The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-06

1t is generally acknowledged that Is
lwyn was among the most gifted sons
of the Welsh muse that have flourished
during the present century, and as
preacher there was none more accept
able with his denomination.
Maelwyn, of the Weekly Mail, gives
the following pretty little sketch OF
the bard: II was privileged once with
his company from Maesteg to Llangy-
nwyd, and / well remember one thing
he tried to impress upon me. and that
was the truth of the old adage, "A
poet is born, and not made | had
asked his advice as to the best books
to study to become a poet, and | shall
not forget the pains he took to make
me see the advisability of giving up
such an idea which he found very
general among young men. Don't
said he, 'dabble with poetry if you can
help it; but take to some branch OF
knowledge which you could with lit
tie industry get to understand, and
would profit by l followed his ad-
vice, for which 1 feel thankful to him
to this day In the Cylchgrawn, 1851 -52
I find some poetry written by him be-
fore he adopted his bardic pseudonym
Islwyn such as "Gwilym Fardd" Un
OR Llanciau,' Babel w. T., will
lam Thomas" and in November, 1852,
he calls himself for the time "Bardd
Islwyn." He also contributed several
articles in prose to the same magazine,
upon which he was highly compliment
ed by the editor who is still with us
in the person of the Rev. w. Williams,
Argyle, Swansea.
Lately the long expected volume Of
sermons by Islwyn have appeared, to
the great satisfaction of all his admir-
ers, and, as a preface, the Rev. f.
Mathews narrative Of the poet-preach-
er's life, which appear in the Cylch-
grawn, is given, the following para
graph being most characteristic of the
renowned biographer's style: He took
the name Islwyn from the name of his
native parish which was called My
nydd Islwyn. Perhaps the parish took
its name from the mountain, since, aC-
cording to the testimony of the best
historians, the mountain was there be-
fore the parish. At any rate, the name
1slwyn, apart from the mountain has
become a household word throughout
Wales and throughout such parts of
the world as are inhabited by Welsh
men. 1t is through William Thomas
of the Babel, that this mountain has
become immortal: it was he that
caused it to enter into the literature of
Wales and to become dear to the hearts
of thousands. A small, weak man was
he who took the mountain on his
shoulders and placed it in the sight OF
many generations to come who other
wise would neither have seen nor
heard of it. There We're always many
giants in stature at Mynydd IslWyn
and indeed some with gigantic minds
yet no one was capable of throwing
this mountain here and there in song,
of moving it at will, of elevating it to
the planets, of sending it on a journey
through Wales and across the seas tC
Welshmen, and giving it existence and
immortality in history, except this
small, weak man in body, but a seraph
strong in mind"
PROMINENT SCRANTON WELSH
MAN.
Mr.. William owen, of Madison ave-
nue, Scranton, is one of the Oldest and
most prominent of the Scranton Welsh
men. He was born "A years ago in
North Wales. He arrived in America
81 years ago, and worked at his trade
of nailmaking in New York city for