THE force sent to Flanders (1793) was a serious drain on the strength of
the army, which must be made good without delay. The Government viewed
it in that light, and ordered commissions to be issued forthwith for the
enrolment of twenty-two regiments for general service (from the 79th to
the 100th), sixteen of which were subsequently made permanent, and added
to the establishment. Other bodies were also raised for home services,
known as "Fencibles." Now was the time for Alan to bestir himself.
Applicants, with influence and claims on the War Office, were greatly in
excess of the number required. Lord Cornwallis' previous recommendation
in his favour was found of advantage in support of Alan's present
application, inasmuch that the "Letter of Service" granted in his favour
was among the first of the batch gazetted on the 17th of Aug. 1793.
Although Major-Commandant Cameron (he will be now named by his
successive ranks in the army) had reason to be satisfied with the
success of his application for the "Letters," yet the terms and
conditions embodied were not only illiberal, but even exacting, a
circumstance he had an opportunity some time afterwards of pointing out
to one of His Majesty's sons (the Duke of York). The document is too
long and not sufficiently interesting to be quoted, and an extract
or two from it must suffice. "All the officers--the ensigns and
staff-officers excepted--are to be appointed from the half-pay list,
according to their present rank, taking care, however, that the former
only are recommended who have not taken any difference in their being
placed on half-pay. The men are to be engaged without limitation as to
the period of their service, and without any allowance of levy money,
_but they are not to be drafted into any other regiments_." On receipt
of this official communication from the War Office, Major Cameron had an
intimation from his father-in-law--Squire Philips--that money to the
extent of his requirements for the expenses of attaining his ambition,
would be placed at his disposal. This act of generosity relieved the
Major from one of his difficulties. The next consideration was how far
it might be prudent to make the recruiting ground his own native
district of Lochaber, when it is remembered that he left that country as
a fugitive from the vengeance of a considerable portion of its
inhabitants. The terms of his "Letters of Service" restricted him in the
disposal of the commissions which might have been offered them as a
means of pacification, but the few left in his power he decided at once
to confer on those sons of families who might be in influential
positions and otherwise eligible for the appointments. With this view he
despatched several copies of the _London Gazette_ containing the
"authority to raise a Highland Regiment" to his brother Ewan (known in
later years as _Eoghann Mor an Earrachd_) with a letter, both of which
he was enjoined to make as widely and as publicly known as possible. The
letter is, if somewhat plausible, frank enough, and characteristic of
his conduct throughout his varied career in life. In it he states that,
"having been favoured with the honour of embodying a Highland Regiment
for His Majesty's service; where could I go to obey that order but to my
own native Lochaber; and with that desire I have decided on appealing to
their forgiveness of byegone events, and their loyalty to the sovereign
in his present exigencies. The few commissions at my disposal shall be
offered first to the relatives of the gentleman whose life,
unfortunately, was sacrificed by my hand."
The printing press, even of the capital of the County of Inverness was
not so advanced in those days, as to have circulars printed of the
foregoing proclamation. Therefore, the brother had to transcribe copies
as best he could, which he did to some effect, inasmuch that before Alan
arrived in Lochaber, on his mission, Ewan had already engaged the
complement of a company to start with, all of whom he retained on his
farm at Earrachd till the arrival of the Major. Thus the credit of
gathering the nucleus of the now famous 79th is due to _Eoghann Mor_,
for which service the Major procured him a commission as captain and
recruiting officer, for his regiment, in that district.
(_To be Continued._)
FOOTNOTES:
[C] Minutes of the Highland Society of London, 1782.
[D] Minute Highland Society of London 1806.
THE FIRST PRINTED GAELIC BOOK.
It is to be regretted, since the art of printing has existed for so many
centuries, that nothing in the Gaelic was ever produced in the form of a
printed book until the year 1567. No doubt many valuable documents,
poems, and charters were written on parchment and paper in that
venerable language previous to that date, but the first Gaelic book was
Bishop Carsewell's Translation of Knox's Liturgy, which was printed in
the above year. Forms of prayer, the Administration of the Sacraments,
and the Catechism of the Reformed Church of Scotland were composed by
Knox, and published in a small volume. Carsewell was an earnest and
zealous man, and in the discharge of his pastoral duties in districts
where the Gaelic was the vernacular tongue, he could not fail to see the
benefit to be derived from a manual in that language for the instruction
of the people, and hence the translation and printing of the volume just
alluded to. It was in the duodecimo form, and consisted of about three
hundred pages. The printer was Robert Lekprevik who was remarkable in
his day for the successful manner in which he executed black-letter
printing. It was he who produced from his press "The Reasoning betwixt
the Abbot of Crossraguel and John Knox," to which book were attached the
words:--"Imprinted at Edinburgh by Robert Lekprevik, and are to be solde
at his hous at the Netherbow, 1563."
