PageLineRead.74perceiving.108 from the bottomcontention.1213mwyedig.136mewn.141f'enaid.264 noteformerly.28last line, noterestaurata.317 notesomethings.31Taliessyn.452 after "River" read,"nine parts in ten passing over the River, and &c.6116Height.
The Reader will be so candid as to excuse the above Errors, and others which may have been overlooked. Those in the Welsh could hardly have been avoided, as the Printer has no Knowledge of the Welsh Tongue.
The following Observations having been omitted, in their proper places; I beg leave to insert them as an Appendix.
In page 37. a passage is cited from the Universal History, Vol. XX. where it is said, on the supposed authority of Hakluyt, that Prince Madog made three Voyages to the West. Humphry Llwyd, the Translator of Caradoc, and who continued the History to the death of Prince Llewelyn about the Year, 1270, mentions only two. When Madog first sailed it does not appear that he had any particular place in view; but discovering a fruitful Land, he returned to his native Country, and having collected together a considerable number of Men and Women, he went back to the Friends he had left behind. This is what Humphry Llwyd says, and adds, "that he bid his final adieu to his native Country."
Hakluyt's account is that Prince Madog, "prepared certain Ships with Men and Munition, and fought Adventures by Seas, sailed West. That he returned to his own Country, and declared thepleasant and fruitful Countries he had seen without Inhabitants; that he got together, a number of Men and Women to go with him; that he took leave of his Friends, and returned to his Companions, whom he had left behind." Llwyd and Hakluyt agree in saying that Madog arrived in that Western Country in the Year 1170, and returned back, and went the second time with Ten Sailes." The Authors of the Universal History seem to have mistook Hakluyt. Besides Hakluyt says, he received this account from Guttun Owen; from whom Llwyd also received his Information; it is not therefore likely that Hakluyt should differ so materially from his Authorities.
In page 51, it is observed that when the Romans invaded this Island, the Ancient Britons used the Greek Alphabetical Character in writing. This is expressly said by Julius Cæsar. The Welsh tongue on this Day bears a strong resemblance, in Words and Letters to the Hebrew and Greek. Instances may be seen in a Pamphlet, published in 1783, entitled,Thoughtson the Origin of Language, &c. The Gutturals in the three Languages are founded much alike. TheFig. 4, Hebrew, the X, Greek. and the Ch. in Welsh are pronounced exactly alike. The English, make very little, if any difference in pronunciation, between the Greek X, and the K, both are sounded like the English K. but they have a very different sound; of which noIdea can be conveyed, but by articulation. It is very familiar to the Welsh, and to the Scots, Irish and Germans.
The,ωOmega, Greek, in the Welsh, is the O long, and of the same figure, and sound. Thus in English, "good" in Welsh is written, "gwd."
There can hardly be any doubt but that the Roman Characters were introduced by the Romans; and, as more simple, soon became general. The Greek, of consequence, gradually declined. However the Britons seems to have preserved the sound, though not the Form of their Alphabetical Characters.
It may however be thought probable, as hath been above observed, that the Scriptures were written in the Welsh Language, but in Greek Characters.
Thoughts on the Origin of Language, and on the most rational and natural manner of teaching the Languages. p. 2s.
A free Enquiry into the Authenticity of the first and second Chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel. &c. 2d Edition. Much enlarged p. 4s.