The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-18
Notes from Wales.

Mr.. Joseph Bennett, writing in the I
Daily Telegraph on recent date, says |
with reference to proposed reforms IN
the musical section of the eisteddfod, l |
have received letter from Mr.. W. Grif- |
fifth, of Workington, typical Welsh mu-
sician and conductor, who before he |
migrated to England did important mu-
sical work in the Principality For years |
past Mr.. Griffith has been the life and
soul of the Cumberland musical festival !
and eisteddfod. He, therefore, speaks |
with connaisance de cause, and these |
are some of his words: More especially |
OF late years, / have observed with dis
satisfaction how the Welsh choirs have |
become big, and made up of picked
singers, to engage one district against
another, chiefly with the object of Win
ming a large sum of money. This L nave
always condemned, by precept and eX-
ample, as a policy that is degrading,
prostituting the art for a purpose that
must sooner or later prove curse, ana
bring about evil results to the cause OF
music in Wales.'" Mr.. Bennett thinks
this state of things should be amended
without delay. "There is just now,' he
says, "a remarkable agreement on the
question among Welshmen of culture
and 1 am not without hopes that very
valuable reforms will gradually be
made"
Westminster and our special London
representative are not alone in pralslnS
Mr.. William Jones for his speech in
the house on the Penrhyn quarry ques-
ton. This is what the Weekly Sun says:
"Nr Jones is a born orator. He has
sweet voice, poetic and imaginative
diction, and winning manner. The face
is very attractive. The eyes are dark,
wide open, transparent; the hair long
and dark, as brushed off the forehead'
and helps to all to the poetic look, ana
altogether the impression is of a poet
with strong fervor, idealism, ana per-
haps also the illusions of a man of Gel
tic nature. From such a speaker one
might expect either very fine or very
ridiculous, either a very touching or
very eXasperating speech, for the house
Of commons Is not reverCnt assembly,
and is especially intolerant of sentmen-
tality or exaggeration. Mr. Jones made
n speech which was everything that
could be desired It struck note of fer
vor and Of spirituality, which was very
risky in the house of commons, but the
very fine voice, that transparent face,
with the honest eyes and the rich and
musical tone, and, above all things, the
noble language and excellent temper dis
armed all criticism, and from friend and
foe there came chorus of cheers when
he sat down.
AT the Queens hall, London, on Mon
day evening a party of Welsh musicians,
including Mrs. Mary Davies, Mr.. Ellis
Griffith, Mr.. John Thomas CPencerdd
GwalaO, and Mr.. Philip Lewis the
young violinisD, gave a concert in aid
of those out of work at Lord Penrhyn's
quarries. The best seats were priced at
guinea, and the Marques of Rpon,
the Marchioness of Londonderry, Lady
Dixie, and many others had worked well
for the cause. One lady, we understand,
sold f40 worth of tickets, and another f25
worth. The Bethesda choir sang Rifles
Martyrs of the Arena" and an effec
tive chorus from Mr.. David jenkins can
tata, "Owen Glendower," in splendid
style, and were enthusiastically encored.
Mr.. John Thomas 1.-The tenor of the
hills" also made a deep impression in
his solos. Mr. Labouchere was on We'd
nesday night the guest of the Junior
members of the National Liberal club,
and Sir f. Lockwood, who was one of
the speakers, said if an object lesson
could have been presented to the house
of commons by the Bethesda quarrymen
Lord Penrhyn's position would have
been more awkward than it was at pres
ent: During the evening the quarrymen
sang, and the chairman handed them f36
lbs. collected in the dining room.
Mr.. William Jones, NJ. p, who scored
so Signally in the Penrhyn debate, is, by
reason of his past history, one of the
most notable of the younger generation
in the house of commons. Young as he
looks-and he is really older, for he is 35-
his career (says the Morning LEADER has
been one OF unending toll. He began life
as a pupil teacher, and in the natural
course of things became a schoolmaster
in Welsh country parish. But this did
not content him. He secured what many
country schoolmasters are wont to regard
as the height of ambition-an appoint
ment under the London board. That,
however, did not bring his development
to close. BY intense application he has
made himself not merely a fluent conver-
satonalist in four anguages-English,
Welsh, French and German-but an ac-
complished musician, and an acknowl-
edged authority on all questions of an
cient philosophy and ancient history. He
is no longer a board school assistant
teacher, he is coach at Oxford for
Honor Greats" though he has never
taken degree himself. But with all his
strenuousness and learning he is a man
of very winning personality.
An article on "The Chance of Roman
Religion in Wales" written by Mr.. Ed
ward Foulkes, of Llanberis, in the cur
rent number of the national Welsh quar-
terly, the Geninen, is likely to draw ap-
proval or censure as its object is rightly
interpreted or otherwise, but in any case
it cannot fail to be read with interest
The writer remarks on the anti-Catholic
movement which has lately been started
with such activity among Welsh Noncon
formists, and he believes the alarms
feeling from which ii springs to be
groundless as far as any apparent actiy.
1ty on the part of Roman Catholics tC
attack Welsh Professionalism is concerned
lie arrives at the conclusion that the
true cause of the uneasiness lies in hC
consciousness among religious leaders OF
great want of devotional reverence anC
beauty in the Welsh religious service
With a true critical insight the writer
touches on the harmful effects of sec
tartan dissensions, producing, as they do
such an amount of jealousy and of vul
an eloquent plea for more of chaste re
f1nement and devotion in the public wor
ship of Wales.
1t is delightful to find that the fierce
hearted Welshman, the Rev. Gwynor,
Davies, and the very same Professor Ma
haffy who has been writing about bar
barous Wales are fellow travellers on tn
steam yacht Midnight Sun, which is OF
Its way at present to the East In a let
ter which he has sent to a friend i,
Wales, Mr.. Davies says hat one after
noon, on the voyage from Naples Il
Athens, he had chat with Professo
MahaHy with regard to the allegation
against Welshmen in the Nineteenth
Century. Mr.. Davies says that the Irsl
professor has evidently been misled b,
the eminent Welshmen" whom he con
suited and has swallowed in perfect con
hdence all that he was told One of tn
charming fairy tales related to the guile
less professor was that q secret bl