Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

17 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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SWANSEA.

LA NTT WIT MAJOR.

GELLYOAER.

MERTHYR.

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Bvcrowtfurr.

FAIRS FOR MARCH.

CORRESPONDENCE. .

ETYMOLOGY.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

ETYMOLOGY. TO THE EDITOR-* OF THE GAZETTE AN,) GUARDIAN "Truth, though hewn like the mangled body of Osiris,ino a thousand parts, and scattered to the four winds, will be gathered limb by limb, and moulded into an immortal feature cf loveliness and perfection." GI;NTLF-V,FN,- WiSit ill, to render as condensed as possible my conclusive communication, 1 have the honour to address to you, as separate and distinct propositions, divested from all particulars, certain probabilities alluded to in my last, and deduced from the analogy of natural, astronomical, and his torical scattered documents. If the summary ot suv iiu utile opinions and my own reflections on the .subject are here presented under the interrogativ< form, and as a series of inquiries, it is b-jcause 1 proless to be a zealous eclectic communicator, and not at all a stia' pedagoguic dictator. Does there not often, and might there not oftener exist iu spoken words a certain relationship between the sounds of which they are made up, and the things which they are to exl)rt-ss Are we not sometimes struck with. and surprised at the energy ot certain expressions or superiority oi a language, without exactly being able to say why ? Felix qui potmit rorum cognoscere causas Is not such a pleasurable sensation, the known effect of an unknown cause, the result of the imitative power (if 8ign, and of their latent adequateness to represent thing's: Qua:nrLun nominulU proprielatt'UJ ex rebus ipsis innatam esse."—(Plato.) Is not the compound sound st a specimen of the I adequateness just mentioned? Is not, for example, s directly obtained by the material contact of the teeth, which, preventing the eniission of the vocal air. becomes an obstacle to its motion. And, besides, is not the sound t again produced by the agency of the same organ, which is the hardest alld most fixed of all the parts of the human vocal instrument? Is there not theu a relationship Iwtween st and the idea of fixity, or comparatively motionless resistance, as, tor example, in the f 'n^lish, Latin, French, and I la Iian lollowiug words, each ot them ha\ nig a different meaning, but containing a common idea of fixlt% stand, statua, stalle, .strrzione ? (Nomina verbaque non posita fortuko bed quadarn vi et ratione facta su nt.) Can we, on the other hand, finil any analogy between spoken and wiitten signs? Do we not remark I bat there is not the least resemblance between the drafts and the sounds; unless we consider the signs ft, 0, i, s, as having a laint graphic relation with their correlative sounds } Are we not even compelled to acknowledge that in our modern alphabetical systems the lIIost absurj method has been introduced? Have we not, for example, in the Hnglish and French languages more than one sign for one identical sound, and, rice versa, more than one sound for one identical sign ? Can we, amongst the antients, find more analogy between the linear and sonorous letters" Did not the Mexicans paint things without reprcjj senting sounds? Were not the knotty colon red strings of the Peruvians called qnipos, originally applied to numeration, and subsequently to the recording of g-reat events, entirely unconnected with the power of sounds, although related to colour;-? Were not the Egyptian hieroglyphics, according to the opinion of a countryman ot mine, Champollion connected with letters, but without any analogy with the sounds themselves ? Was not the essence of the Egyptian mysteries a certain application of figurative names to tilings but not to sounds ? Did not the Ethiopians, a long while before the Hgvpiians, mak, use of these figures, not as vocal notes -ep), but as the representatives otthe things deoportis adtisli profert quosdatu lihros litteris ignora- bilious praenotatos partial figuris cujusmodi anim.i- lium concepti seraiouis compendiosa verba sugger- entes." Can we no!, then, lint-I a nation possessed of a more philosophical system, and using an alphabet of literature more analogous to the alphabet of nature Is there not oil the surface of our globe a spot more favourable than any other (o the contemplation ot the .,t)rks of the Almighty, a table Ian 1 far distant on every side from the liquid plain; a spot free from periodical inundations, dislocations, and volcanic eruptions, in fact, a fortunate spot wbae first rose the precious stem of human knowledge If we examine some fundamental