Letters and essays on Wales

Introduction

I HAVE been urged to reprint some of the papers I have written from time to time on the subject of Wales. It has fallen to my lot to be in some humble measure an interpreter between Wales and England. For though I have lived in London for fifty-three years, I have retained my attachment to, and my interest in, my native land, have kept up my acquaintance with its language and literature, and, through them, with its social, political, and religious condition. At the commencement of the period to which I have referred, little was accurately known in England about the Principality. Eailways did not exist. Travelling was difficult, and still comparatively rare ; while the difference of language was a formidable impediment to free social intercourse. Hence there arose misconception, prejudice, and, to some extent, mutual repulsion. With all the admirable qualities of the Anglo-Saxon race, an aptitude for understanding, appreciating, and assimilating other races, is not one of its most marked endowments. What tended very much to aggravate the aUenation was the known prevalence of Dissent in Wales, which in those days, more perhaps than in these, was regarded in some Enghsh circles as almost a crime. And so it came to

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INTRODUCTION.

pass that the state of things in Wales was misunderstood, and consequently misrepresented. I did my best to stand in the breach, to defend the character of my countrymen against severe assaults made on their intelligence and morality — the offspring partly of ignorance, and partly of ecclesiastical prejudice — and especially to direct the attention and enlist the interest of English Nonconformists towards their brethren in the Principality. In 1844, I was appointed, in conjunction with the Rev. John Blackburn, to visit the Congregational Churches of Wales, as a deputation from the Congregational Union. On my return, I prepared two reports — one on the religious state of the Principality, which was presented to the Union at its autumnal meeting at Norwich in that year, and which, I think, did something to bring the Nonconformists of England and Wales into nearer relations, and into closer sympathy with each other ; the other, on the state of education in Wales, was presented to the Congregational Board of Education. On my suggestion, that body called a Conference on Education at Llandovery, in which they were joined by the Wesleyan Committee on Education. It was a large and representative gathering. A " South Wales Committee on Education " was formed, which led to the institution of a Normal School for Training Teachers, first at Brecon and then at Swansea, and directly or indirectly to the establishment of a large number of day-schools in the various counties of South Wales.

In 1847, I had an opportunity of rendering, if I may presume to say so, another seryice of some importance to my countrymen. Just before that the Commissioners

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vii appointed to inquire into the state of education in "Wales had published their report. I dare say they meant to report honestly, but they were singularly disqualified for their 'work : they had no knowledge of the language, they had no sympathy with the people, and they fell into bad hands. The consequence was a picture of the condition of the country which astounded the whole nation, and certainly no part of it more so than the Principality itself. What the character of that picture was may be learnt from the impression it produced on the English Press. The Morning Chronicle of that day declared that " Wales was fast settling down into the most savage barbarism.'" The Examiner, on its authority, stated that the Welsh people " were sunk in the depths of ignorance, and in the slough of sensuality, and that their habits were those of animals, and would not bear description." Other papers expressed themselves in language quite as strong. Stung by a sense of intolerable insult and wrong, a universal cry of indignation arose from every part of Wales. There were, of course, many vehement protests. Mine was made in the form of a lecture dehvered at Crosby Hall, in the City of London, to a crowded audience, who for two hours and a-half Hstened with unflagging interest to my exposure of the gross character of that base libel on the Welsh nation. It was pubUshed in a paper called the British Banner, which had then a large circulation among Nonconformists, and afterwards in a volume entitled " The Crosby Hall Lectures.''

I once thought of reprinting that lecture in this volume ; but on reading it I find that the names of many viii

INTRODUCTION.

persons are meutiooed, some of whom are dead, and others of whom I hope and beheve have repented them of the evil they did to my poor countrymen. And so, perhaps, it is better to let it rest. I need not say that this effort was received with exuberant gratitude by my warm-hearted countrymen. The lecture was thought of sufficient importance to call forth a pamphlet in reply from one of the Commissioners in the form of a letter, addressed, if I remember aright, to Lord John Russell.

Later on, in the year 1866, I had an opportunity, through the columns of the Morning and Evening Star, to pubhsh a series of Letters on the Social and Political Condition of Wales, which are here reprinted. After the election of 1868, when the Welsh people, for the first time, boldly asserted their own independence, the Conservative press in London was made the vehicle for a series of fierce attacks by means of anonymous letters' on Welsh Dissent, and especially Welsh Dissenting Ministers. They were charged with being " supporters of anarchy and plunder," with " actively teaching the people to commit arson and murder," and with " scarcely preaching a sermon that was not full of sedition." The editor of the Daily News permitted me the use of his columns to repel these false and foul aspersions, and my letter was afterwards publish ed as a small pamphlet with the title of "Calumnies on Welsh Dissent." In 1871 I wrote an article on " The Established Church in Wales,'' which was subsequently issued as a separate pamphlet, and which is also reproduced here. In 1882, at the invitation of the Committee of the Congregational

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ix

Union, I delivered a lecture at the Memorial Hall in Farringdon Street, on " Nonconformity in Wales," which appeared first in the Nonconformist newspaper, and afterwards among the " Jubilee Lectures," which have been published in two goodly volumes by the Committee of the Union. I have not thought it necessary to include that in the present volume, as it passes in part over the same ground traversed in the former publicationa mentioned.

