fyxull Uttivmitg ptetg leltic Collection THE GIFT OF 3ame$ Morgan Hart Cornell University Library PB 1631.C18 RellquI Celtic 3 1924 026 841 159 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026841159 ALEXANDER CAMERON /Etat. Cine. 40 RELIQUI^ CELTICS TEXTS, PAPERS, AND STUDIES IS (Baelic Xiterature anb Ipbiloloo^ LEFT BY THE LATE Rev ALEXANDER CAMERON, LL.D. EDITED BY ALEXANDER l^ACBAIN, M.A., AND Rev. JOHN 5:ENNEDY. VOL. I. OSSIANICA. Nach eisd thu tamull ri sgeul Air an Fh^inn nach fhac thu riamh? Oisean a^is an Cleireach. WITH MEMOIR OF Dr. CAMERON- PRINTED AT THE "NORTHERN CHRONICLE" OFFICE. c. 18 9 2. 3n ^emoriam ALEXANDRI CAMERON, LLD., Nat: 14 Jul. 1827 ; ob : 24 Oct. 188S. " Is fearr gnuis Mhic neimhe R'a faicsin re aon la, Na bh-feil do 6r sa' chruitine Bheith agad gu h-iomlau." CONTENTS. PAGK. Preface . . . xl. Memoir of Dr Cameron . xvii. Explanation op CoNTRACTroNS &c., Used in the Text s clxxii. Dean or Lismore's Book 1 Di chonna mee tylych Finn 2 Is fadda nocht 2 Sliabh nam Ban-fionn ... 4 Cath Finntr^gha — Battle of Yent/ry 6 Anvin in nocht 8 In SCO chonnich mi an Fiiayn 8 Umaigh Oisein, and Translation .... . 10 Essroy, or The Maiden, and Translation . 20 Sia La gus an De . . . . . . 32 Diarmaid ........ . 36 . 40 Rosg Ghuill, GoWs Praise . 54 Fergus Fili on Gahra Battle . 56 Conlaoch 58 Fraoch . 62 Lay of the Heads, with Translation . 66 Caoilte's Rabble . 72 A Ghoraidh Triallamaid . 75 The Fenian Graves . . • • . 76 Am Brat .... . 76 Imeachd Ochdnar ... • ■ . 80 The Search by Nine ... . 80 Binn guth duine an Tir an Oir . . . 82 Sgeul Oignidh . 83 Fleadh Mh6r rinneadh le Fionn . . 84 CONTENTS. Dean of Lismore's Book — Continued. Tulach Na Feinne Dyth wylelyss myschi zrannyth . Sick-lied of Guchulinn . Beannaioh do theaghlach, a Thrionaid . Mairg duine a chaill a ghuth Ni h-eibhneas gun Chlann Domhnuill Ni math siubhal Conal Mac Scanlan Fuathach learn — Hateful to ine . Alexander's Grave .... Bt/ Duncan M'Cailein : Kay din By DuncKa M<= Caybba : M'Cabe The Duanaire ... By Effric ney corgitill By the Bed Bard Finlay : Hest eiu Fhuaras am Mac mar an t-at,hair (Praise of The Macleods). By Gilliecallum Mc An-Ollamh : Hanic Dail chawle .... Mairg an galar an gradh Seachd Saighde : Seven Sins Mithich domh triall ; by Murach Alhanach Baith in ere ; hy the above . Dane mi heggisk ; by the above . Poems unpublished by Dr M'Lauchlan Ne wUi in teak . Mark a zwltis Gillepatrick O'Nachtain By Duncan M'Dougall Maol_ By the Gille Glass M'Intyre . Ne eaddowme oawle Poems Illu8tea.tive of the Dean's Book Cath Caphtharrus an so sios Conlaooh (incomplete) . The Heads- — Version 1 . . . „ Version 2 . . . Am Brat : Laoidh Mhna an Bhruit 86 88 89 90 91 91 92 93 94 94 98 98 99 99 99 100 101 102 103 104 104 105 105 106 106 107 107 107 107 109 110 110 112 113 114 116 CONTENTS. Edinbukgh MS. XLVIII. . Deirdre's Farewell to Alba . Translated A ri an bheatha .... N'eil M' Vurich on Rory Mor M'Leod My love is only God . Dfemibh He ; " Let the word itself be your source of consolation, or rather Christ in the word. It is sweet to be getting an occasional crumb of the children's bread from the Master's table. Every crumb received here is an earnest of the everlasting banquet at which you will yet sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." He was requested to visit Caithness and to preach at Pulteney- town, Wick, which invitation he accepted. "February 16th. — There was a large attendance yesterday both forenoon and afternoon. In the afternoon it was calculated that there would be about 800 present. They were- hearing very attentively. I preached both forenoon and afternoon from the same verse, Song of Solomon vii. 10, 'I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me.' " The appeal made to the Synod on behalf of the Eenton congre- gation for permission to have an English service was successful. "April 23rd. — Our case came before the Synod on Wednesday forenoon, when the decision of the Presbytery was unanimously reversed, so that we have gained a victory at this stage. The Presbytery has protested and appealed to the General Assembly; but their case is now hopeless, and, therefore, I think they will fall from their appeal before the Assembly sits. It is not likely that the Assembly will overturn a unanimous decision of the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr. You are aware that the case is about our having leave to preach English in the afternoon of Sabbath, which the Presbytery refused us. I pleaded the case for the con- gregation at the bar of the Synod. My speech occupied forty minutes in its delivery. I was not pleased with it myself ; but several others spoke of it in very flattering terms. The speech on the opposite side was by a Mr , and it is allowed by those on the same side with him that he made the next thing to a fool of himself by the way in which he spoke. His whole speech was one tirade of abuse against the Highlanders, and no argument what- ever." At this date and juncture Mr Cameron began to keep a diary ; but, like many others who similarly started well, he did not per- sistently persevere, and blanks of weeks, months, and years soon RENTON THE MISSION STATION. ]xi. appear. Although