Derwaiz, a. (derw) Like, or of the nature of oak." Derwen, s. f. (derw) An oak. Derwen y zaear, vervain; Derwen Derwin, a. (derw) Oaken, made of oak. Yni vwyv gynnevin â derwin wyz, Ni thórav a'm car vy ngharennyz. Till I be accustomed to the oaken wood, I will not break with my friend my friendship. Meilyr Derwlwyn, s. m.—pl. t. i (derw-llwyn) Oak grove. Derwr, s. m.pl. derwyr (der-gwr) A churl. Derwyz, s. m. pl. t. on (dar-gwyz) One who has knowledge of, or is present with; a theologian; a druid.-The office of the Derwyz was one of the three branches of the Bardism of the Island of Britain, and had the superintendance of morality and religion. It was filled alone by those who were first admitted into the order as Primary Bards, or Ovyzion, being of itself not an admitting class. The appropriate place of mecting of the Derwyzon or Druids, was called Guyzva; which, as the name implies a place of presence, was an eminence, either natural, or artificial, according to the conve niency of the situation; thus in Wales, where there could be no necessity of raising a mound, the meetings were held generally on some of the most remarkable hills. The Derwyz may be consi dered as the deputy sent amongst the people from the Gorsez of the Primitive Bards, for the sake of diffusing instruction; therefore the Gwyzva was a place designed chiefly, like a pulpit, to de liver discourses from, and not a court or place of legislature; though the Derwyz had the power to make it such; but then he presided as a Barz Braint, or Primary Bard, and formed a Gorses, or Cyle Cynghrair, the High Assembly, or Circle of Federation; and if he wanted to perform functions appropriate to the branch of Ovyziaeth, he could also, as an Ovyz, hold a meeting in a Grove, or under any other covering, agreeable to the characteristic principles of that class, and as it might be most convenient to adopt. A white robe, emblematic of truth and holiness, was the distinguishing dress of the Derwyz. The exterior ceremonies of a system, must appear to strangers as the most prominent parts of it; thus ancient authors, occasionally touching on Bardism, have chiefly recognized the Druid, observing some of his superficial trappings, and now and then some faint glimmerings of the ground work of his principles. But the Bardic system is attested to have kept extremely clear from superstition; and what little it did acquire must have adhered wholly to the druidic character: for he being the residentiary pastor amongst the people, would from interest and policy endeavour to gain influence amongst those under his care; but he must have exerted much caution, as the whole of his principles were universally diffused in the Gorsezau.. Derwyz yw barz wrth bwyll, ansawz, a gorvod; a'i swyz yw athrawiaethu. The druid is a bard, according to the reason, nature, and necessity of things; and his office is to instruct. Newyz anaw ni mawr glywant dyniadon; Barzas. A new A new song the people do not often hear; true is the endowment of the youth having assistance without the man of eloquence; every effusion before some druids was appreciated. Azwyn i zragon Taliesin. Taliesin. They shall praise thee, the bards, the secluded druids, of four languages, they shall repair from four regions. Y zamwain Cynzelw, i 0. Gwynez. The event nobody knows, except God, the prophets of the world and diligent druids. Dywawd derwyzon Dadeni haelon Cynzelso. Druids declare the regeneration of liberal ones, of the progeny of the eagles of Snowdon. Derwyzaiz, a. (derwyz) Like a druid; druidical. Derwyzawl, a. (derwyz) Druidic, druidical. Derwyzoniaeth beirz Ynys Prydain. The druidism of the bards of the island of Britain. LI. P. Meg. Ed. Davyz. Of this valuable Welsh and English Dictionary a few copies have been taken off in quarto for the curious. We hope that the editor will have sufficient encouragement not only to complete his patriotic task, but to provide the convenient counterpart, an English and Welsh Vocabulary. This is not the first literary exertion of Mr. Owen: we noticed a curious work by him in our 12th vol. N. S. p. 18. Tay. Art. 56. Tracts on Political and other Subjects: published at various Times. By Joseph Towers, LL. D. and now first collected together. 3 Vols. 8vo. 11. 1s. Boards. Dilly. 1796. Though the necessity of any particular critiqué on the contents of these volumes is superseded by the attention which we have formerly, in various separate articles, paid to each publication as it has appeared, it would be injustice to the worthy author, who in all his writings has consistently and uniformly expressed an ardent attachment to the cause of British freedom, and to the interests of virtue and religion, not to introduce the present collection of tracts to our readers with due notice. Though some of the pieces were written on temporary subjects, others are of a more general nature; and all of them express such just sentiments, and are so agreeably written, that they may very well deserve a more honourable and permanent station in the libraries of the friends of liberty, than the corner devoted to the fugi. tive pamphlets of the day. Those of our readers who may feel themselves inclined to look into these tracts may wish to be informed of their contents: Vol. I. A Vindication of the Political Principles of Mr. Locke, in Answer to the Objections of the Rev. Dr. Tucker, Dean of Glocester, 1782.