It would appear that about that time this notable printer removed from
Edinburgh to St Andrews, where printing of different kinds was carried on,
to what was then considered a great extent. It was while in that town that
he printed "Davidson's Metrical Version of Knox's History and Doctrines,"
in a volume of considerable size. The work was entitled:--"Ane brief
commendation of Uprichtness."--"Imprentit at Sanctandrois be Robert
Lekprevik, anno 1573."
It is a matter of no small regret to the lovers of the Celtic tongue, as
well as to philologists in general, that the very interesting
translation of Bishop Carsewell is now hardly to be had anywhere. It is
said that the Duke of Argyle has a copy of it in his library at
Inveraray Castle; and it is well known that another copy, and a very
complete one, was in the possession of a well-known Gaelic scholar, and
excellent Christian man, the late Mr John Rose, teacher at Aberarder,
parish of Dunlichity, near Inverness. It is not known what has become of
the copy of which Mr Rose was the owner, but it would be pleasing if it
were somewhere in safe-keeping, and still more pleasing if it would find
its way to the library shelves of the Gaelic Society of Inverness. The
rarity of the little work in question makes it the more valuable, and
while out of print it cannot be replaced.
The language of this small volume differs a little in spelling from the
Gaelic of the present day, yet it is, upon the whole very plain, and
quite intelligible to any one acquainted with the pronunciation of it.
This may be seen, and better understood, by giving a small quotation
from the work--viz., the concluding declaration of the learned
translator, which runs as follows:--"Do chriochnvigheadh an leabhran
beag so, le Heasbug Indseadh gall, an, 24 la do Mhi. Aprile sa
seachtmhadh bliadhain tar thri fithid agas ar chuig cēd, agas ar Mhile
bliadhain dandaladh ar Dtighearna Iosa Criosd. Sa geuigeadh bliadhain
tar fithid do Rìghe na Riòghna ro chumhachtaighe Marie Banrighan na
Hàlban."
The printer has concluded this interesting but now rare volume, by the
words:--"Do Bvaileadh so agclo an Dvn Edin le Roibeart Lekprevik, 24
Aprilis, 1567."
John Carsewell, by all accounts, was a faithful servant of his Divine
Master. He not only preached the Word with earnestness and power, but
was always instant in season and out of season--"a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." He was for some
years Rector of Kilmartin, a parish in the county of Argyle; but after
the Reformation he was made Bishop of the Western Isles. A certain
writer has said of the reverend gentleman that "he early joined the
reformed clergy, and when the Protestant doctrine was ratified by
Parliament in 1560, he was appointed Superintendent of Argyle." The
superintendents, it will be recollected, were ministers set over a large
district or diocese, in which they were appointed regularly to travel,
for the purpose of preaching the gospel, of planting churches, and of
inspecting the conduct of ministers, exhorters, and readers. They were,
in fact, Bishops, but (according to the Book of Discipline) they were
not "to be suffered to live idle, as the Bishops had done heretofore."
Bishop Carsewell was wealthy and lived in state at Carnassary Castle,
now in ruins, at the head of the Valley of Kilmartin.
This volume of Bishop Carsewell, to which the attention of the readers
of the _Celtic Magazine_ is now called, is very interesting from another
point of view. In consequence of some incidental remarks made by the
learned bishop, it will be seen that in his day traditions existed in
the Highlands and Islands in regard to the Ossianic poetry. This is a
fact which ought to be of no small importance in the present day, when
such keen controversies exist as to the authenticity of the poetical
productions attributed to Ossian. It is surely unreasonable to suppose
if the poems in question had been the creation of James Macpherson, how
it became possible for Bishop Carsewell to allude to the traditions in
the Highlands and Islands regarding Fingal and his heroes upwards of two
hundred years before Macpherson's day! Such direct and legitimate
evidence as this ought to be allowed to have its full weight and force;
and no prejudice on the part of such as are ignorant of the elegance and
beauty of the Gaelic language ought to lead them away from a desire to
believe what is really the truth. Carsewell dedicated his interesting
volume to the Earl of Argyle, on whom he looked as his patron, and who,
by his power and influence, aided the good Bishop in his earnest
endeavours to promote the temporal and spiritual good of the population
of his estates, as well as of that of the Highlands and Islands at
large.
In his somewhat lengthy dedication, the following passage appears, which
is here given as faithfully translated by the Committee of the Highland
Society in their report on the poems of Ossian.
