"Digawn Duw da i unic."
"Wrth bob crybwyll rhaid pwyll parawd." (23)
And in English,
"God is together gammen and wisedom."
The same ornament of speech is also frequent in the Latin language.
Virgil says,
"Tales casus Cassandra canebat."
And again, in his address to Augustus,
"Dum dubitet natura marem, faceretve puellam,
Natus es, o pulcher, pene puella, puer."
This ornament occurs not in any language we know so frequently as
in the two first; it is, indeed, surprising that the French, in
other respects so ornamented, should be entirely ignorant of this
verbal elegance so much adopted in other languages. Nor can I
believe that the English and Welsh, so different and adverse to
each other, could designedly have agreed in the usage of this
figure; but I should rather suppose that it had grown habitual to
both by long custom, as it pleases the ear by a transition from
similar to similar sounds. Cicero, in his book "On Elocution,"
observes of such who know the practice, not the art, "Other persons
when they read good orations or poems, approve of the orators or
poets, not understanding the reason why, being affected, they
approve; because they cannot know in what place, of what nature,
nor how that effect is caused which so highly delights them."
CHAPTER XIII
Of their symphonies and songs
In their musical concerts they do not sing in unison like the
inhabitants of other countries, but in many different parts; so
that in a company of singers, which one very frequently meets with
in Wales, you will hear as many different parts and voices as there
are performers, who all at length unite, with organic melody, in
one consonance and the soft sweetness of B flat. In the northern
district of Britain, beyond the Humber, and on the borders of
Yorkshire, the inhabitants make use of the same kind of symphonious
harmony, but with less variety; singing only in two parts, one
murmuring in the base, the other warbling in the acute or treble.
Neither of the two nations has acquired this peculiarity by art,
but by long habit, which has rendered it natural and familiar; and
the practice is now so firmly rooted in them, that it is unusual to
hear a simple and single melody well sung; and, what is still more
wonderful, the children, even from their infancy, sing in the same
manner. As the English in general do not adopt this mode of
singing, but only those of the northern countries, I believe that
it was from the Danes and Norwegians, by whom these parts of the
island were more frequently invaded, and held longer under their
dominion, that the natives contracted their mode of singing as well
as speaking.
CHAPTER XIV
Their wit and pleasantry
The heads of different families, in order to excite the laughter of
their guests, and gain credit by their sayings, make use of great
facetiousness in their conversation; at one time uttering their
jokes in a light, easy manner, at another time, under the disguise
of equivocation, passing the severest censures.
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