CHAPTER XLV.

GAELIC LITERATURE, LANGUAGE, AND MUSIC.

BY THE REV. THOMAS MACLAUCHLAN, LL.D., F.S.A.S.

Extent of Gaelic literature--Claims of Ireland--Circumstances adverse to preservation of Gaelic literature--“The Lament of Deirdre”--“The Children of Usnoth”--“The Book of Deer”--The Legend of Deer--The memoranda of grants--The “Albanic Duan” --“Muireadhach Albannach”--Gaelic charter of 1408--Manuscripts of the 15th century--“The Dean of Lismore’s Book”--Macgregor, Dean of Lismore--“Ursgeul”--“Bas Dhiarmaid”--Ossian’s Eulogy on Fingal--Macpherson’s Ossian--“Fingal”--Cuchullin’s chariot--“Temora” --Smith’s “Sean Dana”--Ossianic collections--Fingal’s address to Oscar--Ossian’s address to the setting sun--John Knox’s Liturgy --Kirk’s Gaelic Psalter--Irish Bible--Shorter Catechism--Confession of Faith--Gaelic Bible--Translations from the English--Original prose writings--Campbell’s Ancient Highland Tales--“Maol A Chliobain”--“The man in the tuft of wool”--Alexander Macdonald --Macintyre--Modern poetry--School-books--The Gaelic language --Gaelic music.

The literature of the Highlands, although not extensive, is varied, and has excited not a little interest in the world of letters. The existing remains are of various ages, carrying us back, in the estimation of some writers, to the second century, while contributions are making to it still, and are likely to be made for several generations.

It has been often said that the literature of the Celts of Ireland was much more extensive than that of the Celts of Scotland--that the former were in fact a more literary people--that the ecclesiastics, and medical men, and historians (_seanachies_) of Scotland had less culture than those of the sister island, and that they must be held thus to have been a stage behind them in civilisation and progress. Judging by the remains which exist, there seems to be considerable ground for such a conclusion. Scotland can produce nothing like the MS. collections in possession of Trinity College Dublin, or the Royal Irish Academy. There are numerous fragments of considerable value in the Advocates’ Library, Edinburgh, and in the hands of private parties throughout Scotland, but there is nothing to compare with the Book of Lecan, _Leabhar na h-uidhre_, and the other remains of the ancient literary culture of Ireland, which exist among the collections now brought together in Dublin; nor with such remains of what is called Irish scholarship as are to be found in Milan, Brussels, and other places on the continent of Europe.

At the same time there is room for questioning how far the claims of Ireland to the whole of that literature are good. Irish scholars are not backward in pressing the claims of their own country to everything of any interest that may be called Celtic. If we acquiesce in these claims, Scotland will be left without a shred of aught which she can call her own in the way of Celtic literature; and there is a class of Scottish scholars who, somewhat more generous than discriminating, have been disposed to acquiesce but too readily in those claims. We have our doubts as to Ireland having furnished Scotland with its Gaelic population, and we have still stronger doubts as to Ireland having been the source of all the Celtic literature which she claims. A certain class of writers are at once prepared to allow that the Bobbio MSS. and those other continental Gaelic MSS. of which Zeuss has made such admirable use in his _Grammatica Celtica_, are all Irish, and they are taken as illustrative alike of the zeal and culture of the early Irish Church. And yet there is no evidence of such being the case. The language certainly is not Irish, nor are the names of such of the writers as are usually associated with the writings. Columbanus, the founder of the Bobbio Institution, may have been an Irishman, but he may have been a Scotchman. He may have gone from Durrow, but he may have gone from Iona. The latter was no less famous than the former, and had a staff of men quite as remarkable. We have authentic information regarding its ancient history. It sent out Aidan to Northumberland, and numerous successors after him, and there is much presumptive evidence that many of these early missionaries took their departure from Scotland, and carried with them their Scottish literature to the Continent of Europe. And the language of the writers is no evidence to the contrary. In so far as the Gaelic was written at this early period, the dialect used was common to Ireland and Scotland. To say that a work is Irish because written in what is called the Irish dialect is absurd. There was no such thing as an Irish dialect. The written language of the whole Gaelic race was long the same throughout, and it would have been impossible for any man to have said to which of the sections into which that race was divided any piece of writing belonged. This has long been evident to men who have made a study of the question, but recent relics of Scottish Gaelic which have come to light, and have been published, put the matter beyond a doubt. Mr Whitley Stokes, than whom there is no better authority, has said of a passage in the “Book of Deer” that the language of it is identical with that of the MSS. which form the basis of the learned grammar of Zeuss: and there can be no doubt that the “Book of Deer” is of Scottish authorship. It is difficult to convince Irish scholars of this, but it is no less true on that account. Indeed, what is called the Irish dialect has been employed for literary purposes in Scotland down to a recent period, the first book in the vernacular of the Scottish Highlands having been printed so lately as the middle of last century. And it is important to observe that this literary dialect, said to be Irish, is nearly as far apart from the ordinary Gaelic vernacular of Ireland as it is from that of Scotland.

But besides this possibility of having writings that are really Scottish counted as Irish from their being written in the same dialect, the Gaelic literature of Scotland has suffered from other causes. Among these were the changes in the ecclesiastical condition of the country which took place from time to time. First of all there was the change which took place under the government of Malcolm III. (Ceann-mor) and his sons, which led to the downfall of the ancient Scottish Church, and the supplanting of it by the Roman Hierarchy. Any literature existing in the 12th century would have been of the older church, and would have little interest for the institution which took its place. That there was such a literature is obvious from the “Book of Deer,” and that it existed among all the institutions of a like kind in Scotland is a fair and reasonable inference from the existence and character of that book. Why this is the only fragment of such a literature remaining is a question of much interest, which may perhaps be solved by the fact that the clergy of the later church could have felt little interest in preserving the memorials of a period which they must have been glad to have seen passed away. Then the Scottish Reformation and the rise of the Protestant Church, however favourable to literature, would not have been favourable to the preservation of such literature. The old receptacles of such writings were broken up, and their contents probably destroyed or dispersed, as associated with what was now felt to be a superstitious worship. There is reason to believe that the Kilbride collection of MSS. now in the Advocates’ Library, and obtained from the family of Maclachlan of Kilbride, was to some extent a portion of the old library of Iona, one of the last Abbots of which was a Ferquhard M’Lachlan.

Besides these influences, unfavourable to the preservation of the ancient literature of the Scottish Highlands, we have the fierce raid of Edward I. of England into the country, and the carrying away of all the national muniments. Some of these were in all probability Gaelic. A Gaelic king and a Gaelic kingdom were then things not long past in Scotland; and seeing they are found elsewhere, is there not reason to believe that among them were lists of Scottish and Pictish kings, and other documents of historical importance, such as formed the basis of those Bardic addresses made by the royal bards to the kings on the occasion of their coronation? These might have been among the records afterwards intended to be returned to Scotland, and which perished in the miserable shipwreck of the vessel that bore them. These causes may account for the want of a more extensive ancient Celtic literature in Scotland, and for the more advantageous position occupied in this respect by Ireland. Ireland neither suffered from the popular feeling evoked at the Reformation, nor from the spoliations of an Edward of England, as Scotland did. And hence the abundant remains still existing of a past literature there.

And yet Scotland does not altogether want an ancient Celtic literature, and the past few years have done much to bring it to light. It is not impossible that among our public libraries and private repositories relics may be still lying of high interest and historical value, and which more careful research may yet bring into view. The Dean of Lismore’s book has only been given to the world within the last six years, and more recently still we have the “Book of Deer,” a relic of the 11th or 12th century.

On taking a survey of this literature, it might be thought most natural to commence with the Ossianic remains, both on account of the prominence which they have received and the interest and controversy they have excited, and also because they are held by many to have a claim to the highest antiquity,--to be the offspring of an age not later than the 2d or 3d century. But it is usual to associate literature with writing, and as the Gaelic language has been a written one from a very early period, we think it best to keep up this association, and to take up the written remains of the language as nearly as may be in their chronological order. The first of these to which reference may be made is

THE LAMENT OF DEIRDRE.

This poem is found in a MS. given to the Highland Society by Lord Bannatyne, and now in the archives of the Advocates’ Library. The date of the MS. is 1208, but there is every reason to believe that the poem is of much higher antiquity. The preserved copy bears to have been written at Glenmasan, a mountain valley in the parish of Dunoon, in Cowal. The MS. contains other fragments of tales in prose, but we shall refer only to the poetical story of Deirdre, or, as it is usually called in Gaelic, “Dàn Chloinn Uisneachain.” The tale is a famous one in the Highlands, and the heroes of it, the sons of Usnoth, have given name to Dun Mhac Uisneachain, or Dun Mac Sniochain, said to be the Roman _Beregonium_, in the parish of Ardchattan in Argyleshire. We give the following version of the poem as it appears in the Report of the Highland Society on the Poems of Ossian (p. 298).

_Do dech Deardir ar a héise ar crichibh Alban, agus ro chan an Laoidh_--

Inmain tir in tir ud thoir, Alba cona lingantaibh Nocha tiefuinn eisdi ille Mana tisain le Naise. Inmain Dun Fidhgha is Dun Finn Inmain in Dun os a cinn Inmain Inis Draignde Is inmain Dun Sùibnei. Caill cuan gar tigeadh Ainnle mo nuar Fagair lim ab bitan Is Naise an oirear Alban. Glend Laidh do chollain fan mboirmin caoimh Iasg is sieng is saill bruich Fa hi mo chuid an Glend laigh. Glend masain ard a crimh geal a gasain Do nimais colladh corrach Os Inbhhar mungach Masain. Glend Eitchi ann do togbhus mo ched tigh Alaind a fidh iar neirghe Buaile grene Ghlind eitchi. Mo chen Glend Urchaidh Ba hedh in Glend direach dromchain Uallcha feara aoisi ma Naise An Glend Urchaidh. Glend da ruadh Mo chen gach fear da na dual Is binn guth cuach Ar cracib chruim Ar in mbinn os Glenndaruadh Inmain Draighen is tren traigh Inmain Auichd in ghainimh glain Nocha tiefuin eisde anoir Mana tisuinn lem Inmain.

_English Translation._

_Deirdre looked back on the land of Alban, and sung this lay_:--

Beloved is that eastern land, Alba (Scotland), with its lakes. Oh that I might not depart from it, Unless I were to go with Naos! Beloved is Dunfigha and Dunlin. Beloved is the Dun above it. Beloved is Inisdraiyen (Imstrynich?), And beloved is Dun Sween. The forest of the sea to which Ainnle would come, alas! I leave for ever, And Naos, on the sea-coast of Alban. Glen Lay (Glen Luy?), I would sleep by its gentle murmur. Fish and venison, and the fat of meat boiled, Such would be my food in Glen Lay. Glenmasan! High is its wild garlic, fair its branches. I would sleep wakefully Over the shaggy Invermasan. Glen Etive! in which I raised my first house, Delightful were its groves on rising When the sun struck on Glen Etive. My delight was Glen Urchay; It is the straight vale of many ridges. Joyful were his fellows around Naos In Glen Urchay. Glendaruadh (Glendaruel?), My delight in every man who belongs to it. Sweet is the voice of the cuckoo On the bending tree, Sweet is it above Glendaruadh. Beloved is Drayen of the sounding shore! Beloved is Avich (Dalavich?) of the pure sand. Oh that I might not leave the east Unless it were to come along with me! Beloved--

There is some change in the translation as compared with that given in the Highland Society’s Report, the meaning, however, being nearly identical in both. The tale to which this mournful lyric is attached,--the story of the children of Usnoth and their sad fate, bears that Conor was king of Ulster. Visiting on one occasion the house of Feilim, his _seanachie_, Feilim’s wife, was delivered of a daughter while the king was in the house. Cathbad the Druid, who was present, prophesied that many disasters should befall Ulster on account of the child then born. The king resolved to bring her up as his own future wife, and for this end enclosed her in a tower where she was excluded from all intercourse with men, except her tutor, her nurse, and an attendant called Lavarcam. It happened that in the course of time, by means of this Lavarcam, she came to see Naos, the son of Usnoth. She at once formed a warm affection for him; the affection was reciprocated, and Naos and Deirdre, by which name the young woman was called, fled to Scotland, accompanied by Ainle and Ardan, the brothers of Naos. Here they were kindly received by the king, and had lands given them for their support. It is not unlikely that these lands were in the neighbourhood of Dun Mhac Uisneachain in Lorn. Here they lived long and happily. At length Conor desired their return, and sent a messenger to Scotland, promising them welcome and security in Ireland if they would but return. Deirdre strongly objected, fearing the treachery of Conor, but she was overruled by the urgency of her husband and his brothers. They left Scotland, Deirdre composing and singing the above mournful lay. In Ireland they were at first received with apparent kindness, but soon after the house in which they dwelt was surrounded by Conor and his men, and after deeds of matchless valour the three brothers were put to death, in defiance of Conor’s pledge. The broken hearted Deirdre cast herself on the grave of Naos and died, having first composed and sung a lament for his death. This is one of the most touching in the catalogue of Celtic tales; and it is interesting to observe the influence it exerted over the Celtic mind by its effect upon the topographical nomenclature of the country. There are several Dun Deirdres to be found still. One is prominent in the vale of the Nevis, near Fortwilliam, and another occupies the summit of a magnificent rock overhanging Loch Ness, in Stratherrick. Naos, too, has given his name to rocks, and woods, and lakes ranging from Ayrshire to Inverness-shire, but the most signal of all is the great lake which fills the eastern portion of the Caledonian valley, Loch Ness. The old Statistical Account of Inverness states that the name of this lake was understood to be derived from some mythical person among the old Celts; and there can be little doubt that the person was Naos. The lake of Naos (_Naise_ in the genitive), lies below, and overhanging it is the Tower of Deirdre. The propinquity is natural, and the fact is evidence of the great antiquity of the tale.

There are other MSS. of high antiquity in existence said to be Scotch; but it is sufficient to refer for an account of these to the Appendix to the Report of the Highland Society on the Poems of Ossian, an account written by an admirable Celtic scholar, Dr Donald Smith, the brother of Dr John Smith of Campbeltown, so distinguished in the same field.

The next relic of Celtic literature to which we refer is

THE BOOK OF DEER.

This is a vellum MS. of eighty-six folios, about six inches long by three broad, discovered in the University Library of Cambridge, by Mr Bradshaw, the librarian of the University. It had belonged to a distinguished collector of books, Bishop Moore of Norwich, and afterwards of Ely, whose library was presented to the University more than a century ago. The chief portion of the book is in Latin, and is said to be as old as the 9th century. This portion contains the Gospel of St John, and portions of the other three Gospels. The MS. also contains part of an Office for the visitation of the sick, and the Apostles’ Creed. There is much interest in this portion of the book as indicative of the state of learning in the Celtic Church at the time. It shows that the ecclesiastics of that Church kept pace with the age in which they lived, that they knew their Bible, and could both write and read in Latin. The MS. belonged to a Culdee establishment, and is therefore a memorial of the ancient Celtic Church. It is a pity that we possess so few memorials of that Church, convinced as we are that, did we know the truth, many of the statements made regarding it by men of a different age, and belonging to a differently constituted ecclesiastical system, would be found to be unsupported by the evidence. It is strange that if the Culdee establishments were what many modern writers make them to have been, they should have had so many tokens of their popularity as this volume exhibits; and we know well that that Church did not fall before the assaults of a hostile population, but before those of a hostile king.

But the more interesting portion of the _Book of Deer_, in connection with our inquiry, will be found in the Gaelic entries on the margin and in the vacant spaces of the volume. These have all been given to the world in the recent publication of portions of the book by the Spalding Club, under the editorship of Dr John Stuart. Celtic scholars are deeply indebted to the Spalding Club for this admirable publication, and although many of them will differ from the editor in some of the views which he gives in his accompanying disquisitions, and even in some of the readings of the Gaelic, they cannot but feel indebted to him for the style in which he has furnished them with the original, for it is really so, in the plates which the volume contains. On these every man can comment for himself and form his own inferences. We have given ours in this MS.

THE LEGEND OF DEER.

Columcille acusdrostán mac cosgreg adálta tangator áhi marroalseg día doíb goníc abbordobóir acusbéde cruthnec robomormær bûchan aragínn acusessé rothídnaíg dóib ingathráig sáin insaere gobraíth ómormaer acusóthóséc. tangator asááthle sen incathráig ele acusdoráten ricolumcille sì iàrfallán dórath dé acusdorodloeg arinmormær i bédé gondas tabràd dó acusníthárat acusrogab mac dó galár iarnéré naglerêc acusrobomaréb act mádbec iarsén dochuíd inmormaer dattác naglerec gondendæs ernaede les inmac gondisád slánté dó acusdórat inedbaírt doíb uácloic intiprat goníce chlóic petti mic garnáit doronsat innernaede acustanic slante dó; larsén dorat collumcille dódrostan inchadráig sén acusrosbenact acusforacaib imbrether gebe tisaid ris nabad blienec buadacc tangator deara drostán arscartháin fri collumcille rolaboir columcille bedeár áním ó húnn ímácé.

_English Translation._

Columcille and Drostan, son of Cosgreg, his pupil, came from I as God revealed to them to Aberdour, and Bede the Pict was Mormaor of Buchan before them, and it was he who gifted to them that town in freedom for ever from mormaor and toiseach. After that they came to another town, and it pleased Columcille, for it was full of the grace of God, and he asked it of the Mormaor, that is Bede, that he would give it to him, and he would not give it, and a son of his took a sickness after refusing the clerics, and he was dead but a little. After that the Mormaor went to entreat of the clerics that they would make prayer for the son that health might come to him, and he gave as an offering to them from Cloch an tiprat (the stone of the well) as far as Cloch Pit mac Garnad (the stone of Pitmacgarnad). They made the prayer, and health came to him. After that Collumcille gave that town to Drostan, and he blessed it, and left the word, Whosoever comes against it, let him not be long-lived or successful. Drostan’s tears came (Deara) on separating from Collumcille. Collumcille said, Let Deer (Tear) be its name from hence forward.

Such is the legend of the foundation of the old monastery of Deer, as preserved in this book, and written probably in the twelfth century. It was in all probability handed down from the close of the sixth or from a later period, but it must not be forgotten that a period of six hundred years had elapsed between the events here recorded and the record itself as it appears. It is hard to say whether Columba ever made this expedition to Buchan, or whether Drostan, whose name is in all likelihood British, lived in the time of Columba. The Aberdeen Breviary makes him nephew of the saint, but there is no mention of him in this or any other connection by early ecclesiastical writers, and there is every reason to believe that he belonged to a later period. It was of some consequence at this time to connect any such establishment as that at Deer with the name of Columba. There is nothing improbable in its having been founded by Drostan.

It is interesting to observe several things which are brought to light by this legend of the twelfth century. It teaches us what the men of the period believed regarding the sixth. The ecclesiastics of Deer believed that their own institution had been founded so early as the sixth century, and clearly that they were the successors of the founders. If this be true, gospel light shone among the Picts of Buchan almost as soon as among the people of Iona. It has been maintained that previous to Columba’s coming to Scotland the country had felt powerfully the influence of Christianity,[96] and the legend of Deer would seem to corroborate the statement. From the palace of Brude the king, in the neighbourhood of Inverness, on to the dwelling of the Mormaor, or Governor of Buchan, Christianity occupied the country so early as the age of Columba. But this is a legend, and must not be made more of than it is worth. Then this legend gives us some view of the civil policy of the sixth century, as the men of the twelfth viewed it. The chief governor of Buchan was Bede, the same name with that of the venerable Northumbrian historian of the eighth century. He is simply designated as Cruthnec (Cruithneach) or the Pict. Was this because there were other inhabitants in the country besides Picts at the time, or because they were Picts in contrast with the people of that day? The probability is, that these writers of the twelfth century designated Bede as a Pict, in contradistinction to themselves, who were probably of Scotic origin. Then the names in this document are of interest. Besides that of Bede, we have Drostan and Cosgreg, his father, and Garnaid. Bede, Drostan, Cosgreg, and Garnaid, are names not known in the Gaelic nomenclature of Scotland or Ireland. And there are names of places, Aberdobhoir, known as Aberdour to this day, Buchan also in daily use, Cloch in tiprat not known now, and Pit mac garnaid also become obsolete. Aberdobhoir (Aberdwfr) is purely a British name; Buchan, derived from the British _Bwch_, a cow, is also British; Pit mac garnaid, with the exception of the Mac, is not Gaelic, so that the only Gaelic name in the legend is Cloch in tiprat, a merely descriptive term. This goes far to show what the character of the early topography of Scotland really is.

Then there is light thrown upon the civil arrangements of the Celtic state. We read nothing of chiefs and clans, but we have Mormaors (great officers), and Toiseachs (leaders), the next officer in point of rank, understood to be connected with the military arrangements of the country, the one being the head of the civil and the other of the military organisation. At this time there was a Celtic kingdom in Scotland, with a well established and well organised government, entirely different from what appears afterwards under the feudal system of the Anglo-Saxons, when the people became divided into clans, each under their separate chiefs, waging perpetual war with each other. Of all this the Book of Deer cannot and does not speak authoritatively, but it indicates the belief of the twelfth century with regard to the state of the sixth.

The farther Gaelic contents of the Book of Deer are notices of grants of land conferred by the friends of the institution. None of these are real charters, but the age of charters had come, and it was important that persons holding lands should have some formal title to them. Hence the notices of grants inscribed on the margin of this book, all without date, save that there is a copy of a Latin charter of David I., who began his reign in the year 1124.

The _memoranda_ of grants to the monastery are in one case headed with the following blessing--_Acus bennact inchomded arcecmormar acusarcectosech chomallfas acusdansil daneis_. “And the blessing of the one God on every governor and every leader who keeps this, and to their seed afterwards.” The first grant recorded follows immediately after the legend given above. It narrates that Comgeall mac eda gave from Orti to Furene to Columba and to Drostan; that Moridach M’Morcunn gave Pit mac Garnait and Achad toche temni, the former being Mormaor and the latter Toiseach. Matain M’Caerill gave a Mormaor’s share in Altin (not Altere, as in the Spalding Club’s edition), and Culn (not Culii) M’Batin gave the share of a Toiseach. Domnall M’Giric and Maelbrigte M’Cathail gave Pett in muilenn to Drostan. Cathal M’Morcunt gave Achad naglerech to Drostan. Domnall M’Ruadri and Malcolum M’Culeon gave Bidbin to God and to Drostan. Malcolum M’Cinatha (Malcolm the Second) gave a king’s share in Bidbin and in Pett M’Gobroig, and two davachs above Rosabard. Malcolum M’Mailbrigte gave the Delerc. Malsnecte M’Luloig gave Pett Malduib to Drostan. Domnall M’Meic Dubhacin sacrificed every offering to Drostan. Cathal sacrificed in the same manner his Toiseach’s share, and gave the food of a hundred every Christmas, and every Pasch to God and to Drostan. Kenneth Mac meic Dobarcon and Cathal gave Alterin alla from Te (Tigh) na Camon as far as the birch tree between the two Alterins. Domnall and Cathal gave Etdanin to God and to Drostan. Cainneach and Domnall and Cathal sacrificed all these offerings to God and to Drostan from beginning to end free, from Mormaors and from Toiseachs to the day of judgment.

It will be observed that some of the words in this translation are different from those given in the edition of the Spalding Club. Some of the readings in that edition, notwithstanding its general accuracy, are doubtful. In the case of _uethe na camone_, unless the _ue_ is understood as standing for _from_, there is no starting point at all in the passage describing the grant. Besides, we read Altin allend, as the name of Altin or Alterin in another grant. This seems to have escaped the notice of the learned translator.

These grants are of interest for various reasons. We have first of all the names of the grantees and others, as the names common during the twelfth and previous centuries, for these grants go back to a period earlier than the reign of Malcolm the Second, when the first change began to take place in the old Celtic system of polity. We have such names as _Comgeall Mac Eda_, probably _Mac Aoidh_, or, as spelt now in English, Mackay; _Moridach M’Morcunn_ (_Morgan_), or, as now spelt, M’Morran; _Matain M’Caerill_, Matthew M’Kerroll; _Culn M’Batin_, Colin M’Bean; _Domhnall M’Girig_, Donald M’Erig (Gregor or Eric?); _Malbrigte M’Cathail_, Gilbert M’Kail; _Cathal M’Morcunt_, Cathal M’Morran; _Domhnall M’Ruadri_, Donald M’Rory; _Malcolum M’Culeon_, Malcolm M’Colin; _Malcolum M’Cinnatha_, Malcolm M’Kenneth, now M’Kenzie. This was king Malcolm the Second, whose Celtic designation is of the same character with that of the other parties in the notice. _Malcolum M’Mailbrigte_, Malcolm M’Malbride; the nearest approach to the latter name in present use is Gilbert. Malsnecte M’Luloig, _Malsnechta M’Lulaich_. The former of these names is obsolete, but M’Lullich is known as a surname to this day. Domnall M’Meic Dubhacin (not Dubbacin), the latter name not known now. The name _Dobharcon_ is the genitive of _Dobharcu_, an otter. The names of animals were frequently applied to men at the time among the Celts. The father of King Brude was _Mialchu_, a greyhound. _Loilgheach_ (Lulach), a man’s name, is in reality a milch cow.

The next set of grants entered on the margin of this remarkable record are as follows:--Donchad M’Meic Bead mec Hidid (probably the same with Eda, and therefore Aoidh), gave Acchad Madchor to Christ and to Drostan and to Columcille; Malechi and Comgell and Gillecriosd M’Fingun witnesses, and Malcoluim M’Molini. Cormac M’Cennedig gave as far as Scali merlec. Comgell M’Caennaig, the Toiseach of Clan Canan, gave to Christ and to Drostan and to Columcille as far as the Gortlie mor, at the part nearest to Aldin Alenn, from Dubuci to Lurchara, both hill and field free from Toiseachs for ever, and a blessing on those who observe, and a curse on those who oppose this.

The names here are different from those in the former entry, with few exceptions. They are Duncan, son of Macbeth, son of Hugh or Ay, Malachi, Comgall, Gilchrist M’Kinnon, and Malcolm M’Millan, Comgall M’Caennaig (M’Coinnich or M’Kenzie?) In this entry we have the place which is read Altere and Alterin by Mr Whitley Stokes. It is here entered as Aldin Alenn, as it is in a former grant entered as _Altin_. In no case is the _er_ written in full, so that Alterin is a guess. But there is no doubt that _Aldin Alenn_ and _Alterin alla_ are the same place. If it be _Alterin_ the _Alla_ may mean rough, stony, as opposed to a more level and smooth place of the same name. It will be observed that in this entry the name of a clan appears _Clande Canan_ (_Clann Chanain_). There was such a clan in Argyleshire who were treasurers of the Argyle family, and derived their name from the Gaelic _Càin_, a Tax. It is not improbable that the name in Buchan might have been applied to a family of hereditary tax-gatherers.

The next series of grants entered on the margin of the “Book of Deer” are as follows:--Colbain Mormaor of Buchan, and Eva, daughter of Gartnait, his wife, and Donnalic M’Sithig, the Toiseach of Clenni Morgainn, sacrificed all the offerings to God and to Drostan, and to Columcille, and to Peter the Apostle, from all the exactions made on a portion of four _davachs_, from the high monasteries of Scotland generally and the high churches. The witnesses are Brocein and Cormac, Abbot of Turbruaid, and Morgann M’Donnchaid, and Gilli Petair M’Donnchaid, and Malæchin, and the two M’Matni, and the chief men of Buchan, all as witnesses in Elain (Ellon).

