IN ACCEPTING THE DEDICATION OF THE WORK,

TO ALONE FURTHER THE VIEWS AND ENCOURAGE THE LITERARY

ASPIRATIONS OF THE WRITER,

THIS VOLUME,

BY HIS LORDSHIP'S PERMISSION,

IS DEDICATED,

WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF RESPECTFUL ADMIRATION OF HIS

TALENT AND WORTH,

BY HIS LORDSHIP'S OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

DEATH OF SAUL.

PRIZE POEM.

WREXHAM NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD, 1876.

"The Vicar of Wrexham delivered his award on the 28 poems in English or
Welsh, on 'The Death of Saul' ('_Marwolaeth Saul_'). The prize 5
pounds 5s. was given by Dr. Williams, Chairman of the Committee, and a
gold medal was given by the Committee. The Vicar said the best
composition was an English poem, signed 'David.' It was written in a
style well adapted to the subject, in language dignified and sonorous,
with not a little of the rhythmic cadence of Paradise Lost. It was
real poetry; suggestive, and at times deeply impressive--the poetry of
thought and culture, not of mere figure and fancy, and it was well
calculated to do honour to its author, and to the National Eisteddfod
of Wales. 'David' was among his fellow-competitors as Saul was amongst
his brethren, higher than any of them from his shoulders upwards, and
to him he awarded the prize which his poem well deserved."

HISTORICAL NOTE.

The design followed out in the succeeding poem has been to touch upon
the leading historical incidents of Saul's career that lead up to and
explain his tragic death on Mount Gilboa. With him, nearly 3,000 years
ago, commenced the Monarchical government of the Israelites, who had
previously been governed by a Theocracy. The Prophet Samuel, who
anointed Saul, was the last of the High Priests or Judges under this
Theocracy, which existed for 800 years, and died out with the
acceptance of Saul, by the Israelites, as "King of all the tribes of
Israel." The incidents touched upon range from the proclamation of
Saul as King, by Samuel (1095 B.C.), to the fall of the hapless Monarch
at the battle of Gilboa, 40 years afterwards.

Death of Saul

As through the waves the freighted argosy
Securely plunges, when the lode star's light
Her path makes clear, and as, when angry clouds
Obscure the guide that leads her on her way,
She strikes the hidden rock and all is lost,
So he of whom I sing--favoured of God,
By disobedience dimmed the light divine
That shone with bright effulgence like