Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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|Vie»1hyr Watch Committee.

Merthyr Corporation Finances.

A Million Oddfellows.

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Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

MERTHYR AS BORROW SAW IT. The allusions to Merthyr in the works of En- glish writers are naturallv few There is, how- ever, a reference to the town in George Bor- row's glorified guide book, "Wild Wales," which has always seemed to me interesting and worthy of notice. Coming at, the end of his journey into the Swansea road from Hirwain he describos how he saw the glare and blaze of the forges before him as lie approached the town. "I had blazes now all around me," he says. "I went through filthy slough, over a, bridge, and up a street from which dirty lanes branched off on cither side, passed throngs of savage-looking people talking cJamoro\1sly. shrank from addressing them, and finally found myself before the Castle Inn." The next morn- ing he explored the town "What shall I say," he asks, "of Cyfarthfa Fawr? I had best say but very little. f saw enormous furnaces; streams of molten metal; millions of sparks flying about; aD immense whed impelled round with frightful velocity by a steam engine of 240 horse-power. I heard all kinds of dreadful 8m_rods; The general effect was stunning." TheD turning to other parts, he says: "The houses are ineneral low a.nd mean, and built of rough grey stono. Merthyr, however, can show sev- eral remarkable edifices, though of a gloomy, horrid Satanic character. There is the hall of iron, with its arches, from which proceeds in- cessantly a thundering noise of hammers. Then there is an edifice at the foot of a mountain half-way up the side of which is a blasted for- est, and all the top an enormous cra.g. A truly wonderful edifice it is, such as a, painter might have imagined had he wanted to paint the palace of Satan. There it stands, lJ. house of reddish brick, with a slate roof, four horrid black tow- ers behind, two of them belching forth smoke and flame from their tops, holts like pigeon holes here and there, two immenc white chim- neys standing bv themselves. What edifice can tlw t be of such strange Imd mad details?" "After strolling about," he concludes, "for about two hours with my hands in my pockets. I returned to my inn, called for a. glass of ale, paid my reckoning, and departed The story which immediately follows of the Irish woman Borrow met at Troedyrhrw is one of the most extraordinary in his works (which is saying a good deal), and I ca-n recommend it to anyone who ha.s not read it. "The house of reddish brick with four horrid black towers," etc., is not easy of identification now. Could he refer to the iron works at Penydarren just opposite the County School? This sketch of Merthyr literary history, which T have now given, has no claim, as I have said before, to completeness. It represents the im- pressions of one who approaches the subject without the advantages (or disadvantages) of much previous knowledge, and certainly with- out any prejudice or bias in favour of any one writer ot class of writers. But it is clear that, as regards the past. Merthyr can look back upon what belongs to her literary annals with the just pride that springs from the attempt and the achievement of able work. There are few towns with so short a history that can boast of a literary historian so famed as Thomas Stephens, an antiquarian so able and accurate as G. T. Clark, a translator so skilful in interpreting the thoughts of one language in the forms of an- other as Lady Charlotte Guest. If we cannot boast of a philosopher, a "reat essayist, or a world-renowned poet; if Merthyr has not yet produced a novelist (a strange thing in these days) then we must look to the future to redress the balance, to fill up the gaps, and the best promise of greatness in the future is in the remembrance and in the due appreciation of the worthy traditions of the past To MOTHERS.—Mrs. Wiitslow's Soothing Syrup has been used over fifty year? by millions of mothers for their children while teething, with perfect success. It. will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It is pleasing to tasie; it produces natural quiet sleep, by relieveiirg the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes "as bright as a button." Of all chemists, Is. lid. per battle.