In the year 1882 there appeared an article in the Chtcrch Quarterly Bevieiv, taking as its text the Eeport of the Departmental Committee on Intermediate and Higher Education in "Wales, of which I had the honour to be a member. This production was a vehement attack upon myself for the part I had taken on that Committee, and, through my sides, on Welsh Nonconformity and the people of Wales generally. My friend Dr. Allon offered me the pages of the British Quarterly Bevieio for a reply, of which I was glad to avail myself, and my article appeared in that periodical in April, 1883. It was published anonymously ; but though it is partly in self defence, I know no good reason why I should now hesitate to avow the authorship.

I have said that I have attempted to act as a sort of interpreter of Wales to England. As a proof that my efforts have not been altogether in vain, I venture to cite the following kind and generous words spoken by Mr. Gladstone at a Welsh National Eisteddfod at Mold, in August, 1873, words which he substantially repeated on another occasion :— " I will frankly own to you that I have shared at a former time, and before I had thus

X INTRODUCTION.

acquainted myself with the subject, the prejudices which prevail to some extent in England and among Englishmen with respect to the Welsh language and antiquity ; and I come here to tell you how and why I have changed my opinion. It is only fair that I should say that a countryman of yours, a most excellent Welshman, Mr. Eichard, M.P., did a great deal to open my eyes to the true state of the facts by a series of letters which some years ago he addressed to a morning journal, and which he subsequently published in a small volume, that I recommend to the attention of all persons who may be interested in the subject."

I am afraid the reader will find some repetitions in this collection of articles, which it was not very easy to avoid while dealing with substantially the same topics at considerable intervals of time.

22, Bolton Gabdens, December, 1883.

Preface To First Edition

OF THE

LETTEES ON THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONDITION OF WALES.

The following letters first appeared in the Morning and Evening Star from February to May last. It is in compliance with an earnest desire expressed by many who read them in that journal that they are now republished in the present form.

In dealing with such questions as are discussed here, it was not possible to avoid provoking some antagonism. But there has been much less of it than the author had anticipated, while the general interest which these letters have excited in Wales, and the cordial welcome with which they have been greeted by, he may fairly say, the great majority of his countrymen, prove at least the warmth of their hearts and their readiness to recognise and appreciate any honest attempt to serve their interests. The letters have been reproduced in extenso in several Enghsh papers in Wales, and have been translated for at least three of those published in the Welsh language.

Preface

They have been also the subject of approving resolutions in a large number of meetings both in Wales and among the Welsh in England. The author ventures to insert in an appendix some of those passed by important religious associations. He does this, not for the gratification of personal vanity, though it would be mere affectation to deny that it has been gratifying to him in a high degree to receive so many spontaneous and generous expressions of approval from such honoured and influential bodies ; but they are inserted here because they ratify, by the testimony of numerous and most competent witnesses, the substantial accuracy of the statements and representations given in the letters.

October, 1866.

LETTEES

OK THE

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONDITION OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF WALES.

Letter I. Tast Religious And Mokal Conditiox Of Wales

It is surprising how little accurate knowledge there exists in England as to the state of the Principality of Wales. There are plenty of Enghshmen, of course, who are familiar enough with the physical aspects and resources of the country-. They know that some parts abound in romantic and picturesque scenery, the deUght of toiuists and sketchers, and other parts in varied mineral treasm-es, which pom* a rich stream of wealth into the lap of their fortunate possessors. But of the state of society there ; of the condition, the character, and feehngs of the people, there prevail only the vaguest and cloudiest conceptions. The general unpression is that they are a simple, warm-hearted, good-natured race, who talk a strange guttural jargon, and whom John Bull rather likes condescendingly to patronise. But they are deemed greatly behind theh Saxon neighbours, very uninstructed, and only half-ci\ihsed — for there is a lurking conviction at the bottom of most EngUshmen's hearts, that no people can be really ci\-ilised who don't talk EngUsh. What is known by many beyond this is only mis-known, having been di-awu from somxes wholly

B

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untrustworthy. Some seventeen or eighteen years ago the Government appointed a commission to inquire into the state of education in the PrincipaHty of Wales. It consisted of three young barristers, who went about their work in utter ignorance of the language, the character, and all the social and religious peculiarities of the people. While groping about in the dark for some means of acquiring the information they were in search of, they fell into the hands of one class, who hoodwinked and misguided them in every possible way. The result of their labours was presented to the pubhc in the form of three enormous blue-books, containing a picture of the people, as respects their intelligence, morality, and religion, which was unhesitatingly, and with singular unanimity, pronounced by all who had any real acquaintance with the country, to be a gross and hideous caricature. Unhappily, however, coming from men who in some sense represented the Government, it was widely accepted in England as a true representation, and some traditionary echo from those huge official libels still lingers in many minds.