The passage in question runs as follows:--"But there is one great
disadvantage which we, the Gael of Scotland and Ireland, labour under,
beyond the rest of the world, that our Gaelic language has never yet
been printed, as the language of every other race of men has been; and
we labour under a disadvantage which is still greater than every other
disadvantage, that we have not the Holy Bible printed in Gaelic, as it
has been printed in Latin and English, and in every other language, and
also that we have never yet had any account printed of the antiquities
of our country, or of our ancestors; for though we have some accounts of
the Gael of Scotland and Ireland contained in manuscripts, and in the
genealogies of bards and historiographers, yet there is great labour in
writing them over with the hand, whereas the work which is printed, be
it ever so great, is speedily finished. And great is the blindness and
sinful darkness, and ignorance, and evil design of such as teach, and
write, and cultivate the Gaelic language, that, with the view of
obtaining for themselves the vain rewards of this world, they are more
desirous, and more accustomed to compose vain, tempting, lying, worldly
histories concerning the 'seann dàin,' and concerning warriors and
champions, and Fingal, the son of Cumhail, with his heroes, and
concerning many others which I will not at present enumerate or mention,
in order to maintain or reprove, than to write and teach, and maintain
the faithful words of God, and of the perfect way of truth."
It may be seen from this that the learned Bishop naturally complained of
the great disadvantage under which the Gael, both in Scotland and
Ireland, laboured in their not being possessed of any book whatever in
the Gaelic, as nothing hitherto had ever been printed in that language.
It would have been both interesting and instructive to have had the
annals of their country recorded in this manner, as they could not have
depended so much on the still more vague and uncertain narratives to
which were handed down from age to age by tradition. No doubt the bards
and _seanachies_ had their manuscripts and parchments in which many
important facts, and many ancient productions in poetry were recorded,
but these were at best but comparatively few, and could benefit the
community but to a small extent, compared with the productions of even
such printing-presses as were made use of by the renowned Lekprevik. The
want of the Holy Scriptures in the Gaelic language particularly in
districts where it was the only spoken language, was a disadvantage
which the good Bishop deeply deplored; and that want was no doubt the
chief cause of his publishing his "Forms of Prayer, &c.," to facilitate
his ministerial labours among the Highlanders. Had the Bishop been a
prophet in a sense, and had he been able to have foreseen the keen
controversies that were to take place two centuries after his time,
relative to the poems that told of Fingal and his warriors, he would
have given a more detailed account of the Ossianic poetry which was no
rare thing in his day. Posterity would have felt very grateful to the
learned gentleman if he had enlarged somewhat on the songs and tales of
olden times, as he had every opportunity of hearing them rehearsed by
the family bards of chieftains, as well as by the clan _seanachies_ who
made such things their sole employment. Carswell seemed to think (as
many clergymen have thought in latter times) that the Highlanders,
among whom he laboured, paid too much attention to their songs and
tales about warriors and Fingalian battles, and thereby neglected the
more important preparations for a future world. In all probability he
directed his eloquent addresses against such practices, although by no
means successful in extinguishing them. For two centuries they descended
from age to age, and were communicated from sire to son, until
ultimately stamped out by the effects of adverse changes, and of the
altered economy in the management of the Highlands and Islands.
SGIATHANACH.
KILMUIR, SKYE, IN 1842--OSSIAN AND WITCHCRAFT.--There is no medical
practitioner nearer than the village of Portree, upwards of twenty
miles distant, and the consequence is that he is never sent for but
in cases of extreme danger. Three or four individuals lately died at
the age of 100. In the district of Steinscholl a man died about
twelve years ago, named John Nicolson, or _Maccormaic_, at the very
advanced age of 105. There is one circumstance connected with this
old man's history worthy of notice, which is, that he could repeat
the most of Ossian's Fingal, Temora, &c., with great fluency and
precision. The writer of this heard him say that he committed these
beautiful poems to memory from hearing them repeated, when a boy, by
his grandfather. If this fact be not sufficient to establish the
authenticity of these unparalleled poems, it must surely establish
the truth, that they existed before the time of Macpherson, who
attempted to translate them into the English language. The silly
allegation by some that Ossian's poems were Macpherson's own
production is palpably confuted by _Mac Cormaic_ and others, who
could repeat them before Macpherson was born. But should that not
have been the case, and should none have been found who could
rehearse them before Macpherson's time, the allegation that they
were either by Macpherson, or by any other in the age in which he
lived, appears ridiculous in the sight of such as know the
construction and beauty of the Celtic language.... Some time ago the
natives firmly believed in the existence of the "Gruagach," a female
spectre of the class of Brownies, to whom the dairy-maids made
frequent libations of milk. The "Gruagach" was said to be an
innocent supernatural visitor, who frisked and gambolled about the
pens and folds. She was armed only with a pliable reed, with which
she switched any who would annoy her, either by uttering obscene
language or by neglecting to leave for her a share of the dairy
production. Even so late as 1770, the dairy-maids, who attended a
herd of cattle in the Island of Trodda, were in the habit of pouring
daily a quantity of milk in a hollow stone for the "Gruagach."
