Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion during its long career, in sustained efforts for the preservation of the traditions, the historical records, and the literature of Wales.

The arrangements for the coming Lecture Session include papers by:

The Rev. Canon R. E. Roberts, Precentor of Leicester Cathedral
on "Welsh Music in the Tudor period".

Mr. D. L. Evans, of the Public Record Office on "The
Principality of Wales in the time of the Black Prince".

Mr. E. Morgan Humphreys on "Wales in the early part of the
19th Century" (based on original correspondence recently
discovered).

and others.

The Annual Banquet of the Society will be held early in 1926; particulars will be announced in due course.

Publications of great interest were issued during the year. The Transactions for 1924 contained an illuminating paper by Sir John Morris-Jones on "Edern Davod Aur"; suggestive notes on "Some Aspects of Celtic Lexicography" by Professor John Fraser, Jesus Professor of Celtic in the University of Oxford; a paper on "Gerald of Wales and the Survival of Welsh" by Dr. W. Rhys Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Classics in the University of Leeds; a collection of addresses delivered in the Cymmrodorion Section of the National Eisteddfod, held at Pontypool on Art and Architecture in Wales, and reviews of Records Publications by Professor Morgan Watkin and Mr. Goronwy Edwards, of Jesus College, Oxford. With this volume there was issued an interesting Supplement containing a reproduction of the Liber Ffestialis, from the Hafod MS. No. 22 in the Cardiff Free Library, with an Introduction and Notes by Professor Henry Lewis, of University College, Swansea.

Vol. XXXV of Y Cymmrodor-the number of volumes, it will be observed, is steadily growing-was issued in May. It contains the story of "A Neglected Welsh Triad" by Mr. Alfred Auscombe, F.R.Hist.S.; the first part of a long article on "The Book of Basingwerk, and MS. XV Cotton Cleopatra", being a minute study of early Welsh Manuscripts by the Rev. Anton Griscom, M.A., one of our American members; a suggestive paper on "The Scandinavian Settlement in Ystrad Tywi", an attempt to throw light on the influence of Scandinavia on Welsh history, by Mr. G. Peredur Jones, M.A., formerly Lord Howard de Walden Fellow in the University of Liverpool; interesting notes on "The Parish Registers of Merthyr Tydfil, from A.D. 1703 to 1763"; with Illustrations and Facsimiles, generously supplied by the Author, Mr. Frank T. James, M.B.E., Penydarren House; an examination into "The English Element in the Perfeddwlad after the Edwardian Conquest", by Mr. T. P. Ellis, M.A., which goes to show that the English invasion of the Vale. of Clwyd was by no means as wide as it has been represented. The volume closes with "Some Letters of Thomas Johnes of Hafod (1794-1867) selected from the Cumberland Papers", by Mr. Herbert Vaughan which throw considerable light not only on the personality of Johnes himself but on farming, politics and other local matters in Cardiganshire some six score years ago.

The next Cymmrodor volume (xxxvi) is in a forward state and will be issued very shortly. It contains the conclusion of Mr. Griscom's work on the Early Welsh Manuscripts; a dissertation on "Welsh Poetic Art" with special reference to Sir John Morris-Jones' exhaustive work on "Cerdd Davod", written by Professor T. Gwynn Jones of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth; a bright paper on "The Indiscretion of Anthony Wood"

by Dr. Thomas Richards; the story of "Denbigh Castle" from the earliest to the present time, written by Mr. Wilfrid J. Hemp, F.S.A., Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Wales, with Plans and Illustrations; and a description of some very interesting Jacobite Relics at Peniarth, written by Mr. Herbert Vaughan, and illustrated (for the first time) by kind permission of the owner, Mrs. Wynne.

The Transactions for 1925 will, it is hoped, be issued early in the coming year. In addition to the papers read during the session, we have been fortunate enough to secure the complete report of the important excavations. at the Gaer, Brecon, so successfully conducted during the past two years by Dr. R. E. Mortimer Wheeler, Director of the National Museum. This will form a separate volume. Dr. Wheeler, who in 1923 favoured the Cymmrodorion Society with the full illustrated report of his excavation of Segontium, published by us in a book which has gained the attention of archæologists all over the world, has taken infinite trouble with the story of the occupation of Brecon by the Romans, and the result, packed, as the report will be, with appropriate plans and illustrations, we have no doubt will greatly redound to the credit of our Society. For his entirely disinterested labour on these two publications we owe Dr. Wheeler a deep debt of gratitude.

During the past few years your Secretary, in conjunction with Sir Evan D. Jones, Bart., and other members of the Council, has been assisting Sir I. Gollancz, Litt. D., Secretary of the British Academy, in establishing a Fund in memory of the late Sir John Rhys, F.B.A., a former Chairman of our Council, which is to be administered by the British Academy. The Income will be applied (as a

"Rhys Memorial") to the purposes of "an annual lecture, or paper, or monograph on a Welsh or other Celtic subject." The invested Fund, consisting of £1,100 India 4 per cent. Bonds, was accepted on behalf of the British Academy, by the President, Lord Balfour, at a meeting held at Burlington House on the 28th January, 1925, when Sir John Morris-Jones, M.A., LL.D., Professor of Welsh in the University College of North Wales, read a paper in appreciation of the services rendered by Sir John Rhys to Welsh philology.

Before closing this Report the Council desire to express their deep sympathy-a sympathy in which they feel sure all members will wish to join-with the Right Hon. Sir Herbert Lewis, G.B.E., Vice-President of the Society, in the illness due to a grievous accident which has incapacitated him for many months; and with Principal J. H. Davies, Aberystwyth, who has also suffered severely for a considerable time, and to wish them both a happy

recovery.

The finances for the year may be considered satisfactory, but the necessity for making provision for our commitments in regard to publications, has reduced the money available to a narrow margin, and if any of our members desire to rid themselves of superfluous balances, they would be very gratefully accepted by the Council.

Under the Society's Rules the term of office of the following officers expire:

THE PRESIDENT,

THE VICE-PRESIDENTS,

THE HONORARY AUDITORS,

and ten members of the Council retire in accordance with

MR. EDWARD Owen,

MR. O. MORGAN Owen,

MR. W. R. OWEN,

DR. OWEN PRITCHARD,

MR. ERNEST RHYS,

MR. R. ARTHUR ROBERTS,

DR. D. L. THOMAS,

MR. CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS,

MR. PHILIP WILLIAMS,

MR. WILLIS BUND.

All are eligible for re-election. The appointment of Captain Ernest Evans, M.P. for the University of Wales, to the vacancy on the Council in place of the late Mr. T. H. W. Idris, requires confirmation by this Annual Meeting. The accounts have been audited and certified, and the Statement of Receipts and Payments is appended to this Report.