I gladly avail myself, therefore, Mr. Editor, of the opportunity you have kindly offered me to write to you a few letters on the social and political condition of the Principality of Wales. But as the social and political condition of the country is closely connected with its religious condition, it is necessary that I should first call your readers' attention to the latter.

It may be stated in general terms that the Welsh are now a nation of Nonconformists. They became so, in the first instance, not by the force of abstract reasoning against Establisliments, or in favour of the principles of Dissent, but simply because they were compelled to look beyond the pale of the Endowed Church for the means of spiritual instruction which were denied them within its

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pale. I must ask permission to illustrate this point at some length. That is necessary in order to explain much that is pecuUar in the present attitude and feelings of the Welsh people. Besides, the story itself is singularly instructive, and serves to thi-ow no little hght upon several practical questions that are coming more and more into discussion among om-selves.

For nearly a century after the settlement of the Protestant Eeformation in this country, Nonconformity had scarcely any existence in Wales. For a few pious clergymen W'ho, towards the close of that period, were silenced or di-iven out of their li-vings for theii- uncanonical excess of zeal can scarcely be called Nonconformists. Never, therefore, had any Chm*ch a fairer opportunity to show what it could do to civilise and Chi-istianise a people than the Established Chm'ch had in those days in the Principahty. It had the field wholly to itself, and could pursue its labours undistracted by — what it has so often since pleaded in excuse of its want of success — the impertinent intrusion of schismatic interlopers. And how did it employ that golden intei-\-al "? It is scarcely possible to draw a darker picture than has been drawn by the pens of Chm'chmen themselves of the state of their Church at that period, and for a long time after. Simony, nepotism, non-residence, pku-alism, every form of ecclesiastical abuse, ran riot in the Welsh Church. The gi'eat body of the clergy were ignorant, irreligious, immoral, in every way utterly incompetent to fulfil the duties of their office. And, indeed, many of them did not even attempt to fulfil their primary duty as instructors of the people. A chain of testimonies extending over two centuries and a half is at hand to sustain this charge. My space will admit of my citing only a few. In the year 1560 Dr. Meyrick, Bishop of Bangor, states that he had only two preachers in all his diocese. Strype, in liis life of Archbishop

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Parker, says of the same see in 1565 that there was " no preaching used, and pensionary concubinacy was openly continued, that is allowance of concubines to the clergy by paying a pension, notwithstanding the liberty of marriage granted." In investigating a charge of misgoverning his diocese, brought against Dr. William Hughes, Bishop of Bangor, in 1587, it came out that the bishop himself held sixteen rich livings m commendam ; that most of the other great livings were in possession of persons who lived out of the country ; and that only three preachers resided on their livings. Nor was this state of things much changed for the better during the next eighty or ninety years. The Kev. John Edwards, one of the clergy ejected by the Parliamentary Conmiission for Scandalous Ministers, appointed under the Commonwealth, and whose testimony must therefore be held unimpeachable on this point, acknowledges that, at that time, not one in fifteen of his clerical contemporaries could read or write the Welsh language. In 1677 a pious clergyman addressing his brethren says, " There are to be found in each of the Welsh dioceses from forty to sixty churches without a sermon on Sundays," and that at a time, be it remembered, when preaching was the only means of religious instruction that was open to the people.* The biographer of the Eev. Thomas Charles of Bala, a clergyman who became one of the founders of Methodism towards the latter half of the last century, speaking of the condition of North Wales before that excellent man began his apostolic labours, says : —

The Church ministers were in a most degenerate state, both as to principles and practice, while the gentry used no influence in favour of religion or good morals, but themselves gave example of many kinds of wickedness.

* For more evidence on the subject relating to this and other periods see " The History of Nonconformity in Wales," by Thomas Rees, D.D., a work of great labour and research, as well as of conscientious accuracy.

