removed from the Apostle John, having been brought up under John's disciple, Polycarp, Tertullian (A. D. 193-230); Hypolytus (A. D. 220); Origen (A. D. 230); Lactantius (A. D. 306); Arnobius (A. D. 306); Eusebius, Bishop of Cesarea (A. D. 325-340); Athanasius (A. D. 326); Epiphanios (A. D. 368); Jertius (A. D. 306); Arnobius (A. D. 398); Theodoret, Bishop of Cyropolis (A. D. 423-460); Venantius Fortunatus (A. D. 560); Sophroneus (7th century); Nicephorius (A. D. 806). All these agree that Christianity had reached Britain and made considerable progress at these respective dates.

The earliest British historian was Gildas, who flourished at a time when the Britons had been driven by the Saxons to the western parts of the island, He was son of Caw, a Northumbrian chieftain, born about A. D. 500, and sometimes called Gildas Albanicus. The Saxons making serious inroads into Strathclyde, Caw and his family had to seek shelter in Gwynedd (North Wales). The old king settled for life in Mona (Anglesey); his sons fled to Siluria (Monmouthshire), where they were welcomed by King Arthur, whose

seat of government was then at Caer-leon-on-Wysc. Here Gildas joined the seminary of Catwg, the Wise, which had been founded by Garmon in Glamorganshire. It is said that Gildas founded a college at Bath in the year 555, whereupon he was called Gildas Badonicus. Gildas was also a nephew of Geraint, son of

Erbin, Prince of Duninonia (Devonshire). Gildas' work as now given contains much that is spurious, though as regards the main points is on the track of truth.

Next to him comes Bede, a popish monk, who was born in 673, and who spent his life in the monastery of Iarrow-on-Tyne, and died in 735, leaving his work in MSS., which after passing through the hands of the monks for 900 years, was published in 1643.

Nennius, who as he himself said, was a disciple of Elvad, Bishop of Bangor, who in 755 persuaded the people of North Wales to adopt the order of the Church of Rome in keeping Easter, &c. Aldelin's letter (who was a Saxon Abbot to the Prince of Cornwall, in the year 692), gives us also allusions to the religious state of things in the island at that time. Taliesin, a royal British bard who flourished 520-570, has left us also some poems descriptive of the times. Succeeding bards have done much to the same effect, and the National Triads of the Isle of Britain, refer to very early religious movements within these shores. Modern scholars, such as Camden, Stillingfleet, Usher, Gibson, Godwin, Rapin, Burgess, Soames, and a host of others, who have closely examined the subject, are all decided in their opinion, that the Britons had been converted in Rome under Paul's ministry while there, claiming in that way Paul as being founder of British churches. Another prevail ing opinion is, that Christianity was

introduced into this island by means of the Britons themselves, who serving under the Roman eagle at Palestine came direct home from those shores by sea. This theory is somewhat countenanced by a discovery of a Roman coin in Anglesey, on a site of a Roman camp, bearing an image, and inscription "This is Jesus Christ, the Savior."

Some critics impugn the authenticity of the Triads. But we do not see why these ancient documents being pre-eminently national should be discarded any more than early records of other nations, provided they agree with other well-known contemporaneous histories. Romance is not truth, but it may contain truth. Historical facts are generally found to be the bases of fabulous legends, and may be justly referred to in confirmation of facts derived from authentic sources. Caesar frequently contradicts himself, we. nevertheless, value him on points which bear the stamps of truth. Some of the Triads we End either quoted or dictated, by Diogenes Laertius (A. D. 100). If the Triads make any reference to the continental colonization of the Cymry, these sceptics at once spurn the idea, but if Herodotus describes them as having made an early settlement in Lesser Tartary, they acquiesce in the fact with wonderful composure. When, "of the three sovereigns by

vote of the Isle of Britain," the Triads say, "Caswallon was the first," that must be rejected as spurious; but when Caesar relates the same fact, it must be received as gospel. And so reject they the Triad xxii: "The three holy families of the Isle of Britain; the family of Bran, the Blessed, &c.," suggesting that Bran is an unknown quantity in Celtic nomenclature; whereas that declaration is contrary to fact, Rhys in his Celtic Britain plainly indicating that Bran was pre-eminently used in Irish (Celtic) lore, associated with Kingship, and was the name of a Celtic god. Strike this Triad once off, and Roman history becomes a mystery. Whatever mystery there be in regard to details, the main fact is evident that Caractacus, the Brythonic chief or king having been taken captive to Rome, Ostorius Scapula was propraetor of Britain in the year 51 and Gildas (A. D. 564) in his book De Vict. Aurelii Ambrossii, affirms that the Britons received the gospel under Tiberius, the Emperor, under whom Christ was crucified, and that many evangelists received their teaching direct from the Apostles, and in their turn brought home the good news to their countrymen, who held on to Christianity even unto the Diocletian persecution (A. D. 290) and afterwards.

The free lectures recently inaugurated in sections of the large cities, where the poor dwell, are undisguised blessings, and they make for upliftment and righteousness. This system is in keeping with the splendid work done by the various "Settlements," of which the "Hull House" in Chicago, is the first established, and best known-best known because it has been guided and inspired by such a mind as that of Miss Jane Adams, the most notable woman in America, because she has dared successfully to solve the social problem that perplexes all communities. Among the agencies employed in this humane work, music is one of the most potent. Science is now in the hands of the poorer classes. Free lectures and musical evenings are given in many halls situated in the midst of the thousands, who never go outside of their narrow circles. What a moral antidote to the temptations of the city these entertainments are! For the last two months, the Helen Heath Settlement, which is under the wing of All Souls. Church, has had Sunday afternoon "Musicali," given by new talent each time. Their hall has been crowded each time with men, wives, brothers, sisters, eagerly listening and appreciating the different programs. It is a veritable temple of learning to them. The lectures are

upon topics worthy of the best audiences in the down-town halls, such as science, art, literature and music. These "Settlements," and there are from fifteen to twenty of them, are actually co-educational with the Schools and Colleges.