The names in this entry are Colban, the mormaor, a name obsolete now--although it would seem to appear in M’Cubbin--Eva, and Gartnait. The former seems to have been the Gaelic form of Eve, and the latter, the name of Eva’s father, is gone out of use, unless it appear in M’Carthy--Donnalic (it is Donnachac, as transcribed in the edition of the Spalding Club), M’Sithig or Donnalic M’Keich, the surname well known still in the Highlands--_Brocein_, the little badger, _Cormac_, _Morgan_, _Gillepedair_, _Malæchin_, the servant of Eachainn or Hector, and _M’Matni_ or M’Mahon, the English Matheson. There is another instance here of a clan, the clan Morgan.

The most of these names must be understood merely as patronymic, the son called, according to the Celtic custom, after the name of his father. There is no reason to think that these were clan names in the usual sense. King Malcolm II. is called _Malcolum M’Cinnatha_, or Malcolm the son of Kenneth, but it would be sufficiently absurd to conclude that Malcolm was a Mackenzie. And yet there are two clans referred to in these remarkable records, the clan Canan and the clan Morgan. There is no reason to believe that either the Buchanans of Stirlingshire or of Argyleshire had any connection with the tribe of Canan mentioned here; but it is possible that the Mackays of the Reay country, whose ancient name was Clan Morgan, may have derived their origin from Buchan. It is interesting to observe that the Toiseachs are associated with these clans, _Comgell Mac Caennaig_ being called the _Toiseach_ of Clan Canan, and _Donnalic M’Sithig_ the _Toiseach_ of Clan Morgan, although neither of the men are designated by the clan name. It would seem that under the _Mormaors_ the family system existed and was acknowledged, the _Mormaor_ being the representative of the king, and the _Toiseach_ the head of the sept, who led his followers to battle when called upon to do so. At the same time the clan system would seem to have been in an entirely different condition from that to which it attained after the introduction of the feudal system, when the chiefs for the first time got feudal titles to their lands.

Many other inferences might be made from these interesting records. It is enough, however, to say that they prove beyond a question the existence of a literary culture and a social organisation among the ancient Celts for which they do not always get credit; and if such a book existed at Deer, what reason is there to doubt that similar books were numerously dispersed over the other ecclesiastical institutions of the country?

There is one curious entry towards the close of the MS.--“_Forchubus caichduini imbia arrath in lebran colli. aratardda bendacht foranmain in truagan rodscribai_ ... 7,” which is thus translated by Mr Whitley Stokes:--“Be it on the conscience of every one in whom shall be for grace the booklet with splendour: that he give a blessing on the soul of the wretchock who wrote it.”

This is probably the true meaning of the Gaelic. But the original might be rendered in English by the following translation:--“Let it be on the conscience of each man in whom shall be for good fortune the booklet with colour, that he give a blessing on the soul of the poor one who wrote it.” _Rath_ is good fortune, and _li_ is colour, referring probably to the coloured portions of the writing, and _Truaghan_ is the Gaelic synonym of the “miserus” or “miserimus” of the old Celtic church. Mr Whitley Stokes, as quoted by Dr Stuart, says (p. lx), “In point of language this is identical with the oldest Irish glosses in Zeuss’ _Grammatica Celtica_.”

THE ALBANIC DUAN.

This relic of Celtic literature might have been taken as chronologically preceding the Book of Deer, but while portions of the latter are looked upon as having been written previous to the ninth century, the former, so far as we know, is of the age of Malcolm III. It is said to have been sung by the Gaelic bard of the royal house at the coronation of Malcolm. It is transcribed here as it appears in the _Chronicles of the Picts and Scots_, where it is given as copied from the M’Firbis MS. in the Royal Irish Academy:--

A eolcha Alban uile, A shluagh feuta foltbhuidhe, Cia ceud ghabhail, au còl duibh, Ro ghabhasdair Albanbruigh.

Albanus ro ghabh, lià a shlogh, Mac sen oirderc Isicon, Brathair is Briutus gan brath, O raitear Alba eathrach.

Ro ionnarb a brathair bras, Briutus tar muir n-Icht-n-amhnas, Ro gabh Briutus Albain ain, Go rinn fhiadhnach Fotudain.

Fota iar m-Briutus m-blaith, m-bil, Ro ghabhsad Clanna Nemhidh, Erglan iar teacht as a loing, Do aithle thoghla thuir Conuing.

Cruithnigh ros gabhsad iarttain, Tar ttiachtain a h-Erean-mhuigh, .X. righ tri fichid righ ran, Gabhsad diobh an Cruithean-chlar.

Cathluan an ced righ diobh-soin, Aisnedhfead daoibh go cumair, Rob e an righ degheanach dhibh An cur calma Cusaintin.

Clanna Eathach ina n-diaigh, Gabhsad Albain iar n-airdghliaidh, Clanna Conaire an chaomhfhir, Toghaidhe na treun Ghaoidhil.

Tri mec Erc mec Eachdach ait, Triar fuair beannachtair Patraice, Ghabhsad Albain, ard a n-gus, Loarn, Fearghus, is Aonghus.

Dech m-bliadhna Loarn, ler bladh, I fflaitheas Oirir Alban, Tar es Loarn fhel go n-gus, Seacht m-bliadhna ficheat Fearghus.

Domhangart mac d’Fheargus ard, Aireamh cuig m bliadhan m-biothgarg, A .XXXIIII. gan troid, Do Comghall mac Domhangoirt.

Da bhliadhan Conaing gan tair, Tar es Comhghaill do Gobhran, Ti bliadhna fo cuig gan roinn Ba ri Conall mac Comhghoill.

Cethre bliadhna ficheat tall Ba ri Aodhan na n-iol-rann, Dech m-bliadhna fo seacht seol n-gle, I fflaitheas Eathach buidhe.

Connchadh Cearr raithe, rel bladh, A .XVI. dia mac Fearchar, Tar es Ferchair, feaghaidh rainn, .XIIII. bliadhna Domhnaill.

Tar es Domhnaill bric na m-bla, Conall, Dunghall .X. m-bliadhna, .XIII. bliadhna Domhnaill duinn Tar es Dunghail is Chonail.

Maolduin mac Conaill na cereach A .XVII. do go dlightheach, Fearchair fadd, feagha leat, Do chaith bliadhain thar .XX.

Da bliadhain Eachdach na-n-each, Ro ba calma an ri rightheach, Aoin bhliadhain ba flaith iarttain, Ainceallach maith mac Fearchair.

Seachd m-bliadhna Dunghail dein, Acus a ceither do Ailpen, Tri bliadhna Muireadhiogh mhaith, .XXX. do Aodh na ardfhlaith.

A ceathair ficheat, nir fhann, Do bhliadhnaibh do chaith Domhnall, Da bhliadhain Conaill, cem n-gle, Is a ceathair Chonall ele.

Naoi m-bliadhna Cusaintin chain, A naoi Aongusa ar Albain, Cethre bliadhna Aodha ain, Is a tri deng Eoghanain.

Triocha bliadhain Cionaoith chruaidh, A ceathair Domhnall drechruaidh, .XXX. bliadhain co na bhrigh, Don churadh do Cusaintin.

Da bhliadhain, ba daor a dath, Da brathair do Aodh fhionnscothach, Domhnall mac Cusaintin chain, Ro chaith bliadhain fa cheathair.

Cusaintin ba calma a ghleac, Ro chaith a se is da fhicheat, Maolcoluim cethre bliadhna, Iondolbh a h-ocht airdriagla.

Seacht m-bliadhna Dubhod der. Acus a ceathair Cuilen, A .XXVII, os gach cloinn Do Cionaoth mac Maolcholuim.

Seacht m-bliadhna Cusaintin cluin Acus a ceathair Macdhuibh Triochadh bliadhain, breacaid rainn Ba ri Monaidh Maolcoluim.

Se bliadhna Donnchaid glain gaoith .XVII. bliadhna mac Fionnlaoich Tar es Mecbeathaidh go m-blaidh .vii mis i fflaithios Lughlaigh.

Maolcholuim anosa as ri, Mac Donnchaidh dhata dhrechbhi, A re nocha n-fidir neach, Acht an t-eolach as eolach A eolcha.

Da righ for chaogad, cluine, Go mac Donnchaidh drech ruire, Do shiol Erc ardghlain anoir, Gabhsad Albain, a eolaigh.

_English Translation._

Ye learned of Alban altogether Ye people shy, yellow-haired Which was the first invasion, do ye know That took the land of Alban?

Albanus took it, active his men, That famous son of Isacon, The brother of Briutus without guile From whom Alba of the ships is said.

Briutus banished his bold brother Over the stormy sea of Icht. Briutus took the beautiful Alban To the tempestuous promontory of Fotudan.

Long after Briutus the noble, the good, The race of Neimhidh took it, Erglan, after coming out of his ship After the destruction of the tower of Conaing.

The Cruithne took it after that On coming out of Erin of the plain, Seventy noble kings of them Took the Cruithnean plain.

Cathluan was the first king of them, I tell it you in order, The last king of them was The brave hero Constantine.

The children of Eochy after them Seized Alban after a great fight, The children of Conair, the gentle man, The choice of the brave Gael.

Three sons of Erc the son of Eochy the joyous, Three who got the blessing of Patrick, Seized Alban; great was their courage, Lorn, Fergus, and Angus.

Ten years to Lorn, by which was renown, In the sovereignty of Oirir Alban, After Lorn the generous and strong Seven and twenty years to Fergus.

Domangart, son of the great Fergus, Had the number of five terrible years. Twenty-four years without a fight Were to Comghall son of Domangart.

Two years of success without contempt After Comghall to Gobhran. Three years with five without division Was king Conall son of Comghall.

Four and twenty peaceful years Was king Aodhan of many songs. Ten years with seven, a true tale, In sovereignty Eochy buy.

Connchadh Cearr a quarter, star of renown, Sixteen years to his son Ferchar, After Ferchar, see the poems, Thirteen years to Donald.

After Donald breac of the shouts, Was Conall, Dungal ten years, Thirteen years Donald Donn After Dungal and Conall.

Maolduin, son of Conall of spoils, Seventeen years to him rightfully. Ferchar fadd, see you it Spent one year over twenty.

Two years was Eochy of steeds, Bold was the king of palaces. One year was king after that Aincellach the good, son of Ferchar.

Seven years was Dungal the impetuous, And four to Ailpin. Three years Murdoch the good, Thirty to Aodh as high chief.

Eighty, not feeble Years did Donald spend. Two years Conall, a noble course, And four another Conall.

Nine years Constantine the mild, Nine Angus over Alban, Four years the excellent Aodh, And thirteen Eoghanan.

Thirty years Kenneth the hardy, Four Donald of ruddy face, Thirty years with effect To the hero, to Constantine.

Two years, sad their complexion, To his brother Aodh the youthfully fair, Donald, son of Constantine the mild, Spent a year above four.

Constantine, bold was his conflict Spent forty and six. Malcolm four years. Indulf eight in high sovereignty.

Seven years Dubhoda the impetuous, And four Cuilen. And twenty-seven over all the tribes To Kenneth the son of Malcolm.

Seven years Constantine, listen, And four to Macduff, Thirty years, the verses mark it, Was king of Monaidh, Malcolm.

Six years was Duncan of pure wisdom, Seventeen years the son of Finlay, After him Macbeth with renown, Seven months in sovereignty Lulach.

Malcolm is now the king, Son of Duncan the yellow-coloured, His time knoweth no one But the knowing one who is knowing, Ye learned.

Two kings over fifty, listen, To the son of Duncan of coloured face, Of the seed of Erc the noble, in the east, Possessed Alban, ye learned.

Although this poem is given in Gaelic as it appears in the _Chronicles of the Picts and Scots_,[97] the English translation differs in some places. At p. 60 _Tri bliadhna fo cuig_[98] is translated by Mr Skene “three years five times,” while in the same page _dech m-bliadhna fo seacht_ is translated “ten years and seven.” There is no apparent ground for such a distinction. So in p. 61 _ceathar ficheat_, eighty, is translated “four and twenty,” which is at variance with the usus of the Gaelic language. The above translation seems the true one.

This poem is manifestly of great antiquity and of deep historical interest. Of the authorship little is known. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin.[99] This is possible, for judging by the synchronisms of Flann Mainistreach, the Irish seanachies were well informed on Scottish matters. But whether Irish or not, the whole poem refers to Scotland, and is entitled to a place among the Celtic remains of the country. It is our oldest and most authentic record of the Scottish kings, and in this respect commended itself to the regard of Pinkerton, who was no friend of anything that was creditable to the Celts or helped to establish their claims.

MUIREADHACH ALBANNACH.

The name of Muireadhach Albannach is well known among the literary traditions of Celtic Scotland. In a curious genealogy by Lachlan Mac Mhuireadhaich or Vuirich, usually called Lachlan M’Pherson, given in the Report of the Highland Society of Scotland on Ossian,[100] the said Lachlan traces his own genealogy back through eighteen generations to this Muireadhach or Murdoch of Scotland, and states that his ancestors were bards to M’Donald of Clanronald during the period. The original Murdoch was an ecclesiastic, and has probably given their name to the whole M’Pherson clan. There is a curious poetical dialogue given in the Dean of Lismore’s Book between him and Cathal Cròdhearg, King of Connaught, who flourished in the close of the 12th century, upon their entering at the same time on a monastic life. The poem would seem to show Murdoch to have been a man of high birth, while his own compositions are evidence both of his religious earnestness and his poetical talent. Until the publication of the Dean of Lismore’s book, it was not known that there were any remains of his compositions in existence, but that collection contains several, all on religious subjects. The following is a specimen of his composition, and of the Gaelic poetry of the 12th or 13th century:--

Mithich domh triall gu tigh Pharais, ’N uair a’ ghuin gun e soirbh. Cosnaim an tigh treun gun choire, Gun sgeul aig neach ’eil oirnn. Dean do sriuth ri do shagairt ’S coir cuimhne ach gu dlù umad ole. Na beir do thigh righ gun agh Sgeul a’s priomh ri agradh ort. Na dean folchainn a’d pheacadh, Ge grain ri innseadh a h-ole; Leigeadh de’d chuid an cleith diomhar, Mur be angair a gabhail ort. Dean do shith ris an luchd-dreuchd, Ge dona, ge anmhuinn le’d chor, Sguir ri’d lochd, do ghul dean domhain, Mu’m bi olc ri fhaighinn ort. Mairg a threigeadh tigh an Ardrigh, Aig ghràdh peacaidh, turagh an ni, An t-olc ni duine gu diomhair Iomadh an sin fiachan mu’n ghniomh. Aig so searmoin do shiol an Adhaimh, Mar shaoilim nach bheil se an bhreug, Fulang a bhais seal gu seachainn An fear nach domh gu’n teid. Fhir a cheannaich siol an Adhaimh D’fhuil, a cholla, ’us da chridhe, Air a reir gu’n deanadh sealga, Ger ge dian ri ’m pheacadh mi.

_English Translation._

’Tis time for me to go to the house of Paradise While this wound is not easily borne, Let me win this house, famous, faultless, While others can tell nought else of us. Confess thyself now to thy priest, Remember clearly all thy sins; Carry not to the house of the spotless King Aught that may thee expose to charge. Conceal not any of thy sins However hateful its evil to tell; Confess what has been done in secret, Lest thou expose thyself to wrath; Make thy peace now with the clergy That thou mayst be safe as to thy state; Give up thy sin, deeply repent, Lest its guilt be found in thee. Woe to him forsook the great King’s house For love of sin, sad is the deed; The sin a man commits in secret Much is the debt his sin incurs. This is a sermon for Adam’s race, I think I’ve nothing said that’s false, Though men may death for a time avoid, ’Tis true they can’t at length escape. Thou who hast purchased Adam’s race, Their blood, their body, and their heart, The things we cherish thou dost assail However I may sin pursue[101]

It is not necessary to give farther specimens of Murdoch of Scotland’s poetry here, as those existing are very similar to the above; but several specimens will be found in the Dean of Lismore’s Book, from which the above is taken. The original has been difficult to read, and in consequence to render accurately, but there is little doubt that the real meaning of the poem is given. If the Book of Deer be a specimen of the Gaelic at the close of the 12th century in the east of Scotland, the above is a specimen of the same language from the west, probably from the Hebrides.

GAELIC CHARTER.

In 1408, Donald, Lord of the Isles, the hero of Harlaw, made a grant of lands in Islay to Brian Vicar Mackay, one of the old Mackays of the island. The charter conveying these lands still exists, and is written in the Gaelic language. As it is now published by the Record Commission, it is not necessary to give it here, but it is a document of much interest, written by Fergus M’Beth or Beaton, one of the famous Beatons who were physicians to the Lord of the Isles, and signed with the holograph of the great island chief himself. The lands conveyed are in the eastern part of the island, north of the Mull of Oa, and embrace such well-known places as Baile-Vicar, Cornabus, Tocamol, Cracobus, &c. The style of the charter is that of the usual feudal charters written in Latin, but the remarkable thing is to find a document of the kind written in Gaelic at a time when such a thing was almost unknown in the Saxon dialects of either Scotland or England.

MANUSCRIPTS OF THE 15TH CENTURY.

The Highlands seem to have had a large number of men of letters during the 15th century, and most of our existing manuscript materials seem to be of that age. These materials are of various kinds. They consist of short theological treatises, with traditional anecdotes of saints and others which seem to have been prevalent in the church at the time. One of the theological treatises now in the library of the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, has reference to the Sacrament of the Supper, and maintains the purely Protestant doctrine that the sacrament can only profit those who receive it in faith. There are anecdotes of priests, often called by the Gaelic name of _maighistir_, which would indicate that the priests of the period had wives, and that the doctrine of celibacy had not then entered the Scottish church.

Some of the manuscripts are genealogical, and as such are of much value to the Scottish historian. They show what the ideas of the _seanachies_ of the thirteenth century were regarding the origin of the Highland clans. Some of these genealogical records have been published by the Iona Club, and are in this way accessible to the general reader. They are indicative of the care taken at the period to preserve memorials of family history, and were of value not only as conducing to the gratification of family pride, but to the preservation of family property, inasmuch as these were the only means in accordance with which succession to property could be determined. The consequence is, that they are not always very reliable, favour being apt to bias the recorder on one side, just as enmity and ill-will were apt to bias him on the other. It is remarkable how ready the _seanachy_ of a hostile clan was to proclaim the line of the rival race illegitimate. This affects the value of these records, but they are valuable notwithstanding, and are to a considerable extent reliable, especially within the period where authentic information could be obtained by the writer.

A portion of these manuscripts deals with medical and metaphysical subjects, the two being often combined. We are hardly prepared to learn to how great an extent these subjects were studied at an early period in the Highlands. We are apt to think that the region was a barbarous one without either art or science. A sight of the sculptures which distinguished the 14th and 15th centuries is prone to remove this impression. We find a style of sculpture still remaining in ancient crosses and gravestones that is characteristic of the Highlands; elaborate ornaments of a distinct character, rich and well executed tracery, figures well designed and finished. Such sculptures, following upon those of the prehistoric period found still within the ancient Pictish territory, exist chiefly throughout the West Highlands, and indicate that one art, at least, of native growth, distinguished the Gaelic Celts of the Middle Ages.

The medical manuscripts existing are chiefly the productions of the famous Macbeths or Beatons, the hereditary physicians of the Lords of the Isles for a long series of years. The charter of lands in Islay, already referred to, drawn out by Fergus Beaton, is of a date as early as 1408, and three hundred years after, men of the same race are found occupying the same position. Hereditary physicians might seem to offer but poor prospects to their patients, and that especially at a time when schools of medicine were almost if not altogether unknown in the country; but the fact is, that this was the only mode in which medical knowledge could be maintained at all. If such knowledge were not transmitted from father to son, the probability was that it would perish, just as was the case with the genealogical knowledge of the _seanachies_. This transmission, however, was provided for in the Celtic system, and while there was no doubt a considerable difference between individuals in the succession in point of mental endowments, they would all possess a certain measure of skill and acquirement as the result of family experience. These men were students of their science as it existed at the time. The Moors were then the chief writers on medicine. Averroes and Avicenna were men whose names were distinguished, and whose works, although little known now, extended to folios. Along with their real and substantial scientific acquirements, they dived deep into the secrets of Astrology, and our Celtic students, while ready disciples of them in the former study, followed them most faithfully and zealously in the latter likewise. There are numerous medical and astrological treatises still existing written in the Gaelic language, and taken chiefly from the works of Moorish and Arabian writers. How these works reached the Scottish Highlands it is hard to say, nor is it easier to understand how the ingredients of the medical prescriptions of these practitioners could be obtained in a region so inaccessible at the time. The following specimen of the written Gaelic of medical manuscripts, is taken from Dr O’Donovan’s grammar:--[102]

“Labhrum anois do leighes na h-eslainti so oir is eígin nethi imda d’fhaghbhail d’a leighes; ocus is é céd leighes is ferr do dhénamh dhi. 1. na lenna truaillighthi do glanad maille caterfusia; óir a deir Avicenna ’s an 4 Cān. co n-déin in folmhughadh na leanna loisgi d’inarbad. An 2.ní oilemhain bidh ocus dighi d’ordughadh dóibh; an tres ní, an t-adhbhar do dhileaghadh; an 4.ní a n-innarbadh go h-imlán; an 5.ní, fothraiethi do dhénum dóibh; an 6.ní, is eígin lictuber comhfhurtachta do thobhairt dóib. An 7.ní, is eígin neithi noch aentuighius riu do thobhairt dóib muna roib an corp línta do droch-leannaíbh.”

_English Translation._

“Let me now speak of the cure of this disease (scurvy), for many things must be got for its cure; the first cure which is best to be made is to clean the corrupt humours with caterfusia; for Avicenna says in the fourth Canon that evacuation causes an expulsion of the burnt humours. The second thing, to order the patients a proper regimen of meat and drink; the third thing, to digest the matter; the fourth thing, to expel them completely; the fifth thing, to prepare a bath for them; the sixth, it is necessary to give them strengthening lictub. The seventh, it is necessary to give them such things as agree with them, unless the body be full of bad humours.”

This extract is taken from an Irish manuscript, but the language is identical with that in use in the writings of the Beatons. Celtic Scotland and Celtic Ireland followed the same system in medicine as in theology and poetry.

The metaphysical discussions, if they may be so called, are very curious, being characterised by the features which distinguished the science of metaphysics at the time. The most remarkable thing is that there are Gaelic terms to express the most abstract ideas in metaphysics;--terms which are now obsolete, and would not be understood by any ordinary Gaelic speaker. A perusal of these ancient writings shows how much the language has declined, and to what an extent it was cultivated at an early period. So with astrology, its terms are translated and the science is fully set forth. Tables are furnished of the position of the stars by means of which to foretell the character of future events. Whatever literature existed in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, extended its influence to the Scottish Highlands. The nation was by no means in such a state of barbarism as some writers would lead us to expect. They had legal forms, for we have a formal legal charter of lands written in Gaelic; they had medical men of skill and acquirement; they had writers on law and theology, and they had men skilled in architecture and sculpture.

THE DEAN OF LISMORE’S BOOK.

When the Highland Society of Scotland were engaged in preparing their report on the poems of Ossian, they thought it important to search with all possible diligence after such sources of ancient Gaelic poetry as might have been open to Macpherson, and especially for such written remains as might still be found in the country. Among others they applied to the Highland Society of London, whose secretary at the time, Mr John Mackenzie, was an enthusiastic Highlander, and an excellent Gaelic scholar. The Society furnished several interesting manuscripts which they had succeeded in collecting, and among these an ancient paper book which has since been called the “Book of the Dean of Lismore.” This book, which now lies in the library of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, is a small quarto very much defaced, of about seven inches square, and one inch and a quarter in thickness. It is bound in a piece of coarse sheepskin, and seems to have been much tossed about. The manuscript is written in what may be called phonetic Gaelic, the words being spelled on the same principle as the Welsh and Manx, although the application of the principle is very different. “Athair,” _father_, is “Ayr;” “Saor,” _free_, is “Seyr;” “Fhuair,” _found_, is “Hoar;” “Leodhas,” _Lewis_, is “Looyss;” “iuchair,” _a key_, is “ewthir;” “ghràdh,” _love_, is “Zrau.” This principle of phonetic spelling, with a partial admission of the Irish eclipsis and the Irish dot in aspiration, distinguishes the whole manuscript, and has made it very difficult to interpret. The letter used is the English letter of the 15th and 16th centuries, and the MS. was transcribed by the late Mr Ewen M’Lachlan of Aberdeen, an admirable Gaelic scholar. But no attempt was made to transfer its contents into modern Gaelic, or to interpret them, save in the case of a few fragments which were transferred and interpreted by Dr Smith for the Highland Society. Recently, however, the whole manuscript, with few exceptions, has been transcribed, presented in a modern Gaelic dress, translated and annotated, by the writer; and a historical introduction and additional notes have been furnished by Dr W. F. Skene.

The volume is full of interest, as presenting a view of the native literature of the Highlands in the 15th and 16th centuries, while it contains productions of a much earlier age. The fragments which it contains are both Scottish and Irish, showing how familiar the bardic schools were with the productions of both countries. Much of the contents consists of fragments of what is usually called Ossianic poetry--compositions by Ossian, by Fergus filidh his brother, by Conall MacEdirsceoil, by Caoilte M’Ronan, and by poets of a later age, who imitated these ancient bards, such as Allan MacRorie, Gilliecallum Mac an Olla, and others. The collection bears on one of its pages the name “Jacobus M’Gregor decanus Lismorensis,” _James M’Gregor, Dean of Lismore_, and it has been conjectured from this fact and the resemblance of the writing in the signature to that of the body of the manuscript, that this was the compiler of the work. That the manuscript was the work of a M’Gregor is pretty evident. It contains a series of obits of important men, most of them chiefs and other men of note of the clan Gregor, and there are among the poetical pieces of a date later than the Ossianic, numerous songs in praise of that clan. It seems, however, that M’Gregor had a brother called Dougal, who designates himself _daoroglach_, or “apprentice,” who had some share in making the compilation. These M’Gregors belonged to Fortingall in Perthshire, although James held office in the diocese of Argyll. He was vicar of the parish of Fortingall, and it is presumed usually resided there.

In giving specimens from M’Gregor’s collection, it may be desirable to treat of the whole of what is called the Ossianic poetry. It is in this collection that we find the earliest written specimens of it, and although Macpherson’s Ossian did not appear for two centuries later, it seems better to group the whole together in this portion of our notice. The word “ursgeul” was applied by the Highlanders to these poetical tales. This word has been translated “a _new_ tale,” as if the _ùr_ here meant “new” in contradistinction to older tales. But the word _ùr_ meant “noble” or “great,” as well as “new,” and the word as so used must be understood as meaning a “_noble_ tale” in contradistinction to the _sgeulachd_, or other tale of less note. From what source M’Gregor derived his materials is not said, but the probability is that he was indebted both to manuscripts and to oral tradition for them. We shall here give a specimen of the Dean’s collection as it appears in the original, with a version in regular Gaelic spelling, and an English translation. It is the poem usually called “Bàs Dhiarmaid,” or _the Death of Diarmad_.

