had he lived among the Welsh, would
have found that portion of his prayer superfluous. It is to the credit
of the Welsh that they always have a good conceit of themselves. As a
rule, the world takes people at their own valuation, and the man who
assumes a superiority over his fellows--at any rate, till he is found
out--has his claim allowed. A Welshman has a profound faith in his
country and himself, especially as regards oratory. There are no such
preachers as those of Wales, and I was quite amused when I first lived in
Cardiff with the way in which a Welshman, who lodged in the house where I
had taken up my abode, descanted on the gifts of Welshmen in London of
whom I had never heard, and I felt quite ashamed of my ignorance as he
rolled forth one Welsh name after another, and had to admit my ignorance
of the eminent men whose names he had at his fingers' ends. Why, there
were no such clever men anywhere, according to his account, and yet I
knew not the name of any of them! At the same time I had come into
contact with some Welshmen who had made their mark in London. First on
my list is that of Caleb Morris, who preached in Fetter Lane Chapel, now
in a declining state, but at times filled with a large and very
respectable congregation. He was much given to discuss the objective and
subjective, a novelty to me at that time in pulpit discourse. The state
of his health latterly interfered with his pulpit success; and before he
died he had taken to preaching in a room in Mecklenburg Square, where a
large number of his admirers flocked to hear him. He was an amiable and
thoughtful man, universally esteemed. Another Welshman of whom I used to
know more was the Rev. Henry Richard, who was then a young man, preaching
with a great deal of fire, in the Congregational Chapel in the
Marlborough Road, on the other side of the water. He lived to become the
popular M.P. for Merthyr, and to be known all the world over as the
advocate of Peace. He was the secretary for many years of the Peace
Society. He became a successful platform speaker, and his speeches were
full of a humour which always told at public meetings. Short and sturdy
in build, he was always fit for work, and had a long and laborious public
life. He was a Welshman to the core--always ready with his pen or tongue
to do battle for his native land when aspersed by ignorant or partisan
writers, and he did much to help on the Liberation Society, being after
a