Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

Notes and News. THE St. David's celebrations were more popular this year than ever. Verily Welsh nationalism, is in a flourishing condition. Is nationalism an irreligious subject? If not, why did so many of our preachers ignore the topic on Sunday, March 1st. WE have a Citizen Sunday, Hospital Sun- day, Temperance Sunday, and such like, and when St. David's day fell on the Sabbath surely we ought to have had a "Nationalist Sunday." THE French team that played the Welsh XV at Cardiff on Monday had a splendid reception from the big crowd of spectators, and at the conclusion of the match some of the Frenchmen were shouldered to the Pavilion amidst great cheering. Football matches of this kind do much to further the -entente cordiale: IN South Wales, this year's St. David's celebrations were easily the best ever held, and betokened the growth of the Welsh national spirit. The special services at the Llandaff Cathedral and Tabernacle Chapel, Cardiff, were particularly inspiring and im- pressive. At the former the singing of the special choir drawn from the various Welsh Anglican Churches of East Glamorgan was particularly fine, whilst the congregational Hinging and the beautiful solos of Miss May John, R.A.M., at the Tabernacle were magnificent. THERE is no doubt that the Welsh services are the greatest mainstay of Cymric nation- ality. The decay of the Welsh service means the decay of Welsh nationality. Conse- quently it is the duty of every Cymro who loves his country to give every support and encouragement to the Welsh services. The proposed Sunday closing for Mon- mouthshire," writes our South Wales corre- spondent, "is particularly welcomed at the border towns. Cardiff, for instance, is only separated from Monmouthshire by a mile, or so, and every Sunday hundreds of thirsty Cardiffians may be seen going to the village of Rumney, just over the boundary line, for drink. In the evening they return to Cardiff filled to overflowing,' and their condition is hideous. In fact, some of the scenes wit- nessed are positively disgraceful." AT the same time it must'be admitted that the Welsh Sunday Closing Act has led to a great growth of shebeens in Glam- organshire towns, as well as so-called 4 Con- stitutional and workmen's clubs,' which flourish simply owing to facilities they offer for Sunday drinking. In fact it is simply absurd to close the public-houses on Sunday and allow the drinking clubs to be opened. And it cannot be denied that the drinking clubs have caused more drunkards than the legitimately-conducted public-house. The Sunday closing of public-houses will con- tinue to be a farce so long as clubs, where drink is sold on Sundays, are tolerated." SIR S. T. EVANS, K.C.,M.P., has been a much congratulated man since he has be- come Solicitor General. THE Glamorgan Society, London, of which he is a vice-president, are providing the first opportunity for his compatriots to tender their congratulations publicly. A COMPLIMENTARY dinner to Sir Samuel is being arranged to take place on March 21st, 1908, at the Holborn Restaurant. Those desiring to attend should apply at once to the hon. sec., Mr. T. Leason Thomas, 35, Granville Gardens, W. SIR FRANCIS EDWARDS, Bart., M.P., says the Church Times, has greatly enhanced his reputation in politics by his speech on Mr. McArthur's Bill. He repudiated the whole idea of the Church Associationists that religious convictions can be affected by Erastian legislation. Sir Frank incidentally torched on the Welsh Church question, and spoke with an historical knowledge on the subject that few Liberationists display. THE agitation which has lately been raised at Birmingham regarding the dangers attending the milk supply by reason of the prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle will issue on Friday in a conference at Manchester between some of the leading municipalities. Pressure will be brought upon the Govern- ment to remedy this state of things. GOVERNOR HUGHES, of New York, accounts for his being so good a Welshman through his being also in parts English-German- Scotch-Irish His non-Cymric sections keep guard over him, but, he being half Welsh, his more undivided section asserts itself sufficiently to repel all the others. Indeed, he may claim to be a Pan-Celtic Congress in himself, seeing that he is Cymric-Scotch- Irish. With his splendid record of public service, added to his many-sided nationality he must prove an ideal Presidential candi- date. Now, that whisky is stated to contain soap, one may reasonably expect a note of alarm amongst old topers. Sebon! 'Tewch son, fachgen. SIR MARCHANT WILLIAMS'S announcement from the Bench at Aberdare the other day that no more grocers' licences would be re- newed in the district has caused much com- ment. There is no doubt that these grocers' licences have led to more secret drinking, especially among women, than has the public- house. AT last Scotland boasts of a newspaper published entirely in Gaelic. The name of our new contemporary is Alba, and it comes from "Peairt" (Perth), the first number bearing the date Di-Sathuirne, 8 de'n Ghearran," which is almost good Welsh for Saturday, February 8th. The Alba affords excellent opportunities for tracing the many similarities observable between Gaelic and Welsh. Thus, "bliadhna" is blwyddyn; sia miosan is six months and tri miosan three months. THE literary critic of The Nationalist has at last found one work that he deems worthy of praise. It is the new volume of our learned countryman, Dr. Hartwell Jones, on the Dawn of Civilization." Evidently, any matter dealing with civilization is be- yond this amateur critic to understand. In his haphazard survey of its contents, it is worthy of note that, the only chapter that has appealed to his taste is the one entitled, The condition of Women." Little wonder that such a crude critic failed to grasp the masterly poetry of Professor J. Morris Jones. SPEAKING at the Dewi Sant celebration of the Mprriston Cymmrodorion Society, Mr. J. Jay Williams remarked that there was no Welshman who could read the history of Wales without a sense of the deepest satis- faction. There never was a period in the history of their nation of which they had the slightest occasion to be ashamed. In the days when the capacity of a people was judged by their physical bravery, their Glyndwrs, their Dafydds, and their Rhyses battled with the best. When their neigh- bours were plunged in the direst ignorance, their bards put into poetry philosophy which the soundest thinkers of to-day had not improved upon.