David Williams
75Another schoolmaster under Griffith Jones, and a maker of sacred songs
also, was DAVID WILLIAMS,
who was born near Llandovery, in the year 1718;
and died October 1, 1794, at Llandilo-fach, in the
county of Glamorgan. Very little is known of
him; and it seems probable that still less would
be known, were it not for the severity of his
domestic trials. His wife was an advanced, pupil
of the school of Xantippe; and her violent temper
kept the poet's sensitive spirit in exquisite torment.
Among other troubles, he had to change his
denomination on her account. But whatever of
that, as in the case of another sweet singer who
had to practise 'on an evil spirit,' his harp lost
none of its tenderness of devotion. Some of his
verses rank among the best in Welsh hymnology;
and one especially is known wherever the Welsh
tongue is spoken. He has not enclosed so much
systematic theology in his hymns as
Morgan Rhys:
rather is he the minstrel of the mortal strife of
men, with their sorrow and joy and divine endeavour.
Many a troubled soul can join him in this
remonstrance with doubt:
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