at first acquaintance it might not be suspected, he possessed great store of unconscious humour, which sometimes, at fitting moments and amid suitable surroundings, found full scope. In his lively moods there were few more hearty or con- genial conversationalists. No doubt, when one is accustomed to be much alone, the free use of speech and ready repartee may somewhat falter. From this view-point silence is scarcely always golden. A few extracts will suffice to illustrate these points : — "Sabbath, May 3rd, 1857. — The discourse too long. Must study conciseness. How often in regard to this matter have I said, ' I shall be wise,' but that has hitherto been far from me. My mind considerably burdened with anxieties. May the Lord save me from wicked men who seem to be angry at me for no other causes than that I rebuked their sin. Loi'd preserve me likewise from that woman Mrs , to whom Thou knowest I have given no cause for hating me. From being the next thing to an idolater, if not altogether one, she has turned, it seems, to be a mean but bitter enemy, for no other reason apparently than that she fancied, or took it into lier head, that I think more of Mrs D.'a humble and unpretending piety than of her own flaming profes sion, although I am not aware of having ever instituted any comparison between them. Upon Thee, Lord, I cast myself ; save me from her tongue. ' i am thine ; save thou me.' I was never, however, in more need of the rod, although I think I would prefer another tj a woman's tongue." As the events are attempted to be arranged chronologically, there may appear to be some lack of continuity and consecutive- ness ; but the gain in variety and vivacity may counterbalance the loss : and I shall consequently have to quote alternateh' from the diary and from the correspondence. Ecclesiastical affairs and affairs of the heart are found side by side ; but they are by no means always synonymous : — "C.i May 15th. — 1 am kept very busy. Our case is to be taken to the General Assembly by the parties in the Presbytery opposed to us. I trust we shall be successful ; but it will be a great trial for mo to appear and speak there. I iiave not yet begun to prepare my speech, but I know the subject well, aad that is a great matter." 1 For f acilitj' of reference letter C. = Correspondence, and D. = Diary. 'J lie C. or D. is not repeated if the quotati'ins are jontirjuously from the one source. Ixii. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. " Poor Lord Byron loved, when he was very young, a lady who. did not return his love, but who sometime after married another. This disappointment was the cause of the miserable life which he afterwards led. His case is one of the many sad illustrations of the fact that one can truly love only once." The difficulty of attaining to acquiescence in one's lot is thus described : — " ! to be able to say, the Lord's will be done ; but that is a high attainment — higher than many know who talk much and loudly about resignation. It is difficult to be thoroughly resigned to the will of God. I know it ; I feel it. It is easy to speak of resignation until our own gourd is smitten.'' His views on economy are thus expressed : — '■ D. June 10th. — I must economise. It is only in the matter of books that I am extravagant. Must resolve to purchase no more, or, at least, very few. My expenditure in other respects, except perhaps travelling, very moderate indeed — not niggardly, however." Broken resolutions relative to early rising have formed a prolific theme of poignant regrets, both before and since the days of Dr Samuel Johnson. " Eead more of Hedley Vicar's Life. Would that I could imitate him in his desire and endeavour to be useful to his fellow- men ! Why not 'I 1 want zeal. Must stir myself up. This will never do. Must try to rise in the morning, to study more of neit Sabbath's discourse. Can I carry out this resolution ? Lord, help me to do so. Nearly one o'clock a.m." " D. June 11th. — Did not rise this morning earlier than usual, notwithstanding last night's resolution. Shall try to-morrow, if spared." To return to the Eenton Station Case. The Assembly left it undecided until the August Commission, but meanwhile referred it to the Presbytery to see whether the congregation could be accommodated in the church already erected in the village. It was a time of much anxiety to Mr Cameron. " I failed to state the case of this congregation in the Assembly so well as I did before the Synod, and that is preying upon my mind." " C. July 7th.