facts concerning the correlative sciences, astronomy, geology, and geography, shall we not find tiIat the table laud alluded to must have been the central part of Asia, from about the 4SQ to the 00° of north latitude ? Was not there a noble race ot men entitled to our veneration, in consequence of their having acquired, through a long series of centuries, a profound knowledge, the offspring of a lengthened meditation, and the result of their happy geographical ? Is there not amongst the precious archaeological relations of the most celebrated Chinese travellers a very curious document concerning Siberian tribes (called in China Chc-Goei). who lived near the river Amur, and usetl pieces of wood (sprigs) to express their ideas? If some analogy can be traced between art and nature, is it not amongst men so favourably situated ? Alter many attacks and aggressions made against thelll by northern tribes were they not obliged to abandon their pennies, and wander through the adjacent countries? Did they not emigrate in two different directions, south west and north w est ? Were not, then, two large distinct tamiles formed, the Inda Arabic-Ethiopian and the ludo Germanic II yperborean lias not the latter preserved its identity for a great many centuries, and exhibited, as tar as possible, its o.igilial type,.? Did not the emigration from Asia of these wander ing descendants of the first learned bocielY take place at two different periods, the first, fifteen centuries, and the second six centuries T)I. c \Vas not this the cause of the Siberian family being divided into two branches known under the denomin- ations of Gauls and Kimris? Did not the emigrating vanguard, confusedly crossingtheextensne forest of Hercynia, become, during a long peregrination through wildernesses, very inferior in every respect ? Did they not, at last, put an end to their wandering life, and settle in the continental and insular parts of Western h'urope. Did not the second emigration, more orderly con ducted, follow the same direction, and did not then the Kimris, led by llesus, bring amongst the Gauls (Galls), their Hneient countrymen, some remains of the primitive sacerdotal, philosophical, and legisla- lative institutions of their mother country, Central Asia 1 Were not pieces of ivccd (sprigs, twigs) used by the (Jallo-Ivituric r;u;e, as symbols of sonorous letters ? Were not th: natural signs (trees and plants) possessed of qualities analogous to the sounds they stood for? Was not the sound a, for example, which is a free, uninterrupted, open sound, representing of itself an idea of tendency forwards, of proceeding, —was not a represented by the fir tree, whose length •<uvl straiglitnosu are ch^racteristical signs, as well as the sound a. of direct tendency, continuance, &c. ? Was not the sound e the reverse of a, that is an interrupted one, represented by the white poplar, whose quivering leaves are symbols of a broken, interrupted motion ? Was not the yew tree used for i: the furze for o the heath for u the birch tree for b, &c. ? Was not the iaiter substituted for the original one, the palm tree ? Do we not perceive in such a system a threefold analogy ? Did not the descendants of tlje learned, unfortu- nate, wise, quiet, and sober primitive central Asiatic society preserve a profound respect for the alphabet of nature, handed to them by their veuerable forefathers? not., with them, four things very different, the thing, the thought, the sound, and the note, brought to one focus, the alphabet, of nature 1 W ere not in the time of general confusion, dis- persion, and destruction, a f. w minds, conteinplators of nature, fond of solitude and of meditation, the depositaries of the authentic transcripts of the literal signs of the Noachidoe ? Was not a name given to those men ulio could read in the volumes of nature and literature? Did not the Peruvians, of whom I have already spoken, give the name, of qnipucamajtu to those who took care of their qnipns Was not the denomination adequate to their office ? Was not then also, the name Derwydd given to those Indian literate men who could read the natural alphabet ? Does not Derwydd mean, to read notes, tokens, signs, Itiirks Darllen, to read —derll/dd, reader—arwydd mark, token, note — draen, prickle — gwydd, wood — ar- wyddo, significant—drwyddo, profound scholar? Were not groves and rivulets the objects in nature the most in harmony with their contemplative minds? 