PRINCE AS A BARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1924, Page 4

PRINCE AS A BARD.

welcome to the ancient CHICLE. L’ONTVI’OOL, Aug. (I. The Prime of Wales was initiated into the Ancient Order of the Harris ol the Isle of Britain this afternoon at the National Eisteddfod. He was welcomed here by the full assembly of the Druids and Jlards of Males in robes and regalia. He leaves with a bardie costume of flowing green mantle and a big green hat shaped somewhat like a mortar-hoard, and a bardic name, lonverth Dywvsog, which is to say, Edward Prince. The Prince’s visit has been a great thing for the Eisteddfod, which had not had a royal visitor for some years. He has been welcomed by an enormous gathering of Welshmen come here from all parts for their national festival, and the chief ceremony he witnessed the crowning of the Bard—was worth his coming far for, since it is lil; nothing else in the world to-day. Up to his coming it was threatening ami damp, hut the afternoon broke out with the first .sunshine of the Eisteddfod. CHEERING CniLDIIKX.

The Prince’s otlieial welcome was oil the sports ground of the beautiful Poiitypool Park. The grandstand was crowded with cheering children who were taking part in Hie musical competitions of the day. Druids in robes of while. Bards in blue, and Denies In green made line" sides of a sipiare in whi'Ti I lie Anlidniid Ell red, a picturesque Figure in white silk with a crown of oak leaves and a golden breastplate, was introduced to the Prince. Kll'red is in private life the pasti r of a Welsh chapel near King’s C ross, Loudon. lie is one of the most I eeluril of Welsh poets. After the olli'ial welcome, (lie Prince, inspected a narade of 2,0! It I local c.\ Servile men. The ilrnidical procession then made i:: wa\ into the pavilion, the A rein I riml duly attended by (lwa.ll ler Dyli, the tall sword hearer, with his gigamic ceremonial arm. 15.000 AT THE CEREMONY. When the Prince entered in a Ironiemlous scene of enthusiasm, there was a vibrating audience of .some 15,000. lie was invested iiv Lady Trcuwen with his bardic costume. lie assumed it gracefully, and if he fell any little apprehension of how he would look in it, there was no need. All Wales was sure that nothing ever became him better. .Mantle and rap were like till academic costume, only a degree more nil t liresque. 'File. Arelulruid, who speaks with art and dignity even in English—in Welsh he is listened to as men listen to a. iamotts violinist—welcomed the Prime into the bardic circle, and assured him that if he ever chose to submit a poem in competition til the Eisteddfod it would he duly and justly considered. The Prince’s reply was broadcast. He touched the hearts of oil Eisteddfod wye |- by referring synipallicically to the illness of tho (lorsethl lleeorder, the Venerable Druid (Iwynfe. The Prince not only saw, hut also

assisted in the next poetic competition bv crowning the victor, who turned out to lie .Mr K. Prosser Rhys. His identity was not known until alter the readying ol the judge’s verdict. The winning poem, was a sequence of some oO sonnets, and the judges nil her raised their eyebrows at its tone, while they were overcome by its literary merit.

It was described as curious, and even erotic, a great change from traditional Eisteddfod poetry, which is limbing if not edifying. One ol the adjudicators lias assured me that it is a searching study in sox psychology, considerably outdoing (lie seiisumisiioss of Keats and fswinbiirne, and, in fact, representing the Welsh equivalent to the writings of Joyce, the Irish novelist. Tim poems bad all been sent in under pen names. After the award the victor was summoned. He was present, and two bards escorted him to the platform. lie was an uncommonly good-looking young Welshman who did not look at all abashed hv his honours and the unwilling tributes of the judges. ntOWNKD IIY THIS Pit I NCR. The Prince of Wales crowned him with a showy crown of silver and green velvet, and the new bard sat ill the chair of honour beside the Prince, Some of the Elder Bards then came forward and declaimed epigrams on the occasion. This is a great Eisteddfod feature.

Later on the Prince witnessed the normal working of the Eisteddfod in the form of one of the children’s musical competitions which have been going on all day. Oil ATOPY OX THE HILLS.

The tiorsedil, tile-ceremonial opening of the Eisteddfod, happenotl before breakfast this Ttiorniiiir, high on the liill above Pontypool ami its valley—a beautiful spot which helped to give romance to the procession of Druids. These, who in civil life are mostly Nonconformist divines, took the inind back to an immemorial paganism when they deployed themselves in their circle ol huge stones with, in the middle ol them, the flat sacrificial logati stone. With harp and trumpet, with ceremonial sword, sceptre, horn of plenty, and first fruits of the harvest, all these venerable Welshmen climbed the hills and there abounded in oratory. The speeches of Elfred of Pedrog, of the Bishop of St. David’s, and of Dr Alauriee Jones, of Lampeter, were reckoned particularly estimable,