| Description | p.p. 1-688. Originally designed for a collection of 'Sententiae Miscellaniae' by Henry Morgan of Henblas, but partly filled up to p.198 by the mellifluous versifying of Sneyd Davies, brother of Mrs Elizabeth Morgan. Mostly in English, but quite a number of Latin odes. The most interesting items are the lines in memory of the young William Owen of Presaddfed who died in 1721 (p.p. 8-12, apparently unfinished); the lines to "N.H. Esq." (16-19); the facetious composition on p.p. 20-25 (for a truncated version of which see 'Bangor ms. 353, p.p.25-27). Hardly less important are a letter from Sneyd Davies to Mrs Morgan (53-56), with its references to 'nephew Richard' and the 'view of Llanddwyn prettily done', and a double copy of poetry composed after a visit to Archbishop John Williams' monument at Llandegai church (cp. p.p. 57-59, 100-102). On p.p. 123-124 are condoling verses written by a Thomas Beech to the Revd Thomas Holland, rector of Llangeinwen; for Mr Holland's answer, see 125-126.
Possibly his virtues as a poet can best be assessed by his Ode to the Nativity (32-35); and the exactness of his Latinity by his translation of Alexander Pope's "Vital spark of heavenly flame, etc." (173).
In a somewhat different category are his fanciful derivation of Llanllieni (52) and his interesting reference to Handel in 1739 (p. 197). |