The words "First Series" which appear on the Title Page are intended to
show, firstly, that I do not at all consider the present collection in
any sense a representative anthology of the Welsh Lyrics of the Century,
and secondly, that if this effort meets with approval, I hope to bring
out two or three further instalments, one of them, if possible, being
from poems written in the "_mesurau caethion_." My aim, in fact, is to
publish by degrees a collection of translations which might eventually be
gathered together in a single volume (with a general introduction and
critical notices on each author) so as to form a more or less adequate
anthology of our nineteenth century poets. "So runs my dream": whether
it can ever be realized depends of course in a great measure on the
reception this first series meets with. That it has many serious defects
I well know, nor can I attempt to disarm criticism by pointing out the
immense difficulties which confront the man who tries to put Welsh poetry
into English rhyme, especially when that man has never written a line of
English verse before. But I should be most grateful to readers for any
hints or suggestions, by which the faults and imperfections of the
present volume may be avoided in a second series. I have retained the
metres of the originals with but trifling variations, except in those
cases where there was nothing specially characteristic to make this
desirable (as _e.g._, in the case of Islwyn, where I have thrown some
of my translations into sonnet form) or where--as in the Song of the
Fisherman's Wife--the metre, even if it could be reproduced, would not in
English harmonise with the meaning. I ought perhaps to ask pardon
beforehand for the audacity with which I have treated Ieuan Glan
Geirionydd's famous "Morfa Rhuddlan."
I very gratefully acknowledge the courtesy of the owners of copyright,
especially Messrs. Hughes & Son, Wrexham, Mr. O. M. Edwards, and Mr.
James Lewis, New Quay (to whom my translation of the "Pauper's Grave"
belongs).
My most cordial thanks are also due to Mr. W. Lewis Jones, Lecturer in
English at the University College of North Wales, who though an entire
stranger has given me his valuable assistance and advice in seeing these
pages through the press.
EDMUND O. JONES.
VICARAGE, LLANIDLOES,
July 23, 1896.