A HOUDIR SO ALLANE M’ROYREE.

Glennschee in glenn so rame heive A binn feig agus lon Menik redeis in nane Ar on trath so in dey agon A glen so fa wenn Zwlbin zwrm Is haald tulchi fa zran Ner wanew a roythi gi dark In dey helga o inn na vane Estith beg ma zalew leith A chuddycht cheive so woym Er wenn Zulbin is er inn fail Is er M’ezoynn skayl troyg Gur lai finn fa troyg in shelga Er V’ezwn is derk lei Zwll di wenn Zwlbin di helga In turkgi nach fadin erm zei Lai M’ezwnn narm ay Da bay gin dorchirre in tork Gillir royth ba zoill finn Is sche assne rin do locht Er fa harlow a zail M’ozunn graw nin sgoll Ach so in skayll fa tursych mnaan Gavr less di layve an tork Zingywal di lach ni wane Da gurri ea assi gnok In schenn tork schee bi garv Di vag ballerych na helve mok Soeyth finn is derk dreach Fa wenn zwlbin zlass in telga Di fre dinnit less in tork Mor in tolga a rin a shelga Di clastich cozar ni wane Nor si narm teach fa a cann Ersi in a vest o swoyn Is glossis woyth er a glenn Curris ri faggin nin leich In shen tork schee er freich borb Bi geyr no ganyth sleygh Bi traneiseygh na gath bolga M’ozwnn ni narm geyr Frager less in na vest olk Wa teive reyll trom navynyth gay Currir sleygh in dayl in turk Brissir in cran less fa thre Si chran fa reir er in mwk In sleygh o wasi waryerka vlaye Rait less nochchar hay na corp Targir in tan lann o troyle Di chossin mor loye in narm Marviss M’ozunn fest Di hanyth feyn de hess slane Tuttis sprocht er Inn ne wane Is soyis sea si gnok Makozunn nar dult dayve Olk less a hecht slane o tork Er weith zoyth faddi no host A durt gar wolga ri ray Tothiss a zermit o hocht Ga maid try sin tork so id taa Char zult ay a chonyth finn Olk leinn gin a heacht da hygh Toissi tork er a zrum M’ozunn nach trome trygh Toiss na ye reiss A zermit gi meine a torc Fa lattis troygh ya chinn A zil nin narm rim gort Ymbeis bi hurrus goye Agus toissi zayve in tork Gunne i freich neive garve Boonn in leich bi zarg in drod Tuttis in sin er in rein M’ O’Zwne nar eyve fealle Na la di heive in turk Ach sen ayd zut gi dorve A la schai in swn fa creay M’ O’Zwne keawe in gleacht Invakane fullich ni wane Sin tulli so chayme fa art Saywic swlzorme essroye Far la berrit boye gi ayr In dey a horchirt la tork Fa hulchin a chnokso a taa Dermit M’ O’Zwne oyill Huttom tra ead nin noor Bi gil a wrai no grane Bu derk a wail no blai k ... Fa boe innis a alt Fadda rosk barglan fa lesga Gurme agus glassi na hwle Maissi is cassi gowl ni gleacht Binnis is grinnis na zloyr Gil no zoid varzerk vlaa Mayd agis evycht sin leich Seng is ser no kness bayn Coythtyc is maaltor ban M’ O’Zwne bi vor boye In turri char hog swle O chorreich wr er a zroy Immin deit eyde is each Fer in neygin creach nar charre Gilli a bar gasga is seith Ach troyg mir a teich so glenn Glennschee.

_Modern Gaelic._

A H ÙGHDAIR SO AILEAN M’RUADHRAIDH.

Gleannsìth an gleann so ri’m thaobh, ’S am binn feidh agus loin, Is minig a rachas an Fheinn Air an t-srath so an deigh an con. An gleann so fa Bheinn Ghulbainn ghuirm. Is aillidh tulcha fo’n ghréin, Na sruthana a ruith gu dearg, An deigh shealg o Fhionn na Feinn. Eisdibh beag mar dh’fhalbh laoch, A chuideachd chaoimh so uam, Air Bheinn Ghulbainn ’us air Fionn fial, ’Us air M’ O’Dhuinn, sgeul truagh: Gur le Fionn fa truagh an t-sealg Air Mhac O’Dhuinn a’s deirge lith, Dhol do Bheinn Ghulbainn do shealg An tuire nach faodainn airm dhith. Le Mac O’Dhuinn an airm aigh, Do’m b’e gu’n torchradh an torc, Geillear roimhe, bu dh’fhoill Fhinn, Is e esan a rinn do lochd. Fear fa tharladh an gaol, Mac O’Dhuinn gràdh nan sgoil, Ach so an sgeul fa tursach mnathan, Gabhar leis do laimh an torc. Diongal do laoch na Feinn Do chuireadh e as a chnoc, An seann torc Sithe bu ghairbhe, Do fhac ballardaich na h-alla-muic. Suidhidh Fionn is deirge dreach, Fa Bheinn Ghulbainn ghlais an t-seilg, Do frith dh’ imich leis an torc, Mòr an t-olc a rinn a shealg. Ri clàisdeachd co-ghair na Feinn ’N uair ’s an arm a teachd fa ’ceann Eireas a bheisd o shuain, ’Us gluaiseas uath’ air a ghleann. Cuireas ri fàgail nan laoch, An seann torc ’us e air friodh borb, Bu gheire no gath nan sleagh, Bu treine a shaigh no gath bolga. Mac O’Dhuinn nan arm geur, Freagras leis a’ bheisd olc, O’ thaobh thriall trom, nimhneach, gath, Cuirear sleagh an dail an tuirc. Brisear a crann leis fa thri, Is i a crann fa rèir air a’ mhuc, An t-sleagh o bhos bhar-dhearg, bhlàth, Raitleis noch char e’ na corp. Tairngear an tan lann o’ truaill, Do choisinn mòr luaidh an arm, Marbhas Mac O’Dhuinn a’ bheisd, Do thainig e féin as slàn. Tuiteas sprochd air Fionn na Feinn, ’Us suidheas e ’s a chnoc, Mac O’ Dhuinn nach do dhiult daimh Olc leis a thighinn slàn o’n torc. Air bhith dha fada ’n a thosd, A dubhairt, ged a b’ olc ri ràdh, Tomhais, a Dhiarmaid o’ shoc, Cia meud troidh ’s an torc a ta. Char dhiult e athchuinge Fhinn, Olc leinn gun e theachd d’a thigh. Tombaisidh an torc air a dhruim, Mac O’Dhuinn nach trom troidh. Tomhais ’n a aghaidh a rìs, A Dhiarmaid gu mion an torc; Fa leat is truagh dha chinn, A ghille nan arm roinn ghoirt. Imicheas, bu thurus goimh, Agus tomhaisidh dhoibh an torc. Guinidh a fhriogh nimh, garbh Bonn an laoich bu gharbh an trod. Tuiteas an sin air an raon, Mac O’Dhuinn nior aoibh feall; ’N a luidhe do thaobh an tuirc, Ach sin e dhuit gu doirbh. A ta se an sin fa chreuchd Mac O’Dhuinn caomh an gleachd; Aon mhacan fulangach nam Fiann ’S an tulach so chitheam fa fheart. Seabhag suilghorm Easruaidh, Fear le’m beireadh buaidh gach àir, An deigh a thorchairt le torc Fa thulchain a chnuic so a ta. Diarmad Mac O’Dhuinn aibheil, A thuitcam troimh eud; mo nuar! Bu ghile a bhràgh’d no grian, Bu dheirge a bheul no blàth caora. Fa buidhe innis a fhalt, Fada rosg barghlan fa liosg, Guirme agus glaise ’n a shùil, Maise ’us caise cùl nan cleachd. Binneas ’us grinneas ’n a ghlòir, Gile ’n a dhoid bhar-dhearg bhlàth, Meud agus éifeachd ’s an laoch Seang ’us saor ’n a chneas bàn. Cothaich ’us mealltair bhan, Mac O’Dhuinn bu mhòr buaidh, ’S an t-suiridh cha thog sùil, O chuireadh ùir air a ghruaidh. Immirdich fhaoghaid ’us each, Fear an éigin chreach nar char, Gille b’fhearr gaisge ’us sitheadh, Ach is truagh mar a theich ’s a ghleann. Gleannsìth.

_English Translation._

THE AUTHOR OF THIS IS ALLAN M’RORIE.

Glenshee the vale that close beside me lies Where sweetest sounds are heard of deer and elk, And where the Feinn did oft pursue the chase Following their hounds along the lengthening vale. Below the great Ben Gulbin’s grassy height, Of fairest knolls that lie beneath the sun The valley winds. It’s streams did oft run red, After a hunt by Finn and by the Feinn. Listen now while I detail the loss Of one a hero in this gentle band; ’Tis of Ben Gulbin and of generous Finn And Mac O’Duine, in truth a piteous tale. A mournful hunt indeed it was for Finn When Mac O’Duine, he of the ruddiest hue, Up to Ben Gulbin went, resolved to hunt The boar, whom arms had never yet subdued. Though Mac O’Duine of brightest burnished arms, Did bravely slay the fierce, and furious boar, Yet Finn’s deceit did him induce to yield, And this it was that did his grievous hurt. Who among men was so belov’d as he? Brave Mac O’Duine, beloved of the schools; Women all mourn this sad and piteous tale Of him who firmly grasped the murderous spear. Then bravely did the hero of the Feinn Rouse from his cover in the mountain side The great old boar, him so well known in Shee, The greatest in the wild boar’s haunt e’er seen. Finn sat him down, the man of ruddiest hue, Beneath Ben Gulbin’s soft and grassy side; For swift the boar now coursed along the heath; Great was the ill came of that dreadful hunt. ’Twas when he heard the Feinn’s loud ringing shout, And saw approach the glittering of their arms, The monster wakened from his heavy sleep And stately moved before them down the vale. First, to distance them he makes attempt The great old boar, his bristles stiff on end, These bristles sharper than a pointed spear, Their point more piercing than the quiver’s shaft. Then Mac O’Duine, with arms well pointed too, Answers the horrid beast with ready hand; Away from his side then rushed the heavy spear, Hard following on the course the boar pursued. The javelin’s shaft fell shivered into three, The shaft recoiling from the boar’s tough hide. The spear hurl’d by his warm red-fingered hand, Ne’er penetrated the body of the boar. Then from its sheath he drew his thin-leav’d sword, Of all the arms most crowned with victory. Mac O’Duine did then the monster kill While he himself escaped without a wound. Then on Finn of the Feinn did sadness fall, And on the mountain side he sat him down; It grieved his soul that generous Mac O’Duine Should have escaped unwounded by the boar. For long he sat, and never spake a word, Then thus he spake, although’t be sad to tell; “Measure, Diarmad, the boar down from the snout, And tell how many feet ’s the brute in length;” What Finn did ask he never yet refused; Alas! that he should never see his home. Along the back he measures now the boar, Light-footed Mac O’Duine of active step. “Measure it the other way against the hair, And measure, Diarmad, carefully the boar.” It was indeed for thee a mournful deed, Furth of the sharply-pointed, piercing arms, He went, the errand grievous was and sad, And measured for them once again the boar. The envenomed pointed bristle sharply pierced The soul of him the bravest in the field. Then fell and lay upon the grassy plain The noble Mac O’Duine, whose look spoke truth; He fell and lay along beside the boar And then you have my mournful saddening tale. There does he lie now wounded to the death, Brave Mac O’Duine so skilful in the fight, The most enduring even among the Feinn, Up there where I see his grave. The blue-eyed hawk that dwelt at Essaroy The conqueror in every sore-fought field Slain by the poisoned bristle of the boar. Now does he lie full-stretched upon the hill, Brave, noble Diarmad Mac O’Duine Slain, it is shame! victim of jealousy. Whiter his body than the sun’s bright light, Redder his lips than blossoms tinged with red; Long yellow locks did rest upon his head, His eye was clear beneath the covering brow, Its colour mingled was of blue and gray; Waving and graceful were his locks behind, His speech was elegant and sweetly soft; His hands the whitest, fingers tipped with red; Elegance and power were in his form, His fair soft skin covering a faultless shape, No woman saw him but he won her love. Mac O’Duine crowned with his countless victories, Ne’er shall he raise his eye in courtship more; Or warrior’s wrath give colour to his cheek; The following of the chase, the prancing steed, Will never move him, nor the search for spoil. He who could bear him well in wary fight, Has now us sadly left in that wild vale. Glenshee.

This is, in every way, a fair specimen of the Dean’s MS., and of the story of the death of Diarmad as it existed in Scotland in the year 1512. The story is entirely a Scottish one, Glenshee being a well-known locality in the county of Perth, and Ben Gulbin a well-known hill in Glenshee. This has been called an Ossianic poem, but, according to Dean M’Gregor, it was not composed by Ossian, but by a poet obviously of more recent times;--Allan MacRorie, who was probably a composer of the 15th century. The resemblance of Diarmad to Achilles will occur at once to the classical reader, and there is no reason to doubt that there were large classes in the Highlands in the middle ages well acquainted with classical literature.

Another specimen of the Dean’s poems may be given as one which the compiler attributes to Ossian. It is Ossian’s eulogy on his father Finn, or Fingal, as he is called by M’Pherson:--

_Modern Gaelic._

AUCTOR HUJUS OISIAN MAC FHINN.

Sé la gus an dé o nach fhaca mi Fionn, Cha-n fhaca ri’m ré se bu gheire leam; Mac nighinn O’Théige, rìgh nam buillean tròm, M’oide, ’us mo rath, mo chiall ’us mo chon. Fa filidh fa flath, fa rìgh air ghéire, Fionn flath, rìgh na Feinn, fa triath air gach tìr; Fa miall mòr mara, fa leobhar air leirg, Fa seabhag glan gaoithe, fa saoi air gach ceaird. Fa h-oileanach ceart, fa marcaich nior mhearbh, Fa h-ullamh air ghniomh, fa steith air gach seirm; Fa fior, ceart, a bhreith, fa tamhaiche tuaith. Fa ionnsaichte ’n a àigh, fa brathach air buaidh; Fa h-e an teachdair ard, air chalm’us air cheòl, Fa diùltadh nan daimh o dh’fhàg graidh na gloir. A chneas mar an caile, a ghruaidh mar an ròs, Bu ghlan gorm a rosg, ’fholt mar an t-òr. Fa dùil daimh ’us daoine, fa aireach nan àgh, Fa h-ullamh air ghniomh, fa mìn ri mnathaibh. Fa h-e am miall mòr, mac muirne gach magh, B’fhear loinneadh nan lann, an crann os gach fiodh. Fa saoibhir an rìgh, a bhotul mòr glas, D’fhion dhoirt gheur dhoibh, tairbh nochchar threa . . . . . . . . . . . . broinn bhàin . . . air an t-sluagh, fa bu chruaidh cheum, Fa chosnadh an gniomh, fa Bhanbha nam beann Gun d’thug am flath triochaid catha fa cheann, Air sgraiteach dha, M’Cumhail nior cheil, A deir fa ghò, ni clos gò ’n a bheul; Ni euradh air neach, a fhuair fear o Fhionn, Cha robh ach rìgh gréine, rìgh riamh os a chionn. Nior dh’fhàg beist an loch, no nathair an nimh, An Eirinn nan naomh, nar mharbh an saor seimh. Ni h-innisinn a ghniomh, a bhithinn gu de bhràth, Nior innisinn uam, trian a bhuaidh ’s a mhaith. Ach is olc a taim, an deigh Fhinn na Feinn, Do chaith leis an fhlath, gach maith bha ’na dheigh. Gun anghnath aoin mhòir, gun eineach glan gaoithe, Gun òr ’us mnathaibh rìgh, ’s gun bhreith nan laoch. Is tuirseach a taim, an deigh chiun nan ceud, Is mi an crann air chrith, is mo chiabh air n-eug Is mi a chno chith, is mi an t-each gun sréin, Achadan mi an uair, is mi an tuath gun treith; Is mi Oisian MacFhinn, air trian de’m ghnioimh, An fhad ’s bu bheò Fionn, do bu leam gach ni. Seachd slios air a thigh, M’Cumhail gon fleadh, Seachd fichead sgiath chlis, air gach slios diubh sin; Caogad uidheam olaidh an timchioll mo rìgh, Caogad laoch gun iomagain anns gach uidheam dhiubh. Deich bleidh bàn, ’n a thalla ri òl, Deich eascradh gorm, deich corn de’n òr. Ach bu mhaith an treabh, a bh’aig Fionn na Feinn, Gun doichioll, gun drùth, gun gleois, gun gléidh. Gun tàrchuis aun, air aon fhear d’a Fheinn, Aig dol air gach nì, do bhì càch d’a réir. Fionn flath an t-sluaigh, sothran air a luaidh, Rìgh nan uile àigh, roimh dhuine nior dhiùlt. Nior dhiùlt Fionn roimh neach, ge bu bheag a loinn, Char chuir as a theach, neach dha’r thainig ann. Maith an duine Fionn, maith an duine e, Noch char thiodhlaic neach, leth dhe’r thiodhlaic se. Sé.

_English Translation._

THE AUTHOR OF THIS IS OSSIAN, THE SON OF FINN.

’Twas yesterday week I last saw Finn, Ne’er did I feel six days so long; Teige’s daughter’s son, a powerful king; My teacher, my luck, my mind, and my light, Both poet and chief, as brave as a king, Finn, chief of the Feine, lord of all lands, Leviathan at sea, as great on land, Hawk of the air, foremost in arts, Courteous, just, a rider bold, Of vigorous deeds, the first in song, A righteous judge, firm his rule, Polished his mein, who knew but victory. Who is like him in fight or song? Resists the foe in house or field, Marble his skin, the rose his cheek. Blue was his eye, his hair like gold, All men’s trust, of noble mind. Of ready deeds, to women mild, A giant he, the field’s delight, Best polished spears, no wood like their shafts. Rich was the king, his great green bottle Full of sharp wine, of substance rich. Excellent he, of noble form, His people’s head, his step so firm, Who often warred, in beauteous Banva, There thirty battles he bravely fought. With miser’s mind from none withheld, Anything false his lips ne’er spoke. He never grudged, no, never, Finn; The sun ne’er saw king who him excelled, The monsters in lakes, the serpent by land, In Erin of saints, the hero slew. Ne’er could I tell, though always I lived, Ne’er could I tell the third of his praise. But sad am I now, after Finn of the Feinn; Away with the chief, my joy is all fled. No friends ’mong the great, no courtesy; No gold, no queen, no princes and chiefs; Sad am I now, our head ta’en away! I’m a shaking tree, my leaves all gone; An empty nut, a reinless horse. Sad, sad am I, a feeble kern, Ossian I, the son of Finn, strengthless indeed. When Finn did live all things were mine; Seven sides had the house of Cumhal’s son, Seven score shields on every side; Fifty robes of wool around the king; Fifty warriors filled the robes. Ten bright cups for drink in his hall, Ten blue flagons, ten horns of gold. A noble house was that of Finn. No grudge nor lust, babbling nor sham; No man despised among the Feinn; The first himself, all else like him. Finn was our chief, easy’s his praise; Noblest of kings, Finn ne’er refused To any man, howe’er unknown; Ne’er from his house sent those who came. Good man was Finn, good man was he; No gifts e’er given like his so free. ’Twas yesterday week.

This is a specimen of a peculiar kind of ancient Celtic poetry. It was usually sung to music, and has a remarkable resemblance to some of the hymns of the early Latin Church. There is another composition of the same kind in praise of Gaul, called usually “Rosg Ghuill,” or the War-Song of Gaul.

It is unnecessary to give further specimens of these remains of the ancient heroic poetry of the Highlands here, nor is it necessary to quote any of the more modern compositions with which the Dean of Lismore’s MS. abounds. It is enough to remark how great an amount of poetry was composed in the Highlands in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. That was indeed an age of bards when poetical genius was amply rewarded by great and liberal chiefs. It is of interest further to observe how ample the answer furnished by the Lismore MS. is to the ill-natured remarks of Dr Johnson, who maintained that there was not a word of written Gaelic in the Highlands more than a hundred years old. We shall now dismiss the Dean’s MS., but we shall exhaust the subject of Ossian’s poems by a cursory view of the other and later collections of those poems, and especially the collection of Macpherson.

MACPHERSON’S OSSIAN.

It is quite unnecessary here to enter on the question of the authenticity of the poems of Ossian, as edited by Macpherson.[103] The subject has been so largely treated in numerous publications, that we consider it better to give a short historical sketch of the publication, with such specimens as may serve to show the character of the work.

The first of Macpherson’s publications appeared in the year 1760. It is entitled, “Fragments of Ancient Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Gaelic or Erse Language.” The first edition of this volume was immediately followed by a second, and the deepest interest was excited in the subject of Celtic literature among literary men. The work originally consisted of fifteen fragments, to which a sixteenth was added in the second edition. These are all in English, there not being one word of Gaelic in the book. Not that there is any reason to doubt that the fragments are genuine, and that Macpherson spoke what was perfectly consistent with truth when he said, as he does at the beginning of his preface, “The public may depend on the following fragments as genuine remains of ancient Scottish poetry.” Still it is to be regretted that the original Gaelic of these compositions was not given. It would have enabled the public, in the Highlands at least, to have judged for themselves on the question of their authenticity, and it would have afforded a guarantee for the accuracy of the translation. This, however, was not done, and there are none of the fragments contained in this little volume, the original of which can now be found anywhere.

In his preface to these “Fragments,” Macpherson gives the first intimation of the existence of the poem of “Fingal.” He says:--“It is believed that, by a careful inquiry, many more remains of ancient genius, no less valuable than those now given to the world, might be found in the same country where these have been collected. In particular, there is reason to hope that one work of considerable length, and which deserved to be styled an heroic poem, might be recovered and translated, if encouragement were given to such an undertaking. The subject is an invasion of Ireland by Swarthan, king of Lochlyn, which is the name of Denmark in the Erse language. Cuchulaid, the general or chief of the Irish tribes, upon intelligence of the invasion, assembles his forces; councils are held, and battles fought; but after several unsuccessful engagements the Irish are forced to submit. At length Fingal, king of Scotland, called in this poem ‘The Desert of the Hills,’ arrives with his ships to assist Cuchulaid. He expels the Danes from the country, and returns home victorious. This poem is held to be of greater antiquity than any of the rest that are preserved; and the author speaks of himself as present in the expedition of Fingal.” In the “Fragments” the opening of this poem is given, but whether from tradition or MS. is not said. It proceeds:--“Cuchulaid sat by the wall, by the tree of the rustling leaf. His spear leaned against the mossy rock. His shield lay by him on the grass. Whilst he thought on the mighty Carbre, whom he slew in battle, the scout of the ocean came, Moran the son of Fithil.” In 1762 there appeared a quarto volume, edited by Macpherson, containing the poem of “Fingal” and several other compositions. The poem commences, “Cuchullin sat by Tura’s walls; by the tree of the rustling leaf. His spear leaned against the mossy rock. His shield lay by him on the grass. As he thought of mighty Carbar, a hero whom he slew in war, the scout of the ocean came, Moran the son of Fithil.” It will be seen that there are several variations in the two versions, and as we proceed these will appear to be more numerous and more marked. It is somewhat remarkable that the Garve of the earlier version should become Swaran in the second. The whole comparison is interesting, and sheds some light on the progress of the poems in the hand of the editor. It may be interesting, in juxtaposition with the above extracts, to give the Gaelic, as furnished at a later period, by the executors of Macpherson. It is as follows:--

“Shuidh Cuchullin aig balla Thura, Fo dhùbhra craoibh dhuille na fuaim; Dh’aom a shleagh ri carraig nan còs, A sgiath mhòr r’a thaobh air an fheur. Bha smaointean an fhir air Cairbre, Laoch a thuit leis an garbh-chòmhrag, ’N uair a thàinig fear-coimhid a’ chuain, Luath mhac Fhithil nan ceum àrd.”

The English in both the versions--that of 1760 and that of 1762--is a pretty accurate rendering of this. In some cases the Gaelic expletive is awanting, as in “garbh-chòmhrag,” and the name Moran is, in the last line, substituted for the Gaelic description, “The swift son of Fithil, of bounding steps.” These, however, are allowable liberties in such a case. The variations are, however, more considerable as the several versions proceed, but that of 1760 turns out to be a mere fragment of the first book of the great epic of 1762. The other fragments have also their representatives in the larger work. Some of them appear in the poem called “Carrickthura,” and some of them in the epic of “Fingal,” but in all these cases the later compositions are great expansions of the shorter poems given in the earlier work. A comparison of these versions is full of interest, and in the hands of fair and acute criticism, is capable, as already said, of shedding much light on the whole question of Macpherson’s Ossian. One thing is beyond question, that the names of Ossian’s heroes were familiar to the Scottish Highlanders from the earliest period; that they knew more of their deeds, and spoke more of them than of those of Wallace and Bruce; that the country was teeming with poetical compositions bearing to have these deeds as their subjects; that the topography of the country was in every quarter enriched with names drawn from Fingal and his men; and that to say that the whole of this was the invention of Macpherson, is nothing but what the bitterest national prejudice could alone receive as truth.

There are many of the pieces in Macpherson’s Ossian of marvellous power. The description of Cuchullin’s chariot in the first book of Fingal is equal to any similar composition among the great classical epics. It proceeds:--

“Carbad! carbad garbh a’ chòmhraig, ’Gluasad thar ’chomhnard le bàs; Carbad cuimir, luath, Chuchullin, Sàr-mhac Sheuma nan cruaidh chàs. Tha ’earr a’ lùbadh siòs mar thonn, No ceò mu thom nan carragh geur, Solus chlocha-buadh mu’n cuairt, Mar chuan mu eathar ’s an oidhche. Dh’iubhar faileusach an crann; Suidhear ann air chnàmhaibh caoin; ’S e tuineas nan sleagh a th’ann, Nan sgiath, nan lann, ’s nan laoch. Ri taobh deas a’ mhòr-charbaid Chithear an t-each meanmnach, séidear, Mac ard-mhuingeach, cliàbh-fharsuing, dorcha, Ard-leumach, talmhaidh, na beinne; ’S farumach, fuaimear, a chos; Tha sgaoileadh a dhosain shuas, Mar cheathach air àros nan os; Bu shoilleir a dhreach, ’s bu luath ’Shiubhal, Sithfada b’e ’ainm. Ri taobh eile a charbaid thall Tha each fiarasach nan srann, Caol-mhuingeach, aiginneach, brògach, Luath-chosach, srònach, nam beann. Dubh-sròn-gheal a b’ainm air an steud-each. Làn mhìle dh’iallaibh tana ’Ceangal a’ charbaid gu h-àrd; Cruaidh chabstar shoilleir nan srian ’Nan gialaibh fo chobhar bàn; Tha clochan-boillsge le buaidh ’Cromadh sios mu mhuing nan each, Nan each tha mar cheò air sliabh, A’ giùlan an triath gu chliù. Is fiadhaiche na fiadh an colg, Co làidir ri iolair an neart; Tha ’m fuaim mar an geamhradh borb Air Gorm-mheall mùchta fo shneachd. ’Sa charbad chithear an triath, Sar mhac treun nan geur lann, Cuchullin nan gorm-bhallach sgiath, Mac Sheuma mu’n éireadh dan. A ghruaidh mar an t-iubhair caoin, A shuil nach b’fhaoin a’ sgaoileadh àrd, Fo mhala chruim, dhorcha, chaoil; A chiabh bhuidhe ’n a caoir m’a cheann, ’Taomadh mu ghnùis àluinn an fhir, ’S e ’tarruing a shleagh o ’chùl. Teich-sa, shàr cheannard nan long, Teich o’n t-sonn ’s e ’tighinn a nall, Mar ghaillinn o ghleann nan sruth.”

