Eisteddvod.
The Times, 1824-05-24T00:00:00

The fyirnmrodaorion Llundvin,-or the London Society for the Cultivation of ancient British literature and music, held a congress 'Of Ba-dB on Saturday last, at the Freemasons' Hall. The hall wvas illed by avery fashionable audience. Sir Watkin Williams Wynn peslded, and was supported on the right by Sir Charles AMorgan, of Iredegar, and on the left by Lord Kenyon. There were also pre- eent Lady Harriet Wynn, Miss AMorgan, Lord Dynevor, and several otherpersoas of rank. The entertainment began with a concert, which although it wan not entirely Welsh. consisted of the works of British composers, exe- cted by British artiss Miss Carew and Mffiss Melville, and dlaster LonAghst, AMr. J. Smith, and AMr. Collyer, were the principal per- formiers. A duet, between Messrs. Parry and Atkins, to the fine air, "Of a noble race was Shenkin," received great applause, but this was owing to the music, and to Mlrs. Heman'a spinted poetry, mther than to the singers. The first part of the concert was ter. minatea by Penilhion sin' g, performed by six modern bards, aceosp*nied on the Welshharp by Mr. H. Thomas. This sort of ginging seems to have been a very favourite practice among the ancient bards at the Eisfeddvodau. The custom was for the chief bard to sing a certain number of stanzas, accompanying his veice With his barp; as soon as he had finished, the bard next to him in rank and excellence took uo the subject, and was in like manner sUcceeded by all the other -bards in turn. To perform this well, ,-nired at the least as much talent as the irnprovisare of Italy, whie it was far more sociable, and directed to more exalted purpoges than mere amusement. Great, however, as the powers of theBeirdd of old may bave been, their descendants of the present day are not very likely to become the rivals of the Pistracci or the Sgricci. The bards of thi!s Eisteddrod not only sang us ill as one would wish to hear, but their lays, instead of being composed improviso, were only parts of songs on various subjects, and having no connexion with each other, save that they were all sung to the old air of Serch Budot, or " the Allurements of LJove." WVhen thePenillion singing was concluded, Lord Kenyon an- nounced thenamnes of the successful candidates to whom the so. actty's prizes had been awarded. From the "-.-.-- Store of ladies, whoge bright eyes "Rain'd influence," his Lordshi eelected Aliss Angelina Mlorgan, the beautiful duaughter of: bir Charles 31organ, to "judge the Prize." The first pine was a medal to Dr. W. 0. Pughe, author of several valuable works relating to the history of Welsh literature, and the translator of the " Pearodie Losw" into that language. The next was to a gentleman who had written the best essay on Ancient Genealo- gies, under the assumed name of William of Radnorshire. The cham:an received the medal as bis proxy. The third prize was given to the venerable artist,J. Flaxman, Esq., as a testimony of the respect cntertainefor himbythe Society,nn& their gratitudefor his having fiumished them with an admirable design or their mcdI.l It represents an ancient bard, in the dress of his order, standing up- riht, with his left hand on his barp, and in his right the primitive machineon which the bards wrote their poems. A motto is sub- joined in the old bardic character, the purpo.t of which is, that " it is the province of the ttuly vrise to protect valuable things from passing into oblivion." The design is at once elegantand vigorous, iind has bien executed as it deserved to be, by MIr. Wyon of the ilinL The candidates, as they received their prizes ftom the fair handsofthe lady who bestowed thens, shortly expTessed their thanks and compliments. The sccond part of the concert then followed. Miss Melville andl Master Longhurst were verv deservedly encored in the duet "Tell me, gentle Str=ger " in w;hich the boy executed his part with great hurour andakill. ~iJeWelch air Pen Rhaw was very well played by hlr. *V. Prichard, on the Wels harp: there was some more Pcntillion singing, which was no better than that which prc- ceded it, ar;d the entertainment concluded at about balf-past three o'clock, with "God savc the King," to which a Welch verse had been added for the occasion by Dr. Pughe. BISTRDDVOD.