Thomas Pennant to William Owen [Pughe], 11 April 179[?2]

Mr Owen

Doctor Williams did me the favor of calling but spoke so low that I could not understand the object of the business. He talked of having my name to the plan about the Padoucas. I would chearfully give it, if that is all: but if it follow’d by correspondencies, meetings or any trouble I must decline. I am now 65.This suggests a date of 1791 for this letter, but a number of factors argue for a date of 1792. The Bull-Pennant correspondence suggests that Pennant was not in London in April 1790 (1129 (7 April 1791) shows him instructing Bull to get a print from London portrait print dealer William Richardson and in 1131 (16 April 1791) he is busily involved with extra-illustrating at home in Downing). In 1792, on the other hand, he reports on 13 March (1151) that 'We are now forty miles on our way to town' and names 'No. 5 George Street Hanover Square' as his address, noting that 'we shall not reach it till Friday' (which would have been 16 March 1792); and in a letter of 8 & 9 May (1152) is making arrangements for Bull to visit him there in two days' time. Of the two publications by Williams regarding the discovery of America by Madog, the second, Farther observations, seems more attuned to the contents of this letter by Pennant. It mentions the Padoucas several times (whereas the earlier publication makes no mention at all of them), and appears, in its preface, to be urging the need for sending people out to explore the premise that Welsh, and Welsh-speaking Indians, were alive on the north American continent. See Farther observations, on the discovery of America, by Prince Madog ab Owen Gwynedd, about the year, 1170 (London: J. Brown, 1792), pp. iii–iv. April 1792 was the period of the formation of the Madogeion Society, in which Pughe was highly influential, and the content of this letter from Pennant to Pughe may well reflect the bustle surrounding that project. Carr, William Owen Pughe, pp. 41–2; NLW 9072E, p. 255. & so oppressed with engagements that I can undertake nothing more: so far from that, I am daily lessening my literary businesses. I beg to see you by yourself any morning about 8: When I shall be glad to hear the extent of the plan. I am

yr sincere well wisher T. Pennant no 5: George street Hannover sq. April 11th.