It is difficult to give an English rendering of the above passage that would convey the elegance and force of the original. The admirer of Gaelic poetry cannot but regret that the English reader cannot peruse the Gaelic version, assured, as he feels, that his doing so would raise considerably his estimate of the Gaelic muse. There is not, perhaps, in any language a richer piece of poetical description than the above. Macpherson’s English version of it is as follows:--

“The car, the car of battle comes, like the flame of death; the rapid car of Cuchullin, the noble son of Semo. It bends behind like a wave near a rock; like the golden mist of the heath. Its sides are embossed with stones, and sparkle like the sea round the boat of night. Of polished yew is its beam, and its seat of the smoothest bone. The sides are replenished with spears; and the bottom is the footstool of heroes. Before the right side of the car is seen the snorting horse, the high-maned, broad-breasted, proud, high-leaping, strong steed of the hill. Loud and resounding is his hoof; the spreading of his mane above is like that stream of smoke on the heath. Bright are the sides of the steed, and his name is Sulin-sifadda. Before the left side of the car is seen the snorting horse; the thin-maned, high-headed, strong-hoofed, fleet, bounding son of the hill; his name is Dusronnal among the stormy sons of the sword. A thousand thongs bind the car on high. Hard polished bits shine in a wreath of foam. Thin thongs, bright-studded with gems, bend on the stately necks of the steeds--the steeds that, like wreaths of mist, fly over the streamy vales. The wildness of deer is in their course, the strength of the eagle descending on her prey. Their noise is like the blast of winter on the sides of the snow-headed Gormal.

“Within the car is seen the chief, the strong, stormy son of the sword; the hero’s name is Cuchullin, son of Semo, king of shells. His red check is like my polished yew. The look of his blue rolling eye is wide beneath the dark arch of his brow. His hair flies from his head like a flame, as, bending forward, he wields the spear. Fly, king of ocean, fly; he comes like a storm along the streamy vale.”

The Gaelic scholar will at once observe that the above is a free but a fair translation of the original Gaelic, and the character of the translation is such as to give no idea of imposition. It is just such a translation as a man of poetic temperament and talent would give of the passage.

In 1763 Macpherson published a second quarto containing the poem of Temora in eight books, along with several other pieces. The first book of the former had appeared in the collection of 1762, the editor saying that it was merely the opening of the poem; but the great interest about the publication of 1763 is that here for the first time we are presented with the Gaelic original of one of the books of the poem. It is not true that Macpherson never offered to publish any portion of the original until he was obliged to do so by the pressure of public opinion, for in this case he published the Gaelic original of a part of the work altogether of his own accord. In a short introductory paragraph to the Gaelic, he says that he chooses the seventh book of Temora, “not from any other superior merit than the variety of its versification. To print any part of the former collection,” he adds, “was unnecessary, as a copy of the originals lay for many months in the bookseller’s hands for the inspection of the curious.” Of this new publication, however, he sees it right to furnish a portion “for the satisfaction of those who doubt the authenticity of Ossian’s poems.” The editor adds that “though the erroneous orthography of the bards is departed from in many instances in the following specimen, yet several quiescent consonants are retained, to show the derivation of the words.” He accounts for the uncouth appearance of the language by the use of the Roman letters, which are incapable of expressing the sounds of the Gaelic. What kind of orthography Macpherson would have selected he does not say. He could not be unacquainted with the phonetic orthography of the Dean of Lismore’s book, and may, perhaps, have had it in view in the above remarks. But the orthography which he himself uses is neither the bardic nor the phonetic, and is more uncouth than any orthography which the bards were in the habit of using. One thing is clear, that the Gaelic of the seventh book of Temora was never copied from any manuscript written by a bard. The book opens as follows:--

“O linna doir-choille na _Leigo_ Air uair, eri’ ceo taobh-ghórm nan tón; Nuair dhunas dorsa na h’oicha Air iulluir shuil-greina nan speur. Tomhail, mo Lara nan sruth Thaomas du’-nial, as doricha cruaim; Mar ghlas-scia’, roi taoma nan nial Snamh seachad, ta Gellach na h’oicha. Le so edi’ taisin o-shean An dlù-ghleus, a measc na gaoith, ’S iad leumach o osna gn osna Air du’-aghai’ oicha nan sian. An taobh oitaig, gu palin nan seoid Taomas iad cëach nan speur Gorm-thalla do thannais nach beo Gu am eri’ fón marbh-rán nan teud.”

Translated by Macpherson thus:--

“From the wood-skirted waters of Lego ascend at times grey-bosomed mists; when the gates of the west are closed, on the sun’s eagle eye. Wide over Lara’s stream is poured the vapour dark and deep; the moon like a dim shield, is swimming through its folds. With this, clothe the spirits of old their sudden gestures on the wind when they stride from blast to blast along the dusky night. Often, blended with the gale, to some warrior’s grave, they roll the mist, a grey dwelling to his ghost until the songs arise.”

Any reader who understands the Gaelic must allow, without hesitation, that while this is a free it is a fair rendering of the original; while he will be constrained to add that in point of force and elegance the Gaelic is superior to the English version. Many of the expletives in Gaelic are not rendered in English at all, and these add largely to the poetic force and beauty of the former. The orthography of the Gaelic will be seen to be most uncouth and unphilosophical. “Linna” for “Linne” has no principle to warrant it; so with “oicha” for “oidhche,” “Gellach” for “gealach,” “cruaim” for “gruaim,” “taisin” for “taibh-sean.” Then there are no accents to guide the reader except that the acute accent is used in such extraordinary words as “tón,” “fón,” which are written for “tonn,” “fonn.” Altogether it would appear that the writer of the Gaelic of this book of Temora was to a large extent unacquainted with Gaelic orthography, and was unable to write the Gaelic language accurately. The orthography is, indeed, a mere jumble. Still the fact is an interesting and significant one as connected with the whole history of the Ossianic poetry that, at so early a period, Macpherson should have given, as a debt which he felt to be due to the public, a large specimen of the original of one of his poems. If there is any cause of regret connected with the matter, it is that he did not let the country know where he found these poems, and refer others to the sources whence he derived them himself. These have never been discovered by any body else, although numerous pieces of Ossianic poetry are well known in the Highlands to the present day.

There were various versions of Macpherson’s collection, but the most interesting of all was the Gaelic original of the whole poems published in 1807. In this edition a Latin translation was furnished by Mr Robert M’Farlane. The book is a very handsome one, and in every way creditable to its editors. Mr M’Lachlan of Aberdeen revised the Gaelic, and no man was more competent for such a duty. The introduction to the edition of 1818 is understood to have been written by an excellent Gaelic scholar, the late Rev. Dr Ross of Lochbroom, and is an eloquent and powerful composition. Several translations of Ossian’s poems have appeared, but the interest of the work is mainly associated with the name and labours of James Macpherson.

SMITH’S SEAN DANA.

In 1780 appeared a volume of Ossian’s Poems, translated and edited by the Rev. John Smith of Kilbrandon, afterwards the Rev. Dr Smith of Campbeltown. The volume is entitled “Gaelic Antiquities, &c.,” containing, among other things, “A Collection of Ancient Poems, translated from the Gaelic of Ullin, Ossian, &c.” Dr Smith was an admirable Gaelic scholar, as was evidenced by his translation of a portion of the Scriptures into that language, and his metrical version of the Gaelic Psalms. The work before us is a work highly creditable to Dr Smith’s talents and industry, and although he complains of the reception which his efforts on behalf of Gaelic literature met with, it is still prized by Gaelic scholars.

In the year 1787 appeared the Gaelic version of the same poems in an octavo volume, entitled, “Sean Dana le Oisian, Orran, Ulann, &c.” It is a pity that the two versions did not appear simultaneously, as there have not been wanting those who have charged Dr Smith, as was done in the case of Macpherson, with composing himself much of the poetry which he gives as Ossian’s. The same has been said of another collector of the name of Kennedy, who collected a large number of poems which now lie in MS. in the Advocates’ Library in Edinburgh; but it is a curious fact that some of the pieces which Kennedy is said to have acknowledged having composed, can be shown to be ancient.

Dr Smith’s collection begins with the poem called “Dan an Deirg,” _the Song of Dargo_, or _the Red Man_. It is a famous song in the Highlands, as is indicated by the proverbial saying, “Gach dàn gu dàn an Deirg,” _Every song yields to the song of Dargo_. It was sung to a simple, touching air, which is still known. This poem is given by Dr Smith in two sections, entitled severally, “A’ cheud chuid,” and “An dara cuid.” The song is given by the M’Callums (referred to below), but it is most perplexing that not one word of their version agrees with Dr Smith’s. Their version is manifestly of the ancient form and rhythm, with the usual summary at the head of it given by Gaelic reciters ere beginning one of their songs. None of this is found in Dr Smith’s version, which is cast very much in the mould of Macpherson’s Gaelic Ossian. Mr J. A. Campbell, in his _Popular Tales of the Highlands_ (vol. iii., p. 51), gives a few lines of the lament of the wife of Dargo for her husband, but they do not correspond in one line with the version of Dr Smith. The same may be said of Dr Smith’s “Diarmad,” which is entirely different from all the existing versions of the same poem. The versions of the Dean of Lismore and of Gillies (mentioned below) are identical, and so are to a large extent other existing versions taken down from oral recitation, but Dr Smith’s differs largely from them in locality, matter, and rhythm. It removes the story of the death of this Fingalian hero from Glenshee to Sliabh Ghaodhail, in Kintyre. At the same time, it is quite possible that different poems existed bearing the same name; and Dr Smith’s poems are compositions of decided excellence. They add much to the stores of the Gaelic scholar, and the English translation is done with a skill little inferior to that of Macpherson himself.

OTHER COLLECTIONS OF OSSIANIC POEMS.

The earliest collector and publisher of the poems of Ossian was Mr Jerome Stone at Dunkeld, who furnished the _Scots Magazine_ in 1756 with a translation in rhyme of “Bàs Fhraoich,” or the Death of Fraoch. Stone did not give the Gaelic original of this or of any other of his collections, but they were found after his death, and a selection of them is printed in the Report of the Highland Society on Ossian. A Mr Hill, an English gentleman, made some collections in Argyleshire in 1780; and several pieces were published by a bookseller of the name of Gillies at Perth, who published an excellent volume of Gaelic poetry in 1786.

Gillies’s pieces have the true ring of the ancient poetry of the Highlands, and are in many cases to be found floating still among the traditional poetry of the people. The Ossianic pieces are numerous. They are--“Suiridh Oisein air Eamhair àluinn,” _the Courtship of Ossian and Eviralin_; “Comhrag Fhinn agus Mhanuis,” _the Conflict of Fingal and Manus_; “Marbhadh Chonlaoich le Cuchulain,” _the Slaughter of Conlach by Cuchullin_; “Aisling Mhailmhìne,” _Malvina’s Dream_; “Briathran Fhinn ri Oscar,” _Fingal’s Address to Oscar_; “Rosg Ghuill,” _the War-song of Gaul_; “Dàn na h-Inghin,” _the Song of the Maiden_, usually called “Fainesoluis;” “Conn mac an Deirg,” _Conn, son of Dargo_; “Duan Fhraoich,” _the Song of Fraoch_; “Cath righ Sorcha,” _the Battle of the King of Sorcha_; “Marbh-rann Oscair,” _the Death-song of Oscar_; “Ceardach Mhic Luinn,” _the Smithy of the Son of Linn_; “Duan a Mhuireartaich,” _the Song of Muireartach_; “Caoidh Dhéirdir,” _Deirdre’s Lament_, in which the poem given already from the old MS. of 1268 appears as a part of it. It is most interesting in this case to compare the written with the traditional poem; “Bàs Dhiarmaid,” _the Death of Diarmad_; “Dearg mac Deirg,” _the Song of Dargo_; “Teanntachd mòr na Feinn,” _the great trial of the Fingalians_; “Laoidh Laomuinn mhic an Uaimh-fhir,” _the Song of Laomuinn_; “Eairagan,” _Earragon_; “Na Brataichean,” _the Banners_; “Bàs Oscair,” _the Death of Oscar_; in all twenty-one fragments or whole pieces, some of them of considerable length, and almost all, if not all, taken down from oral recitation. This list is given in full, in order to show what pieces of professed Ossianic poetry could be found in the Highlands soon after the publication of Macpherson’s work by other and independent compilers. A comparison of those pieces with Macpherson’s Ossian is interesting to the inquirer in this field. The following specimen of one of Gillies’s alleged compositions of Ossian may be given here:--

BRIATHRAN FHINN RI OSCAR.

A mhic mo mhic ’s e thubhairt an righ, Oscair, a righ nan òg fhlath, Chunnaic mi dealradh do lainne ’s b’e m’ uaill ’Bhi ’g amharc do bhuaidh ’s a chath. Lean gu dlù ri cliù do shinnsircachd ’S na dìbir a bhi mar iadsan. ’N uair bu bheò Treunmhor nan rath, ’Us Trathull athair nan treun laoch, Chuir iad gach cath le buaidh, ’Us bhuannaich iad cliù gach teugbhail. ’Us mairidh an iomradh ’s an dàn Air chuimhn’ aig na baird an déigh so. O! Oscair, claoidh thus’ an treun-armach, ’S thoir tearmunn do’n lag-lamhach, fheumach; Bi mar bhuinne-shruth reothairt geamhraidh Thoirt gleachd do naimhdibh na Feinn, Ach mar fhann-ghaoth sheimh, thlàth, shambraidh, Bi dhoibhsan a shireas do chabhar. Mar sin bha Treunmhor nam buadh, S bha Trathull nan ruag ’n a dheigh ann, S bha Fionn ’na thaic do ’n fhann G a dhion o ainneart luchd-eucoir. ’N a aobhar shininn mo lamh, Le failte rachainn ’n a choinnimh, ’Us gheibheadh e fasgath ’us caird, Fo sgàil dhrithlinneach mo loinne.

_English Translation._

ADDRESS OF FINGAL TO OSCAR.

Son of my son, so said the king, Oscar, prince of youthful heroes, I have seen the glitter of thy blade, and ’twas my pride To see thy triumph in the conflict. Cleave thou fast to the fame of thine ancestors, And do not neglect to be like them. When Treunmor the fortunate lived, And Trathull the father of warriors, They fought each field triumphantly, And won the fame in every fight. And their names shall flourish in the song Commemorated henceforth by the bards. Oh! Oscar, crush thou the armed hero, But spare the feeble and the needy; Be as the rushing winter, spring-tide, stream, Giving battle to the foes of the Fingalians, But as the gentle, soothing, summer breeze To such as seek for thy help. Such was Treunmor of victories, And Trathull of pursuits, thereafter, And Fingal was a help to the weak, To save him from the power of the oppressor. In his cause I would stretch out my hand, With a welcome I would go to meet him, And he should find shelter and friendship Beneath the glittering shade of my sword.

The above is a true relic of the ancient Ossianic poetry, full of power and full of life, and indicates the existence of a refinement among the ancient Celts for which the opponents of Macpherson would not give them credit. Gillies tells us that his collection was made from gentlemen in every part of the Highlands. It is perhaps the most interesting collection of Highland song which we possess.

In 1816 there appeared a collection of Gaelic poetry by Hugh and John M’Callum. It was printed at Montrose, and the original Gaelic version and an English translation were published simultaneously. The work is called “An Original Collection of the Poems of Ossian, Orann, Ulin, and other bards who flourished in the same age.” There are twenty-six pieces altogether, and the editors give the sources whence they were all derived. These are such as Duncan Matheson in Snizort, Isle of Skye; Hector M’Phail in Torasay, Mull; Donald M’Innes, teacher, Gribun, Mull; Dr M’Donald of Killean, from whom “Teanntachd mòr na Feinn” was obtained--the Doctor maintaining, it appears, that his version was a better one than that given by Gillies; Archibald M’Callum in Killean; and others who furnish “Laoidh nan ceann,” a poem found in the collection of the Dean of Lismore, as are several others of the M’Callums’ collection.

This collection is a very admirable one, perfectly honest, and presents us with some compositions of high poetic merit. The addresses of Ossian to the sun, which Macpherson declines to give in Gaelic, substituting for one of them a series of asterisks, although he gives it in English, are here given in both languages; and the Gaelic versions are perhaps the finest compositions in the book. The address to the setting sun is here given as a specimen of the M’Callums’ collection:--

OISIAN DO ’N GHREIN AN AM LUIDH.

An d’ fhàg tha gorm astar nan speur, A mhic gun bheud a’s òr bhuidh ciabh? Tha dorsa na h-oidhche dhuit féin, Agus pàilliuin do chlos ’s an Iar, Thig na tonna mu’n cuairt gu mall ’Choimhead an fhir a ’s gloine gruaidh, A’ togail fo eagal an ceann Ri ’d fhaicinn cho àillidh a’d shuain; Theich iadsan gun tuar o’d thaobh. Gabh-sa codal ann ad uaimh A ghrian, ’us pill an tùs le h-aoibhneas. Mar bhoillsge grein’ ’s a gheamhradh ’S e ruith ’n a dheann le raon Lena Is amhuil laithe nam Fiann. Mar ghrian eadar frasaibh a’ tréigsinn Dh’ aom neoil chiar-dhubh nan speur, ’Us bhuin iad an deò aoibhinn o ’n t-sealgair, Tha lom gheugan na coill’ a’ caoidh, Is maoth lusrach an t-sleibh’ a’ seargadh; Ach pillidh fathasd a’ ghrian Ri doire sgiamhach nan geug ùra, ’Us ni gach crann ’s a Chéitean gàire Ag amharc an àird ri mac an speura.

_English Translation._

OSSIAN’S ADDRESS TO THE SETTING SUN.

Hast thou left the blue course of the sky Faultless son of golden locks? The gates of the night are for thee, And thy place of repose is in the west. The waves gather slowly around To see him of fairest countenance; Raising their heads in fear. As they witness thy beauty in repose, They fled pale from thy side. Take thou rest in thy cave, O sun, and return with rejoicing. As the sunbeam in the winter time Descending quick on the slope of Lena, So are the days of the Fingalians. As the sun becoming darkened among showers, The dark clouds of the sky descended And bore away the joyous light from the huntsman. The bare branches of the wood weep, And the soft herbage of the mountain withers. But the sun shall return again To the beautiful forest of the fresh-clothed branch, And each bough shall smile in the early summer, Looking up to the son of the sky.

The collection of the M’Callums was a real addition to the stores of Gaelic poetry, and is most helpful in bringing to a satisfactory conclusion the whole question of the ancient Gaelic poetry of Scotland. Were there no other Gaelic compositions in existence save those pieces which this volume contains, they would be sufficient to prove the high character of the heroic poetry of the Scottish Gael for everything that constitutes true poetic power.

It would be wrong in such a sketch as this to overlook the interesting and ingenious contribution made to the discussion of the Ossianic question in the third and fourth volumes of Mr J. Campbell’s _Tales of the West Highlands_. The whole four volumes are full of interesting materials for the student of Gaelic literature and antiquities, but the third and fourth volumes are those in which a place is given to the ancient Ossianic poems. Mr Campbell, the representative of a distinguished Highland family, and unlike many of the class to which he belongs, an excellent Gaelic scholar, made collections on his own account all over the Highlands. He had as his chief coadjutor in the work Mr Hector M’Lean, teacher in Islay, and he could not have had a better--Mr M’Lean being possessed of scholarship, enthusiasm, and sound judgment. The result is a very remarkable collection of the oral literature of the Highlands, including selections from a large amount of poetry attributed to Ossian. This book is a truly honest book, giving the compositions collected just as they were found among the native Highlanders. We shall take occasion again to refer to the Sgeulachds, or tales, and shall only refer at present to the Ossianic remains presented to us by Mr Campbell.

Mr Campbell’s collections include most of the pieces that have been brought together in the same way, with such variations, of course, as must be looked for in the circumstances. He furnishes us with a version of the Lay of Diarmad (vol. iii., 50), having peculiar features of its own, but to a large extent identical with the versions of the Dean of Lismore and of Gillies. It is of much interest to compare this version, taken down within the last few years, with one taken down one hundred years ago, and another taken down three hundred and fifty years ago. The retentive power of human memory for generations is remarkably illustrated by the comparison. Mr Campbell also gives us “The Lay of Oscar,” “The Praise of Gaul,” “The Poem of Oscar,” and several other minor compositions, some of which had never before been printed. These, with Mr Campbell’s own disquisitions, are full of interest; but for the details we must refer the reader to Mr Campbell’s volumes.

From all that has been written on the subject of these ancient Gaelic poems of Ossian, it is perfectly clear that Ossian himself is no creation of James Macpherson. His name has been familiar to the people both of the Highlands and Ireland, for a thousand years and more. “Oisian an deigh na Feinn,” _Ossian after the Fingalians_, has been a proverbial saying among them for numberless generations. Nor did Macpherson invent Ossian’s poems. There were poems reputed to be Ossian’s in the Highlands for centuries before he was born, and poems, too, which for poetic power and interest are unsurpassed; which speak home to the heart of every man who can sympathise with popular poetry marked by the richest felicities of diction; and which entitles them justly to all the commendation bestowed upon the poems edited by Macpherson.

MODERN GAELIC LITERATURE.

It will be seen that a large proportion of the existing Gaelic literature of the early period is poetical. Not that it is so altogether, by any means; and if any large amount of it had come down to us, there is no reason for believing that so large a share of it would be poetical. But the prose MS. writings of the ancient Gael have, with the few exceptions already referred to, perished; and have left us with such poetical compositions as adhered to the national memory.

As we enter upon the era of printing, we are disposed to look for a more extensive literature, and no doubt we find it. But with the era of printing came the use of another language, and the Gaelic ceased to be the vehicle for carrying abroad the thoughts of the learned. Religion still continued to make use of its services, but it ceased to be the handmaid of science and philosophy.

The first printed Gaelic book which we find is Bishop Carsewell’s Gaelic translation of the Liturgy of John Knox. It is well known that Knox compiled a prayer-book for the use of the Scottish Reformed Church, and that it was thought desirable that this prayer-book should be translated into the Gaelic language for the use of the Highlanders. The translation was undertaken by Mr John Carsewell, who was appointed superintendent of the ancient diocese of Argyle, which office he filled for many years. The book was printed at Edinburgh, in 1567. The language is what is in modern times called Irish, but might in Carsewell’s time be called Scotch, for none other was written in Scotland in so far as Gaelic was written at all. There are but three copies of this book known to exist--an entire copy in the library of the Duke of Argyle, and two imperfect copies, one in the library of the University of Edinburgh, and one in the British Museum. This book was printed before one line of Irish Gaelic was printed. Extracts from the volume will be found in the _Highland Society’s Report upon Ossian_, and in M’Lauchlan’s _Celtic Gleanings_. The former extract is made to show that the names of Fingal and the Fingalians were well known in the Highlands at the period of the Reformation. In 1631 a translation of Calvin’s Catechism appeared, probably executed by Carsewell.

In 1659 appeared the first fifty of the Psalms of David in metre by the Synod of Argyle. It is called “An ceud chaogad do Shalmaibh Dhaibhidh a meadrachd Gaoidhilg,” _the first Fifty of the Psalms of David in Gaelic Metre_. The language of the original here is what is called Irish, although it is, as is the Gaelic of Carsewell, the ordinary written Gaelic of the period. This translation forms the groundwork of all the editions of the Psalms that have been used since in the Scottish Church. The rest of the Psalms followed the first fifty in 1694, and the Psalter of the Argyle Synod became then complete. The introduction to the little volume of 1659 details the difficulties which the authors met in converting the Psalms into Gaelic metre, one of which, they say, was the necessity of adapting them to the structure of the English Psalm tunes. How Gaelic congregational singing was conducted in the Highlands previous to this little book appearing, it is hard to say. The introduction concludes with the words, “Anois, a Legthora, dense dithcheall ann sann obair bhigse bhuiliughadh gu maith, agus guidh ar an Tighearna é feín do bheannughadh an tshoisgeil ann sna tirthaibh gaoidhlachsa, agus lasair shoilleir lán teasa do dheanamh don tsraid bhig do lasadh cheana ionta. Grasa maille roit.”

_English Translation._

“And now, reader, strive to use this little work, and pray the Lord that He himself would bless the gospel in these Gaelic lands, and that He would make a bright flame full of heat of this little spark which has been now lighted in it.”

This little volume is now scarce, but full of interest to the Gaelic student.

Alongside of the Synod of Argyle, another indefatigable labourer in the same field was at work. This was Mr Robert Kirk, minister at Balquhidder. There seems to have been no Rob Roy in the district at the time, and Mr Kirk appears to have had a quiet life in his Highland parish; more so, indeed, than other Scottish ministers of the time, for he seems to have been engaged in his translation during the heat of the persecution of the Covenanters, and it was published in 1684, four years before the Revolution. Kirk is said to have been so anxious to have precedence of the Synod of Argyle, that he invented a machine for awakening him in the morning by means of water made to fall upon his face at a certain hour. His Psalter preceded that of the Synod by a period of ten years.

Mr Kirk dedicates his volume, which is published with the sanction of the Privy Council, and with the approbation of “the Lords of the Clergy, and some reverend ministers who best understand the Irish language,” to the Marquis of Athole, &c., of whom he says that his “Lordship has been of undoubted courage and loyalty for the king, and still alongst inflexible to the persuasions or threats of frozen neutralists or flaming incendiaries in Church or State.” Kirk further states that the work was “done by such as attained not the tongue (which he calls Scottish-Irish) without indefatigable industry,” manifestly pointing to himself as one who had so acquired it.

This little volume of the minister of Balquhidder is a most interesting contribution to our Gaelic literature. The language is what many writers call Irish, although there is no reason to believe that Mr Kirk ever was in Ireland, or conversed with speakers of Irish Gaelic. He knew and used the dialect which writers of the Gaelic language had used for centuries, and used at the time. No Irish writer could use a dialect more purely Irish than that found in Kirk’s Gaelic preface. Kirk concludes his preface with the following lines:--

Imthigh a Dhuilleachain gu dàn, Le Dan glan diagha duisg iad thall. Cuir failte air Fonn fial na bFionn, Ar garbh-chriocha, ’s Indseadh gall.

_English Translation._

Go, little leaflet, boldly, With pure holy songs wake them yonder, Salute the hospitable land of the Fingalians, The rugged borders, and the Isles of the strangers.

“The land of the Fingalians” was the Highlands generally; “the rugged borders” was the west coast of Inverness-shire and Ross-shire; and “the Isles of the Strangers” were the Hebrides, so called from being long in possession of the Norsemen.

In 1690 Mr Kirk edited in Roman letters an edition of Bedel’s Irish Bible, with O’Donnell’s New Testament, for the use of the Highlanders. Kirk says in the title-page of the work, “Nocha ta anois chum maitheas coit-cheann na nGaoidheil Albanach athruighte go hair-each as an litir Eireandha chum na mion-litir shoileighidh Romhanta” _which is now for the common good of the Highlanders changed carefully from the Irish letter to the small readable Roman letter_. At the close of the book there is a vocabulary of Irish words with their Gaelic equivalents. Many of the equivalents are as difficult to understand as the original Irish.