—" But after the Presbytery met on 24th June, we saw that there is little chance of any arrangement being effected that will benefit this congregation." EENTON THE MISSION STATION. Ixiii The Presbytery appointed a Committee to carry out the Assembly's instructions. "Since the appointment of that Committee, I have lost heart, for I am afraid that what I have been labouring for so long time to accomplish, shall fall to the ground, and that instead of leaving this congregation in possession of a suitable place of worship, which they might call their own, I shall have to leave them scattered hither and thither." " D. If an arrangement can be effected by which the two congregations can be suitably accommodated in the one building, so as to avoid the necessity of erecting another, that arrangement ought by all means, for the good of the cause generally, to be carried out, even should particular interests to some small degree suffer. How great is the value of firmness in resolution as well as in action ! A man whom you can find exactly where you left him is the man to be depended upon in an emergency." " C. July 18th. — "I have not been very well for some time back. The anxiety connected with the movement in our congre- gation, and the opposition it is encountering, are telling upon my health. ... Ah ! how I long to go North, to see all my friends, and to get a few weeks' rest ! I have great need of escaping from this scene .,f strife. The idea of it makes me miserable, and yet I cannot think of leaving this poor congrega- tion in its present state." " C. July 25th. — On Saturday I saw Mr Campbell, TuUiohewen, for some time. He is most anxious that the Highlanders may be accommodated in the Kenton Free Church, of which he is an elder. His fellow-office-bearers are anxious to bring about the same result ; but, considering the opposition of the Presbytery — ■ or, at all events, of part of the Pfesbytery— I do not expect that that result is attainable." "C. November 16th, Eenton. — To-morrow morning, D.V., I leave this for Edinburgh, to defend our case at the bar of the Commission, on Wednesday — probably in the evening. It is a great trial to stand up to speak before so many people, but I trust I shall be strengthened and guided. I feel very anxious. . . . I am not thoroughly prepared. The difficulty will be in condensing my materials " so that the hearers will not be wearied, and in presenting them in the clearest and most impressive way, so as to convince the hearers, who are to be the judges, that what you ask is reasonable and right. If we lose, the loss to this poor station will be incalculable." The case was gained, and the following congratulatory letter from Mac Kath M6r is noteworthy : — Ixiv. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. " Free Manse of Lochs, 27th November, 1857. " My Dear Sir,— I was at Stornoway this week attending the Presby+ery, and was indeed glad that, your case, in which I took a deep interest from the first, was brought to a right termination. You have now the ball, so to speak, at your feet ; and it now only remains that you go to work witii prudence and energy. The Party wishing for a change may propose what they choose to you, but unless such a proposal is both reasonable and practicable, you should not entertain it for a moment, nor pause for an instant in your onward progress. I congratulate you on being chiefly instrumental in laying a solid foundation for a Gaelic congregation at Renton ; and now that the foundation is laid, let a super- structure be raised worthy of the struggle which is happily brought to an end. The good hand of the Lord is what should be recognised in the whole matter. I suppose you will now take up the first instalment of the subscriptions w/thout delay. " You may let fall into oblivion. ... In your present position, it will be easier for you to forgive him thain for him to forgive you. The defeated offender is always stiff to deal with. However contrary to our notions of right and wrong, yet so it is. " I am sorry to say that Mrs Macrae is not improving. She seems to be losing ground in the same proportion as I gain it. All the rest of us are quite well. " What a panic in the commercial world ! Are all these com- motions and earthquBikes at home and abroad foreshadows of the great things promised? It is certain that the times are not ordinary. But I must stop before I commit myself. — Youri sincerely, "John Macrae." This is how Mr Cameron alludes to the successful termination of the anxious and protracted struggle : — " C. 19th December. — You would have seen from the news- papers that we have gained our case. The English was introduced on the Sabbath before last by Mr Alexander, of Duntocher, our tried friend in the Presbytery all along. Last Sabbath we had Gaelic from 11|^ to 1, and English from 1 to 1^. The house was full on each occasion." " I long for an opportunity of spending a few weeks in Badenoch. I do not know that I shall remain here beyond the end of this quarter. I am not yet quite determined as to what I shall do. As our case is settled, it is easier for me to leave ; but some of the people say that if I leave, the church will not go on. I would like to see the foundation stone laid before I would go to any other place." RENTON — ^THB MISSION STATION. Ixv. Although Mr Cameron's attention was fully engrossed with affairs at Renton, he was not forgotten elsewhere, for we find — " C. July 7th. — When in Rothesay, I saw a paragraph in a newspaper which stated that I was elected, on the previous week, by the Pulteneytown congregation, by a majority of 86. No other one was proposed, but a motion was made for delay. . . . They know that I shall not accept a divided call, and that it is more than I can tell whether I should accept a unanimous call from a congregation that does not require Gaelic every Sabbath." Friendship