Should they neglect to do so they were sure of feeling the effects
of Miss Brownie's wand next day. It is said that the Rev. Donald
Macqueen, then minister of this parish, went purposely to Trodda to
check that gross superstition. He might then have succeeded for a
time in doing so, but it is known that many believed in the
"Gruagach's" existence long after that reverend gentleman's death.
Besides the votaries of this ridiculous superstition, there are
others who confidently believe in the existence of a malignant look
or evil eye, by which cattle and all kinds of property are said to
suffer injury. The glance of an evil eye is consequently very much
dreaded. No doubts are entertained that it deprives cows of their
milk, and milk of its nutritive qualities so as to render it unfit
for the various preparations made from it. This superstition can
certainly lay claim to great antiquity.
"_Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos._"--Virg.
--_New Statistical Account of Kilmuir, Skye, "drawn up by Mr
Alexander Macgregor, M.A., Licentiate of the Church of Scotland, and
son of the Incumbent._"
FLORA, STAR OF ARMADALE.
Grey Blavin in grandeur gold-crested appears,
As swift sinks the sun in the west,
Whose gleams of departure, as love-guarding spears,
Skim over the blue ocean's breast:
The lav'rock pours sweetly his ev'ning joy song,
Lone cushats croon soft in each vale,
Pale gloaming's low melodies linger among
The beauties of loved Armadale:
It is the hour when raptures reign,
It is the hour when joys prevail,
I'll hie away to meet again
My Flora, Star of Armadale;
Armadale! Armadale!
Flora, Star of Armadale:
The dim robe of night over Knoydart's brown hills,
Comes weirdly with dark-shading lour,
Slow-stealing it shrouds the repose it full fills
With calm's hallowed, heart-clinging, pow'r:
It tells of a maiden whose heart I have got,
It whispers the love-longing tale,
It bids me away to yon heather-thatched cot,
Snug nestling by sweet Armadale:
It is the hour of Nature's peace,
It is the hour when smiles unveil
The beauty which bids love increase
For Flora, Star of Armadale;
Armadale! Armadale!
Flora, Star of Armadale:
Her eyes are as dark as the gloom of Loch Hourn,
Yet soft as the gaze of a fawn,
Still darker the tresses that crown to adorn
A brow like a light-mellowed dawn.
Her voice is a fountain of summer's dream-song,
Her smiles can the budding rose pale,
O! rare are the graces which humbly belong
To Flora of dear Armadale:
It is the hour of love's alarms,
It is the hour when throbs assail
This heart which glows beneath the charms
Of Flora, Star of Armadale;
Armadale! Armadale!
Flora, Star of Armadale.
WM. ALLAN.
SUNDERLAND.
LITERATURE.
_OSSIAN AND THE CLYDE, FINGAL IN IRELAND, OSCAR IN ICELAND, OR
OSSIAN HISTORICAL AND AUTHENTIC, by_ P. HATELY WADDELL, LL.D.,
_Minister of the Gospel, Editor and Biographer of Robert Burns,
Translator of the Psalms into Scottish, &c._ Glasgow: JAMES
MACLEHOSE, Publisher to the University, 1875.
WE cannot, after careful study of this book, assign to it any but the
first place in Ossianic literature. In style of composition it is pure,
dignified and eloquent; in substance and matter it surpasses beyond
reach of comparison any book hitherto written on the same subject. It
can scarcely be doubted, indeed, that this great work has rescued a
discussion which even in the highest hands seemed descending to mere
verbal quibbles and party abuse from such a degradation, and has raised
it to a position, which if it ever held before, it was rapidly losing.
The subject is now made universal; it enters on a new life, strengthened
with a new element which will never now be overlooked. A culminating
point has been reached for all preceding criticism, and a sure
foundation has been laid for a new school of investigation, other and
higher than the dogmatism of Johnson, Laing, or Macaulay. We know not
how far these men were able to comprehend and appreciate such pure and
unique creations as those of Ossian, but it is to be attributed neither
to their refined and cultivated taste, to their critical discernment,
nor yet to their historical and literary knowledge that they despised
and abandoned, as mere myths of savage tribes or wholesale fabrications
of a modern literateur, the poetic annals of their own land and the
grand historical epics where the actions of Norsemen, Scots, and Romans
alike, are pourtrayed and immortalised. Now, however, these works stand
on a new footing; comprehensible, beautiful, and historical every one,
deserving more than ever the enthusiastic admiration with which all
nations have received them, for now it can be based on reason and
knowledge.