In 1694 the completed Psalm-book of the Synod of Argyle appeared. It was very generally accepted, and although some editions of Kirk’s Psalter appeared, the Synod’s Psalter became the Psalter of the Church, and was the basis of all the metrical versions of the Gaelic Psalms that have appeared since.

The Shorter Catechism was published in Gaelic by the Synod of Argyle about the same time with their first fifty Psalms. Numerous editions have been printed since, and perhaps there is no better specimen of the Gaelic language in existence than what is to be found in the common versions of it. The earlier versions are in the dialect so often referred to, called Irish. The title of the book is “Foirceadul aithghearr cheasnuighe, an dus ar na ordughadh le coimhthional na Ndiaghaireadh ag Niarmhanister an Sasgan, &c.” That may be called Irish, but it was a Scottish book written by Scottish men.

In 1725 the Synod of Argyle, who cannot be too highly commended for their anxiety to promote the spiritual good of their countrymen in the Highlands, published a translation of the Confession of Faith into Gaelic. It is a small duodecimo volume printed at Edinburgh. The Larger and Shorter Catechisms, with the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Creed follow the Confession. The book is well printed, and the language is still the so-called Irish. The title runs:--“Admhail an Chreidimh, air an do reitigh air ttus coimhthionol na nDiaghaireadh aig Niarmhoinister an Sasgan; &c.... ar na chur a Ngaoidheilg le Seanadh Earraghaoidheal.” _The Confession of Faith, &c., translated into Gaelic by the Synod of Argyle._

It is interesting with respect to the dialect in which all the works referred to appear, to inquire whence the writers obtained it, if it be simply Irish. Carsewell’s Prayer-book appeared before any work in Irish Gaelic was printed. The ministers of the Synod of Argyle were surely Scottish Highlanders and not Irishmen. Mr Kirk of Balquhidder was a lowland Scot who acquired the Gaelic tongue. Now these men, so far as we know, were never in Ireland, and there were no Irish-Gaelic books from which they could acquire the tongue. There might be manuscripts, but it is not very probable that men would inspect manuscripts in order to enable them to write in a dialect that was foreign to the people whom they intended to benefit. Yet these all write in the same dialect, and with the identical same orthography. Surely this proves that the Scottish Gael were perfectly familiar with that dialect as the language of their literature, that its orthography among them was fixed, that the practice of writing it was common, as much so as among the Irish, and that the people readily understood it. It is well known that the reading of the Irish Bible was common in Highland churches down to the beginning of this century, and that the letter was, from the abbreviations used, called “A’ chorra litir,” and was familiar to the people. At the same time, the language was uniformly called Irish, as the people of the Highlands were called Irish, although there never was a greater misnomer. Such a designation was never employed by the people themselves, and was only used by those who wrote and spoke English. In the title of the Confession of Faith published in Gaelic in 1725, it is said to be translated into the Irish language by the Synod of Argyle.

GAELIC BIBLE.

Religious works formed the staple of the literature issued from the Gaelic press from the period now spoken of to the present day. The great want for many years was the Bible. For a long time the clergy used the Irish edition reprinted for the use of the Highlands by Mr Kirk; but this was not satisfactory, from the difference of the dialect; many in consequence preferred translating from the English. This habit pervaded all classes, and it is not improbable that there are in the Highlands still persons who prefer translating the Scriptures for their own use to the common version. Certain traditional forms of translation were at one time in general use, and occasionally the translations given bordered on the ludicrous. A worthy man was once translating the phrase “And they were astonied,” and he made it “Bha iad air an clachadh,” _They were stoned_. It was in every way desirable that a correct translation of the Gaelic Bible should be provided for the use of the Highlands, and this was finally undertaken by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. The person employed to perform the work was the Rev. James Stewart of Killin, a man fully qualified for it, and although his translation retained too much of the Irish dialect of O’Donnell’s Irish New Testament, it was welcomed as a highly creditable work, and as a great boon to the Highlands. Many minor changes have been made in the Gaelic New Testament of 1767, but it has been the basis of all subsequent editions which have sought merely to render certain portions of the work more idiomatic and pleasing to a Scottish ear. The publishing of this version of the New Testament proved a great benefit to the Highlands.

Soon after the publication of the New Testament, it was resolved that the Old Testament should be translated into Gaelic also. This work, like the former, was undertaken by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, assisted by a collection made throughout the congregations of the Church of Scotland amounting to £1483. The principal translator employed was the Rev. Dr John Stewart of Luss, son of the translator of the New Testament, who translated three portions of the work, while a fourth portion, including the Prophets, was executed by the Rev. Dr Smith, of Campbellton, the accomplished editor of the Sean Dana. The whole work was completed and published in the year 1801. This work has been of incalculable service to the Highlands, and is one of the many benefits conferred upon that portion of the country by the excellent Society who undertook it. Objections have been taken to the many Irish idioms introduced into the language, and to the extent to which the Irish orthography was followed, but these are minor faults, and the work itself is entitled to all commendation.

TRANSLATIONS FROM THE ENGLISH.

Much of our modern Gaelic prose literature consists of translations from the English. In this the Gaelic differs from the Welsh, in which is to be found a large amount of original prose writing on various subjects. This has arisen from the demand for such a literature being less among the Highlanders, among whom the English language has made greater progress, so much so, that when a desire for extensive reading exists, it is generally attended with a sufficient knowledge of English. Translations of religious works, however, have been relished, and pretty ample provision has been made to meet the demand. The first book printed in modern Scottish Gaelic was a translation of Baxter’s _Call to the Unconverted_, executed by the Rev. Alex. M’Farlane, of Kilninver, and published in 1750. There is much of the Irish orthography and idiom retained in this work, but it is a near approach to the modern spoken language of the Highlands. Since then many of the works of well-known religious authors have been translated and published, among which may be mentioned works by Boston, Bunyan, Brookes, Colquhoun, and Doddridge. These are much prized and read throughout the Highlands. The translations are of various excellence; some of them accurate and elegant, while others are deficient in both these qualities. Dr Smith’s version of Alleine’s _Alarm_ is an admirable specimen of translation, and is altogether worthy of the fame of Dr Smith. The same may be said of Mr M’Farlane’s translation of _The History of Joseph_, which is an excellent specimen of Gaelic writing. The _Monthly Visitor_ tract has been translated by the writer for the last twelve years, and it has a large circulation.

ORIGINAL PROSE WRITINGS.

Of these Mr Reid, in his _Bibliotheca Scoto-Celtica_, gives but a scanty catalogue. He gives but a list of ten, most of them single sermons. There are several other such writings, however, which have been added since Reid’s list was made up. Among these appears M’Kenzie’s _Bliadhna Thearlaich_, “Charles’s year,” a vigorous well-written account of the rebellion of 1745-6. M’Kenzie was the compiler of a volume of Gaelic poetry in which the best specimens of the works of the bards are generally given, and although having ideas of his own on the subject of orthography, few men knew the Gaelic language better. We have also a volume on astronomy by the Rev. D. Connell; and a _History of Scotland_ by the Rev. Angus Mackenzie, both of them creditable performances. It is doubtful how far these works have been patronised by the public, and how far they have been of pecuniary benefit to their authors, but they are deserving works, and if they have not proved a remunerative investment, it is from want of interest on the part of the readers more than from want of ability on the part of the writers. In addition to these have been several magazines, the contents of which have in some instances been collected into a volume and published separately. Of these are _An teachdaire Gaidhealach_, “The Gaelic Messenger,” edited by the late Rev. Dr M’Leod of Glasgow, and a Free Church magazine _An Fhianuis_, “The Witness,” edited by the Rev. Dr Mackay, now of Harris. “The Gaelic Messenger,” _An Teachdaire Gaidhealach_, contained a large proportion of papers furnished by the editor, Dr M’Leod. These have been since that time collected into a volume by his son-in-law the Rev. Archibald Clerk of Kilmallie, and published under the title of _Caraid nan Gaidheal_, “The Friend of the Highlanders.” This is an admirable volume, containing, as it does, our best specimens of racy, idiomatic Gaelic, of which Dr M’Leod was a master. It is a most interesting addition to our Gaelic literature. Besides this, Dr M’Leod produced _Leabhar nan Cnoc_, “The Book of the Knowes,” a school collection of prose and poetry, and several other lesser works. The _Leabhar nan Cnoc_ is an admirable collection of fragments, well adapted for school use, and at the same time interesting to the general reader.

But the most remarkable addition that has recently been made to Gaelic prose literature is Mr J. F. Campbell’s collection of “Sgeulachdan” or ancient Highland tales. It was long known that a large amount of this kind of literature existed in the Highlands; that it formed the treasure of the reciter, a character recognised and appreciated in every small community; and that it was the staple fireside amusement of many a winter evening. Specimens of this literature appeared occasionally in print, and one of great interest, and remarkably well given, called _Spiorad na h-aoise_, “The Spirit of Age,” appears in _Leabhar nan Cnoc_, the collection already spoken of. Mr Campbell set himself to collect this literature from the traditions of the people, and he has embodied the result in four goodly volumes, which every lover of the language and literature of the Celt must prize. Many coadjutors aided Mr Campbell in his undertaking, and he was happy in finding, as has been already said, in Mr Hector M’Lean, teacher, Islay, a most efficient collector and transcriber of the tales. These tales were known among the Highlanders as “Sgeulachdan” Tales, or “Ursgeulan” Noble Tales, the latter having reference usually to stories of the Fingalian heroes. They are chiefly “Folk lore” of the kinds which are now known to pervade the world amongst a certain class as their oral literature. The Tales themselves are of various degrees of merit, and are manifestly derived from various sources. Some of them took their origin in the fertile imagination of the Celt, while others are obviously of classical origin, and are an adaptation of ancient Greek and Latin stories to the taste of the Celt of Scotland. Mr Campbell, in his disquisitions accompanying the tales, which are often as amusing and instructive as the tales themselves, traces numerous bonds of connection between them and similar legends common to almost all the European nations. He shows where they meet and where they diverge, and makes it very clear that most of them must have had a common origin. It has been maintained that many of these legends were brought to Scotland by returning Crusaders; that they were often the amusement of the camp among these soldiers of the ancient Church; and that, related among hearers of all nations, they became dispersed among those nations, and that thus Scotland came to obtain and to retain her share of them.

That Scotland felt largely the influence of the Crusades cannot be denied by any observant student of her history. Her whole political and social system was modified by them, while to them is largely due the place and power which the mediæval Church obtained under the government of David I. That Scottish literature should have felt their influence is more than likely, and it is possible, although it is hardly safe to go further, that some of these tales of the Scottish Highlands owe their existence to the wanderings of Scottish Crusaders. Be their origin, however, what it may, they afford a deeply interesting field of enquiry to the student of the popular literature of the country. In our own view, they are of great value, as presenting us with admirable specimens of idiomatic Gaelic. We transcribe one tale, making use of the ordinary orthography of the Gaelic, Mr Campbell having used forms of spelling which might serve to express the peculiarities of the dialect in which he found them couched.

MAOL A CHLIOBAIN.

Bha bantrach ann roimhe so, ’us bha trì nigheanan aice, ’us thubhairt iad rithe, gu’n rachadh iad a dh’iarraidh an fhortain. Dheasaich i trì bonnaich. Thubhairt i ris an té mhòir, “Cò aca is fhearr leat an leth bheag ’us mo bheannachd, no’n leth mhòr ’s mo mhallachd?” “Is fhearr leam, ars’ ise, an leth mhòr ’us do mhallachd.” Thubhairt i ris an té mheadhonaich, “Co aca’s fhearr leat an leth bheag ’us mo bheannachd, no’n leth mhòr ’us mo mhallachd.” “Is fhearr leam an leth mhòr ’us do mhallachd,” ars’ ise. Thubhairt i ris an té bhig, “Co aca ’s fhearr leat an leth mhòr ’us mo mhallachd, no’n leth bheag ’s mo bheannachd?” “Is fhearr leam an leth bheag’us do bheannachd.” Chord so r’a màthair, ’us thug i dhi an leth eile cuideachd.

Dh’ fhalbh iad, ach cha robh toil aig an dithis ’bu shine an té ’b’òige ’bhi leo, ’us cheangail iad i ri carragh cloiche. Ghabh iad air an aghaidh, ’s ’n uair a dh’amhairc iad as an déigh, co a chunnaic iad ach ise ’us a’ chreig air a muin. Leig iad leatha car treis gus an d’ràinig iad cruach mhòine, ’us cheangail iad ris a chruaich mhòine i. Ghabh iad air an aghaidh treis, ’us dh’amhairc iad ’n an déigh, ’us cò a chunnaic iad ach ise a’ tighinn, ’s a’ chruach mhòine air a muin. Leig iad leatha car tacan gus an d’ràinig iad craobh, ’us cheangail iad ris a’chraoibh i. Ghabh iad air an aghaidh treis, ’us ’n’uair a dh’amhairc iad ’n an déigh, cò a chunnaic iad ach ise a’ tighinn, ’s a’chraobh air a muin. Chunnaic iad nach robh maith bhí rithe. Dh’fhuasgail iad i ’us leig iad leo i. Bha iad a’ falbh gus an d’thàinig an oidhche orra. Chunnaic iad solus fada uatha, ’us ma b’fhada uatha, cha b’fhada bha iadsan ’g a ruigheachd. Chaidh iad a stigh. Ciod e bha so ach tigh famhair. Dh’iarr iad fuireach ’s an oidhche. Fhuair iad sin ’us chuireadh a luidhe iad le trì nigheanan an fhamhair.

Bha caran de chneapan òmbair mu mhuinealan nigheanan an fhamhair, agus sreangan gaosaid mu’m muinealan-san. Choidil iad air fad, ach cha do choidil Maol a’ chliobain. Feadh na h-oidhche thàinig pathadh air an fhamhar. Ghlaodh e r’a ghille maol carrach uisge ’thoirt d’a ionnsuidh. Thubhairt an gille maol carrach nach robh deur a stigh. “Marbh, ars’ esan, té de na nigheanan coimheach, ’us thoir a’m ionnsuidhse a fuil.” “Ciamar a dh’ aithuicheas mi eatorra?” ars’ an gille maol carrach. “Tha caran de chneapan mu mhuinealan mo nigheanan-sa, agus caran gaosaid mu mhuinealan chàich.” Chuala Maol a chliobain am famhar, ’us cho clis ’s a b’urrainn i, chuir i na sreanganan gaosaid a bha m’a muineal féin agus mu mhuinealan a peathraichean mu mhuinealan nigheanan an fhamhair, agus na cneapan a bha mu mhuinealan nigheanan an fhamhair m’a muineal féin agus mu mhuinealan a peathraichean, ’us luidh i sios gu samhach. Thàinig an gille maol carrach, ’us mharbh e té de nigheanan an fhamhair, ’us thug e an fhuil d’a ionnsuidh. Dh’iarr e tuilleadh a thoirt d’a ionnsuidh. Mharbh e an ath thé. Dh’iarr e tuilleadh ’us mharbh e an treas té. Dhùisg Maol a’ chliobain a’ peathraichean, ’us thug i air a muin iad, ’us ghabh i air falbh. Mhothaich am famhar dith ’us lean e i.

Na spreadan teine a bha ise ’cur as na clachan le a sàiltean, bha iad a’ bualadh an fhamhair ’s an smigead; agus na spreadan teine a bha am famhar ’toirt as na clachan le barraibh a chos, bha iad a’ bualadh Mhaol a’ chliobain an cùl a’ chinn. Is e so ’bu dual doibh gus an d’ràinig iad amhainn. Leum Maol a’ chliobain an amhainn ’us cha b’urrainn am famhar an amhainn a leum. “Tha thu thall, a Mhaol a’ chliobain.” “Tha, ma’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo thrì nigheanan maola, ruagha.” “Mharbh, ma ’s oil leat.” “’Us c’uine thig thu ris?” “Thig, ’n uair bheir mo ghnothuch ann mi.”

Ghabh iad air an aghaidh gus an d’ràinig iad tigh tuathanaich. Bha aig an tuathanach tri mic. Dh’innis iad mar a thachair dhoibh. Ars’ an tuatha ach ri Maol a’chliobain, “Bheir mi mo mhac a’s sine do’d phiuthair a’s sine, ’us faigh dhomh cìr mhìn òir, ’us cìr gharbh airgid, a th’aig an fhamhar.” “Cha chosd e tuilleadh dhuit,” ars’ Maol a’ chliobain. Dh’fhalbh i ’us ràinig i tigh an fhamhair. Fhuair i stigh gun fhios. Thug i leatha na cìrean ’us dhalbh i mach. Mhothaich am famhar dhìth; ’us as a deigh a bha e gus an d’ràinig e an amhainn. Leum ise an amhainn ’us cha b’urrainn am famhar an amhainn a leum. “Tha thu thall, a Mhaol a’ chliobain.” “Tha, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh, thu mo thrì nigheanan maola, ruagha.” “Mharbh, ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo chìr mhìn òir, ’us mo chìr gharbh airgid.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “C’ uine thig thu rìs?” “Thig, ’n uair bheir mo ghnothuch ann mi.”

Thug i na cìrean thun an tuathanaich, ’us phòs a piuthair mhòr-sa mac mòr an tuathanaich.

“Bheir mi mo mhac meadhonach do’d phiuthair mheadhonaich, ’us faigh dhomh claidheamh soluis an fhamhair.” “Cha chosd e tuilleadh dhuit,” ars’ Maol a’ chliobain. Ghabh i air falbh, ’us ràinig i tigh an fhamhair. Chaidh i suas ann an barr craoibhe ’bha os cionn tobair an fhamhair. Anns an oidhche thainig an gille maol carrach, ’us an claidheamh soluis leis, a dh’iarraidh uisge. An uair a chrom e a thogail an uisge, thainig Maol a’ chliobain a nuas, ’us phut i sios ’s an tobar e ’us bhàth i e, ’us thug i leatha an claidheamh soluis. Lean am famhar i gus an d’ràinig i an amhainn. Leum i an amhainn, ’us cha b’urrainn am famhar a leantuinn. “Tha thu thall, a Mhaol a’ chliobain.” “Tha, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo thrì nigheanan maola, ruadha.” “Mharbh ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo chìr mhìn òir, ’s mo chìr gharbh airgid.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo ghille maol carrach.” “Mharbh ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo chlaidheamh soluis.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “C’uine thig thu rìs.” “Thig, ’n uair bheir mo ghnothuch ann mi.” Ràinig i tigh an tuathanaich leis a’ chlaidheamh sholuis, ’us phòs a piuthair mheadhonach ’us mac meadhonach an tuathanaich.

“Bheir mi dhuit féin mo mhac a’s òige,” ars’ an tuathanach, “’us thoir a’m ionnsuidh boc a th’aig an fhamhar.” “Cha chosd e tuilleadh dhuit” ars’ Maol a’ chliobain. Dh’fhalbh i ’us ràinig i tigh an fhamhair, ach an uair a bha greim aice air a bhoc, rug am famhar, oirre. “Ciod e” ars’ am famhar, “a dheanadh tus’ ormsa, nan deanainn uibhir a choire ort ’s a rinn thus’ ormsa.” “Bheirinn ort gu’n sgàineadh tu thu fhéin le brochan bainne; chuirinn an sin ann am poc thu; chrochainn thu ri druim an tighe; chuirinn teine fothad; ’us ghabhainn duit le cabar gus an tuiteadh thu ’n ad chual chrionaich air an ùrlar. Rinn am famhar brochan bainne ’us thugar dhìth ri òl e. Chuir ise am brochan bainne m’ a beul ’us m’ a h-eudainn, ’us luidh i seachad mar gu’m bitheadh i marbh. Chuir am famhar ann am poc i, ’us chroch e i ri druim an tighe, ’us dh’fhalbh e fhéin ’us a dhaoine a dh’iarraidh fiodha do’n choille. Bha màthair an fhamhair a stigh.” Theireadh Maol a’ chliobain ’n uair a dh’fhalbh am famhar, “Is mise ’tha ’s an t-sòlas, is mise ’tha ’s a chaithir òir.” “An leig thu mise ann?” ars’ a’ chailleach. “Cha leig, gu dearbh.” Mu dheireadh, leig i nuas am poca; chuir i stigh a’ chailleach, ’us cat, ’us laogh, ’us soitheach uachdair; thug i leatha am boc, ’us dh’fhalbh i. An uair a thainig am famhar, thoisich e fhéin ’us a dhaoine air a’ phoca leis na cabair. Bha a’ chailleach a’ glaodhaich, “’S mi fhéin a th’ ann.” “Tha fios agam gur tu fhéin a th ’ann,” theireadh am famhar, ’us e ag éiridh air a’ phoca. Thàinig am poc’ a nuas ’n a chual’ chrionaich ’us ciod e ’bha ann ach a mhàthair. An uair a chunnaic am famhar mar a bha, thug e as an déigh Mhaol a’ chliobain. Lean e i gus an d’ràinig i an amhainn. Leum Maol a’ chliobain an amhainn ’us cha b’urrainn am famhar a leum. “Tha thu thall, a Mhaol a’ chliobain.” “Tha, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo thrì nigheanan maola, ruadha.” “Mharbh, ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo chìr mhin òir, ’us mo chìr gharbh airgid.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo ghille maol, carrach.” “Mharbh, ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo chlaidheamh soluis.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “Mharbh thu mo mhàthair.” “Mharbh, ma ’s oil leat.” “Ghoid thu mo bhoc.” “Ghoid, ma ’s oil leat.” “C’uine a thig thu rìs?” “Thig ’n uair bheir mo ghnothuch ann mi.” “Nam bitheadh tusa bhos ’us mise thall” ars’ am famhar, “Ciod e dheanadh tu airson mo leantuinn?” “Stopainn mi fhéin, agus dh’olainn gus an traoghainn, an amhainn.” Stop am famhar e fhéin, ’us dh’ òl e gus an do sgàin e. Phòs Maol a’ chliobain Mac òg an tuathanaich.

_English Translation._

There was a widow once of a time, and she had three daughters, and they said to her that they were going to seek their fortunes. She prepared three bannocks. She said to the big daughter, “Whether do you like best the little half with my blessing, or the big half with my curse?” “I like best,” said she, “the big half with your curse.” She said to the middle one, “Whether do you like best the big half with my curse, or the little half with my blessing?” “I like best,” said she, “the big half with your curse.” She said to the little one, “Whether do you like best the big half with my curse, or the little half with my blessing?” “I like best the little half with your blessing.” This pleased her mother, and she gave her the other half likewise.

They left, but the two older ones did not wish to have the younger one with them, and they tied her to a stone. They held on, and when they looked behind them, whom did they see coming but her with the rock on her back. They let her alone for a while until they reached a stack of peats, and they tied her to the peat-stack. They held on for a while, when whom did they see coming but her with the stack of peats on her back. They let her alone for a while until they reached a tree, and they tied her to the tree. They held on, and whom did they see coming but her with the tree on her back. They saw that there was no use in meddling with her. They loosed her, and they let her come with them. They were travelling until night overtook them. They saw a light far from them, and if it was far from them they were not long reaching it. They went in. What was this but the house of a giant. They asked to remain overnight. They got that, and they were set to bed with the three daughters of the giant.

There were turns of amber beads around the necks of the giant’s daughters, and strings of hair around their necks. They all slept, but Maol a chliobain kept awake. During the night the giant got thirsty. He called to his bald rough-skinned lad to bring him water. The bald rough-skinned lad said that there was not a drop within. “Kill,” said he, “one of the strange girls, and bring me her blood.” “How will I know them?” said the bald rough-skinned lad. “There are turns of beads about the necks of my daughters, and turns of hair about the necks of the rest.” Maol a chliobain heard the giant, and as quickly as she could she put the strings of hair that were about her own neck and the necks of her sisters about the necks of the giant’s daughters, and the beads that were about the necks of the giant’s daughters about her own neck and the necks of her sisters, and laid herself quietly down. The bald rough-skinned lad came and killed one of the daughters of the giant, and brought him her blood. He bade him bring him more. He killed the second one. He bade him bring him more, and he killed the third. Maol a chliobain wakened her sisters, and she took them on her back and went away. The giant observed her, and he followed her.

The sparks of fire which she was driving out of the stones with her heels were striking the giant in the chin, and the sparks of fire that the giant was taking out of the stones with the points of his feet, they were striking Maol a chliobain in the back of her head. It was thus with them until they reached a river. Maol a chliobain leaped the river, and the giant could not leap the river. “You are over, Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three bald red-skinned daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “And when will you come again?” “I will come when my business brings me.”

They went on till they reached a farmer’s house. The farmer had three sons. They told what happened to them. Says the farmer to Maol a chliobain, “I will give my eldest son to your eldest sister, and get for me the smooth golden comb and the rough silver comb that the giant has.” “It won’t cost you more,” said Maol a chliobain. She left and reached the giant’s house. She got in without being seen. She took the combs and hastened out. The giant observed her, and after her he went until they reached the river. She leaped the river, and the giant could not leap the river. “You are over, Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three bald red-skinned daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my smooth golden comb and my rough silver comb.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “When will you come again.” “When my business brings me.”

She brought the combs to the farmer, and the big sister married the big son of the farmer.

“I will give my middle son to your middle sister, and get for me the giant’s sword of light.” “It won’t cost you more,” says Maol a chliobain. She went away, and reached the giant’s house. She went up in the top of a tree that was above the giant’s well. In the night the bald, rough-skinned lad came for water, having the sword of light with him. When he bent over to raise the water, Maol a chliobain came down and pushed him into the well and drowned him, and took away the sword of light. The giant followed her till she reached the river. She leaped the river, and the giant could not follow her. “You are over, Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three bald red-haired daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my smooth golden comb and my rough silver comb.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my bald rough-skinned lad.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my sword of light.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “When will you come again?” “When my business brings me.” She reached the farmer’s house with the sword of light, and her middle sister married the middle son of the farmer.

“I will give yourself my youngest son,” said the farmer, “and bring me the buck that the giant has.” “It won’t cost you more,” said Maol a chliobain. She went and she reached the giant’s house, but as she got hold of the buck, the giant laid hands upon her. “What,” said the giant, “would you do to me if I had done to you as much harm as you have done to me?” “I would make you burst yourself with milk porridge. I would then put you in a bag; I would hang you to the roof of the house; I would place fire under you; and I would beat you with sticks until you fell a bundle of dry sticks on the floor.” The giant made milk porridge, and gave it her to drink. She spread the milk porridge over her mouth and her face, and lay down as if she had been dead. The giant put her in a bag which he hung to the roof of the house, and he and his men went to the wood to get sticks. The mother of the giant was in. When the giant went away, Maol a chliobain cried, “It is I that am in comfort; it is I that am in the golden seat.” “Will you let me there?” said the hag. “No, indeed.” At length she let down the bag; she put the hag inside, and a cat, and a calf, and a dish of cream; she took away the buck, and she left. When the giant came, he and his men fell upon the bag with the sticks. The hag was crying out, “It’s myself that’s here.” “I know it is yourself that’s there,” the giant would say, striking the bag. The bag fell down a bundle of dry sticks, and what was there but his mother. When the giant saw how it was, he set off after Maol a chliobain. He followed her till she reached the river. Maol a chliobain leaped the river, but the giant could not leap the river. “You are over, Maol a chliobain.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my three bald red-skinned daughters.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my smooth golden comb and my rough silver comb.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my bald, rough-skinned lad.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my sword of light.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You killed my mother.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “You stole my buck.” “Yes, if it vex you.” “When will you come again?” “When my business brings me.” “If you were over here and I over there, what would you do to follow me?” “I would stop myself up, and I would drink until I dried the river.” The giant stopped himself up, and drunk until he burst. Maol a chliobain married the young son of the farmer.

