Besides the interest which these ancient documents pos-
sess, as objects of antiquarian curiosity, and as contributing
to the elucidation of British History, they have claims to at-
tention of a far more general character, as being intimately
connected with the origin and progress of modern European
Literature; for it is among the legends and traditions of the
Welsh that those materials are to be found, which supplied
the nations of the Continent with the earliest subjects of
composition, and produced those highly imaginative works,
which continue to exercise so powerful an influence to the
present day.
A great body of Historical knowledge, from the thirteenth
to the fifteenth centuries, is contained in the unpublished
Writings of Wales during the wars of the Rival Roses, and
at least as far down as the year 1500. From these documents,
a very intimate acquaintance with the state of society during
the above period may be gained. The Welsh Bards were the
Chroniclers of the times in which they lived, and their Poems
are chiefly addressed to the leading men of the day. Besides
Poetry there is still existing•an immense collection of Prose,
both Historical and Legendary.
The mode of proceeding adopted by the Society is, so far
as its pecuniary means admit, to procure Copies of the most
important Ancient MSS. relating to Wales, and to publish
the same with Notes and Illustrations, accompanied by Eng-
lish Translations. The Publications are to appear at such
intervals as may be convenient, in Parts not exceeding Orie
Guinea each Volume to Subscribers, to be paid for on de-
livery ; such Volumes to be sold to Non-Subscribers at an
advanced Price.
The Society began to make known its views in 1837, under
the patronage of His late Majesty, William the Fourth,
whose death for a time caused a delay in its progress, but
Her present Majesty Queen Victoria, having graciously ap-
proved of its object, and become its Patroness, it once more
appealed in 1838, to the well known patriotism and gene-
rosity of the British Public, for the aid necessary to accom-
plish its undertakings. As soon as adequate funds were pro-
vided, the Society commenced its labours in January, 1839,
by procuring from the Library of Jesus College, Oxford, a
transcript of that valuable Manuscript relating to Welsh
History, called Llyfr LlandbY, or Liber Landavensis, which
has since been collated with another MS. Copy of the same
Work in the Hengwrt Library; it is now in the Press, and
will speedily be published, accompanied by English Trans-
lations and Notes, by the Rev. W. J. Rees, M.A. of Casob,
and illustrated with several Plates and Fac Similes. The
above Work would have been long since before the Public,
but for the unavoidable delay occasioned by the sudden and
much lamented death of its former learned Editor, the Rev.
Professor Rees. Transcripts of other valuable MSS. are in
a state of forwardness, which the Society hopes, on collect-
ing sufficient Funds, to publish without delay.
Donations and Annual Subscriptions, together with Orders
for Copies of the Works, are respectfully requested to be
forwarded to the Honorary Secretary, the Rev. J. Evans,
Llanover Vicarage, Abergavenny. Subscribers' Names and
Orders for Copies of the Works will also be received by the
Publisher, W. Rees, Llandovery.

DONATIONS AND SUI3SCIIIPTIONS ALREADY

ANNOUNCED.
DECEMBER 30T1r, 1839.
Donations. SubsCriptions. Copies.
The Hereditary Grand Duke S. s. d. s. d.
Alexander of Russia 100 0 0
The Duke of Newcastle 5O 0 0 5 5 0
The Marquess of Bute 26 5 0 3 3 0
Lord Dynevor
Lord Mostyn
Sir Charles Morgan, Bart 2l 0 0 3 3 0
The Earl Cawdor
Sir B. Hall, Bart., M.P l5 15 0 2 2 0 2
SirJ. John Guest, Bart.,M.P. 15 15 0 2 2 0 2
The Hon. G. R. Trevor, M.P. 15 0 0
J. Nichol, Esq., M.P lO 10 0 2 2 0
J. H. Vivian, Esq., M.P.
Col. Wood, M P
Lord Adare, M.P lO 10 0
Sir J. B. Bosanquet
W.Williams,Esq.Aherpergwm 10 0 0 1 0 0
T. Phillips, Esq., London
W. Ormsby Gore, Esq., M.P lO 0 0 2 0 0
The late Lady C. Greenly, of
Titley Court . •
J.BrucePryce,Esq.of Dyffryn 5 5 0
Rev. W. J. Rees, M.A. 5 5
00
1
The late Rev. Professor Rees,
B.D.
Sir S 11. Meyrick
T. F. Wakeman, Esq., of
Graig, Monmouthshire....
Octavius Morgan, Esc,
F.R.S., ......
J. C. Prichard, Esq., M.D
F.R.S., M.R.I.A. &c..... 5 0 0
Philip Jones, Esq. of Llanarth 5 0 0
JnoLlewellin,Esq.ofAbercarn 5 0 0
The Hon. Miss Harley 5 0 0
Rev. R. W. Evans, •M.A ,
Trewen, Chester
J. W. Mackenzie, Esq., Edin-
burgh
Robert B. Phillips, Esq., of
Longworth 3 3 0
R.B.Williams,Esq.ofLlandilo 2 2 0
N.B.—Subscriptions, in Liverpool and its Vicinity, will be
thankfully reeeived by the Rev. D. JAMES, Kirkdale, Liver-
pool.

500 1 1 0
5 0 0

5 0 0

50 0 2

3 3 0