Oddities are not wanting even in the names of some musical parties— the "wandering minstrel" section. A double quartet of ladies from a neighboring town caps all in "proper names" oddity-wonderfully met, or wonderfully and purposely rhymearranged so as to catch the "poor deluded public." Doubtless, the public will be pleased to see a party

with such names as follows in the order of parts-Misses Leach, Beach, Neech, Deach, Meach, Teach, Fleech, Keech. If they sing half as well as they are named, they ought to be a success.

Mme. Marchesi, the noted vocal teacher at Paris, spoke as follows, lately, concerning the American wo

a complete ignorance of art. They are somewhat fickle and not extremely serious in their work; they like variety in professors as well as in everything else; they have not the application of girls who have received classic and artistic training; and one more influence which determines their professional caliber is their puritan heritage. Inherent suppression of all emotion, constant effort at self-control, are the enemies. of sentiment, poetry and theatrical abandon to which the Latin nations lend themselves so naturally. It results that Americans make lightopera singers more often than dramatic artists. They are not accustomed to intellectual labor as we understand it over here; they seldom finish their studies."

How are we to account for, and explain the ever-increasing references to music, as a theory, and to song, we read of in so many of the novels of 1899? Is it not significant that there is hardly a novel of note without many such references, and quaint definitions of the subtle influences of the "heavenly art" upon the soul! Naturally in such a delightful work as "The First Violin" by Jessie Fothergill, one would find admirable paragraphs, because it describes German rehearsals of great works, wherein much strong language is used, and that most effectively, in order to reach the goal of true interpretation and expression. Another magnificent piece of fiction, "Aylwin," by Theodore Watts-Dutton, the English-Welsh scholar and literateur, frequently describes the

wonderful effect of Welsh song. This remarkable novel describes Welsh scenery, music, habits and characteristics of the peasantry in North Wales, with the pen of a master, but deals out too many doses of obsolete superstition. Several times the heroine, Winifred Wynne, sings the following delightful well-known lyric:

"Mi gwrddais gynt a Morwynig,

Wrth odreu y Wyddfa wen, &c., of which the following capital paraphrase is given:

I met in a glade a lone little maid,

At the foot of y Wyddfa the white;
Oh, lissome her feet as the mountain hind,
And darker her hair than the night;
Her cheek was like the mountain rose,
But fairer far to see,

As driving along her sheep with a song
Down from the hills came she."

The reference to the Welsh "crwth," Welsh goblins, gypsies, caves, villages of Snowdon, and the frequent glowing eulogies of Welsh sceneries, and of Welsh people, make "Aylwin" a book that ought to find a way into every Welsh home., Besides, it will teach Welsh-Americans to love beautiful Wales more than ever. "Aylwin" is published by Dodd, Mead and Co., New York.

The reader will allow one other reference to one of the most weird, strange and fascinating novelettes of the day, "The Whistling Maid," by Ernest Rhys, and published in the December "Lippincot's Magazine," in which Wales is described by one of her sons, as it was in the time of the orders of knighthood and chivalric gallantry. It is truly delightful to read of Malen, Howel Farf, Rob

art Goch, Rhosser of Rhos, and how charmingly Luned could whistle the "capping stave of "Mentra Gwen." "There's luck in the whistle," says old Malen.

The "Musical Times" of London says that in some forty thousand schools, and in thousands of places connected with places of worship, and in educational institutes, lessons on musical matters are given week by week to millions of pupils of all ages. The same journal in an article on "Class Singing." January number, describes excellently the qualifications of teachers. It has been remarked frequently that the great need at the present time in Wales, and in Welsh communities

in this country, is good elementary classes, even for a large majority of those who constitute Eisteddfod choirs. Of course, in order to secure success on this line, we must have competent, patient, humane, and tactful teachers-those who are able to create thirst and hunger for education. In this manner the "Musical Times" refers to the honor bestowed lately upon Dr. Hubert Parry, Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, M. A., D. Mus., Hon. D. C. L., Hon. Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, Director of the Royal College of Music, was, on the 5th ult. (Dec.) elected by Convocation Professor of Music in the University of Oxford. "The right man in the right place.**

1

The sword taken by Arthur from the stone in the churchyard, like that taken from the oak tree in the great mead-hall by the Teutonic Sigmund, and snapped in twain in the conflict with Pellinore, is brought back in the form of Excalibur, by the Lady of the Lake, who answers to the Greek Thetis, or the Teutonic Hjordis. After the conflict, Merlin cast a spell upon Pellinore, so that he fell to the earth in a great sleep. Being healed of the wounds which Pellinore had given him, Arthur said to Merlin that he had no sword, and

that he needed one; Merlin said, "Wait a while and you shall have one by and by." When they came to a lake in the midst of which an arm was seen rising from the water and bearing a sword aloft, Merlin said, "Yonder is the sword of which I spake, and yonder is the Lady of the Lake, whose is that sword? Speak fair to her when she comes to you, that she may give it you." Arthur spoke tenderly to her and besought her for the sword, and the Lady of the Lake said, "It shall be thine if thou wilt give me a gift