Before citing these specimens, we may premise that if any of our readers should be acquainted with the Welsh language, they will immediately perceive how probable it is that the blunders described should have been committed by an Englishman trying to read Welsh, or rather, how next to impossible it is that he should not have committed some of them.
'Bishop Burgess, in pronouncing the blessing in Welsh, used to say, "The peace of God which passeth all vengeance." "Tangnefedd Duw yr hwn sydd uwchlaw pob _dial_."
'A clergyman of the name of Lewis preached at Chapel Colman, and while speaking of man's depravity, said, "Every man is exceedingly _tall_ by nature." "Y mae pob dyn yn _dal_ iawn wrth natur." He meant to say blind--yn _ddall_. The little men in the congregation looked at each other with great astonishment, and seemed to question the truth of the statement. I was present at the time, and heard this as well as other mistakes.
'The same clergyman, while officiating at Llandygwydd, committed the following blunder:--He made "Hail, King of the Jews," to mean "_An old cow of straw, King of Ireland_." "Hen fuwch wellt, Brenhin yr Ywerddon."
'Another, reading the words, "These things are good and profitable unto men," gave them this meaning, "These graves are good and wordly to men." "I beddau hin si da a bydol i dinion."
'Another Anglo-Welsh clergyman, in his sermon quoting the words, "but the righteous into life eternal," gave them the following sense, "but to some chickens the food of the geese"--"ond i rai cywion fwyd y gwyddau."
'A. B. officiating at ---- and reading the words, "let us here make three tabernacles," was understood to say, "let us here make three _pans_, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." "Gwnawn yma dair _padell_."
'A clergyman in the county of Pembroke, while reading the funeral service, made it to say, "it is sown the body of a _beast_." "Efe a hoir yn gorph _anifail_."
'A late dean in North Wales, in repeating the following beautiful lines,
"Ymddyrcha o Dduw'r nef uwch ben, Daear ac wybren hefyd,"
"Be thou exalted, O God of heaven, above the earth and firmament," gave them the following interpretation:--
"_Arise O God above the head Of two hens and the crows egg also_."