0 iiem,is! 0 fontcs! Solidumquc areiiie." Is it fair to judge of the generality of the Druids by the deceits, crafts, and barbarous customs intro dueed through corruption by some of them, and by the extravagant, imaginative, and mental intoxication of their bardic followers? Did Julius Caisar, who slew upwards a million of men, and his successors, less clever but not less barbarous than he, attempted to destroy and succeeded in exterminating Druiiism, in order to introduce religious virtue, or was it n >t because they knew that the moral influence of the Druids was the greatest obstacle to the triumph of their selfish sensual vanity ? Can we take a retrospective view of our own affairs without perceiving that we must be very indulgent and just towards o' hers? Have we forgotten that the numerous garrison of Jerusalem was put to the sword, and all the inha- bitants, themselves, massacred ? Have we forgotten that the crusaders wore crosses (cross bearers) ? Have we forgotten the massacre of the Aibigenses Must we condemn Christianity and her venerable ministers because fanatism now and then lias dis- played her most sanguinary exhibition? Having nothing to do with Druidism nor Drujs; naving never had any conversation on tiie subject with men assuming such a title, my humble opinions are the offsprings of an unprejudiced mind, and I now conclude, taking the liberty to intimate that, being horn and having been brought up in Paris (now the '.yapi..J ol France), originally Lwtweddi the chief place of the Kimris Pariii tribe, I am directly allied to Welsh people; they belong to the Kitnri-ltomano- Saxon branch, and I to the Ki;nri-fiomano-Geniia;i one. I subscribe myself, Gentlemen, Your's truly, J. l) E BOVEI E, Instituteur Franrais. .I'2"ø.XóM ATTEMPT TO POISON N ii R (From the Standard's Correspondent.) f Considerable sensation has been excited in Worces- ter within the last few days by the discovery of an attempt to poison the family of the Rev Jos- pli Webster, residing at Merriman's Iiiii, near Wor- cester. The reverend f'lIll¡'III,\1I is tue incumbent of the neighbouring parsh of ¡¡¡,dip, but has been residing in the immediate vicinity of W orcesfer till a new bouse could be built upon his living. Oil Friday last, after be and Mrs Webster, their children, and servants, iii.-i(i ill number, had partaken of soiiii! soup, the most violent and sv,iii,to,yls presented themselves. No suspicion of poison was at lirst entcrtaiued but I'xcr,wi:ltill", pain and violent retelling being experienced in turn by all the mem- bers of the family, a medic il lIIall was sent for. '1110 messenger was ill suco agony, being himself one of the sufferers, as hardly to be able to announce his eiranil. III the interim Mr Webster Ind administered to each of the intended victims copious doses of salt and water; and, on the surgeoll's arrival, he pro- nounced that but for this opportulle precaution more than one life would have IW(,1I sacrificed 'The stomach pump was put ill requisition, 111111 with tt, happiest as to the children of the family; hut serious apprehensions were, euteetaine I respecting !%I i-s W eb- ster and the female servants, who hail partaken inoro plentifully of the soup. 'The remainder was Ilstalilly analysed, and the presence of arsenic detected in it to a very great extent. \h..t, ailds a darker colouring t,) the whole I ransact iOIl is, that within the last tew mouths Mr Webster It is lost two valuable dots, 011"" noble Newfound lalld, uoth of which had unqestiouabl\r been poisoned. 'The painful inference therefore isthafc the last occurrence is a part only of a deeply laid ami most diabolical act- 11inlip is a village wdiere there are mauv HOlllani-t, hilt the best understanding has prevailed between tin; incumbent and his fiock I he attempt, therefore, to destroy him and his family cannot be traced to any religious fee ings. Lord Southwell, the Roman Catholic proprietor of liinlip. was, with two other magistrates at Mr Webster's cottage the whole of Saturday morning, anxiously endeavouring to discover the perpetrators ot this deed of wickedness. A clue, to which it would be iinpru lent to allude further lias he\'1I discovert if, which, it is Imped, will lead to the ddeclioll of thu offender. A reward of £100 has been offered for tli'ediscovery of the actual perpetrator, alld all application wil be made to obtain the Queen's pardon for an ac- complice. The report at present is, that the water of a well oil the premises has been found to be highly impregnated with arsenic, and that party hitherto unsuspected had been heard a (PIV weeks ago to observe that the dogs had gone first, and that the master would follow but fhi latter point »ants continuation. One of the servants who l,a,1 been the greatest sufferer is now ^Friday evening) pronounced out of danger. Mr Webster, it is hoped, will be able to take his duty oil Sutid.iy as usual.

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Family Notices

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CARDIFF.

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