and fellowship formed constitutive elements in his character. " C. July 18th. — I do not know that [ have ever told you of a friendship that I have recently formed. I refer to that of Mr G.,' a fellow-student. He is one of the finest young men that I have ever met with, and for some time back I have been a good deal in his society. He is with me at present." He held humble views of himself as a preacher at the very time that competent judges hailed him as one of the most pro- mising and effective among the rising young men. " C. July 25. — Since my return from the North, I think [ have lost ground as a preacher. I find it, at all events, much more difficult to preach now than I did some time ago. I compare myself to Samson when shorn of his locks. I cannot go out to shake myself as I did on former times. I believe I know what, this is owing to. My mind has of late been so much harassed with other things that it does not possess its former vigour and buoyancy." Apropos of this, D., June 10th. — " Lord, impress myself with the truth that others may be impressed. The secret of my want of success in preaching lies, I suspect, in my want of spirituality. It is those who sow in tears who will reap in joy in' the Lord's own time." And yet from the depths of such distress, and out of the' abundance of the heart, he comforts his distressed correspondent. " Whatever your experience may now be, at the time you said ' 1 shall die trusting in Him,' you were as firmly persuaded of the truth of what you were saying as you were of your own exist- ence, and if so, that proves that it was a genuine expression of ; faith. It is possible that the words 'I believe,' or 'I shall die, trusting in Him,' were scarcely out of your lips when you had to cry, ' Help thou mine unbelief,' but that does not affect the genuineness of your faith — it only proves the remaining sinful- ness and corruption of your heart." Ixvi. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. Here is a very sensible view of differences of opinion not unknown in the Church and in the world at the present day — " Mr E. is strongly opposed to the side taken by Mr A. What a pity that godly men differ so much.! It grieves me much to witness the coldness between these men. I believe they both err in some things and are both right in other things connected with that case. May the Lord bring them to see eye to eye." " C. September 11th. — I have now more longing for studying the Bible, and the trials of the months that are now past have, I am confident, been blessed to my soul." Eeferring to his book-buying mania, he acknowledges, a certain amount of "recklessness in that way," but immediately adds, "yet some excuse may be offered for my conduct seeing that I shall never more have such an opportunity of buying useful books if I go to reside in the country." There ii? allusion made to one feature of his character which, I daresay, would readily escape the notice of his ecclesiastical opponents. " D. Drank tea at Mr R.'s. Some conversation about the proposed church accommodation. A delightful family. They could not but regard me as a very forward individual. How is it that I appear so forward when suffering from exceptional shyness? Is it not owing to an unnatural effort to escape from my conscious diffidence — an effort which leads me to the opposite extreme before I am aware of it, and then, upon discovering that I have been speaking or acting out of my ordinary and natural manner, I feel pained." We come now to the year 1858, and find Mr Cameron still labouring at Renton, consolidating the congregation and collecting funds to erect a new church. With the advance of knowledge many cherished opinions inevitably undergo modification, while all tha.t is good ought assuredly to be conserved. " Yet I doubt not through the ages one increasiog purpose runs, And the thoughts of men are widen'd with the process of the suns." There must come release from some influences and deliverance from the dominance of some views that may be very popular but scarcely scientific — at least somewhat unsafe if unduly empha- sised. " C. 7th January. — I have been dreaming much about him (a friend) of late, and, although I have little faith in dreams, I have ' RENTON — THE MISSION STATION. Ixvil. «o much of my early prejudices still clinging to me that they cause me uneasiness." To the same three years earlier he writes : — " It is your anxiety that gives you these unpleasant dreams. I am troubled with them myself, and it was only last night that I had a very unpleasant one. Remember, however, that whatever comes not from the Lord is not for our edification, and we ought not to attend to it. Again, the Lord speaks to His people only by His Spirit, and the Spirit speaks only in the Word He speaks, of course, in His providence and through His works ; but it is the M' ord that casts light on these things. It is to the surer Word of prophecy that we must come to know the Lord's will regarding it." The writer heard Mr Cameron repeatedly tell the following anecdote, which deals with the less serious aspect of the above subject. One morning a beggar called at the manse for alms, and the servant — a good and