The historical and critical value of this book, and the change it will
effect not only on the Ossianic literature, but on the poems themselves,
may easily be seen in three ways at least. First, the importance of the
question discussed, the universal character of the poems, and the
historical results depending on the decision of their authenticity are
now clearly set forth. It has been the prevalent, if not the only way of
examining these works, to regard them merely as interesting literary
productions, relics of ancient poetry or modern frauds, and to determine
their truth or falsity, as the case might be, by such tests as the
character of the translator, the means of preserving and collecting such
poems, and especially the form of the language found in them. These were
the only grounds of criticism. Nor did even their most ardent supporters
seem to see much higher results involved than the recognition of some
early national songs and ballads, or the preservation of the oldest
Celtic literature of the country. To them it was an interesting and
important discussion in this light only; the history contained in these
songs they either did not understand, or entirely neglected. It has been
reserved for the author of this book to shew, beyond dispute or doubt,
that the poems of Ossian are not on the one side merely grand romances
or national myths, or on the other only curious literary deceptions;
they are tales of history, grand and romantic certainly, but unreal or
deceptive never; annals of war and songs of love for Scotland, Ireland,
Iceland, and Denmark; lives of these countries' heroes, pictures of
their lands. And though more may yet be discovered, and stranger things
be proved, this at least--the early history of these nations with their
lawgivers, kings, and emperors, Scotch and Roman, Celt and Saxon; with
their wars and works, their public acts and private life, their
religion, their customs, their trade; their moors and glens and streams,
their Roman walls and battlefields--this, and nothing less than this, is
Ossian; in interest and importance coming close beside Homer, both as
historian and poet, and leaving Junius, Chatterton, the German
"Epistolæ," &c., far, far behind:--
O, Johnson, Pinkerton, Macaulay, and the rest--to say that this was
all bombast and a lie! But you knew nothing of Arran: you never
traversed the vale of Shisken, nor surveyed its monuments, nor
considered its geography; nor heard the rustle of the winds, in your
imagination, among its prostrate woods; nor glanced on the surge of
its departed lake, nor compared its traditions with the text of
Ossian; yet neither did Macpherson, whom you have accused of
falsehood and forgery; he was equally ignorant of it all. How
strange you now look confronted with him thus; how strange he
himself looks, in the bewilderment of unexpected victory at the
grave of Oscar and by the tomb of Malvina; with the ghosts of
fifteen hundred years ago, awoke from the dead, to enlighten and
convict you--yourselves now ghosts, like them--in the pride of your
unbelief!... Even the possibility of reply is foreclosed, by the
verdict of the whole landscape around you. The earth, the water, the
wind and very clouds are agreed about it. The sunbeam from the east,
beyond the grave at Glenree there, glances golden rebuke on your
dull culumnies, and the ebbing fiord of Sliddery carries your
vaunted authority to sea. The fine-drawn light which shimmers thus,
through so many centuries, on fallen forests, wasted lakes, and
mouldering dead dispels the last obstruction of your scorn--and our
controversy with you is ended.
But still further, these poems assume a new form, and a peculiar
interest in being now by Dr Waddell harmonized and united into one grand
series, linked together in a continuous chain. They are no longer
detached fragments, doubtful and incomprehensible myths, unknown and
unanalysable; they have unity now, the unity which belongs to the works
of one universal poet, as well the unity of history. Such an analysis
and conception of these works has never before been attempted. A critic
here and there has examined and partially explained one or two pieces,
as separate poems, but always imperfectly and with hesitation; afraid
evidently of his conclusions, not yet having discovered the clue to this
labyrinth of song. Nor can we wonder that critics and commentators
should hesitate to tread upon ground where the translator himself was at
fault; for, however faithfully he compared and considered, he did not
understand the geography of Ossian. He gathered the poems as fragments,
and fragments they remained to him; for though he might strive hard to
explain and connect them, yet while he had little idea of the places
described it was impossible he could succeed; they are all descriptive
poems, and require to be localised. This formerly confused mass of
Highland and Irish tradition and geography Dr Waddell has fearlessly
attacked and completely mastered, the unexplored land has all been
surveyed and cleared up, and the truth and harmony of the Ossianic
poems demonstrated. And by whom? By a Southern Scot--an actual "Son of
the Stranger"--who examined, and who discusses, the question purely on
its merits; and who is proof against the charges of narrow Highland
bigotry and prejudice, which would have been so effectively hurled
against a native of "_Tir nam beann nan gleann's nan gaisgeach_" by
other Southerners who never expended a single moment in a personal study
of the question, but accepted their opinions and conclusions second
hand.
