New-York tribune., 1869-01-04
h WELSH FESTIVAL.
TIE UTICA EISTEnDInn.

THE UTICA ElSrEDDIOD.
UTICA, n. Y, Jan. lit has been the Gus
tom of the Welsh people of this city, for several
past hold Eiseddfod or Barde Festival on the first
day of the new year. This Esteddfod is The national in
suton Of the Welsh people, and has been the pride Of
many nelghhorhoods In this country where the number
OF Welshmen would warrant the enterprise, to hold local
Eseddfods, carried nearly possible IN the same
manner as those in Wales AS TO the time when the Els
teddfod first instituted, there is much diversity OF
opinion among the Welsh historians. There no trouble
III tracing 1t back tho twelfth century and many
assert that 1t was originated at that time There are
Others however who maintain that the Esteddf0ds can
be traced back times OF the Druids centuries be-
fore Christ, and that they are to be regarded as
the same as the public assemblies held by that
ancient order wherein national questions were deter
and criminals tried and punished There does not appear
to he much for connecting this Institution with
Drnidca and the weight Of testimony leads us 10
date their origin from the times OF the Meish princes
when the poets regarded privileged class, hav
ing free access to the houses OF the n0Dy Iey were
divided into different orders and the Esteddfod was IN
sued for the purpose Of determining what rank they
should hold and what privileges they should ENJOY Ana
perhaps there people In the world VINO owe more
gG Sa5s b.n nor S ne do What the monk did for
other lands the poet did for Wales During the Norman
and wars the bards subject TO sCeh severe
prosecutions that the office became one OF great danger
Hence most ancient Welsh poetry Is written IN Aesog
thus 10 great extent, destroying lis Vaue "s ini"
For various reasons the Eisteddad gradually fell into
le auspices and has in ourishing condition ever
since In Wales the rules connected with IL are very
bv the poets OF late years. however some OF the ancient
barriers have been swept away by the advancing spirit
Of liberty. What are known dsnetvey as Welsh meters
are and combining in the world requiring
great number Of ateratons in their composition
What may be termed the old school o poets adhere
them with the utmost pernacy, but the young men OF
to-day have to great extent east them away, and adopt
Tic primary object of the Eiseddfod, now carried
mental Improvement development OF the faculties
ia for
ing merit in those found 10 possess It, IL has lost It's ex
clusiyely poetcal character and prose aud song now
stand side by side. 1t is customary TO offer prizes IN
money for the best compositions Ia prose- poetry ana
in the various classes announce their decisions at the
EsteddfOd when those who merit them receive their re-
ward But the man who completes for an Eisteddfod
prize seldom does SO for the sake of the money be
received the main object Is to be announced as the
published as such to the Welsh World rou g tie medium
II was unfortunate for the Eisteddfod held today that
It sormed furiousy; but this did not diminish the nrdor
the people for they the meetings only from
also present from other States There three
slons heldmorning afternoon ana evening aud was
ANTICIPATED that the exercises would be more than
ally interesting. II was known beforehand that large
number OF competitors ~ the field, and the Commit
tee had secured the services OF very excellent mus
cal talent for the occasion Not much expected gener
ally from the morning meetng-lt Is looked upon AS pre-;
paaiory 10 the balance o the day but the nan was wen
filled the forenoon and the exercises we're carried on with
spirit These consisted OF speaking singing reading for
prizes and the adudcaons OF the judges on portions OF
the subjects given ont The President ot the day was
the Rev X :. heIDtI OF maven, w ~ hbhiu W
we'll inform the reader here that the exercises are car
red on IN Welsh language, English being abOoed for
the day. though Of the people understand II. Al
some Of the EisteddfOds that have attended hereto
fore the speaking has been confined almost exclusively
TO a species Of Standardization, but the gentlemen
Who addressed he audience this morning were remark.
ably free from this trait and endeayOred 10 impress upon
their hearers the duty OF selfculture and mental n-
movement Among the prizes awarded was one for the
best sOnues the Fiery Furnace and one Tor the best
National Ode" The best composer Of duet auG the
best essay also announced. There were Two
competitive readings, and, taken altogether the reading
best have heard at any Esteddod ~ TINS city
the interest OF the meeting conferred IN the music,
which was of "A high order Of merit.
IN afternoon the hall packed 70 It's utmost ca
pacity The programme long and The exercises Wcro
similar IN character those Of the morning Several
ciergymen delivered short ana pointed addresses one OF
them eOquenty urging the Welsh people 10 cherish their
native tongue aud keep II alive IN this country Many
will dissent from the genteans views, bat pact events
prove that the Use of the Welsh language here not III
compatible with the ruest loyalty TO their adopted coun-
try Among Interesting occurrences OF the afternoon
the ceremony OF inducing gentleman into
the Bardc order An armchair covered with oyergrcens
had been prepared for this purpose and the successful
cOuFuetltOr I'm poem "COumbus' was led 10 10 by
Sir. Lewis W. Lewis who IL styled Crowned Bard of
Wales THIS the first time this ceremony has been per
formed here and the event created the widest cithusi
asm. Several others rewarded FOR proficiency ~
poets, essayists, readers. and yOcasin.
The evening meeting ln manner. repetition OF
the In the afternoon. We had the jam IN the
short addresscs-aInOng others one IN English from the
Hon. Ellis II. Roberts, who received with the most
unbOuuded cnthusasa-Ieadlbg and competitive speak
ing
eddod s the fact that many people coud bo brought
together through such storm. and manifest undated
interest in purely literary entertainment for entire day