The above is a fair specimen of these tales with which the story-tellers of the Highlands were wont to entertain their listeners, and pass agreeably a long winter evening. The versions of such tales are various, but the general line of the narrative is always the same. Scores of these tales may still be picked up in the West Highlands, although Mr Campbell has sifted them most carefully and skilfully, and given to the public those which are undoubtedly best. The following is a specimen referring to the famous Tom na h-iùbhraich, in the neighbourhood of Inverness. It was taken down by the writer from the recital of an Ardnamurchan man in Edinburgh, and has never been printed before. The resemblance of a portion of it to what is told of Thomas the Rhymer and the Eildon Hills, is too close to escape observation. These tales are valuable as preserving admirable specimens of the idioms of the Gaelic language.

NA FIANTAICHEAN.

FEAR A’ GHEADAIN CLÒIMHE.

Bha fear air astar uaireigin mu thuath, a réir coslais, mu Shiorramachd Inbhirnis. Bha e a’ coiseachd là, ’us chunnaic e fear a’ buain sgrath leis an làr-chaipe. Thainig e far an robh an duine. Thubhairt e ris, “Oh, nach sean sibhse, ’dhuine, ris an obair sin.” Thubhairt an duine ris, “Oh, nam faiceadh tu m’athair, is e a’s sine na mise.” “D’athair” ars’ an duine, “am bheil d’athair beò ’s an t-saoghal fhathasd?” “Oh, tha” ars’ esan. “C’àite am bheil d’athair” ars’ esan, “am b’urrainn mi ’fhaicinn?” “Uh, is urrainn” ars’ esan, “tha e a’ tarruing dhathigh nan sgrath.” Dh’innis e an rathad a ghabhadh e ach am faiceadh e ’athair. Thàinig e far an robh e. Thubhairt e ris, “Nach sean sibhse, ’dhuine, ris an obair sin.” “Uh,” ars’ esan, “nam faiceadh tu m’ athair, is e a ’s sine na mise.” “Oh, am bheil d’athair ’s an t-saoghai fhathasd?” “Uh, tha,” ars’ esan. “C’aite am bheil e” ars’ esan, “an urrainn mi ’fhaicinn?” “Uh, is urrainn,” ars’ esan, “tha e a’ tilgeadh nan sgrath air an tigh.” Ràinig e am fear a bha ’tilgeadh nan sgrath. “Oh, nach sean sibhse, ’dhuine, ris an obair sin,” ars’ esan. “Uh, nam faiceadh tu m’athair,” ars’ esan, “tha e mòran na ’s sine na mise.” “Am bheil d’athair agam r’a fhaicinn?” “Uh, tha,” ars’ esan, “rach timchioll, ’us chi thu e a’cur nan sgrath.” Thainig e ’us chunnaic e am fear a bha ’cur nan sgrath. “Oh, a dhuine” ars’ esan, “is mòr an aois a dh’fheumas sibse a bhi.” “Oh,” ars’ esan, “nam faiceadh tu m’athair.” “An urrainn mi d’athair fhaicinn?” ars’ esan, “C’àite am bheil e?” “Mata” ars’ an duine, is òlach tapaidh coltach thu, tha mi ’creidsinn gu’m faod mi m’athair a shealltuinn duit. “Tha e,” ars’ esan, “stigh ann an geadan clòimhe an ceann eile an tighe.” Chaidh e stigh leis ’g a fhaicinn. Bha na h-uile gin diùbhsan ro mhòr, nach ’eil an leithid a nis r’a fhaotainn. “Tha duine beag an so,” ars esan, ’athair, “air am bheil coslas òlaich thapaidh, Albannach, ’us toil aige ’ur faicinn.” Bhruidhinn e ris, ’us thubbairt e, “Co as a thàinig thu? Thoir dhomh do làmh, ’Albannaich.” Thug a mhac làmh air seann choltair croinn a bha ’na luidhe làimh riu. Shnaim e aodach uime. “Thoir dha sin,” ars’ esan ris an Albannach, “’us na toir dha do làmh.” Rug an seann duine air a’ choltair, ’us a’ cheann eile aig an duine eile ’na làimh. An àite an coltair a bhi leathann, rinn e cruinn e, ’us dh’fhàg e làrach nan cuig meur ann, mar gu’m bitheadh uibe taois ann. “Nach cruadalach an làmh a th’agad, ’Albannaich,” ars’ esan, “Nam bitheadh do chridhe cho cruadalach, tapaidh, dh’iarrainnse rud ort nach d’iarr mi’ air fear roimhe.” “Ciod e sin, a dhuine?” ars’ esan, “ma tha ni ann a’s urrainn mise ’dheanamh, ni mi e.” “Bheirinnse dhuit” ars’ esan, “fìdeag a tha an so, agus fiosraichidh tu far am bheil Tòm na h-iùbhraich, laimh ri Inbhirnis, agus an uair a theid thu ann, chi thu creag bheag, ghlas, air an dara taobh dheth.” An uair a’ theid thu a dh’ionnsuidh na creige, chi thu mu mheudachd doruis, ’us air cumadh doruis bhige air a’ chreig. Buail sròn do choise air trì uairean, ’us air an uair mu dheireadh fosgailidh e. Dh’fhalbh e, ’us ràinig e ’us fhuair e an dorus.” Thubhairt an seann duine ris, “An uair a dh’fhosgaileas tu an dorus, seirmidh tu an fhìdeag, bheir thu tri seirmean oirre ’us air an t-seirm mu dheireadh,” ars’ esan, “eiridh leat na bhitheas stigh, ’us ma bhitheas tu cho tapaidh ’us gun dean thu siu, is fheairrd thu fhéin e ’us do mhac, ’us d’ ogha, ’us d’iar-ogha.” Thug e a’ cheud sheirm air an fhìdeag. Sheall e ’us stad e. Shin na coin a bha ’n an luidhe làthair ris na daoinibh an cosan, ’us charaich na daoine uile. Thug e an ath sheirm oirre. Dh’éirich na daoine air an uilnibh ’us dh’éirich na coin ’n an suidhe. Thionndaidh am fear ris an dorus, ’us ghabh e eagal. Tharruing e an dorus ’n a dhéigh. Ghlaodh iadsan uile gu léir, “Is miosa ’dh’fhàg na fhuair, is miosa ’dh’fhàg na fhuair.” Dh’fhalbh e ’n a ruith. Thàinig e gu lochan uisge, a bha an sin, ’us thilg e an fhìdeag anns an lochan. Dhealaich mise riu.

_English Translation._

THE FINGALIANS.

THE MAN IN THE TUFT OF WOOL.

There was a man once on a journey in the north, according to all appearance in the sheriffdom of Inverness. He was travelling one day, and he saw a man casting divots with the flaughter-spade. He came to where the man was. He said to him, “Oh, you are very old to be employed in such work.” The man said to him, “Oh, if you saw my father, he is much older than I am.” “Your father,” said the man, “is your father alive in the world still?” “Oh, yes,” said he. “Where is your father?” said he; “could I see him?” “Oh, yes,” said he, “he is leading home the divots.” He told him what way he should take in order to see his father. He came where he was. He said to him “You are old to be engaged in such work.” “Oh,” said he, “if you saw my father, he is older than I.” “Oh, is your father still in the world?” “Oh, yes,” said he. “Where is your father?” said he; “can I see him!” “Oh, yes,” said he, “he is reaching the divots at the house.” He came to the man who was reaching the divots. “Oh, you are old,” said he, “to be employed in such work.” “Oh, if you saw my father,” said he, “he is much older than I.” “Is your father to be seen?” said he. “Oh, yes, go round the house and you will see him laying the divots on the roof.” He came and he saw the man who was laying the divots on the roof. “Oh, man,” said he, “you must be a great age.” “Oh, if you saw my father.” “Oh, can I see your father; where is he?” “Well,” said the man, “you look like a clever fellow; I daresay I may show you my father.” “He is,” said he, “inside in a tuft of wool in the further end of the house.” He went in with him to show him to him. Every one of these men was very big, so much so that their like is not to be found now. “There is a little man here,” said he to his father, “who looks like a clever fellow, a Scotchman, and he is wishful to see you.” He spoke to him, and said, “Where did you come from? Give me your hand, Scotchman.” His son laid hold of the old coulter of a plough that lay there. He knotted a cloth around it. “Give him that,” said he to the Scotchman, “and don’t give him your hand.” The old man laid hold of the coulter, while the man held the other end in his hand. Instead of the coulter being broad, he made it round, and left the mark of his five fingers in it as if it were a lump of leaven. “You have a brave hand, Scotchman,” said he. “If your heart were as brave and clever, I would ask something of you that I never asked of another.” “What is that, man?” said he; “if there is anything that I can do, I shall do it.” “I would give you,” said he, “a whistle that I have here, and you will find out where Tomnahurich is near Inverness, and when you find it you will see a little grey rock on one side of it. When you go to the rock you will see about the size of a door, and the shape of a little door in the rock. Strike the point of your foot three times, and at the third time it will open.” He went away, and he reached and found the door. “When you open the door,” the old man said, “you will sound the whistle; you will sound it thrice. At the third sounding all that are within will rise along with you; and if you be clever enough to do that, you, and your son, and your grandson, and your great-grandson, will be the better of it.” He gave the first sound on the whistle. He looked, and he stopped. The dogs that lay near the men stretched their legs, and all the men moved. He gave the second sound. The men rose on their elbows, and the dogs sat up. The man turned to the door and became frightened. He drew the door after him. They all cried out, “Left us worse than he found us; left us worse than he found us.” He went away running. He came to a little fresh water loch that was there, and he threw the whistle into the loch. I left them.

These specimens give a good idea of the popular prose literature of the Highlands. Whence it was derived it is difficult to say. It may have originated with the people themselves, but many portions of it bear the marks of having been derived even, as has been said, from an Eastern source, while the last tale which has been transcribed above gives the Highland version of an old Scottish tradition.

POETRY.

Gaelic poetry is voluminous. Exclusive of the Ossianic poetry which has been referred to already, there is a long catalogue of modern poetical works of various merit. Fragments exist of poems written early in the 17th century, such as those prefixed to the edition of Calvin’s Catechism, printed in 1631. One of these, _Faosid Eoin Steuart Tighearn na Happen_, “The Confession of John Stewart, laird of Appin,” savours more of the Church of Rome than of the Protestant faith. To this century belongs also the poetry of John Macdonell, usually called Eoin Lorn, and said to have been poet-laureate to Charles II. for Scotland. Other pieces exist of the same period, but little would seem to have been handed down to us of the poetry of this century.

We have fragments belonging to the early part of the 17th century in the introduction to “Lhuyd’s Archæologia.” These are of much interest to the Gaelic student. In 1751 appeared the first edition of Songs by Alexander Macdonald, usually called Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair. These songs are admirable specimens of Gaelic versification, giving the highest idea of the author’s poetical powers. Many editions of them have appeared, and they are very popular in the Highlands. Macintyre’s poems appeared in 1768. Macdonald and he stand at the very top of the list of Gaelic poets. They are both distinguished by the power and the smoothness of their composition. Macdonald’s highest gifts are represented in his _Biorluinn Chloinn Raonuill_, “Clan Ranald’s Galley,” and Macintyre’s in his _Beinn Dobhrain_, “Ben Douran.”

Later than Macintyre, Ronald M’Donald, commonly called Raonull Dubh, or Black Ranald, published an excellent collection of Gaelic songs. This Ranald was son to Alexander already referred to, and was a schoolmaster in the island of Eigg. His collection is largely made up of his father’s compositions, but there are songs of his own and of several other composers included. Many of the songs of this period are Jacobite, and indicate intense disloyalty to the Hanoverian royal family.

Gillies’s Collection in 1786 is an admirable one, containing many of the genuine Ossianic fragments. This collection is of real value to the Gaelic scholar, although it is now difficult to be had.

In addition to these, and at a later period, we have Turner’s Collection and Stewart’s Collection, both of them containing many excellent compositions. We have, later still, M’Kenzie’s Beauties of Gaelic Poetry, and we have, besides these, separate volumes of various sizes; by the admirable religious bard, Dugald Buchanan; by Rob Donn, the Reay bard; William Ross, the Gairloch bard; and many others, who would form a long catalogue. As might be supposed, the pieces included in these collections are of various merit, but there is much really good poetry worthy of the country which has cultivated the poetic art from the earliest period of its history, and a country which, while it gave to Gaelic poetry such a name as Ossian, gave to the poetry of England the names of Thomas Campbell and Lord Macaulay.

GRAMMARS.

There are no early treatises on the structure and composition of the Gaelic language, such as the ancient MS. writings which still exist on Irish Grammar. Still, so early as the middle of last century, the subject had excited notice, and demands began to exist for a grammatical treatise on the Gaelic language. The first attempt to meet this demand was made by the Rev. William Shaw, at one time minister of Ardclach, in Nairnshire, and afterwards a resident in England; the author of a Gaelic dictionary, and an associate of Johnson’s in opposing M’Pherson and his Ossian, as it was called by adversaries. Shaw’s Grammar is made of no account by Dr Stewart, in the reference which he makes to it in his excellent grammar; but the work is interesting as the first attempt made to reduce Gaelic grammar to shape at all, and as showing several indications of a fair, if not a profound scholarship. That the volume, however, is to be held in any way as a correct analysis of the Gaelic language, is out of the question. Mr Shaw presents his readers, at the end of his volume, with specimens of Gaelic writing, which he intends to settle the orthography of the language. Anything more imperfect than the orthography of these specimens can hardly be conceived--at least it is of a kind that makes the language in many of the words unintelligible to any ordinary reader. Mr Shaw’s Grammar reached a second edition, showing the interest that was taken in the subject at the time.

An abler scholar, in the person of the Rev. Dr Stewart, of Moulin, Dingwall, and the Canongate, Edinburgh, successively, took up the subject of Gaelic grammar after Mr Shaw. Mr Stewart was an eminent minister of the Scottish Church. Few ministers stood higher than he did as a preacher, and few laboured more assiduously in their pastoral work; still he found time for literary studies, and to none did he direct more of his care than to that of his native Gaelic. A native of Perthshire himself, he made himself acquainted with all the dialects of the tongue, and gives an admirable analysis of the language as it appears in the Gaelic Bible. Few works of the kind are more truly philosophical. The modesty which is ever characteristic of genius distinguishes every portion of it, while the work is of a kind that does not admit of much emendation. If it be defective in any part, it is in the part that treats of syntax. There the rules laid down comprehend but few of those principles which govern the structure of the language, and it is necessary to have recourse to other sources for information regarding many of the most important of these.

A third grammar was published about thirty years ago by Mr James Munro, at the time parish schoolmaster of Kilmonivaig. This volume is highly creditable to Mr Munro’s scholarship, and in many respects supplied a want that was felt by learners of the language. The numerous exercises with which the work abounds are of very great value, and must aid the student much in its acquisition.

A double grammar, in both Gaelic and English, by the Rev. Mr Forbes, latterly minister of Sleat, presents a very fair view of the structure of the Gaelic language, while grammars appear attached to several of the existing dictionaries. There is a grammar prefixed to the dictionary of the Highland Society, another to that of Mr Armstrong, and a third to that of Mr M’Alpine. All these are creditable performances, and worthy of perusal. In fact, if the grammar of the Gaelic language be not understood, it is not for want of grammatical treatises. There are seven or eight of them in existence.

Mr Shaw, in the introduction to his grammar, says:--“It was not the mercenary consideration of interest, nor, perhaps, the expectation of fame among my countrymen, in whose esteem its beauties are too much faded, but a taste for the beauties of the original speech of a now learned nation, that induced me either to begin, or encouraged me to persevere in reducing to grammatical principles a language spoken only by imitation; while, perhaps, I might be more profitably employed in tasting the various productions of men, ornaments of human nature, afforded in a language now teeming with books. I beheld with astonishment the learned in Scotland, since the revival of letters, neglect the Gaelic as if it was not worthy of any pen to give a rational account of a speech used upwards of 2000 years by the inhabitants of more than one kingdom. I saw with regret, a language once famous in the western world, ready to perish, without any memorial; a language by the use of which Galgacus having assembled his chiefs, rendered the Grampian hills impassable to legions that had conquered the world, and by means of which Fingal inspired his warriors with the desire of immortal fame.”

That the Gaelic language is worthy of being studied, the researches of modern philologers have amply proved. For comparative philology it is of the highest value, being manifestly one of the great links in the chain of Aryan languages. Its close relation to the classical languages gives it a place almost peculiar to itself. In like manner its study throws light on national history. Old words appear in charters and similar documents which a knowledge of Gaelic can alone interpret, while for the study of Scottish topography the knowledge of it is essential. From the Tweed to the Pentland Frith words appear in every part of the country which can only be analysed by the Gaelic scholar. In this view the study of the language is important, and good grammars are of essential value for its prosecution.

DICTIONARIES.

At an early period vocabularies of Gaelic words began to be compiled for the benefit of readers of the language. The first of these appears attached to Mr Kirk’s edition of Bedell’s Irish Bible, to which reference has been made already. The list of words is not very extensive, and, as has been said, the equivalents of the words given are in many cases as difficult to understand as the words themselves. Mr Kirk’s object in his vocabulary is to explain Irish words in Bedell’s Bible to Scottish readers.

In 1707 Lhuyd’s _Archæologia Britannica_ appeared. It contains a grammar of the Iberno-Scottish Gaelic, and a vocabulary which is in a large measure a vocabulary of the Gaelic of Scotland. All that this learned writer did was done in a manner worthy of a scholar. His vocabulary, although defective, is accurate so far as it goes, and presents us with a very interesting and instructive view of the state of the language in his day. Lhuyd’s volume is one which should be carefully studied by every Celtic scholar.

In 1738 the Rev. David Malcolm, minister at Duddingstone, published an essay on the antiquities of Great Britain and Ireland, with the view of showing the affinity betwixt “the languages of the ancient Britons and the Americans of the Isthmus of Darien.” In this essay there is a list of Gaelic words beginning with the letter A, extending to sixteen pages, and a list of English words with their Gaelic equivalents, extending to eight pages. Mr Malcolm brought the project of compiling a Gaelic dictionary before the General Assembly of the Scottish Church, and he seems to have had many conferences with Highland ministers friendly to his object. The Assembly appointed a committee on the subject, and they reported most favourably of Mr Malcolm’s design. Still the work never seems to have gone farther; and beyond the lists referred to, we have no fruits of Mr Malcolm’s labours. Mr Malcolm calls the language Irish, as was uniformly done by English writers at the time, and spells the words after the Irish manner.

Three years after the publication of Mr Malcolm’s essay in the year 1741, the first attempt at a complete vocabulary of the Gaelic language appeared. The compiler was Alexander M’Donald, at the time schoolmaster of Ardnamurchan, known throughout the Highlands as Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair, and a bard of high reputation. The compilation was made at the suggestion of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, in whose service M’Donald was at the time. The Society submitted the matter to the Presbytery of Mull, and the Presbytery committed the matter to M’Donald as the most likely man within their bounds to execute the work in a satisfactory manner. M’Donald’s book is dedicated to the Society, and he professes a zeal for Protestantism, although he turned over to the Church of Rome himself on the landing of Charles Edward in the Highlands in 1745. The vocabulary is arranged under the heads of subjects, and not according to the letters of the alphabet. It begins with words referring to God, and so on through every subject that might suggest itself. It is upon the whole well executed, seeing that the author was the pioneer of Gaelic lexicographers; but the publishers found themselves obliged to insert a caveat in an advertisement at the close of the volume, in which they say that “all or most of the verbs in this vocabulary from page 143 to page 162 are expressed in the Gaelic by single words, though our author generally expresses them by a needless circumlocution.” M’Donald’s orthography is a near approach to that of modern Gaelic writing.

In 1780 the Rev. Mr Shaw, the author of the Gaelic grammar already referred to, published a dictionary of the Gaelic language in two volumes, the one volume being Gaelic-English, and the other English-Gaelic. This work did not assume a high place among scholars.

Following upon Shaw’s work was that of Robert M’Farlane in 1795. This vocabulary is of little value to the student.

Robert M’Farlane’s volume was followed in 1815 by that of Peter M’Farlane, a well known translator of religious works. The collection of words is pretty full, and the work upon the whole is a creditable one.

Notwithstanding all these efforts at providing a dictionary of the Gaelic language, it was felt by scholars that the want had not been really supplied. In those circumstances Mr R. A. Armstrong, parish schoolmaster of Kenmore, devoted his time and talents to the production of a work that might be satisfactory. The Gaelic language was not Mr Armstrong’s mother tongue, and he had the great labour to undergo of acquiring it. Indefatigable energy, with the genius of a true scholar, helped him over all his difficulties, and, after years of toil, he produced a work of the highest merit, and one whose authority is second to none as an exposition of the Scoto-Celtic tongue.

Mr Armstrong’s dictionary was succeeded by that of the Highland Society of Scotland, which was published in two quarto volumes in 1828. A portion of the labour of this great work was borne by Mr Ewen Maclachlan of Aberdeen, the most eminent Celtic scholar of his day. Mr Maclachlan brought the most ample accomplishments to the carrying out of the undertaking; a remarkable acquaintance with the classical languages, which he could write with facility, a very extensive knowledge of the Celtic tongues, and a mind of remarkable acuteness to discern distinctions and analogies in comparative philology. But he died ere the work was far advanced, and other scholars had to carry it through. The chief of these was the Rev. Dr M’Leod of Dundonald, aided by the Rev. Dr Irvine of Little Dunkeld, and the Rev. Alexander M’Donald of Crieff; and the whole was completed and edited under the superintendence of the Rev. Dr Mackay, afterwards of Dunoon, to whose skill and care much of the value of the work is due.

In 1831 an octavo dictionary by the Rev. Dr Macleod of Glasgow, and the Rev. D. Dewar, afterwards Principal Dewar of Aberdeen, appeared. It is drawn largely from the dictionary of the Highland Society, and is an exceedingly good and useful book.

There is a still later dictionary by Mr Neil M’Alpine, schoolmaster in Islay. It is an excellent vocabulary of the Islay dialect, with some features peculiar to itself, especially directions as to the pronouncing of the words, which, from the peculiar orthography of the Gaelic, the learner requires.

It will be seen from the above list that there is no lack of Gaelic dictionaries any more than of Gaelic grammars, and that some of the dictionaries are highly meritorious. And yet there is room for improvement still if competent hands could be found. The student of Scottish topography meets with innumerable words which he feels assured are of the Scoto-Celtic stock. He applies to his dictionaries, and he almost uniformly finds that the words which puzzle him are absent. There seems to have been an entire ignoring of this source for words on the part of all the Gaelic lexicographers, and from the number of obsolete words found in it, but which an acquaintance with ancient MS. literature helps to explain, a large supply, and a supply of the deepest interest, might be found. Irish dictionaries afford considerable aid in searching this field, but Gaelic dictionaries furnish very little. At the same time it must be remembered that topography is itself a recent study, and that men’s minds have only latterly been more closely directed to these words.

We have thus given a general view of the literature of the Scottish Gael. It is not extensive, but it is full of interest. That the language was at one time subjected to cultivation cannot be doubted by any man acquainted with the literary history of the Celtic race. The MSS. which exist are enough to demonstrate the fact, of which no rational doubt can exist, that an immense number of such MSS. have perished. An old Gaelic MS. was once seen in the Hebrides cut down by a tailor to form measuring tapes for the persons of his customers. These MSS. treated of various subjects, Philology, theology, and science found a place among Celtic scholars, while poetry was largely cultivated. The order of bards ensured this, an order peculiar to the Celts. Johnson’s estimate of the extent of ancient Celtic culture was an entirely mistaken one, and shows how far prejudice may operate towards the perversion of truth, even in the case of great and good men.

GAELIC LANGUAGE.

Of the Gaelic language in which this literature exists, this is not the place to say much. To know it, it is necessary to study its grammars and dictionaries, and written works. With regard to the class of languages to which it belongs, many and various opinions were long held; but it has been settled latterly without room for dispute that it belongs to the Indo-European, or, as it is now called, the Aryan class. That it has relations to the Semitic languages cannot be denied, but these are no closer than those of many others of the same class. Its relation to both the Greek and the Latin, especially to the latter, is very close, many of the radical words in both languages being almost identical. Natural objects, for instance, and objects immediately under observation, have terms wonderfully similar to represent them. _Mons_, a mountain, appears in the Gaelic _Monadh_; _Amnis_, a river, appears in _Amhainn_; _Oceanus_, the ocean, in _Cuan_; _Muir_, the sea, in _Mare_; _Caballus_, a horse, in _Capull_; _Equus_, a horse, in _Each_; _Canis_, a dog, in _Cu_; _Sol_, the sun, in _Solus_, light; _Salus_, safety, in _Slainte_; _Rex_, a king, in _Righ_; _Vir_, a man, in _Fear_; _Tectum_, a roof, in _Tigh_; _Monile_, a necklace, in _Muineal_. This list might be largely extended, and serves to bring out to what an extent original terms in Gaelic and Latin correspond. The same is true of the Greek, but not to the same extent.

At the same time there is a class of words in Gaelic which are derived directly from the Latin. These are such words as have been introduced into the service of the church. Christianity having come into Scotland from the European Continent, it was natural to suppose that with it terms familiar to ecclesiastics should find their way along with the religion. This would have occurred to a larger extent after the Roman hierarchy and worship had been received among the Scots. Such words as _Peacadh_, sin; _Sgriobtuir_, the scriptures; _Faosaid_, confession; _aoibhrinn_, mass or offering; _Caisg_, Easter; _Inid_, initium or shrove-tide; _Calainn_, new year’s day; _Nollaig_, Christmas; _Domhnach_, God or Dominus; _Diseart_, a hermitage; _Eaglais_, a church; _Sagart_, a priest; _Pearsa_ or _Pearsoin_, a parson; _Reilig_, a burying place, from _reliquiæ_; _Ifrionn_, hell; are all manifestly from the Latin, and a little care might add to this list. It is manifest that words which did not exist in the language must be borrowed from some source, and whence so naturally as from the language which was, in fact, the sacred tongue in the early church.