The most important matter however, in this volume, and which alone
rendered the foregoing results possible, is the method pursued. It is
upon this that all else is based, and without which Ossian would still
have remained the inexplicable enigma he not long ago really was; for
not all the criticism which has been lavished on this ancient and
immortal bard by professors, philologists, and philosophers, has
rendered him one whit more clear or perspicuous, but has certainly
raised discussion and animosity enough between the opposing combatants.
And the reason is, that no man yet has got farther in his analysis than
the mere words and letters of the text, their various spelling or
combinations, their ancient or modern use, their Celtic or Saxon origin,
their gender, number, and case. Philology is, has been, and will always
be a useful and most important science beyond many others; but philology
may be, and has often been, shamefully abused and mocked. The "dry
light" of truth and certainty for which everybody is toiling and
labouring in art, religion, philosophy, and literature, is concealed by
more than the darkness of printers' types in mere verbal criticism--the
most popular, but perhaps the most pernicious habit of the day. The form
of the poetry in Ossian, apart from all its spirit and substance, has
long been analysed, investigated, discussed, destroyed, and built up
again; yielding all the fruit it seems likely ever to yield, more doubt
and more discussion; tense-endings and inflections have been tried and
found wanting.
The method we now speak of has abandoned all such criticism, or, at
least, made it entirely subservient to a higher and more comprehensive
one; and has brought into the darkness of the Ossianic controversy a
revelation bright as noonday. The spirit of the poems has been taken
instead of the letter, the contents instead of the words, the geography
of Scotland as it stands instead of inflections, and the history of our
own and of other nations has been substituted for emendations and
various readings. And by this means a work has been done for the
Highlands, for Scotland and for Europe, which can scarcely be realised;
the history of Scotland, and with it the history of a great part of
Europe in some of its darkest ages, has been revealed, and the
literature of our country saved. Nor does the man who has done this need
thanks, although, at the hands of all, and especially of Highlanders, he
certainly deserves them. The work is its own reward.
We shall now come more to details and give some examples of the way in
which Dr Waddell conducts his investigations, and of the discoveries
which follow from them in the region of geography alone. For the
convincing identification, however, of the places named, we must refer
the reader to the book itself.
Dr Waddell seems to have been a believer, from his youth, in the
authenticity of Ossian by what he calls moral instinct, founded merely
on the characteristics of Macpherson's text--its simplicity, sublimity,
and coherence. Judging of it by these attributes alone, he could never
doubt it; and from this, the next step was easy and indeed necessary--if
Ossian in his opinion was thus authentically true, Ossian ought also to
be historically and geographically true; and therefore the whole, or at
least the principal, object of his investigation has been to declare
that truth by demonstrating the actual correspondence of nature to the
letter of the translation, even where Macpherson himself had never seen
it. And this undeniable fact, the ignorance of the translator as to the
whereabouts of the places accurately described in his own text, is one
of the strongest proofs he makes use of. This interesting method seems
to have been suggested to him first by discoveries in the island of
Arran, where the tomb of Ossian, and the graves of Fingal, Oscar, and
Malvina were pointed out to him by the people, and authenticated by
tradition. On examining all the allusions in the translation, they were
found exactly to confirm the identity of these places; yet Macpherson
never was in Arran. Next, Dr Waddell proceeded to examine the whole
Frith of Clyde, where equally distinct proofs awaited him. He shews that
the Clyde must have been a fiord to Rutherglen and Bothwell in Ossian's
day, and that Balclutha must have been identical with Castlemilk, or
some other ruined fortress near Rutherglen, and not as commonly
supposed, with Dunglass or Dumbarton. The Kelvin, both in name and
character is the Colavain of Ossian, and was a fiord up to Kilsyth; near
which he discovers the actual scene of Comala's death, and of the
triumph of Oscar over Carausius, a little to the east. Here too,
Macpherson was completely at fault. In the north of Ireland, from
the descriptive text of _Fingal_ and _Temora_, the valley of the
Six-Mile-Water is found to correspond in the most minute particulars
with the scenes of these poems, whereas Macpherson by mere guess-work
placed them much farther south and west. In the Orkney Islands, by a
similar process of minute verification, he finds Carricthura at Castle
Thuroe in Hoy; and the celebrated scene of Fingal's encounter with Loda,
near the well-known Dwarfie Stone on the west coast of that island. In
Iceland, by a most irrefragable demonstration, he identifies the
dried-up fountain at Reikum with the "fount of the mossy stones," and
the plain of Thingvalla with the plain of the pestiferous Lano--both in
the _War of Inisthona_.