kindly woman — gave him at once all the meal in the house. She had none left wherewith to make porridge, and she mentioned the incident to the minister, who simply asked — " Why did you give all away ?" To which the reply was — " A Scripture came to my mind to do so." "And why," was the further and final query, " did you not also get a Scripture for my porridge 1 " His conviction as to the necessity of writing, though not of reading, his sermons, is given in the same letter : — " I am at present studying very hard and writing a great deal, although I do not remember when, before this evening, I had written a letter. The last, so far as I remember, was to yourself, now more than a fortnight ago. I am now endeavouring to write my sermons at full length— a thing which all preachers ought to do, for the sake of their hearers and of themselves." "C. January 16th. — We are making arrangements for beginning our church early in the spring, and while these arrangements are in progress, it will be very difficult for me to go to any other place." Spiritual progress and prosperity profoundly and constantly concern him. " Backsliding does not consist so much in the committal of outward sins as in a dead insensible frame of mind ; and it is that frame of mind from which our outward sins proceed. Ah, if I could get out of that frame of mind into a livelier and hoUor Ixviii. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. frame, I think I would be happy. The way out is thus set forth. Have your eye steadily fixed on the promise. You may be in darkness, but don't let the word go. Think upon it, and it is. while thinking upon it that the light of faith and peace will gleam into the soul." The illness of Mr Cameron's faithful and furnace-tried corres- pondent has for a considerable period assumed a serious form : — "C. 19th January. — You will bring none of your sinful dross into Heaven, and hence the reason why the purifying fire is made: so hot ; but He is able with the trial to make a way of escape.. They who are clothed in white before the throne, and have the palms of victory in their hands, are those who come out of great tribulation. 0, remember the blood of Christ, in which their- robes have been washed !....! have many trials that others have not, but I have none that I do not require. By them the Lord is preparing me, either to follow you soon, or else to be in some measure useful to His poor Church in the world, if H& intends to spare me. I would not, however, exchange my lot with all its crooks for the easier lot of others whose ' hearts are as. fat as grease,' Ps. cxix. 70. It is better to be cast into the hottest furnace of affliction than that our souls should lose their edge." " C. 20th January. — Remember what you once wrote me ; that you would die trusting in Christ. Honour Him by trusting Him, and He will honour you by sustaining you. ' Those that honour- Me will I honour,' is the promise. . . . May the Son of man by His Spirit be with you in the furnace. Rest assured that yoiL are daily and hourly upon my mind." " C. 23rd January. — At this moment I do not know well how you are. From your father's letter, I understood that you were- suffering much ; but your real state I do not know. When I am, writing these words you may be no more. And . . . the hour that releases your soul from the tabernacle which suffers so much will be a triumphant hour for you, although a sad one to those who love you, and whom, for a season, you leave behind. The separation, however, will be only for a season — a short season ;. and then those who loved each other in the Lord will meet again, when there will be neither sin nor suffering. . . . While your- day of warfare continues, seek to have the blessed Captain of Salvation in your eye. He too had to die, and what a death ! " It is pathetic to find in the same letter a reference to a more mundane matter which, in a measure, relieves the intensity of feeling awakened by impending gloom caught from imminent proximity to the shadow of the tomb. " love, if thou wert all RBNTON — THE MISSION STATION. ]xix. and Douglit beyond, earth !" " If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable." " I have this day received a private letter from Kilmartin informing me that I have been unanimously chosen to be their minister, and that they are to be before the first meeting of Pres- bytery praying for a moderation in a call. I do not know what to say about the matter. I must seek to be guided by Him who is ■able to give light to show the way in which we ought to walk. It is a small charge, but that is so 'far a desirable element. I do not wish a large charge. ... 