-A Letter to Dr. Samuel Johnson, occasioned by his Political R 2 Political Publications: with an Appendix, containing some Observations on a Pamphlet published by Dr. Shelbeare, 1775.-Observations on Mr. Hume's History of England, 1778. Vol. II. Observations on the Rights and Duties of Juries, on Trials for Libels: together with Remarks on the Origin and Nature of the Law of Libels, 1784.—A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Noel, Principal of St. Mary Hall, &c. occasioned by his very extraordinary Sermon preached before the House of Commons on the 30th of Ja- . nuary 1772.-An Examination into the Nature and Evidence of the Charges brought against Lord William Russel, and Algernon Sydney, by Sir John Dalrymple, Bart., in his Memoirs of Great Britain, 1773.-A Dialogue between two Gentlemen concerning the late Application to Parliament for Relief in the Matter of Subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England, 1772.-A Review of the Genuine Doctrines of Christianity. - An Oration, at the Interment of the Rev. Caleb Fleming, D.D. 1779. Vol. III. Thoughts on the Commencement of a New Parliament; with an Appendix containing Remarks on the Letter of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke on the Revolution of France, 1790.-A Dialogue between an Associator and a well informed Englishman, on the Grounds of the late Associations, and the Commencement of a War with France, 1793.-Remarks on the Conduct, Principles, and Publications of the Association at the Crown and Anchor for preserving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers, 1793.Essay on the Life, Character, and Writings of Dr. S. Johnson, 1786. Art. 57. A Narrative of the Sufferings of T. F. Palmer, and W. Skirving, during a Voyage to New South Wales, 1794, on board the Surprize Transport. By the Rev. Thomas Fyshe Palmer, late of Queen's College, Cambridge. 8vo. Is. 6d. Robinsons. 1797. We are here presented with an affecting narrative of the most arbitrary and cruel treatment that, perhaps, was ever experienced by passengers, even convicts, in a transport ship; exceeding, by far, all that we have read or heard of the sufferings of unhappy negroe slaves in their passage from Africa to the places of their destination.-Such inhumanity, such wickedness, [according to the representation here given, of the truth of which we have no suspicion,] loudly calls for a strict inquiry, and exemplary justice. Mr. Palmer's well-written narrative gives a very satisfactory account of the pretended conspiracy, mentioned in the newspapers some time ago, as having been formed by the convicts, during the voyage, to murder the captain, and seize the ship; the story of which appears, now, to have been false and groundless. It is some alleviation of the pain which we have endured in perusing the horrid particulars here detailed, to observe so favourable an account of the state of the settlement at Sydney-Cove, the goodness of the soil, and the excellence of the clinate. According to the information here given, there is a prospect that the happiest effects may, in due time, arise from this very singular kind of colonization. Art. 58. Mr. Ireland's Vindication of his Conduct respecting the Pub- troduction E. troduction to a Reply to the Critical Labors of Mr. Malone, &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. Faulder. 1796. That Mr. Ireland, since the detection of the disgraceful imposition which he was the instrument of passing on the public, should be anxious to vindicate himself from the suspicion of fraud on his part, is extremely natural. The substantial matter of this vindication lies in a small compass. It consists in the attestations of his son, and of Mr. Talbot of the Dublin Theatre, to his entire ignorance of the origin of the supposititious papers; the son's testimony delivered on oath; that of Mr. Talbot only with the promise of an affidavit, but equally full in assertion. These are the only material parts of the pamphlet. As to the abuse of Mr. Malone for the part which he has taken in the detection of the forgery, it is not only wide of the purpose of exculpation, but, as we think, rather unfavourable to it. If the account of the younger Ireland be to be believed, the whole was really, as Mr. Malone represented it, the gross and childish imposition of a tyro in the art; and Mr. Ireland senior ought rather, with humiliation, to have acknowleged both himself and the public to be under obligations to Mr. M. for the discovery, than to have shewn, by the spirit of his language in every page, how much he is hurt by it. If, on the other hand, the genuineness of the papers, or of any of them, be still to be supported, (as a reader of this pamphlet will