The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

they scategy knew what to touch upon first—whether to
trace ItS antiquity, or to dwelt upon its expressiveness
and sul3limity. (Hear, hear.) Would they see the
sublimity of Homer combined with the elegance of Virgil
—would they see the elegance,' the ease and sweetness of
the historian of Halicarnassus, combined with the fire,
the conciseness, and the energy of Thucydides, read Welsh
prose. Where among modern speakers and orators did
they find the thunders of the mighty Athenian equalled ?
they were no where to be found, if they did not sometimes
accompany Welsh oratory. They saw this in the thun-
derbolt effect often produced in their Welsh meetings, and,
he was sure, the thrilling sensations produced at St. David's
Church, that morning and the previous day, would fully
bear him out in this. He here alluded in glowing terms
to the well known talents of 11Ir. Griffiths, the preacher of
the day. Their language, he said, was so dear to them,
however others might scoff at it, and compare it to an im-
becile old woman, requiring the antiquarians and the old
dames of Merioneth, for nurses, that they ventured to pre-
dict, that as long as the sun shines over Snowdon, and as
long as the breezes fan the hills of Cambria, or the stars
twinkle over its valleys, so long shall the old " Cymraeg "
be in existence. The conduct of the Welsh at that seri-
ous crisis spoke volumes for their character—the des-
titution in Wales was nearly equal to that in Ireland
or SCotland, what did they see ? Others were cha acter-
ized by their usual obtrusive forwardness, and the Welsh
suffered in silence, yea many of them were sinking without
a murmur to their graves, rather than prey like harpies
on their fellow-men. Others will not dig, and are not
ashamed to beg. The Welsh will dig, and are ashamed
to beg. When they considered the artless simplicity of
the natives of the Principality, their unadorned piety,
their industry, their unparalleled hospitality,—when they
considered, he said, that every house there was an asylum
and every mother a matron, they would not be far out of
place in using the words of the poet, and saying—
" They would not change their native land,
For rich Peru with all her gold;
A nobler prize lies in our hand,
Than Last and Western Indies h01d."..

The health of the Rev. Mr. GRIFFITHS, the preacher
of the day, having been heartily given, that gentleman
returned thanks in elegant terms, stating that he had
come from. South Wales on a very brief notice, and that
although he was a perfect stranger in this part of the
country, he was at once delighted and astonished by the
feeling he had that day seen displayed, as regarded the
Welsh and their schools, and proud beyond expression
of his kindly reception as a stranger amongst them. He
concluded by reading some verses of his own extempore
composition, in the Welsh language, expressive of his
feelings on his journey northward from South Wales, which
gave great delight to all the Cambrian linguists present,
and we regret that not knowing that expressive, and, we
believe, emphatic and poetical language, we cannot sup-
ply a translation. The speaker was most enthusiastically
cheered.

On the health of the Rev. Mr. JAMES, of Kirkdale, be-
ing given, that gentleman replied in elegant and forcible
terms. He strongly alluded to the culpable conduct of
certain landlords in Wales (as in Ireland), who dealt
hardly with their tenants—absorbing small and comfort-
able farms into immensely large ones, to the dstruction of
the respectable and industrious peasantry, masses of whom
were consequently forced, to obtain subsistence, to emi-
grate to foreign lands, though they loved, to an intense
degree, the land of their fathers. He referred in strong lan-
guage to the inefficiency of the government scheme of educa-
tion for Wales, and its religious instruction. The Bishops,
the heads of the church, appointed by government for the
ruling of the Clergy in the Principality, did not under-
stand the language of the country, nor did many of those
who were under them. This, he argued, was a decidedly
mistaken and wrong system. After expatiating at some
length on these topics, and with great energy and elo-
quence, the reverend gentleman sat down amidst general
demonstrations of accordance with his views.

The toast of " The Strangers who have honoured the
Society with their presence," was feelingly responded to
by Mr. LEWIS, of London.
A number of other speeches were made, well worthy of
being reported ; but the lateness of the hour, and the
peculiar interest excited by a discussion going on in ano-
ther quarter, preclude us from doing that justice to the
Welsh dinner-party, which we should otherwise have
been rejoiced to award. Suffice it to say, that the whole
proceedings were most loyal, amicable, and social.

ANCIENT BRITONS' SOCIETY.
The annual dinner of this society, commemorative of
the .anniversary of St. David's day, was held yesterday
evening, at the Brunswick. room, Hunter-street. The
room, which is spacious, was decorated with evergreens
and flags, and a grand ornamental canopy was erected
over-the-head of the president. The dinner, supplied by
Mr. Jones, of Byrom-street, was most substantial and
excellent, though the crowded state of the room pre-
vented that individual attention that would otherwise
have been given.
The chair was occupied by Mr. Evans, and the vice-chair
by Mr. E. Hughes. Near the head table, we observed
the Rev. Robert Davies, Rev. John Jones, Rev. Thomas
Harris, Rev. Henry Rees, Rev. Richard Owens, Rev.
D. 'M. Evans (Salop), Alderman Griffith, Ellis Jones,
Esq., David Evans, Esq., R. T. Lodge, Esq., M.D.,
Thomas Hughes, Esq., Robert Hughes, Esq., W. C.
Davies, Esq., Robert Evans, Esq., Thomas Hornby Evans,
Esq., R. P. Williams, Esq., R. P. Pughe, Esq., Samuel
Jones, Esq.
• Grace was most forcibly given in the Welsh language ;
and after the cloth was removed and thanks returned,
The CHAIRMAN gave "The Queen," which was most
enthusiastically drunk, with three times three. _

A Welsh englyn was then given by Mr. Hughes, and
followed in the same language by " God save the Queen."
The CHAIRMAN then, in a neat and somewhat witty
address, •gave " The Prince of Wales," which was also
-fellewed by a Welsh englyn, composed for the occasion
by Mr. Hughes, and " Up with the Leek."
The next toast was, " Prince Albert and the rest of the
'Royal Family," which was appropriately introduced and
followed by " Hail Star of Brunswick."
The Rev. Mr. EVANS then proposed " The immortal
Memory of Saint David," which was drunk in silence.
The PRESIDENT then gave " The Bishop and Clergy of
the Diocese," which was most rapturously received.
O. EVANS, Esq., then proposed the health of Earl
Powis and the nobility of Wales, whichwas received with
thunders of applause.
Air—". March of the Men of Harleeh."

The VICE-CHAIRMAN then gave " The Honorary
Members'," to which Thomas Hughes, Esq., most ably
and feelingly responded.
..T-he Rev. Mr. HARRIS proposed.the Directors of the
Welsh Charity School, to which Alderman GRIFFITH re-
plied, in.an appropriate manner, concluding by proposing
the " President," who, in his usual excellent style, gave
" Br. Ellis Jones, the late surgkon to the society." 'The
reply was couched in eloquent terms, and concluded with
the health of "The Vice-chairman," who, in reply,
.gave-"•Dr.= Lodge." " Prosperity to the Ancient Britons'
Society" was then proposed, and replica to by R. P.
WIL-
LIAMS, Esq.
_ _ _

• .
" The strangers who have honouretins with their pre-
sence," "The Committee of the Welsh Lectures," " Oes
y Byd it Jaith Cymraeg," "The Town Council of Liver-
pool," -"The Town and Trade of 'Liverpool," "‘ The
Officers of the Society," and a number of other toasts
followed.

Throughout the meeting, the greatest hilarity pre-
vailed, and the continued good feeling and-enthusiasm
that was manifested amongst the natives.. of that " un-
conquered nation," was such as must be admired. Tl► e
proceedings were almost entirely in Welsh.