Transcribed from the 1832 T. Griffith edition ,
A LETTER
ADDRESSED TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LORD ROBERT GROSVENOR, M.P.
EXPLANATORYOF THE
OBJECT AND DESIGN
OFTHE
CHESTER CAMBRIANSOCIETY.
BY THE REV. EVAN EVANS,
CHAPLAIN TO THE SOCIETY.
CHESTER:
PRINTED BY T. GRIFFITH,GROSVENOR-STREET;
AND SOLD BY H. HUGHES, ST. MARTIN’SLE GRAND, LONDON; AND THE
BOOKSELLERS IN CHESTER.
1832.
p. 3TO THE
RIGHT HON. LORD R. GROSVENOR, M.P.
My Lord,
The relation in which your Lordshipstands to the City of Chester, as one of its Representatives, andthe lively interest you always evince in every thing connectedwith its welfare, induce me to address your Lordship on behalf ofthe Cambrian Society, established inthis City, about six years ago, for the purpose of providing theWelsh residents with the means of religious instruction in theirnative language; and that in connexion with the EstablishedChurch. Though the success with which this Institution hasbeen attended, has far exceeded the most sanguine expectations ofits friends; and though the important benefits resulting from it,have been fully appreciated by those, for whom they wereoriginally intended; yet, my Lord, some are still to be found,who entertain conscientious scruples respecting the propriety ofsupporting this Society—who are yet to be convinced of theexpediency of providing the natives of Wales, who come to settlein the principal towns of England, with the means of vernacularreligious instruction;—who are of opinion that the Welsh,thus situated, ought to learn the language of their neighbours,by which means they would have access to all their privileges:this, they contend, p.4would supersede the necessity of all such institutions asare founded on the principle of the Chester Cambrian Society.
It is with a view of examining the practicability of thissuggestion, that I beg to submit the following pages for yourLordship’s perusal. But, before I enter upon thesubject, I trust it will not be considered an improperdigression, to furnish your Lordship with a brief sketch of thecircumstances which led to the formation of this Society.
A few years ago, a number of the natives of the Principality,resident in Chester, associated, and formed themselves into abody, under the denomination of the “CymmrodorionSociety.” Their original object did not extend beyondthe common purposes of meeting together for social intercourse,and communicating with each other, in their native language, onsubjects connected with the literature of the land of theirfathers. But, after a lapse of time, and f