Price, Thomas

Price, Thomas one of the most distinguished Welsh scholars of his age, was born Oct. 2, 1787, at Pencaerelin, in the parish of Llanafan Fawr, near Builth, in Brecknockshire. His father, the Rev. Rice Price, originally a stonemason, at the age of seventeen formed an attachment to Mary Bower, the descendant of a long line of clergymen; acquired, by incessant diligence and frugality, the means of attending the college-school at Brecknock; and finally obtained ordination from the bishop of St. Davids, and, in 1784, the hand he sought, after a courtship of twenty years. He was so fortunate as afterwards to be presented to three livings; but his income, like that of some other Welsh pluralists, was never believed to exceed fifty pounds a year. He had two sons, both of whom were brought up to the Church, the elder taking his degree at Oxford, while the second, Thomas, was obliged to finish his studies at the college of Brecknock. Welsh was the language the two boys heard constantly in the family; English they acquired at their second school; the elements of Latin and Greek were learned subsequently; and, from some French officers who were prisoners of war at Brecknock, Thomas acquired an excellent knowledge of French. In 1812 he received holy orders, and in 1825, after performing for thirteen years the duties of various curacies near Crickhowel, he was appointed to the vicarage of Cwmdu. This was his last preferment. The rest of his life was passed in historical and archaeological studies of his country. He was regarded by his countrymen as one of the most accomplished champions of the Welsh language and literature. He died at Cwmdu Nov. 7, 1848. His writings are not of special interest to theological readers. Many of his English compositions are collected under the title of Literary Remains of the Rev. Thomas Price, with a Memoir by Jane Williams (Llandovery, 1854-55, 2 vols. 8vo). A memoir of Price is found in the Lond. Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 1849, p. 212; see also Engl. Cyclop. s.v.