0, that I may receive the Holy Spirit ! I have this evening got new light, perhaps not new light, but clearer Ught upon the subject of the indwelling of the Spirit in the souls of believers. The Sprit Himself dwells in them. He not only bestows grace upon them, but he Himself takes up His abode within them, and having done so He continually communi- cates His grace unto them in the measure which He knows will be for their good. . . . Earnestly desiring that the everlasting ■arms may continually encompass you, and believing that they shall, I remain. . . ." Perhaps nothing can better exhibit and illustrate the preaching and practice of Mr Camsron as a probationer endeavouring to establish a congregation at Eenton than the following letter, which shows him at his busiest and best : — " C. January 26th. — I have to preach on Thursday evening (at Kothesay). I have chosen for my text Jer. iii. 14th, ' Eeturn unto me ye backsliding children, I am married unto you.'i Pray that the Lord may enable me to speak unto the people a word in season. The service commences at six o'clock, and at that time be praying. God can hear you in Badenoch and give me an ■answer in Rothesay at one and the same time. I shall tell you my heads that you may be thinking over the subject yourself, if you are not so very weak that you cannot think upon anything. I. Backsliding — (1) Its nature ; (2) its causes ; (3) its process, or how it progresses from a small beginning ; (4) its sad conse- quences — deadness, unfruitfulness, want of comfort, and at length, it may be, reproach to the cause of Christ, and some of the evil consequences or fruits of backsliding in heart from God. " II. The exhortation to return unto God. To return is the duty of the soul, but it is the Spirit alone that enables us to return — ' Turn thou me and I shall be turned.' 1 Correct quotation is, " Turn, backsliding children, saith the Lord ; for I, &o."— Ed. IxX, MEMOIR OP DE CAMERON. " III. The motives to return. ' I am married unto you, and I will ta,ke you one of a city and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.' (1) The glory and beauty of Him to whom they are married— thy Maker is thy Husband ; (2) the relation in which they stand to Him ; they are married unto Him ; and Christ's spouse ought not to play the harlot with any other lovers ; (3) all the goodness and love vouchsafed to them ; (4) the remembrance of their former character and misdeeds ; (5) the nature of God ; for, although He is a God of love. He is also a jealous (Jod, and He is yevy much displeased with the sin of having other gods. What a powerful motive to induce us to walk in the fear of God, and to return from all our backslidings is contained in the words, ' I am married unto you !' And consider that other motive (ver. xxii.), ' I will heal your backslidings.' " After I was over with my work last Sabbath, a man came to the door asking me to go to see a poor woman, one of our hearers, who was apparently dying. I was very tired, and, therefore, felt in my mind unwilling to go ; but I never refuse to go to see a sick person at any time, and therefore I went. I knew the woman a little before but not intimately. She came here in summer from the Island of Tyree, with a married sister. She has been long poorly in health ; but she used to be out on the Sabbath pretty often. A few months ago a brother she had here became ill, and when going to see her brother I used to see her. I found out then that it was her illness that was keeping her at home when- ever she staid at home on the Sabbath. She was, however, very quiet — and did not speak much — and therefore I did not think very much about her. A few weeks ago, one of the hearers, a pious woman who was a hearer of old Mr Kennedy, spoke to me about this woman that I was called to see last Sabbath night. Mrs Dingwall, the woman from the north, was noticing the other at the hearing, and was thinking that there was something about her which was not about the rest ; but she did not know who she was or where she lived. I had forgotten what Mrs Dingwall had said until I saw the other woman last Sabbath. When I went in the first thing she said was that she was dying, and that she was without God and without hope. I remained in the house nearly two hours, during which time I got some things out of her which led me to conclude that she is a sincere and humble, though much tried Christian. She complained much of her deadness, and that though she had been long following the means, she had not got anything, and several other things of, the same kind ; which showed that she was speaking more from what she was then experiencing than from what was her real state in the sight of God. Her bitter complaints with regard to her deadness, her un- fruitfulness, and her emptiness I could not but regard as marks of EENTON THE MISSION STATION. IxXl, the divine life in her soul. Again, in answer to questions, she would own that she had more desire for the society of the Lord's people than for any other society — that it was her desire that Christ might be hers, although she coiild not say that he was actually hers. Altogether I thought I saw more of Christ's image in her than in any that I have seen for many a day ; and while reading the chapter and engaging in prayer, I felt my feelings so overpowered that I could not help weeping. She seemed so humble and so self-denied, although she considered herself the very reverse of that, that I felt ashamed and confounded. I thought of the Sabbaths that that poor child of God had sat under me without probably getting a crumb for her poor soul. I would be aiming at high things — high doctrines, and so forth — and here was a poor, humble and needy soul, who probably could not