be apt to suspect,) what is Ireland junior but a most audacious falsifier, whose testimony has lost all validity? We are told that Mr. Malone's critical attacks against the papers are to be completely refuted;' and complaints are made of the steps taken to preclude the play of Vortigern from an equitable hearing.' How strangely inconsistent is this with the main proof of Mr. Ireland's innocence! Why, too, should the names of the gentlemen, whose too easy faith (respectable as they are) induced them to vouch for their belief in the authenticity of the MSS., be thus assiduously given to the public eye? Surely Mr. Ireland, on his own ground of vindication, should have felt some compunction in having made them the dupes of his son's imposition! Art. 59. An Enquiry into the Causes of Insolvencies in Retail Businesses, with Hints for their prevention; and the Plan of a Fund for the Relief of Decayed Tradesmen, their Widows, Children, or Orphans. By John Gell, of Lewes. 8vo. 18. 6d. Rickman. The superabundance of shopkeepers, especially in this metropolis, is so great that a majority of them can scarcely maintain themselves, even by pursuing the joint occupation of some insignificant manufacture, or of letting lodgings. The mere expence of illuminating shops, in the evening, uselessly absorbs the means of maintenance of many thousand families. It will not be denied that more than double the present consumption of goods could conveniently be supplied by the extant number of shops; nor that consequently half of the number would be adequate to the actual demand. The hours of attendance might be abridged, with advantage to the bye-industry of the shopkeepers. A shop-tax, therefore, by tending to reduce their number, and thus to augment the profits of the remaining; or the sale of expensive licences to keep shops open after dark, by tending to reserve a series of hours applicable to other profitable occupations,-if adopt Ai. cd ed at a period of profuse consumption,-might have diminished the inconvenience now so common of the failure of retail-dealers. The stock reserved for immediate consumption is, in every country, an unproductive capital. It ought, therefore, for the national interest, to be the smallest possible. The number of shops extremely increases this sort of stock; and the conductors of them, being, from the necessity of displaying fashionable articles, continually tempted to renew their orders, usually find their apparent gains chiefly to consist of the progressive accumulation of dead stock :-As is notorious in the case of booksellers;-a vast inass of obsolete articles is the usual recompence of of traffic. years One remedy for this great and growing evil is proposed by the present author, in the half-yearly sale by auction of the lingering wares, at deposits to be assorted by the confederacy of the various shopkeepers. This would faciliate interchange, and would stock the country shops cheaply. A less hazardous remedy is the annual advertisements of cheap days for the exposure of old-fashioned articles only, which commonly attracts a number of good housewives, who may be willing, in their several provisions, to make some sacrifice of fashion to frugality. Mr. Gell also suggests the plan of a fund for the relief of decayed tradesmen, which amounts to an insurance against bankruptcy; after the manner of those insurances against death now in use with the clerical and medical professions. The circumstances of the case appear to us to require, not as the author recommends p. 50, an annual voluntary subscription, to which every one would recur at the beginning of his difficulties, but the payment once for all of a round sum on commencing business. We hope to see this project farther investigated by some of those who are most concerned in it. The benevolent in other lines might be permitted to contribute. The nation ought to be aware that shopkeepers are peculiarly obnoxious to the influence of popular writers. Their irregular leisure naturally superinduces that sort of culture, to which the cursory perusal of the smaller writings of the day is friendly; and, in hours of anxiety and despondenee, those plans of the reformers, which contemplate the abolition of the taxes collected from door to door, are very likely to make an impression. Paris, therefore, found in its shopkeepers a body of very ardent friends to innovation. CORRESPONDENCE. To the MONTHLY REVIEWERS. • GENTLEMEN, IN your extract from Mr. Ruggles's History of the Poor, M. R for Oct. p. 147, Mr. Hewlet's assertion, that the real cause of the increased proportion of Poor proceeds from the price of labour not being advanced so much as the price of provision; is said to be examined by the test of fact. The average expence of the Poor, in the three years preceding 1776, is compared with the average of the same expence in the years 1783, 1784, 1785, when an excess more than one-fourth appears in the expences of the latter period, though the average, at the same time, of the price of wheat was nearly one-fourth less. 4 • Striking Tay. |