Now the only, and to many the great, difficulty in the way of accepting
such proof in its entirety, is the boldness of the author's assumption
that the Frith of Clyde must have been from seventy to eighty feet
higher in Ossian's era--that is, in the time of the Romans--than it now
is; but if this be proved it adds another conclusive proof to the
authenticity of Ossian, for Macpherson was ignorant likewise of this.
The possibility of such a fact has already been loudly challenged by a
scientific reviewer in the _Scotsman_, whose objections, however, have
been conclusively answered by Dr Waddell in the same paper, and in the
last three numbers of the _Celtic Magazine_; indeed the exquisite
photographic views in the work of the actual marine formations on the
Clyde, and the sectional views of the coast at other points, leave no
room for serious doubt on the subject.
Besides all this, Dr Waddell adds a critical dissertation on
Macpherson's text, to shew the impossibility of his having tampered with
the original, illustrating this part of his argument by references to
_Berrathon_, _Croma_, and _Conlath_ and _Cuthona_. He has also
introduced an interesting statistical summary, gathered from Ossian, of
the manners, customs, religious observances, and scientific knowledge of
the age; which may be studied with much benefit. In the appendix we have
a curious history of the Irish people from the earliest traditional
dates down to the time of Ossian, compiled from reliable chronicles,
hitherto, we suspect, very little known; the whole book being
illustrated by many beautiful wood-cuts and original maps. The exquisite
little poem which completes the work we cannot omit:--
TO GOATFELL, ARRAN:
ON FIRST SEEING IT FROM THE SHORE.
[AT BRODICK.]
Born of earthquakes, lonely giant,
Sphinx and eagle couched on high;
Dumb, defiant, self-reliant,
Breast on earth and beak in sky:
Built in chaos, burnt out beacon,
Long extinguished, dark, and bare,
Ere life's friendly ray could break on
Shelvy shore or islet fair:
Dwarf to atlas, child to Etna,
Stepping-stone to huge Mont Blanc;
Cairn to cloudy Chimborazo,
Higher glories round thee hang!
Baal-tein hearth, for friend and foeman;
Warden of the mazy Clyde;
In thy shadow, Celt and Roman,
Proudly galley'd, swept the tide!
Scottish Sinai, God's out-rider,
When he wields his lightning wand;
From thy flanks, a king and spider
Taught, and saved, and ruled the land!
Smoking void and planet rending,
Island rise and ocean fall,
Frith unfolding, field extending--
Thou hast seen and felt them all.
Armies routed, navies flouted,
Tyrants fallen, people free;
Cities built and empires clouted,
Like the world, are known to thee.
Science shining, love enshrining,
Truth and patience conquering hell;
Miracles beyond divining,
Could'st thou speak, thy tongue would tell.
Rest awhile, the nations gather,
Sick of folly, lies, and sin,
To kneel to the eternal Father--
Then the kingdom shall begin!
Rest awhile, some late convulsion,
Time enough shall shake thy bed:
Rest awhile, at Death's expulsion,
Living green shall clothe thy head!
WE are glad to find that the Queen's Book--"Leaves from the Journal of
our Life in the Highlands"--will soon appear in Gaelic. The translation
is by the Rev. John Patrick St Clair, St Stephen's, Perth, who is an
excellent scholar, with a deep-rooted love for his Gaelic vernacular.
This news cannot but be gratifying to the patriotic Highlander all over
the world, who has ever been loyal to Her Majesty, as a descendant of
the Stuarts; and especially should a work be welcome, in our native
language, in which the highest in the realm describes the Highlander as
"one of a race of peculiar independence and elevated feeling." What has
become of the Highland Society's Translation entrusted to the late Mr
Macpherson?
QUERIES AND ANSWERS.
SECRETARY GAELIC SOCIETY OF SYDNEY.--Letter received and sentiments
reciprocated. Great success to your Society. Your instructions are
attended to.
D. O. CAMERON, NOKOMAI, NEW ZEALAND.--Letter received and contents
noted. The Publishers of the _Celtic Magazine_ and the Publisher of
"Knockie's Highland Music" are not the same.
WM. KENNEDY, BURMAH.--Letter and P.O.O. received. Your suggestions will
be duly considered.
THE HIGHLAND CEILIDH.--The answer to the many enquiries and complaints
regarding its non-appearance last month is, that it was unavoidably
crushed out for want of space.
THE PROPHECIES OF COINNEACH ODHAR FIOSAICHE.--The Brahan Seer, by Alex
Mackenzie of the _Celtic Magazine_.--We regret no more copies can be
supplied as it is out of print. Mr Noble, bookseller, Castle Street, to
whom we refer R. M'L. and P. M'R., has a few copies left.
