I’ve seen the household of Finn.
No men were they of coward race.
I saw by my side a vision
Of the hero’s household yesterday.
I’ve seen the household[42] of Art,[43]
He with the brown-haired son of gentle speech;
No better man I ever saw.
I’ve seen the household of Finn.
Who ever saw what I have seen?
I’ve seen Finn armed with Luno’s son.[44]
How sad the mournful memory.
I’ve seen the household of Finn.
Never can I recount the ills
Which now do crown my head.
Do thou free us for ever from pain.
I’ve seen the household of Finn.
I’ve seen, etc.
[40] The name of this poet has given rise to some controversy between
the Scotch and Irish Gael. By the latter it is pronounced _Oisìn_, the
accent falling on the last syllable; by the former it is pronounced
_Ossian_, the accent falling on the first. Dean M’Gregor spells the
word sometimes _Ossan_, but usually _Ossin_. It is manifest from the
use of the _ss_ that he intends the accent to fall upon the first
syllable, according to the Scottish mode. The Scottish pronunciation
would appear to have been the same in his days as now. This form of the
word we have retained in our translation. We do not mean to institute
any comparison between the Irish and Scottish mode. The difference
clearly arises from the peculiarity of each dialect, the Irish almost
uniformly, in words of two syllables, laying the accent on the last,
and the Scottish upon the first syllable.
[41] The Dean’s Finn is the Fingal of some writers. “Fionn,” pronounced
“Fiŭghn,” genitive, “Fhinn,” pronounced “Ighn,” is the present Scottish
and Irish form of the word, and we have preserved this in M’Gregor’s
own orthography. Scottish writers have, however, been unjustly accused
of manufacturing the term “Fingal.” It is not, as some Irish scholars
have maintained, a modern corruption of Fin mac Cùil, but a word known
and in use for centuries. John Barbour, who wrote his metrical life of
King Robert Bruce in 1375, uses it as a familiar term:--
“He said, Methinks Martheoke’s son
Right as Gow-mac-Morn was won,
To have from Fingal his menzie.”
It would appear, from the analogies of the Gaelic language, to be the
complete form of the word. “Fionn” means _fair_, being in reality an
adjective noun; “Gal” is a common termination of Celtic proper names.
Hence, “Fionn Ghal,” or “Fingal,” means the “fair-haired one.“ In like
manner, we have “Dubh,“ _black_, “Ghal,” “Dubhghal,” or “Dugald;”
“Donn,” brown, “Ghal,” “Donnghal,” _Dungal_, _Donald_, the brown-haired
one. Hence, Fionn is a contraction of the name. It is remarkable as
an instance of the changes which take place in the use of words, that
in modern times “Fionnghal” is the name of a woman, and is usually
translated “Flora.“
[42] In the original the word translated here, “household,“ is
“tylych,“ or “teaghlach,“ a _family_. The literal translation would
be, “the family of Art.” But this would not convey the idea in the
original, the Celtic _family_ in such a case as this implying the
military followers of the head or chief. It seems probable that these
ancient Celtic chiefs, like chiefs in more recent times, had their
armed followers in constant attendance on them.
[43] Art was King of Ireland, according to Irish authorities, in the
beginning of the third century. Tradition says that he was the father
of Grainne, the wife of Finn, whose defection and escape with Diarmad
led to the event so famous in ancient Celtic poetry, the death of
Diarmad. A poem relating the event will be found in this collection.
[44] “Mac an Loinn,” or “Luno’s son,“ was the famous sword of Fingal,
manufactured by Loinn mac Liobhaidh, the celebrated smith, or “Vulcan,“
of the Celts. The sword was so effective that in no case was it ever
required to give a second stroke. The Gaelic words are, “Cha d’ fhàg
e fuigheall beuma,”--It left no remnant for its stroke. We have heard
of a remarkable instance of the effective use of this phrase in the
pulpit by a distinguished Highland minister, Mr. Lachlan M’Kenzie of
Lochcarron. In illustrating the completeness of the one sacrifice of
our Lord, he said, and to a Highland audience it was electrifying,
“Chuala sibh mu ’n chlaidheamh bh’ aig Fionn, nach d’ fhàg riamh
fuigheall beuma,”--_You have heard of Fingal’s sword, which never
needed to give a second blow._ “Loinn mac Liobhaidh,” the “Vulcan” of
the Celts, is in reality _Brightness, the son of polishing_, a fact
which would go far to prove the mythical character of this famous
artisan.