Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-25
CONTESTS OF POETS
Bards Attracted to the Welsh
Eisteddfod.
VALUABLE PRIZES IN CASH
Survival of Old-Time Minstrel
Competitions.
MAY DATE BACK TO 100
Varying Fortunes Of the National
Festival-Regulation Adopted in
Middle of Last Century.
MAY DATE BACK TO 100
'oreigu Correspondence o, The Star.

Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON. September II. 1910.
The proceedings Of the Welsh national
eistedcfod, which are taking place in
Colwyn Bay this week and which an
nually attract bards from all over Eu-
rore. possess a peculiar interest for all
who are in any way attraced by the ex-
traordinary progress Of the Celtic Renais-
sance. Although the scope and objects
of the Welsh eisteddford are by no means
identical with those of the Irish oireach-
tas or the Highland mod, yet its Won
derful vitality and immense potentialities
in the domain Of Celtic culture give to 1t
an essentially propaganda status In
word. it might be said that the activities
of the eisteddfod are somewhat more
archaic in character when compared with
the more modern and practical outlook
which distinguishes the annual congresses
of the Scottish and Irish gaels.
United National Assembly.
The eisteddfod, as 1t is now constituted,
is really a united national musical and
literary assembly. which has become a
necessary part of Welsh life. The word
"eisteddfod" signifies a sitting or ses-
nized court, whose principal function was
Ito license or admit duly qualified candi-
dates to the position OF recognized bards
or minstrelS." The adjudtcators them
selves had a clearly defined legal posi-
ton as experts or assessors to the sover-
eign, prince or chief under whose jurls-
diction the court was held. From this it
appears that the eisteddfod Is a survival
OF old-time minstrel competitions, and
the honors which the contesting bards
won procured their ready admittance into
the castles Of the Welsh princes and
mobiles. The element Of 'bardism' Is by
no means absent from the proceedings OF
the modern Welsh festival, but It's more
mystic and 'theatricaf' aspects are con-
fined to the purely spectacular side Of
the assembly.
While the ''gorsedd' of the bards Is a
distinct society from the actual constitu-
ton Of the eisteddfod, its bardic ritual
and pompous ceremonial have invariably
provincial assemblies. There is some evil
dence to show that an eisteddfod took
place at Caerwys, in Flintshire, In the
year 11OO. but we have more tangible
Information concerning a great gwledd,
or banquet synonymous with latter-day
eisteddfodau), given by Lord Rhys at Car
digan Castle In 1176 This meeting had
been proclaimed only year and a day
beforehand, not only in all parts OF
Wales, but in Scotland and Ireland. This
procedure Is followed to the present day.
a special feature of the assembly IN
1176 was that the best poet and also the
best musician were awarded chairs,
whereas at the modern eisteddfod the
honor Is awarded to the poet only. At
these early festivals the keenest rivalry
was exhibited between North and South
Wales, and the competitors from the
former district always excelled in poetry
and the South Wales men in music. The
musical competitions Of the medieval as
semblies included contests in violin, harp
and flute playinR