GAELIC TEACHING IN HIGHLAND SCHOOLS.--An article on the subject will
appear in the next--the April--number. It is impossible to please
everybody all at once, and it is just as well that we delayed discussing
such an important question until the _Celtic Magazine_ had secured an
acknowledged position as a representative mirror of moderate and
intelligent Highland opinion.
IN answer to "A. R.'s" query in No. III., asking which is the "best
standard for Gaelic orthography?" permit me to say that I do not know of
any standard upon which any two writers of Gaelic absolutely agree; but,
on the whole, I think the orthography of the Gaelic Bible is now, with
very slight modification, adopted generally by the best writers, so much
so, that it may now be considered the best and safest standard of Gaelic
orthography to follow. Most of those who read and write Gaelic learnt to
read it first out of the Gaelic Scriptures, so that they are more
acquainted with their orthography, and naturally prefer to read and
write it.--_Deer's Grass._
"MACAOIDH" wishes to get information regarding the famous pipers--the
Mackays of Gairloch--the most celebrated of whom was John, or "_Iain
Dall_." John's father--_Ruairidh Dall_--came to Gairloch from Lord
Reay's country; and, no doubt, belonged to that sept--the chief branch
of the Mackays. I am not aware of the cause which led _Ruairidh Dall_ to
leave his own country, but it is well known that his son often visited
the country of his ancestors, and that Lord Reay was one of his patrons.
On one occasion, when on his way to visit his lordship, the "Blind
Piper" was informed at Tongue of the death of his patron, when he at
once composed that magnificent poem "_Coire 'n-Easain_," than which
there is nothing more truly beautiful in the Gaelic language, and which
would, by itself, immortalize the fame of any man. There are some of his
descendants, on the female side, still living in Gairloch, but none of
them ever gave any signs of possessing in the slightest degree the
musical or poetical talents of their progenitors. I am told some of the
family are still living in America, who continue to inherit the musical
genius of the "Blind Pipers" of Gairloch, and will be glad, in common
with "Macaoidh," if some of your North British American readers will
supply any information regarding them.--_Cailleach a Mhuillear._
THE REV. MR LACHLAN MACKENZIE OF LOCHCARRON, AND "ALASTAIR BUIDHE," THE
GAIRLOCH BARD.--It is well known that these good and distinguished men
(each in his own way) were great friends, and both composed poems of
considerable merit. I heard it stated that, on one occasion, during one
of _Alastair's_ visits to his friend "Mr Lachlan," the famous divine
requested the bard to compose a poem on the "Resurrection of Christ." To
this he demurred and told Mr Lachlan in Gaelic that "he knew more about
such matters himself, and should try his own hand on such an elevated
theme." "_Hud a dhuine_," says Mr. Lachlan, "_cha'n fhaod gun tig eadar
cairdean mar sin. Ni mise 'n deilbh 's dean thusa 'n fhighidh._ (Hut
man, friends must not cast out in that manner, I'll do the warping but
you must do the weaving.) The poem--a very fine one I am told--was
composed by the bard and approved by the divine; and I would esteem it a
great favour if some of your readers would supply a copy of it. It has
never been published as far as I know. Indeed, the only pieces of
_Alastair Buidhe's_, although he composed many, besides having a hand in
several of Wm. Ross', which were ever published, are "_Tigh Dige na Fir
Eachannach_" and "_Clann Domhnuill mhor nan Eileanan_" (the latter
unacknowledged by the publisher), and his elegy on Bailie Hector of
Dingwall, given in a recent number of the _Celtic Magazine_ in the
"Highland Ceilidh."--_Lochcarron from Home._
* * * * *
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
The following amendments to the text have been made:
p. 133 "of" changed to "off";
"similtude" changed to "similitude";
p. 137 "Cilliechroist" changed to "Cilliechriost";
p. 139 "annhilate" changed to "annihilate";
p. 140 comma added after "you request";
p. 142 comma replaced by full stop after "clannishness";
p. 143 "waived" changed to "waved";
p. 147 "numer" changed to "number";
p. 148 quotation marks before "Fhuair mi" deleted;
p. 153 quotation marks have been tentatively added after "Superintendent
of Argyle";
p. 155 "superstitution" changed to "superstition";
p. 156 colon changed to full stop at end of last line of "Flora, Star of
Armadale";
p. 159 "everbody" changed to "everybody";
p. 162 full stop added after "Fiosaiche".
The spellings "CILLECHRIOST" and "CILLIECHRIOST", "Inverary" and
"Inveraray" appear in this text.
The word "bell" in the line "In the blue and fragrant bell" on p. 137
should possibly be "dell" but has been left unchanged.
"Pichequr" on p. 150 should probably be "Pichegru" but has been left
unchanged.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Celtic Magazine, Vol. I No. V, by Various