Two volumes containing over one hundred and sixty holograph letters and postcards and fragments of letters from B[enjamin] Williams ('Gwynionydd') to D. Silvan Evans ('Hirlas'). The letters are addressed from a variety of places, such as Rhydlewis, Llanfihangel ar Arth, Llangeitho, Llangan, Trefilan, Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn, Cwmdwr, Abergwennol, Llandovery, Llanddeusant, Penboyr, Pontlottyn and Llanover. The inclusive period of the letters is 1860-91 but the majority are dated within the years 1882-8. The main subjects of discussion are family bereavements and other news, South Cardiganshire pedigrees and biographies, the etymology of place and dialect names, institutions within the Established Church generally of interest to the writer, and day-to-day events and conditions of life and employment at Plas Llanofer. In addition there are copious references to other matters, such as the election of H[enry] Richard ('y dihyryn') for Merthyr [Tudful]; the recipient's edition of Llyfryddiaeth y Cymry; the writer's visits to North Pembrokeshire and South Cardiganshire parishes to examine registers; a proposed second edition of the writer's Enwogion Ceredigion; the writer's activities with the Archaeological Association; the writer's visits to Bronwydd, to St Davids, etc.; the discovery by the writer of an ogham stone at Llandygwydd; news of the family of David Owen ('Brutus'); a new lease of the writer's home at Wenallt, [in Troedyraur]; the library of D. L Wooding at Beulah; the absence of Welsh services at Llechryd Church; the writer's purchase of Tir y felin Ban [near Wenallt] on the Gogerddan estate; the death of [John Morris Jones] 'Ioan Cunllo' and the sale of his library; rumours of the appointment of the recipient to the see of Llandaff (1883); the political and religious affiliations of contemporary Welsh barristers; the reroofing of Tirabad Church (1883); the progress of the recipient's Dictionary; the award to the recipient of a Cymmrodorion medal; the consecration of Llanfair ar y Bryn Church (1883); coming-of-age celebrations at Pentre [in Maenordeifi, Pembrokeshire]; the frequency of bastard words in the work of Rhys Prichard; the proposed memorial chapel to 'Williams Pantycelyn' at Llandovery; the progress of the woollen industry at 'Felindre Siencyn y Drefach'; the reluctance of H. M. Stanley to acknowledge his Welsh origins; the shortcomings of Yr Haul; the efforts of [Richard Lewis] the bishop of Llandaff to save Y Llan; the presence of Father Ignatius in the writer's congregation; the writer's mistrust of Welsh Nonconformity; the writer's acquisition of copies of Seren Gomer at Dalar Wen, near Ystradffin; eisteddfodau at Caerwys and Abergavenny; the use of Welsh in religious services in Goettref Church; tithe disputes in Penbryn and Troedyraur; the literary knowledge of Dafydd Evans of Glynbuarth in Llangeitho; the phenomenal knowledge of plant names of Pritchard of Crynca in Llanddeusant; the erection of an iron church at Abercarn; a shield designed by Milo Griffith for presentation to the Prince of Wales, and a detailed pedigree of Miles Griffith; a secret conference at Lampeter to promote the union of the Episcopal Church and 'Y Corff' [the Calvinistic Methodists] (1889); the efforts of Mr (aft. Sir) [Joseph Alfred] Bradney at Llandeilo Croesenni to learn Welsh and to promote the learning of the language in that area; etc. At the end of the volume are verses and miscellaneous notes, and a holograph letter to [D. Silvan] Evans from Ivor P. Williams [son of 'Gwynionydd'] from Wenallt, Rhydlewis, [18]91 (the will of 'Gwynionydd').

A commonplace book of W. J. Roberts ('Gwilym Cowlyd'). The volume belongs to the period 1902-04 and consists largely of copies of letters and some press cuttings relating to the constitution and activities of the Institutional Order of Bards of Gair Ionydd (of which 'Gwilym Cowlyd' was Chief Bard Positive), with special emphasis on the election of Primary Elders, to the request for representation at the coronation of King Edward VIII, and to the election of English bards to membership of the Order. There is also correspondence relating to bardic awards made to [Rowland Williams] 'Hwfa Môn', to protests made by 'Gwilym Cowlyd' against the holding of an organ recital at St Grwst's Church, Llanrwst, and against the renovation of the altar, to a proposed singing festival ('Cymanfa Goffadwriaethol') organised by Llangollen Literary Society in memory of [Evan Evans] 'Ieuan Glan Geirionydd', to the acceptance by Llanrwst Urban District Council, as a nucleus of a free library, of the books stored by 'Gwilym Cowlyd' in a separated portion of the cellar at Llanrwst Town Hall, etc. The correspondents include [Rabbi J. Rosenzweig] 'Semeigydd', Bangor, Clarence Whaite ('Caerleon'), Conwy, William Jones ('Cyffdy'), B[laenau] Ffestiniog, Peter McIntyre ('Pedr Alban'), Llanrwst, Charles Robert Wynn-Carrington, 1st earl Carrington, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th duke of Norfolk, Frederick Temple, archbishop of Canterbury, [Reverend] [John] J[oseph] Jones, Bwlch Vicarage, Oswestry, [Reverend John Morgan] 'Ioan Ceredig', Rectory, Llanrwst, Alfred George Edwards, bishop of St Asaph, [John Humphreys] 'Ioan Seion', D[avid] C[harles] Lloyd-Owen, Birmingham, [Reverend William Morgan] 'Penfro', St Ffraid's Rectory, Glan Conwy, William Jones, MP for Arvon, [John R. Jones] 'Teganwy', J. H. Davies, Cwrtmawr, Llangeitho, George Sholto Gordon Douglas-Pennant, 2nd baron Penrhyn, Llewelyn Nevill Vaughan Lloyd-Mostyn, 3rd baron Mostyn, Colonel Higson, Plas Madog [Llanrwst], W. B. Halhead [recte Halhed] Brynderwen [Llanrwst], [Dr T. E. Jones] 'Ogmor', Colonel [Charles, Arthur] Wynne Finch [Voelas, Betws-y-coed], [J. Jones] 'Dwdan', Betws Abergele, Joseph Chamberlain, Dr [Hermann] Adler [chief rabbi], Levi Roberts, Llangollen, Thomas Edwards, Chester, R. R. Owen, clerk, Llanrwst Urban District Council, etc. Among other items included in the volume are 'englynion' by 'Gwilym Cowlyd' and Evan Evans ('I. D. Conwy'), Llanrwst; newspaper cuttings, etc., 1902, relating to the Bangor National Eisteddfod and the Penrhyn Quarry dispute; a copy of an order, 13 July 1709, by the Quarter Sessions for Denbighshire, addressed to the high constable of the hundred of Isdulas, to levy the sum of £90-6-0 for the repair of bridges in the county; 'St David: the artificially dubbed Patron Saint of Wales', being a paper read by 'Gwilym Cowlyd' at a meeting of the Churchmen's Society, Llanrwst, 1903; 'The Calvinistic Methodists of Wales and their Allies. Mystic Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth', enclosed in a letter to Joseph Chamberlain, 1903; a list of books and manuscripts of Dd. Evans, Llanrwst, (which 'Gwilym Cowlyd' had purchased) remaining after someone had stolen most of the collection; 'Y Cymun Apostolaidd, gyferbyniol i'r Cymun Eglwys y Cenhedloedd'; etc.