But besides being a borrower, the Gaelic has been largely a contributor to other languages. What is usually called Scotch is perhaps the greatest debtor to the Gaelic tongue, retaining, as it does, numerous Gaelic words usually thought to be distinctive of itself. A list of these is not uninteresting, and the following is given as a contribution to the object:--Braw, from the Gaelic _Breagh_, pretty; Burn, from _Burn_, water; Airt, from _Airde_, a point of the compass; Baugh, from _Baoth_, empty; Kebbuck, from _Càbaig_, a cheese; Dour, from _Dùr_, hard; Fey, from _Fé_, a rod for measuring the dead; Teem, from _Taom_, to empty; Sicker, from _Shicker_, sure, retained in Manx; Leister, from _Lister_, a fishing spear, Manx; Chiel, from _Gille_, a lad; Skail, from _Sgaoil_, to disperse; Ingle, from _Aingeal_, fire; Arles, from _Earlas_, earnest; Sain, from _Sean_, to consecrate. This list, like the former, might be much increased, and shows how relics of the Gaelic language may be traced in the spoken tongue of the Scottish Lowlands after the language itself has retired. Just in like manner, but arising from a much closer relation, do relics of the Celtic languages appear in the Greek and Latin. The fact seems to be that a Celtic race and tongue did at one time occupy the whole of Southern Europe, spreading themselves from the Hellespont along the shores of the Adriatic, and the western curves of the Mediterranean, bounded on the north by the Danube and the Rhine, and extending to the western shores of Ireland. Of this ample evidence is to be found in the topography of the whole region; and the testimony of that topography is fully borne out by that of the whole class of languages still occupying the region, with the exception of the anomalous language of Biscay, and the Teutonic speech carried by the sword into Britain and other northern sections of it.

Mere resemblance of words does not establish identity of class among languages, such a similarity being often found to exist, when in other respects the difference is radical. It requires similarity of idiom and grammatical structure to establish the existence of such an identity. This similarity exists to a remarkable extent between the Gaelic and the Latin. There is not space here for entering into details, but a few examples may be given. There is no indefinite article in either language, the simple form of the noun including in it the article, thus, a man is _fear_, Latin _vir_, the former having in the genitive _fir_, the latter _viri_. The definite article _am_, _an_, _a’_, in Gaelic would seem to represent the Latin _unus_; thus _an duine_ represents _unus homo_. The inflection in a large class of Gaelic nouns is by attenuation, while the nominative plural and genitive singular of such nouns are alike. So with the Latin, _monachus_, gen. _monachi_, nom. plur. _monachi_; Gaelic, manach, gen. manaich, nom. plur. manaich. The structure of the verb is remarkably similar in both languages. This appears specially in the gerund, which in Gaelic is the only form used to represent the infinitive and the present participle. The use of the subjunctive mood largely is characteristic of the Gaelic as of the Latin. The prepositions which are so variously and extensively used in Gaelic, present another analogy to the Latin. But the analogies in grammatical structure are so numerous that they can only be accounted for by tracing the languages to the same source. Another series of resemblances is to be found in the peculiar idioms which characterise both tongues. Thus, possession is in both represented by the peculiar use of the verb _to be_. _Est mihi liber_, there is to me a book, is represented in Gaelic by _tha leabhar agam_, which means, like the Latin, a book is to me.

But there is one peculiarity which distinguishes the Gaelic and the whole class of Celtic tongues from all others. Many of the changes included in inflection and regimen occur in the initial consonant of the word. This change is usually held to be distinctive of gender, but its effect is wider than that, as it occurs in cases where no distinction of gender is expressed. This change, usually called aspiration, implies a softening of the initial consonants of words. Thus _b_ becomes _v_, _m_ becomes _v_, _p_ becomes _f_, _g_ becomes _y_, _d_ becomes _y_, _c_ becomes _ch_, more or less guttural, _s_ and _t_ become _h_, and so on. These changes are marked in orthography by the insertion of the letter _h_. This is a remarkable peculiarity converting such a word as _mòr_ into _vòr_, spelled _mhòr_; _bàs_ into _vàs_, spelled _bhàs_; _duine_ into _yuine_, spelled _dhuine_. This peculiarity partly accounts for the number of letters _h_ introduced into Gaelic spelling, loading the words apparently unnecessarily with consonants, but really serving a very important purpose.

It is not desirable, however, in a work like this to prosecute this dissertation farther. Suffice it to say, that philologists have come to class the Gaelic with the other Celtic tongues among the great family of Aryan languages, having affinities, some closer, some more distant, with almost all the languages of Europe. It is of much interest to scholars in respect both of the time and the place which it has filled, and fills still, and it is gratifying to all Scottish Celts to know that it has become more than ever a subject of study among literary men.

THE MUSIC OF THE HIGHLANDS.

Among the Celts, poetry and music walked hand in hand. There need be no controversy in this case as to which is the more ancient art, they seem to have been coeval. Hence the bards were musicians. Their compositions were all set to music, and many of them composed the airs to which their verses were adapted. The airs to which the ancient Ossianic lays were sung still exist, and several of them may be found noted in Captain Fraser’s excellent collection of Highland music. They are well known in some parts of the Highlands, and those who are prepared to deny with Johnson the existence of any remains of the ancient Celtic bard, must be prepared to maintain at the same time that these ancient airs to which the verses were sung were, like themselves, the offspring of modern imposition. But this is too absurd to obtain credence. In fact these airs were essential to the recitation of the bards. Deprive them of the music with which their lines were associated, and you deprived them of the chief aid to their memory; but give them their music, and they could recite almost without end.

The same is true of the poetry of the modern bards. Song-singing in the Highlands was usually social. Few songs on any subject were composed without a chorus, and the intention was that the chorus should be taken up by all the company present. A verse was sung in the interval by the individual singer, but the object of the chorus was to be sung by all. It is necessary to keep this in view in judging of the spirit and effect of Gaelic song. Sung as songs usually are, the object of the bard is lost sight of, and much of the action of the music is entirely overlooked. But what was intended chiefly to be said was, that the compositions of the modern bards were all intended to be linked with music, sung for the most part socially. We do not at this moment know one single piece of Gaelic poetry which was intended merely for recitation, unless it be found among a certain class of modern compositions which are becoming numerous, and which are English in everything but the language.

The music to which these compositions were sung was peculiar; one can recognise a Gaelic air at once, among a thousand. Quaint and pathetic, irregular and moving on with the most singular intervals, the movement is still self-contained and impressive,--to the Celt eminently so. It is beyond a question that what is called Scottish music has been derived from the Gaelic race. Its characteristics are purely Celtic. So far as the poetry of Burns is concerned, his songs were composed in many cases to airs borrowed from the Highlands, and nothing could fit in better than the poetry and the music. But Scottish Lowland music, so much and so deservedly admired, is a legacy from the Celtic muse throughout. There is nothing in it which it holds in common with any Saxon race in existence. Compare it with the common melodies in use among the English, and the two are proved totally distinct. The airs to which “Scots wha hae,” “Auld Langsyne,” “Roy’s Wife,” “O’ a’ the airts,” and “Ye Banks and Braes,” are sung, are airs to which nothing similar can be found in England. They are Scottish, and only Scottish, and can be recognised as such at once. But airs of a precisely similar character can be found among all the Celtic races. In Ireland, melodies almost identical with those of Scotland are found. In fact, the Irish claim such tunes as “The Legacy,” “The Highland Laddie,” and others. So with the Isle of Man. The national air of the Island, “Mollacharane,” has all the distinctive characteristics of a Scottish tune. The melodies of Wales have a similar type. Such a tune as “The Men of Harlech” might at any time be mistaken for a Scottish melody. And if we cross to Brittany and hear a party of Bretons of a night singing a national air along the street, as they often do, the type of the air will be found to be largely Scottish. These facts go far to prove the paternity of what is called Scottish music, and show to conviction that this music, so sweet, so touching, is the ancient inheritance of the Celt.

The ancient Scottish scale consists of six notes, as shown in the annexed exemplification, No. 1. The lowest note A, was afterwards added, to admit of the minor key in wind instruments. The notes in the diatonic scale, No. 2, were added about the beginning of the fifteenth century, and when music arrived at its present state of perfection, the notes in the chromatic scale, No. 3, were farther added. Although many of the Scottish airs have had the notes last mentioned introduced into them, to please modern taste they can be played without them, and without altering the character of the melody. Any person who understands the ancient scale can at once detect the later additions.

“The Gaelic music consists of different kinds or species. 1. Martial music, the Golltraidheacht of the Irish, and the Brosnachadh Catha of the Gael, consisting of a spirit-stirring measure short and rapid. 2. The Geantraidheacht, or plaintive or sorrowful, a kind of music to which the Highlanders are very partial. The Coronach, or Lament, sung at funerals, is the most noted of this sort. 3. The Suantraidheacht, or composing, calculated to calm the mind, and to lull the person to sleep. 4. Songs of peace, sung at the conclusion of a war. 5. Songs of victory sung by the bards before the king on gaining a victory. 6. Love songs. These last form a considerable part of the national music, the sensibility and tenderness of which excite the passion of love, and stimulated by its influence, the Gael indulge a spirit of the most romantic attachment and adventure, which the peasantry of perhaps no other country exhibit.”

The last paragraph is quoted from Mr Logan’s eloquent and patriotic work on the _Scottish Gael_,[104] and represents the state of Gaelic music when more flourishing and more cultivated than it is to-day.

The following quotation is from the same source, and is also distinguished by the accuracy of its description.

“The ancient Gael were fond of singing whether in a sad or cheerful frame of mind. Bacon justly remarks, ‘that music feedeth that disposition which it findeth:’ it was a sure sign of brewing mischief, when a Caledonian warrior was heard to ‘hum his surly hymn.’ This race, in all their labours, used appropriate songs, and accompanied their harps with their voices. At harvest the reapers kept time by singing; at sea the boatmen did the same; and while the women were graddaning, performing the _luadhadh_, or waulking of cloth, or at any rural labour, they enlivened their work by certain airs called luinneags. When milking, they sung a certain plaintive melody, to which the animals listened with calm attention. The attachment which the natives of Celtic origin have to their music, is strengthened by its intimate connection with the national songs. The influence of both on the Scots character is confessedly great--the pictures of heroism, love, and happiness, exhibited in their songs, are indelibly impressed on the memory, and elevate the mind of the humblest peasant. The songs, united with their appropriate music, affect the sons of Scotia, particularly when far distant from their native glens and majestic mountains, with indescribable feelings, and excite a spirit of the most romantic adventure. In this respect, the Swiss, who inhabit a country of like character, and who resemble the Highlanders in many particulars, experience similar emotions. On hearing the national _Ranz de vaches_, their bowels yearn to revisit the ever dear scenes of their youth. So powerfully is the _amor patriæ_ awakened by this celebrated air, that it was found necessary to prohibit its being played, under pain of death, among the troops, who would burst into tears on hearing it, desert their colours, and even die.

“No songs could be more happily constructed for singing during labour than those of the Highlanders, every person being able to join in them, sufficient intervals being allowed for breathing time. In a certain part of the song, the leader stops to take breath, when all the others strike in and complete the air with a chorus of words and syllables, generally without signification, but admirably adapted to give effect to the time.” The description proceeds to give a picture of a social meeting in the Highlands where this style of singing is practised, and refers to the effect with which such a composition as “Fhir à bhàta,” or the _Boatman_, may be thus sung.

Poetical compositions associated with music are of various kinds. First of all is the _Laoidh_, or lay, originally signifying a stately solemn composition, by one of the great bards of antiquity. Thus we have “Laoidh Dhiarmaid,” The lay of Diarmad; “Laoidh Oscair,” The lay of Oscar; “Laoidh nan Ceann,” The lay of the heads; and many others. The word is now made use of to describe a religious hymn; a fact which proves the dignity with which this composition was invested in the popular sentiment. Then there was the “Marbhrann,” or elegy. Few men of any mark but had their elegy composed by some bard of note. Chiefs and chieftains were sung of after their deaths in words and music the most mournful which the Celt, with so deep a vein of pathos in his soul, could devise. There is an elegy on one of the lairds of Macleod by a famous poetess “Mairi nighean Alasdair Ruaidh,” or Mary M’Leod, which is exquisitely touching. Many similar compositions exist. In modern times these elegies are mainly confined to the religious field, and ministers and other men of mark in that field are often sung of and sung sweetly by such bards as still remain. Then there are compositions called “Iorrams” usually confined to sea songs; “Luinneags,” or ordinary lyrics, and such like. These are all “wedded” to music, which is the reason for noticing them here, and the music must be known in order to have the full relish of the poetry.

There are several collections of Highland music which are well worthy of being better known to the musical world than they are. The oldest is that by the Rev. Peter Macdonald of Kilmore, who was a famous musician in his day. More recently Captain Simon Fraser, of Inverness, published an admirable collection; and collections of pipe music have been made by Macdonald, Mackay, and, more recently, Ross, the two latter pipers to her Majesty, all of which are reported of as good.

The secular music of the Highlands, as existing now, may be divided into that usually called by the Highlanders “An Ceol mòr,” the great music, and in English pibrochs. This music is entirely composed for the Highland bagpipe, and does not suit any other instrument well. It is composed of a slow movement, with which it begins, the movement proceeding more rapidly through several variations, until it attains a speed and an energy which gives room for the exercise of the most delicate and accurate fingering. Some of these pieces are of great antiquity, such as “Mackintosh’s Lament” and “Cogadh na Sith,” Peace or War, and are altogether remarkable compositions. Mendelssohn, on his visit to the Highlands, was impressed by them, and introduced a portion of a pibroch into one of his finest compositions. Few musicians take the trouble of examining into the structure of these pieces, and they are condemned often with little real discrimination. Next to these we have the military music of the Highlands, also for the most part composed for the pipe, and now in general employed by the pipers of Highland regiments. This kind of music is eminently characteristic, having features altogether distinctive of itself, and is much relished by Scotsmen from all parts of the country. Recently a large amount of music of this class has been adapted to the bagpipe which is utterly unfit for it, and the effect is the opposite of favourable to the good name either of the instrument or the music. This practice is in a large measure confined to regimental pipe music. Such tunes as “I’m wearying awa’, Jean,” or “Miss Forbes’ Farewell to Banff,” have no earthly power of adaptation to the notes of the bagpipe, and the performance of such music on that instrument is a violation of good taste and all musical propriety. One cannot help being struck with the peculiar good taste that pervades all the compositions of the M’Crimmons, the famous pipers of the Macleods, and how wonderfully the music and the instrument are adapted to each other throughout. This cannot be said of all pibroch music, and the violation of the principle in military music is frequently most offensive to an accurate ear. This has, no doubt, led to the unpopularity of the bagpipe and its music among a large class of the English-speaking community, who speak of its discordant notes, a reflection to which it is not in the least liable in the case of compositions adapted to its scale.

Next to these two kinds follows the song-music of the Gael, to which reference has been made already. It abounds in all parts of the Highlands, and is partly secular, partly sacred. There are beautiful, simple, touching airs, to which the common songs of the country are sung, and there are airs of a similar class, but distinct, which are used with the religious hymns of Buchanan, Matheson, Grant, and other writers of hymns, of whom there are many. The dance music of the Highlands is also distinct from that of any other country, and broadly marked by its own peculiar features. There is the strathspey confined to Scotland, a moderately rapid movement well known to every Scotchman; there is the jig in 6/8th time, common to Scotland with Ireland; and there is the reel, pretty much of the same class with the Strathspey, but marked by greater rapidity of motion.

There is one thing which strikes the hearer in this music, that there is a vein of pathos runs through the whole of it. The Celtic mind is largely tinged with pathos. If a musical symbol might be employed to represent them, the mind of the Saxon may be said to be cast in the mould of the major mode, and the mind of the Celt in the minor. The majority of the ordinary airs in the Highlands are in the minor mode, and in the most rapid kinds of music, the jig and the reel, an acute ear will detect the vein of pathos running through the whole.

In sacred music there is not much that is distinctive of the Celt. In forming their metrical version of the Gaelic Psalms, the Synod of Argyll say that one of the greatest difficulties they had to contend with was in adapting their poetry to the forms of the English psalm tunes. There were no psalm tunes which belonged to the Highlands, and it was necessary after the Reformation to borrow such as had been introduced among other Protestants, whether at home or abroad. More lately a peculiar form of psalm tune has developed itself in the North Highlands, which is deserving of notice. It is not a class of new tunes that has appeared, but a peculiar method of singing the old ones. The tunes in use are only six, all taken from the old Psalter of Scotland. They are--French, Dundee, Elgin, York, Martyrs, and Old London. The principal notes of the original tunes are retained, but they are attended with such a number of variations, that the tune in its new dress can hardly be at all recognised. These tunes may not be musically accurate, and artists may make light of them, but sung by a large body of people, they are eminently impressive and admirably adapted to purposes of worship. Sung on a Communion Sabbath by a crowd of worshippers in the open air, on the green sward of a Highland valley, old Dundee is incomparable, and exercises over the Highland mind a powerful influence. And truly, effect cannot be left out of view as an element in judging of the character of any music. The pity is that this music is fast going out of use even in the Highlands. It has always been confined to the counties of Caithness, Sutherland, Ross, and part of Inverness. Some say that this music took its complexion from the old chants of the mediæval Church. One thing is true of this and all Gaelic psalmody, that the practice of chanting the line is rigidly adhered to, although from the more advanced state of general education in the Highlands the necessity that once existed for it is now passed away.

Connected with the Gaelic music, the _musical instruments_ of the Celts remain to be noticed; but we shall confine our observations to the harp and to the bagpipe, the latter of which has long since superseded the former in the Highlands. The harp is the most noted instrument of antiquity, and was in use among many nations. It was, in particular, the favourite instrument of the Celts. The Irish were great proficients in harp music, and they are said to have made great improvements on the instrument itself. So honourable was the occupation of a harper among the Irish, that none but freemen were permitted to play on the harp, and it was reckoned a disgrace for a gentleman not to have a harp, and be able to play on it. The royal household always included a harper, who bore a distinguished rank. Even kings did not disdain to relieve the cares of royalty by touching the strings of the harp; and we are told by Major that James I., who died in 1437, excelled the best harpers among the Irish and the Scotch Highlanders. But harpers were not confined to the houses of kings, for every chief had his harper as well as his bard.

“The precise period when the harp was superseded by the bagpipe, it is not easy to ascertain. Roderick Morrison, usually called Ruaraidh Dall, or _Blind Roderick_, was one of the last native harpers; he was harper to the Laird of M’Leod. On the death of his master, Morrison led an itinerant life, and in 1650 he paid a visit to Robertson of Lude, on which occasion he composed a _Port_ or air, called Suipeir Thighearna Leoid or _The Laird of Lude’s Supper_, which, with other pieces, is still preserved. M’Intosh, the compiler of the Gaelic Proverbs, relates the following anecdote of Mr Robertson, who, it appears, was a harp-player himself of some eminence:--‘One night my father, James M’Intosh, said to Lude that he would be happy to hear him play on the harp, which at that time began to give place to the violin. After supper Lude and he retired to another room, in which there was a couple of harps, one of which belonged to Queen Mary. James, says Lude, here are two harps; the largest one is the loudest, but the small one is the sweetest, which do you wish to hear played? James answered the small one, which Lude took up and played upon till daylight.’

“The last harper, as is commonly supposed, was Murdoch M’Donald, harper to M’Lean of Coll. He received instructions in playing from Rory Dall in Skye, and afterwards in Ireland; and from accounts of payments made to him by M’Lean, still extant, Murdoch seems to have continued in his family till the year 1734, when he appears to have gone to Quinish, in Mull, where he died.”

The history of the _bagpipe_ is curious and interesting, but such history does not fall within the scope of this work. Although a very ancient instrument, it does not appear to have been known to the Celtic nations. It was in use among the Trojans, Greeks, and Romans, but how, or in what manner it came to be introduced into the Highlands is a question which cannot be solved. Two suppositions have been started on this point, either that it was brought in by the Romans or by the northern nations. The latter conjecture appears to be the most probable, for we cannot possibly imagine that if the bagpipe had been introduced so early as the Roman epoch, no notice should have been taken of that instrument by the more early annalists and poets. But if the bagpipe was an imported instrument, how does it happen that the great Highland pipe is peculiar to the Highlands, and is perhaps the only national instrument in Europe? If it was introduced by the Romans, or by the people of Scandinavia, how has it happened that no traces of that instrument in its present shape are to be found anywhere except in the Highlands? There is, indeed, some plausibility in these interrogatories, but they are easily answered, by supposing, what is very probable, that the great bagpipe in its present form is the work of modern improvement, and that originally the instrument was much the same as is still seen in Belgium and Italy.

The effects of this national instrument in arousing the feelings of those who have from infancy been accustomed to its wild and warlike tunes are truly astonishing. In halls of joy and in scenes of mourning it has prevailed; it has animated Scotland’s warriors in battle, and welcomed them back after their toils to the homes of their love and the hills of their nativity. Its strains were the first sounded on the ears of infancy, and they are the last to be forgotten in the wanderings of age. Even Highlanders will allow that it is not the quietest of instruments, but when far from their mountain homes, what sounds, however melodious, could thrill round their heart like one burst of their own wild native pipe? The feelings which other instruments awaken are general and undefined, because they talk alike to Frenchmen, Spaniards, Germans, and Highlanders, for they are common to all; but the bagpipe is sacred to Scotland, and speaks a language which Scotsmen only feel. It talks to them of home and all the past, and brings before them, on the burning shores of India, the wild hills and oft-frequented streams of Caledonia, the friends that are thinking of them, and the sweethearts and wives that are weeping for them there; and need it be told here to how many fields of danger and victory its proud strains have led! There is not a battle that is honourable to Britain in which its war-blast has not sounded. When every other instrument has been hushed by the confusion and carnage of the scene, it has been borne into the thick of battle, and, far in the advance, its bleeding but devoted bearer, sinking on the earth, has sounded at once encouragement to his countrymen and his own coronach.

CATALOGUE

OF

GAELIC AND IRISH MANUSCRIPTS.

As connected with the literary history of the Gaelic Celts, the following lists of Gaelic and Irish manuscripts will, it is thought, be considered interesting.

CATALOGUE OF ANCIENT GAELIC MSS. IN THE POSSESSION OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND.

1. A folio MS., beautifully written on parchment or vellum, from the collection of the late Major Maclauchlan of Kilbride. This is the oldest MS. in the possession of the Highland Society of Scotland. It is marked Vo. A. No. I. The following remark is written on the margin of the fourth leaf of the MS.:--“Oidche bealtne ann a coimhtech mo Pupu Muirciusa agus as olc lium nach marunn diol in linesi dem dub Misi Fithil acc furnuidhe na scoile.” Thus Englished by the late Dr Donald Smith:--“The night of the first of May in Coenobium of my Pope Murchus, and I regret that there is not left of my ink enough to fill up this line. I am Fithil, an attendant on the school.” This MS., which, from its orthography, is supposed to be as old as the eighth or ninth century, “consists (says Dr Smith) of a poem, moral and religious, some short historical anecdotes, a critical exposition of the Tain, an Irish tale, which was composed in the time of Diarmad, son of Cearval, who reigned over Ireland from the year 544 to 565; and the Tain itself, which claims respect, as exceeding in point of antiquity, every production of any other vernacular tongue in Europe.”[105]

On the first page of the vellum, which was originally left blank, there are genealogies of the families of Argyll and Mac Leod in the Gaelic handwriting of the sixteenth century. The genealogy of the Argyll family ends with Archibald, who succeeded to the earldom in 1542, and died in 1588.[106] This is supposed to be the oldest Gaelic MS. extant. Dr Smith conjectures that it may have come into the possession of the Maclachlans of Kilbride in the sixteenth century, as a Ferquhard, son of Ferquhard Maclachlan, was bishop of the Isles, and had Iona or I Colum Kille in commendam from 1530 to 1544.--See _Keith’s Catalogue of Scottish Bishops_.

To the _Tain_ is prefixed the following critical exposition, giving a brief account of it in the technical terms of the Scots literature of the remote age in which it was written. “Ceathardha connagur in cach ealathuin is cuincda don tsairsisi na Tana. Loc di cedumus lighe Fercusa mhic Roich ait in rou hathnachd four mach Nai. Tempus umorro Diarmuta mhic Ceruailt in rigno Ibeirnia. Pearsa umorro Fergusa mhic Roich air is e rou tirchan do na hecsib ar chenu. A tucaid scriuint dia ndeachai Seanchan Toirpda cona III. ri ecces ... do saighe Cuaire rig Condacht.” That is--the four things which are requisite to be known in every regular composition are to be noticed in this work of the Tain. The _place_ of its origin is the stone of Fergus, son of Roich, where he was buried on the plain of Nai. The _time_ of it, besides, is that in which Diarmad, son of Cervail, reigned over Ireland. The _author_, too, is Fergus, son of Roich; for he it was that prompted it forthwith to the bards. The _cause_ of writing it was a visit which Shenachan Torbda, with three chief bards, made to Guaire, king of Connaught.[107]

O’Flaherty thus concisely and accurately describes the subject and character of the _Tain_:--“Fergusius Rogius solo pariter ac solio Ultoniæ exterminatus, in Connactiam ad Ollilum et Maudam ibidem regnantes profugit; quibus patrocinantibus, memorabile exarsit bellum septannale inter Connacticos et Ultonios multis poeticis figmentis, ut ea ferebat ætas, adornatum. Hujus belli circiter medium, octennio ante caput æræ Christianæ Mauda regina Connactiæ, Fergusio Rogio ductore, immensam bonum prœdam conspicuis agentium et insectantium virtutibus memorabilem, e Cualgnio in agro Louthiano re portavit.”[108]

From the expression, “Ut ea ferebat ætas,” Dr Smith thinks that O’Flaherty considered the tale of the Tain as a composition of the age to which it relates; and that of course he must not have seen the Critical Exposition prefixed to the copy here described. From the silence of the Irish antiquaries respecting this Exposition, it is supposed that it must have been either unknown to, or overlooked by them, and consequently that it was written in Scotland.

The Exposition states, that Sheannachan, with the three bards and those in their retinue, when about to depart from the court of Guaire, being called upon to relate the history of the _Tain bho_, or cattle spoil of Cuailgne, acknowledged their ignorance of it, and that having ineffectually made the round of Ireland and Scotland in quest of it, Eimin and Muircheartach, two of their number, repaired to the grave of Fergus, son of Roich, who, being invoked, appeared at the end of three days in terrific grandeur, and related the whole of the Tain, as given in the twelve Reimsgeala or Portions of which it consists. In the historical anecdotes allusion is made to Ossian, the son of Fingal, who is represented as showing, when young, an inclination to indulge in solitude his natural propensity for meditation and song. A _fac simile_ of the characters of this MS. is given in the Highland Society’s Report upon Ossian, Plate I., fig. 1, 2, and in Plate II.

2. Another parchment MS. in quarto, equally beautiful as the former, from the same collection. It consists of an Almanack bound up with a paper list of all the holidays, festivals, and most remarkable saints’ days in verse throughout the year--A Treatise on Anatomy, abridged from Galen--Observations on the Secretions, &c.--The Schola Salernitana, in Leonine verse, drawn up about the year 1100, for the use of Robert, Duke of Normandy, the son of William the Conqueror, by the famous medical school of Salerno. The Latin text is accompanied with a Gaelic explanation, which is considered equally faithful and elegant, of which the following is a specimen:--

_Caput I._--Anglorum regi scripsit schola tota Salerni.

1. As iat scol Salerni go hulidhe do seriou na fearsadh so do chum rig sag san do choimhed a shlainnte.

Si vis incolumem, si vis te reddere sanum; Curas tolle graves, irasci crede prophanum.

Madh ail bhidh fallann, agus madh aill bhidh slan; Cuir na himsnimha troma dhit, agus creit gurub diomhain duit fearg do dhenumh.