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Sir Thomas Phillips, in his very able work on Wales, published in 1849, in a chapter designed to show " the various influences by which the Church in Wales has been weakened," draws such a picture, from facts coming down almost to our own day, of lay official delinquency, of episcopal rapacity and nepotism, of misuse of patronage, of clerical incompetence, and, in general, of utter and contemptuous neglect of the moral and spiritual interests of the people, as forms a terrible indictment against the Church, of which he was, nevertheless, the fervid admirer, and into whose bosom he would fain have won back again all his schismatic countrymen. I can only find room for one sentence out of a long passage in which he summarises the contents of that chapter : —

We have found (he says) the ecclesiastical rulers of this clergy and chief pastors of the people, as -vvell as many other holders of valuable Chui-ch preferment, to consist often of strangers to the country, ignorant alike of the language and character of the inhabitants, by many of whom they are regarded with distrust and dislike ; unable to instruct the flock committed to their charge, or to teach and exhort with wholesome doctrine, or to preach the word, or to withstand and convince gainsayers in the language familiar to the common jjeople of the land.

It is hardly necessary to ask what was the moral and religious condition of a people left to the tender mercies of such a Church. It would be difficult indeed to find language too strong to describe the utter moral desolation into which the whole land had fallen. The Eev. Rees Pritchard, of Llandovery — a name still held in deep veneration throughout the Principahty — a pious, eloquent, devoted clergyman, the only one of liis class in that age, so far as we know, to whom such a description could apply, who flourished between the years 1602 and 1646, has left a most deplorable picture of the state of the country in his time. He states that not one in a hundred of his countrymen could read ; that no copy of the Scriptures was found even in the mansions of many of

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the gentry ; that the clergy were asleep, leaving the people to wallow in their sins, unwarned and unrebuked ; that the upper classes, with rare exceptions, were totally regardless of religion, and the coimnon people ignorant and unwilling to receive instruction.

Licentiousness (he says), drunkenness, dishonesty, falsehood, and infidelity are rampant through the Principality. Judges and juries sympathise with drunken murderers, and permit extortioners to rob widows and orphans. Sheriffs and their deputies plunder innocent people by virtue of their offices. The Lord's Day is a day for drunkenness, dancing, idleness, games, and wanton lewdness among the Welsh.

There was considerable improvement during the next century. But this was owing almost entirely to the exertions of the Nonconformists, who began at that tune to establish themselves in Wales. Though they were the victims of incessant annoyance and outrage, not merely from legal persecutions, but from mob violence, often instigated by the upper classes, they laboured hard, and not without effect — principally, however, in South Wales — in the cause of knowledge, virtue, and religion. But they were still comparatively few in number and limited in influence, and the country, as a whole, remained virtually in possession of tlie Church during the whole of that period. The change by which the great bulk of the people passed over to the ranks of Dissent took place at the rise of Methodism, about the middle of the last century, which gave a wonderful impulse to all bodies of Nonconformists. But what was the state of the country before and up to that epoch ? It would be easy to multiply testimonies on this point. But let one or two suffice. Take, first, that of the Eev. Thomas Charles, to whom I have previously referred, a man who did inestimable service in the cause of education and religion in Wales. The description, however, must be understood as applying principally to North Wales. But then that was precisely the part of the country where the reign of

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the Church was all but undisputed. Eeferring to the middle of the 18th century, Mr. Charles says : —

In those days the land was dark indeed ; hardly any of the lower ranks could read at all. The morals of the country were very corrupt, and in this respect there was no difference between gentle and simple, laymen and clergymen. Gluttony, di-unkenness, and licentiousness prevailed throughout the whole country.

And speaking of a still later period, about 17S5, he says : —

In my journeys through many parts of Xorth Wales I found that the condition of the people was so low with regard to religious instruction that there was scarcely one in twenty in manyplaces who could read the Bible, and in some places, after special inquiry, it was difficult to find even one who had been taught to read.

Mr. A. T. Johnes, an able and accomplished man, limiself a member of the Church of England, in an essay which he pubhshed in 1832, " On the Causes of Dissent in Wales," states the following as "the conclusions to which he wis u-resistibly led " by the whole course of his inquiry — conclusions which very e£fectually dispose of the complairt sometunes made that the Dissenters have seduced the people from the Church : —

1. That before the rise of Methodism in Wales the chm-ches were as little attended by the great mass of the people as now.

2. That indifference to all religion prevailed as widely then as Dissent in the present day.

It thus apears that the Estabhshed Church has, so far as Wales is concerned, utterly failed in her mission. At no period of her liistory, from the Eeformation to this day, has she f;iLfilled in anything approaching to an efficient and adequate manner her professed fmiction as the instractress of jhe people. So long as they were left to her care they were abandoned to ignorance, superstition, and gross immorahty, while the gi-eat bulk of the clergy cared for nothing but the emoluments of their office.

In closing this too long letter, I have only one remark

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to add— namely, that all the testimonies I have cited as to the character and influence of the Church in Wales are from Churchmen themselves ; I believe there is not a single Dissenter among them.