understand high doctrines, but who desired a crumb of the children's bread. After returning to the house I could not help weeping. I felt humbled and ashamed. Pain and suffering cannot wring a tear from me, although tears would often relieve my heart, but to hear or to see instances of the power of grace overpowers my aflections, as if I were a little child. I was yesterday seeing her twice, and each time I thought that my cold and hard heart vfas the better of going. I could not but feel as if the Lord were in that little chamber. She told me yesterday a good deal about how things first began with her. She told me that the Gospel used to impress her more than the law did ; and she was afraid because she was not brought through great distress of mind and deep conviction that she had not experienced a real work. She was for a long time uneasy, and knew that she needed a Saviour, before one Sabbath that the minister was preaching from the text, ' He shall gather the lambs with His arms, and carry them in His bosom ; and shall gently lead those that are with young,' when she, experienced some melting of the heart. She afterwards had many. experiences of the same kind, although she said these were not so often when hearing that minister as when hearing others who would be touching her case. She said that the minister would be so high, and would not come down to the little things that she would have, and that remark stung me to the quick. I thought with myself, that is just my way. Altogether, I trust the Lord will bless to my soul the instruction which He has been giving me from the sickbed of that poor woman. It is the most precious, at all events, the sweetest that I have met with this summer. It has taught me, in some measure, how rude, and ignorant, and brutish I am ; and how easily God, by His foolish and weak things, can confound our great and wise things. She was saying yesterday that she thought if the Lord would set her house in order, she would be willing that the pins Ixxii. MBMOIE OF DE CAMERON. of her tabernacle would be loosed ; ' and yet,' she said, ' there is a clinging in the heart to life ' . . . What a person I have been, to have such a woman as this in my hearing, and living a few yards from me, all the summer, without knowing of her ! But she was so modest and diffident that she would not speak, and had it not been for her trouble, it is probable that I should not discover her worth at all." Word reaches him that his correspondent is not better but weaker, and he concludes with the fervent wish — " May the Lord strengthen you, and enable you to endure until His will concern- ing you be accomplished ! " it is worthy of remark that the preceding letter is throughout a literal translation from the Gaelic — retaining all its idioms — of the conversation reported. The shadows are thickening on this side Jordan in the case of the much loved and devoted friend, or more than a friend, who a few week's later entered into rest, but the glimpses of light and glory from the further side make plain the past and present, and reconcile many heartrending contendings — the patient sufferer with the trying farewell, and the loving ones that remain with the will of the Supreme. "C. February 13th. — I thought that I would have seen you before this time ; but it seems we can never get things exactly as we wish." " C. February 15th. — You would conclude from my last, that there would be little chance, owing to your weak state, of you and me ever meeting in this world. . . . May the Lord take you in His arms. May He divide the waters before you. May He in every respect conform you to Christ's blessed image. Remember the, promise, that He will never leave you, nor forsake you. May God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — be your everlasting stay ! " The last letter of this touching, tender, and consolatory correspondence closes thus : — " C. February 20th. — . . . How can I, with my ignorance and deadness, say anything to suit your case? Oh! that the Lord would teach me to speak a word in season to weary souls, which is one of the most important functions of the Christian ministry. Think of the Word as often as you. can, especially those words that were precious to you during the beginning of your trouble. You may find some drops of honey still in the jaw BENTON — THE MISSION STATION. IxXlii. hones by which you thought you were enabled before to slay some of the enemies of your soul — hi those passages of Scripture that ■were wont to give you comfort. Eemember . . . that God's ■covenant standeth fast. Our experience may change, and the Lord foi- wise ends may vary his dealings towards us ; but the ■covenant, being based upon God's unchangeableness, can never be modified. When He once becomes our God, He becomes our God for ever and ever. Eemember that sweet passage, ' I am the Lord thy God.' Seek always to be looking more to Christ in the word, and less to your own poor experience. He is the fountain of life and comfort, but you are deadness. He is the chief among ten thousand, but you are vile and sinful. You have no righteousness of your own ; but he has righteousness with which divine justice is fully satisfied. In