The words _Leabhar Giollacholaim Meigbeathadh_ are written on the last page of this MS., which being in the same form and hand, with the same words on a paper MS. bound up with a number of others written upon vellum in the Advocates’ Library, and before which is written _Liber Malcolmi Bethune_, it has been conjectured that both works originally belonged to Malcolm Bethune, a member of a family distinguished for learning, which supplied the Western Isles for many ages with physicians.[109]

3. A small quarto paper MS. from the same collection, written at Dunstaffnage by Ewen Macphaill, 12th October 1603. It consists of a tale in prose concerning a King of Lochlin and the Heroes of Fingal: An Address to Gaul, the son of Morni, beginning--

Goll mear mileant-- Ceap na Crodhachta--

An Elegy on one of the earls of Argyle, beginning--

A Mhic Cailin a chosg lochd;

and a poem in praise of a young lady.

4. A small octavo paper MS. from the same collection, written by Eamonn or Edmond Mac Lachlan, 1654-5. This consists of a miscellaneous collection of sonnets, odes, and poetical epistles, partly Scots, and partly Irish. There is an _Ogham_ or alphabet of secret writing near the end of it.

5. A quarto paper MS. from same collection. It wants ninety pages at the beginning, and part of the end. What remains consists of some ancient and modern tales and poems. The names of the authors are not given, but an older MS. (that of the Dean of Lismore) ascribes one of the poems to Conal, son of Edirskeol. This MS. was written at Aird-Chonail upon Lochowe, in the years 1690 and 1691, by Ewan Mac Lean for Colin Campbell. “Caillain Caimpbel leis in leis in leabharan. 1, Caillin mac Dhonchai mhic Dhughil mhic Chaillain oig.” Colin Campbell is the owner of this book, namely Colin, son of Duncan, son of Dougal, son of Colin the younger. The above Gaelic inscription appears on the 79th leaf of the MS.

6. A quarto paper MS., which belonged to the Rev. James MacGregor, Dean of Lismore, the metropolitan church of the see of Argyle, dated, page 27, 1512, written by Duncan the son of Dougal, son of Ewen the Grizzled. This MS. consists of a large collection of Gaelic poetry, upwards of 11,000 verses. It is said to have been written “out of the books of the History of the Kings.” Part of the MS., however, which closes an obituary, commencing in 1077, of the kings of Scotland, and other eminent persons of Scotland, particularly of the shires of Argyle and Perth, was not written till 1527. The poetical pieces are from the times of the most ancient bards down to the beginning of the sixteenth century. The more ancient pieces are poems of Conal, son of Edirskeol, Ossian, son of Fingal, Fearghas Fili (Fergus the bard), and Caoilt, son of Ronan, the friends and contemporaries of Ossian. This collection also contains the works of Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenurchay, who fell in the battle of Flodden, and Lady Isabel Campbell, daughter of the Earl of Argyle, and wife of Gilbert, Earl of Cassilis.[110] “The writer of this MS. (says Dr Smith) rejected the ancient character for the current handwriting of the time, and adopted a new mode of spelling conformable to the Latin and English sounds of his own age and country, but retained the aspirate mark (’).... The Welsh had long before made a similar change in their ancient orthography. Mr Edward Lhuyd recommended it, with some variation, in a letter to the Scots and Irish, prefixed to his Dictionary of their language in the Archæologia Britannica. The bishop of Sodor and Man observed it in the devotional exercises, admonition, and catechism, which he published for the use of his diocese. It was continued in the Manx translation of the Scriptures, and it has lately been adopted by Dr Reilly, titular Primate of Ireland, in his TAGASG KREESTY, or _Christian Doctrine_. But yet it must be acknowledged to be much inferior to the ancient mode of orthography, which has not only the advantage of being grounded on a knowledge of the principles of grammar, and philosophy of language, but of being also more plain and easy. This volume of the Dean’s is curious, as distinguishing the genuine poetry of Ossian from the imitations made of it by later bards, and as ascertaining the degree of accuracy with which ancient poems have been transmitted by tradition for the last three hundred years, during a century of which the order of bards has been extinct, and ancient manners and customs have suffered a great and rapid change in the Highlands.”[111] A _fac simile_ of the writing is given in the Report of the Committee of the Highland Society, plate III. No. 5. Since the above was written, the whole of this manuscript, with a few unimportant exceptions, has been transcribed, translated, and annotated by the Rev. Dr M’Lauchlan, Edinburgh, and an introductory chapter was furnished by W. F. Skene, Esq., LL.D. The work has been published by Messrs Edmonston & Douglas, of Edinburgh, and is a valuable addition to our Gaelic literature.

7. A quarto paper MS. written in a very beautiful regular hand, without date or the name of the writer. It is supposed to be at least two hundred years old, and consists of a number of ancient tales and short poems. These appear to be transcribed from a much older MS., as there is a vocabulary of ancient words in the middle of the MS. Some of the poetry is ascribed to Cuchulin.

8. Another quarto paper MS. the beginning and end of which have been lost. It consists partly of prose, partly of poetry. With the exception of two loose leaves, which appear much older, the whole appears to have been written in the 17th century. The poetry, though ancient, is not Fingalian. The name, Tadg Og CC., before one of the poems near the end, is the only one to be seen upon it.

9. A quarto parchment MS. consisting of 42 leaves, written by different hands, with illuminated capitals. It appears at one time to have consisted of four different MSS. bound to together and covered with skin, to preserve them. This MS. is very ancient and beautiful, though much soiled. In this collection is a life of St Columba, supposed, from the character, (being similar to No. 27,) to be of the twelfth or thirteenth century.

10. A quarto parchment medical MS. beautifully written. No date or name, but the MS. appears to be very ancient.

11. A quarto paper MS., partly prose, partly verse, written in a very coarse and indifferent hand. No date or name.

12. A small quarto MS. coarse. Bears date 1647, without name.

13. A small long octavo paper MS. the beginning and end lost, and without any date. It is supposed to have been written by the Macvurichs of the fifteenth century. Two of the poems are ascribed to Tadg Mac Daire Bruaidheadh, others to Brian O’Donalan.

14. A large folio parchment MS. in two columns, containing a tale upon Cuchullin and Conal, two of Ossian’s heroes. Without date or name and very ancient.

15. A large quarto parchment of 7½ leaves, supposed by Mr Astle, author of the work on the origin and progress of writing, to be of the ninth or tenth century. Its title is _Emanuel_, a name commonly given by the old Gaelic writers to many of their miscellaneous writings. Engraved specimens of this MS. are to be seen in the first edition of Mr Astle’s work above-mentioned, 18th plate, Nos. 1 and 2, and in his second edition, plate 22. Some of the capitals in the MS. are painted red. It is written in a strong beautiful hand, in the same character as the rest. This MS. is only the fragment of a large work on ancient history, written on the authority of Greek and Roman writers, and interspersed with notices of the arts, armour, dress, superstitions, manners, and usages, of the Scots of the author’s own time. In this MS. there is a chapter titled, “_Slogha Chesair an Inis Bhreatan_,” or Cæsar’s expedition to the island of Britain, in which _Lechlin_, a country celebrated in the ancient poems and tales of the Gäel, is mentioned as separated from Gaul by “the clear current of the Rhine.” Dr Donald Smith had a complete copy of this work.

16. A small octavo parchment MS. consisting of a tale in prose, imperfect. Supposed to be nearly as old as the last mentioned MS.

17. A small octavo paper MS. stitched, imperfect; written by the Macvurichs. It begins with a poem upon Darthula, different from Macpherson’s, and contains poems written by Cathal and Nial Mor Macvurich, (whose names appear at the beginning of some of the poems,) composed in the reign of King James the Fifth, Mary, and King Charles the First. It also contains some Ossianic poems, such as Cnoc an àir, &c. i.e. The Hill of Slaughter, supposed to be part of Macpherson’s Fingal. It is the story of a woman who came walking alone to the Fingalians for protection from Taile, who was in pursuit of her. Taile fought them, and was killed by Oscar. There was another copy of this poem in Clanranald’s little book--not the Red book, as erroneously supposed by Laing. The Highland Society are also in possession of several copies taken from oral tradition. The second Ossianic poem in this MS. begins thus:

Sè la gus an dè O nach fhaca mi fein Fionn.

It is now six days yesterday Since I have not seen Fingal.

18. An octavo paper MS. consisting chiefly of poetry, but very much defaced. Supposed to have been written by the last of the Macvurichs, but without date. The names of Tadg Og and Lauchlan Mac Taidg occur upon it. It is supposed to have been copied from a more ancient MS. as the poetry is good.

19. A very small octavo MS. written by some of the Macvurichs. Part of it is a copy of Clanranald’s book, and contains the genealogy of the Lords of the Isles and others of that great clan. The second part consists of a genealogy of the kings of Ireland (ancestors of the Macdonalds) from Scota and Gathelic. The last date upon it is 1616.

20. A paper MS. consisting of a genealogy of the kings of Ireland, of a few leaves only, and without date.

21. A paper MS. consisting of detached leaves of different sizes, and containing, 1. The conclusion of a Gaelic chronicle of the kings of Scotland down to King Robert III.; 2. A Fingalian tale, in which the heroes are Fingal, Goll Mac Morni, Oscar, Ossian, and Conan; 3. A poem by Macdonald of Benbecula, dated 1722, upon the unwritten part of a letter sent to Donald Macvurich of Stialgary; 4. A poem by Donald Mackenzie; 5. Another by Tadg Og CC, copied from some other MS.; 6. A poem by Donald Macvurich upon Ronald Macdonald of Clanranald. Besides several hymns by Tadg, and other poems by the Macvurichs and others.

22. A paper MS. consisting of religious tracts and genealogy, without name or date.

23. A paper MS. containing instruction for children in Gaelic and English. Modern, and without date.

24. Fragments of a paper MS., with the name of Cathelus Macvurich upon some of the leaves, and Niall Macvurich upon some others. _Conn Mac an Deirg_, a well known ancient poem, is written in the Roman character by the last Niall Macvurich, the last Highland bard, and is the only one among all the Gaelic MSS. in that character.

With the exception of the first five numbers, all the before mentioned MSS. were presented by the Highland Society of London to the Highland Society of Scotland in January, 1803, on the application of the committee appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the poems of Ossian. All these MSS. (with the single exception of the Dean of Lismore’s volume,) are written in the very ancient form of character which was common of old to Britain and Ireland, and supposed to have been adopted by the Saxons at the time of their conversion to Christianity. This form of writing has been discontinued for nearly eighty years in Scotland, as the last specimen which the Highland Society of Scotland received of it consists of a volume of songs, supposed to have been written between the years 1752 and 1768, as it contains a song written by Duncan Macintyre, titled, _An Taileir Mac Neachdain_, which he composed the former year, the first edition of Macintyre’s songs having been published during the latter year.[112]

25. Besides these, the Society possesses a collection of MS. Gaelic poems made by Mr Duncan Kennedy, formerly schoolmaster at Craignish in Argyleshire, in three thin folio volumes. Two of them are written out fair from the various poems he had collected about sixty years ago. This collection consists of the following poems, viz., Luachair Leothaid, Sgiathan mac Sgairbh, An Gruagach, Rochd, Sithallan, Mùr Bheura, Tiomban, Sealg na Cluana, Gleanncruadhach, Uirnigh Oisein, Earragan, (resembling Macpherson’s Battle of Lora,) Manus, Maire Borb, (Maid of Craca,) Cath Sisear, Sliabh nam Beann Sionn, Bas Dheirg, Bas Chuinn, Righ Liur, Sealg na Leana, Dun an Oir, An Cu dubh, Gleann Diamhair, Conal, Bas Chiuinlaich Diarmad, Carril, Bas Ghuill (different from the Death of Gaul published by Dr Smith,) Garaibh, Bas Oscair, (part of which is the same narrative with the opening of Macpherson’s _Temora_,) in three parts; Tuiridh nam Fian, and Bass Osein. To each of these poems Kennedy has prefixed a dissertation containing some account of the _Sgealachd_ story, or argument of the poem which is to follow. It was very common for the reciter, or _history-man_, as he was termed in the Highlands, to repeat the Sgealachds to his hearers before reciting the poems to which they related. Several of the poems in this collection correspond pretty nearly with the ancient MS. above mentioned, which belonged to the Dean of Lismore.[113]

26. A paper, medical, MS. in the old Gaelic character, a thick volume, written by Angus Connacher at Ardconel, Lochow-side, Argyleshire, 1612, presented to the Highland Society of Scotland by the late William Macdonald, Esq. of St Martins, W.S.

27. A beautiful parchment MS., greatly mutilated, in the same character, presented to the Society by the late Lord Bannatyne, one of the judges of the Court of Session. The supposed date upon the cover is 1238, is written in black letter, but it is in a comparatively modern hand. “Gleann Masain an cuige la deag do an ... Mh : : : do bhlian ar tsaoirse Mile da chead, trichid sa hocht.” That is, Glen-Masan, the 15th day of the ... of M : : : of the year of our Redemption 1238. It is supposed that the date has been taken from the MS. when in a more entire state. Glenmasan, where it was written, is a valley in the district of Cowal. From a note on the margin of the 15th leaf, it would appear to have formerly belonged to the Rev. William Campbell, minister of Kilchrenan and Dalavich, and a native of Cowal, and to whom Dr D. Smith supposes it may, perhaps, have descended from his grand-uncle, Mr Robert Campbell, in Cowal, an accomplished scholar and poet, who wrote the eighth address prefixed to Lhuyd’s _Archæologia_.

The MS. consists of some mutilated tales in prose, interspersed with verse, one of which is part of the poem of “Clan Uisneachan,” called by Macpherson _Darthula_, from the lady who makes the principal figure in it. The name of this lady in Gaelic is Deirdir, or Dearduil. A _fac simile_ of the writing is given in the appendix to the Highland Society’s Report on Ossian. Plate iii. No. 4.

28. A paper MS. in the same character, consisting of an ancient tale in prose, presented to the Society by Mr Norman Macleod, son of the Rev. Mr Macleod of Morven.

29. A small paper MS. in the same character, on religion.

30. A paper MS. in the same character, presented to the Highland Society by James Grant, Esquire of Corymony. It consists of the history of the wars of Cuchullin, in prose and verse. This MS. is much worn at the ends and edges. It formerly belonged to Mr Grant’s mother, said to have been an excellent Gaelic scholar.

CATALOGUE OF ANCIENT GAELIC MSS. WHICH BELONGED TO THE LATE MAJOR MACLAUCHLAN OF KILBRIDE, BESIDES THE FIVE FIRST ENUMERATED IN THE FOREGOING LIST, AND WHICH ARE NOW IN THE ADVOCATES’ LIBRARY, EDINBURGH.

1. A beautiful medical MS. with the other MSS. formerly belonging to the collection. The titles of the different articles are in Latin, as are all the medical Gaelic MSS., being translations from Galen and other ancient physicians. The capital letters are flourished and painted red.

2. A thick folio paper MS., medical, written by Duncan Conacher, at Dunollie, Argyleshire, 1511.

3. A folio parchment MS. consisting of ancient Scottish and Irish history, very old.

4. A folio parchment medical MS. beautifully written. It is older than the other medical MSS.

5. A folio parchment medical MS. of equal beauty with the last.

6. A folio parchment MS. upon the same subject, and nearly of the same age with the former.

7. A folio parchment, partly religious, partly medical.

8. A folio parchment MS. consisting of the Histories of Scotland and Ireland, much damaged.

9. A folio parchment medical MS., very old.

10. A folio parchment MS. Irish history and poetry.

11. A quarto parchment MS., very old.

12. A long duodecimo parchment MS. consisting of hymns and maxims. It is a very beautiful MS., and may be as old as the time of St Columba.

13. A duodecimo parchment MS. much damaged and illegible.

14. A duodecimo parchment MS. consisting of poetry, but not Ossianic. Hardly legible.

15. A duodecimo parchment MS. much injured by vermin. It consists of a miscellaneous collection of history and poetry.

16. A duodecimo parchment MS. in large beautiful letter, very old and difficult to be understood.

17. A folio parchment MS. consisting of the genealogies of the Macdonalds, Macniels, Macdougals, Maclauchlans, &c.

All these MSS. are written in the old Gaelic character, and, with the exception of No. 2, have neither date nor name attached to them.

Besides those enumerated, there are, it is believed, many ancient Gaelic MSS. existing in private libraries. The following are known:--

A Deed of Fosterage between Sir Norman Macleod of Bernera, and John Mackenzie, executed in the year 1640. This circumstance shows that the Gaelic language was in use in legal obligations at that period in the Highlands. This MS. was in the possession of the late Lord Bannatyne.

A variety of parchment MSS. on medicine, in the Gaelic character, formerly in the possession of the late Dr Donald Smith. He was also possessed of a complete copy of the Emanuel MS. before mentioned, and of copies of many other MSS., which he made at different times from other MSS.

Two paper MS. Gaelic grammars, in the same character, formerly in the possession of the late Dr Wright of Edinburgh.

Two ancient parchment MSS. in the same character, formerly in the possession of the late Rev. James Maclagan, at Blair-Athole. Now in possession of his family. It is chiefly Irish history.

A paper MS. written in the Roman character, in the possession of Mr Matheson of Fearnaig, Ross-shire. It is dated in 1688, and consists of songs and hymns by different persons, some by Carswell, Bishop of the Isles. There is reason to fear that this MS. has been lost.

A paper MS. formerly in the possession of a Mr Simpson in Leith.

The Lilium Medecinæ, a paper folio MS. written and translated by one of the Bethunes, the physicians of Skye, at the foot of Mount Peliop. It was given to the Antiquarian Society of London by the late Dr Macqueen of Kilmore, in Skye.

Two treatises, one on astronomy, the other on medicine, written in the latter end of the thirteenth or beginning of the fourteenth century, formerly in the possession of Mr Astle.

GAELIC AND IRISH MSS. IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

IN THE ADVOCATES’ LIBRARY.

Three volumes MS. in the old character, chiefly medical, with some fragments of Scottish and Irish history; and the life of St Columba, said to have been translated from the Latin into Gaelic, by Father Calohoran.

IN THE HARLEIAN LIBRARY.

A MS. volume (No. 5280) containing twenty-one Gaelic or Irish treatises, of which Mr Astle has given some account. One of these treats of the Irish militia, under Fion Maccumhail, in the reign of Cormac-MacAirt, king of Ireland, and of the course of probation or exercise which each soldier was to go through before his admission therein. Mr Astle has given a _fac simile_ of the writing, being the thirteenth specimen of Plate xxii.

IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD.

An old Irish MS. on parchment, containing, among other tracts, An account of the Conquest of Britain by the Romans:--Of the Saxon Conquest and their Heptarchy:--An account of the Irish Saints, in verse, written in the tenth century:--The Saints of the Roman Breviary:--An account of the Conversion of the Irish and English to Christianity, with some other subjects. Laud. F. 92. This book, as is common in old Irish manuscripts, has here and there some Latin notes intermixed with Irish, and may possibly contain some hints of the doctrines of the Druids.

An old vellum MS. of 140 pages, in the form of a music-book, containing the works of St Columba, in verse, with some account of his own life; his exhortations to princes and his prophecies. Laud. D. 17.

A chronological history of Ireland, by Jeffrey Keating, D.D.

_Among the Clarendon MSS. at Oxford are_--

Annales Ultonienses, sic dicti quod precipué contineant res gestas Ultoniensium. Codex antiquissimus caractere Hibernico scriptus; sed sermone, partim Hibernico, partim Latino. Fol. membr. The 16th and 17th specimens in Plate xxii. of Astle’s work are taken from this MS., which is numbered 31 of Dr Rawlinson’s MSS.

Annales Tigernaci (Erenaci. ut opiniatur Warœus Clonmanaisensis. Vid. Annal. Ulton. ad an. 1088), mutili in initio et alibi. Liber charactere et lingua Hibernicis scriptus. Memb.

These annals, which are written in the old Irish character, were originally collected by Sir James Ware, and came into the possession successively of the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Chandos, and of Dr Rawlinson.

Miscellanea de Rebus Hibernicis, metricè. Lingua partim Latina, partim Hibernica; collecta per Œngusium O’Colode (fortè Colidium). Hic liber vulgò Psalter Na rann appellatur.

Elegiæ Hibernicæ in Obitus quorundam Nobilium fo. 50.

Notæ quædam Philosophicæ, partim Latiné, partim Hibernicé, Characteribus Hibernicis, fo. 69. Membr.

Anonymi cujusdàm Tractatus de varies apud Hibernos veteres occultis scribendi Formulis, Hibernicé Ogum dictis.

Finleachi O Catalai Gigantomachia (vel potiùs Acta Finni Mac Cuil, cum Prœlio de Fintra), Hibernicé. Colloquia quædam de Rebus Hibernicis in quibus colloquentes introducuntur S. Patricius, Coillius, et Ossenus Hibernicé f. 12. Leges Ecclesiasticæ Hibernicé f. 53. Membr.

Vitæ Sanctorum Hibernicorum, per Magnum sive Manum, filium Hugonis O’Donnel, Hibernigé descriptæ. An. 1532, Fol. Membr.

Calieni Prophetiæ, in Lingua Hibernica. Ejusdem libri exemplar extat in Bibl. Cotton, f. 22. b.

Extracto ex Libro Killensi, Lingua Hibernica, f. 39.

Historica quædam, Hibernicé, ab An. 130, ad An. 1317, f. 231.

A Book of Irish Poetry, f. 16.

Tractatus de Scriptoribus Hibernicis.

Dr Keating’s History of Ireland.

_Irish MSS. in Trinity College, Dublin_:--

Extracto ex Libro de Kells Hibernicé.

A book in Irish, treating,--1. Of the Building of Babel. 2. Of Grammar. 3. Of Physic. 4. Of Chirurgery. Fol. D. 10.

A book containing several ancient historical matters, especially of the coming of Milesius out of Spain. B. 35.

The book of Balimote, containing,--1. The Genealogies of all the ancient Families in Ireland. 2. The Uracept, or a book for the education of youth, written by K. Comfoilus Sapiens. 3. The Ogma, or Art of Writing in Characters. 4. The History of the Wars of Troy, with other historical matters contained in the book of Lecane, D. 18. The book of Lecane, _alias_ Sligo, contains the following treatises:--1. A treatise of Ireland and its divisions into provinces, with the history of the Irish kings and sovereigns, answerable to the general history; but nine leaves are wanting. 2. How the race of Milesius came into Ireland, and of their adventures since Moses’s passing through the Red Sea. 3. Of the descent and years of the ancient fathers. 4. A catalogue of the kings of Ireland in verse. 5. The maternal genealogies and degrees of the Irish saints. 6. The genealogies of our Lady, Joseph, and several other saints mentioned in the Scripture. 7. An alphabetic catalogue of Irish saints. 8. The sacred antiquity of the Irish saints in verse. 9. Cormac’s life. 10. Several transactions of the monarchs of Ireland and their provincial kings. 11. The history of Eogain M’or, Knight; as also of his children and posterity. 12. O’Neil’s pedigree. 13. Several battles of the Sept of Cinet Ogen, or tribe of Owen, from Owen Mac Neile Mac Donnoch. 14. Manne, the son of King Neal, of the nine hostages and his family. 15. Fiacha, the son of Mac Neil and his Sept. 16. Leogarius, son of Nelus Magnus, and his tribe. 17. The Connaught book. 18. The book of Fiatrach. 19. The book of Uriel. 20. The Leinster book. 21. The descent of the Fochards, or the Nolans. 22. The descent of those of Leix, or the O’Mores. 23. The descent of Decyes of Munster, or the Ophelans. 24. The coming of Muscrey to Moybreagh. 25. A commentary upon the antiquity of Albany, now called Scotland. 26. The descent of some Septs of the Irish, different from those of the most known sort, that is, of the posterity of Lugadh Frith. 27. The Ulster book. 28. The British book. 29. The Uracept, or a book for the education of youth, written by K. Comfoilus Sapiens. 30. The genealogies of St Patrick and other saints, as also an etymology of the hard words in the said treatise. 31. A treatise of several prophecies. 32. The laws, customs, exploits, and tributes of the Irish kings and provincials. 33. A treatise of Eva, and the famous women of ancient times. 34. A poem that treats of Adam and his posterity. 35. The Munster book. 36. A book containing the etymology of all the names of the chief territories and notable places in Ireland. 37. Of the several invasions of Clan-Partholan, Clan-nan vies, Firbolhg, Tu’atha de Danaan, and the Milesians into Ireland. 38. A treatise of the most considerable men in Ireland, from the time of Leogarius the son of Nelus Magnus, alias Neale of the nine hostages in the time of Roderic O’Conner, monarch of Ireland, fol. parchment. D. 19.

De Chirurgia. De Infirmitatibus Corporis humane, Hibernicé, f. Membr. C. 1.

Excerpta quædam de antiquitatibus Incolarum, Dublin ex libris Bellemorensi et Sligantino, Hibernicé.

Hymni in laudem B. Patricii, Brigidæ et Columbiæ, Hibern. plerumque. Invocationes Apostolorum et SS. cum not. Hibern. interlin. et margin. Orationes quædam excerptæ ex Psalmis; partim Latiné, partim Hibernicé, fol. Membr. I. 125.

Opera Galeni et Hippocratis de Chirurgia, Hibernicé, fol. Membr. C. 29.

A book of Postils in Irish, fol. Membr. D. 24.

Certain prayers, with the argument of the four Gospels and the Acts, in Irish (10.), ’Fiechi Slebthiensis. Hymnus in laudem S. Patricii, Hibernicé (12.), A hymn on St Bridget, in Irish, made by Columkill in the time of Eda Mac Ainmireck, cum Regibus Hibern. et success. S. Patricii (14.), Sanctani Hymnus. Hibern.

Reverendissimi D. Bedelli Translatio Hibernica S. Bibliorum.

BRITISH MUSEUM.

In addition to the above, there has been a considerable collection of Gaelic MSS. made at the British Museum. They were all catalogued a few years ago by the late Eugene O’Curry, Esq. It is unnecessary to give the list here, but Mr O’Curry’s catalogue will be found an admirable directory for any inquirer at the Museum. Foreign libraries also contain many such MSS.

FOOTNOTES:

[96] _Early Scottish Church_, p. 146.

[97] P. 57.

[98] _Fo_ here and elsewhere in the poem seems to represent _fa_, upon, rather than _ar_, as Mr Skene supposes.

[99] _Chronicles of the Picts and Scots_, Int. p. xxxvii.

[100] P. 275.

[101] From _Dean of Lismore’s Book_, with a few verbal alterations, p. 157.

[102] _Irish Grammar_, p. 449.

[103] This question has been recently discussed by the Rev. Archibald Clerk of Kilmallie, in his elegant edition of the _Poems of Ossian_, published since the above was written, under the auspices of the Marquis of Bute. We refer our readers to Mr Clerk’s treatise for a great deal of varied and interesting information on this subject.

[104] Logan on the _Scottish Gael_, vol. ii. 252-3.

[105] Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland on the Poems of Ossian, App. No. xix., p. 290.

[106] It is, therefore, probable that these genealogies were written about the middle of the sixteenth century. A fac simile of the writing is to be found in the Report of the Committee of the Highland Society on the authenticity of Ossian, Plate II.

[107] Report of the Committee of the Highland Society on Ossian, App. No. xix., p. 291.

[108] Ogyg., p. 275.

[109] Appendix, _ut supra_, No. xix.

[110] Report of the Highland Society on Ossian. p. 92.

[111] Appendix to the Highland Society’s Report, p. 300-1.

[112] Report on Ossian, Appendix, p. 312.

[113] Report on Ossian, pp. 108-9.

PART SECOND.

HISTORY OF THE HIGHLAND CLANS.