Cylchgronau Cymru

lack of leisure had prevented him from overcom- ing his initial limitations and that now it was too late for any remedy. Southey was charmed by the simplicity and modesty of this old servant and resolved to do him a good turn by arranging for the publication of his poems with an intro- ductory essay by himself on other untutored writers, the proceeds going to support the poet iv. his old age. He was all the more bent on the scheme, because he foresaw that with the spread- ing of education and "the march of intellect," men of this type would be likely to vanish. It was also his intention to emphasise how much intellectual enjoyment could be attained in humble life and under very unfavourable conditions and to point out that this exercise of the mind instead of arousing discontent had begotten happiness. Southey begged his friend Wynn to encourage the scheme, partly on the ground of Jones's mer- its, partly because, "though unluckily for him- self he was born a little on the wrong side the border," he was Welsh by blood as well as b) name. Incidentally he remarked that he had enlisted the sympathy of Mrs. Hughes, which would be his first endeavour if he were a candidate for any post, even the kingdom of Poland or the Popedom itself. The book was published in 1831 and among the subscribers were Wynn, the Hughes family, who took three copies, Edward Quillanan and William Wordsworth. In connection with Jones's poems, Southey wrote humorously of the misconceptions current about the office of Poet Laureate. It was be- lieved that he presided over a kind of High Court ol Poetry to which suitors might apply. Southey declared that any application "for poetical prefer- ment from aspirant sons of song, might as well be addressed to the Man in the Moon." And lest he should be inundated with requests for advice from young poets, he concluded with a warning. Jr. this he gives notice "to all whom it may con- cern, that I, Robert Southey, being somewhat advanced in years, and having business enough of my own fully to occupy as much time as can be devoted to it, consistently with a due regard to health, do hereby decline perusing or inspect- ing any manuscript from any person whatsoever, and desire that no application on that score may be made to me from this time forth this resolu- tion, which for most just cause is taken and here notified, being, like the laws of the Medes and Persians, not to be changed." That it was needful for Southey to safeguard h;s time may be seen from a letter to Wynn in 1836 regarding a Mr. Parry, who apparently had sent, or was to send, him some poems for his scrutiny. He told Wynn that according to his wish, he had replied to Mr. Parry, "though if he had known at what rate I value such verses as are likely to be produced by prizes I should have been the last person whom he would have thought ot applying to." However, Southey had to fear not only the nature but also the nature of the applications from would-be poets. An incident which occurred in 1814 must have inspired in him a salutary caution. The first that is heard of it i, a letter to Wynn dated August 19th. After referring to the way in which the Poet Laureate is regarded by aspiring poets much as curates regard the Archbishop of Canterbury, he adds "This evening I have had a letter which is very remarkable for its good sense; and, more remarkable still, this letter is from a Welsh herds- man in the Vale of Clwyd." This correspondent informed Southey that his father died when he was seven years of age, leaving him nothing but a knowledge of reading, writing and the prin- ciples of grammar, and that for nine and a half years he had tended the herds of a farmer. He gave his name as Greeton Evans and he wrote from Llynn Aledd, which lay, he said, between Ruthin and Denbigh, to enquire if he might sub- mit his poems to Southey. There still remained in Southey something of his old democratic en- thusiasm and he showed the same delight at the discovery of this shepherd-poet as he did when he encountered John Jones. "The most remark- able part of the letter," he told Wynn, "is that he seems to oe perfectly contented. He says that his situation is comfortable; that he has no wish to change it; and that his highest ambition is the acquaintance of learned men." Southey thought that he must be an extraordinary in- dividual and a reference to Madoc which Greeton Evans apparently had made perhaps helped to reinforce this opinion. "Would it not have sur- prised you," he asked, "to find a herdsman read- ing Madoc in the vale of Clwyd?" He was deter- mined therefore, if ever he set foot in Wales again, to visit this singular man, who lived in such a remarkably happy state of mind. If Greeton Evans proved to be a second Bloomfield, Southey besought Wynn's patronage for him. The shepherd-poet had sent his letter by an acquaintance to Manchester and requested that he might have an answer through the same chan- nel. Southey complied with his wish, but as he feared that his reply would not reach Manchester before the stay of the friend had ended, he sent r: copy to Wynn which was to be forwarded to the poet's address in Wales. Southey's letter to the post office at Manchester was never called for and was returned to him, Wynn also made enquiries in vain, and they were driven to the conclusion that Greeton Evans was a myth and that the Poet Laureate had been hoaxed by some one who had skilfully played on his good nature and the remains of his vouthful idealism. The dry bones of Southey's early days were again stirred, though in a very different way,