Him, you who have nothing have righteous- ness and strength. The Lord, your Eedeemer, will give you grace and glory, and He will withhold no good thing from you. Your present affliction you will yet see to be for your good, should you not see it until you are in glory." In the Life of Dr Eobertson of Irvine there is an amusing story told regarding a poor peripatetic probationer who had long wooed vacancies unsuccessfully, and who, in a weary, yet reflective mood, thought he could get some comfort from comparing himself with his hostess, Miss Eobertson. " You and I are like one another ; you never got a husband and I never got a church." '• How many ■calls have you had ?" was the prompt reply. " Ah ! none," was the reluctant response. " Then, don't you be evening yourself with me, sir/' effectively ended the colloquy. The reverse of this was Mr Cameron's experience. A cordial ■call was presented to him by the people of Kilmartin. Mr P. Sinclair apprises him of the fact, thus : — "Kilmartin, 30th April, 1858.— The Presbytery met at the Free Church here yesterday, when an opportunity was given to the people to sign the call in your favour. There are already upwards of 180 names to it, and many have not yet had an opportunity to sign it. I am safe in saying that a more cordial call was never given to a Free Church minister. We earnestly hope that nothing will prevent your accepting it." This is the reply, delayed unduly but excusably during an intervening period of deep bereavement and intense sorrow. It .also illustrates how he obeyed the injunction, "in honour prefer- ring one another." Ixxiv. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. "Kenton, June, 1858. — Having been from home for several days I did not receive your letter asking me this week to Kilmartin until I returned yesterday afternoon, and I was not able to write you sooner. " It would give me great pleasure to go to Kilmartin on this, occasion, especially as Mr Kennedy is to be there, were it not that I must be here on the Sabbath. There are certain reasons that render that necessary. I was away last Sabbath, and must be away again on the 13th. I do not see, moreover, that my going- to Kilmartin could be proiitable to anyone except myself ; for I could scarcely consent to take one of the services out of Mr Kennedy's hands. I would have gone, however, most gladly as a hearer, were it not for the difficultj' of being away on the Sabbath in the circumstances to which I have alluded. " I did not reply to your previous note simply because I did not know how to do so. I was not then seeing my way either tO' accept or reject the call. Kilmartin, I must own, presented to my mind many inducements to make choice of it — for a season at least — as my field of labour. I have at the same time difficulties in the way of my leaving this place for any other place, and special difficulties in the way of my leaving it for Kilmartin. And thus my mind was long in an undetermined state, although I was- honestly and sincerely desiring, if I was not deceiving myself, to know what was the path of duty." So he elected to remain in Renton. About the same time a movement on his behalf was started at Duthil, near Grantown, an account of which is given in a letter from Rev. Mr Mackay — afterwards the well-known and highly respected Dr George Mackay, of Inverness, who was one of the foremost preachers of this century in the Highlands. " Inverness, 23rd June, 1858. — Therefore I write you as one in whom you have some confidence to say that I am authorised to state that there is a prospect of unanimity in giving a call to you, if any enftouragement can be given to do so. Duncan Cameron [better known as the smith of Aviemore, an excellent and able man, and a good speaker at the Friday Fellowship Meetings], explicitly said so, and desired me to write you to that effect. I did not like to speak to others without communicating with your- self first ; but I asked him very distinctly if he was sure that he was correct in his views as to the minds of the people. He declared he had no doubt whatever." The requisite encourage- ment does not seem to have been forthcoming, and so the matter dropped. RENTON THE MISSION STATION. IxXV. The Paisley peof-le seem to have persevered in the face of discouragement and denial, for we iind the following letter from Rev. A. R. Findlay : — "Houston Free Manse, 1st December, 1858.— I am instructed by the Free Presbytery of Paisley to inform you that a call to you from the Free Gaelic Church of Paisley, signed by 124 office- bearers and members, and a concurrence in the call, signed by 137 adherents, was laid on the table this day. and sustained. The Presbytery agreed to meet specially on Wednesday, the 15th, at 11 o'clock A.M. in the usual place of meeting, when they expect that either personally or by letter you will state your acceptance or non-acceptance of said call." This cordial call to Paisley he found it necessary, on account of his arduous mission ■ work at Ronton, to regretfully decline. And in after years he spoke affectionately and gratefully of the kindness of the Paisley people. But he preferred to remain at his post in the Vale of Leven. Yet another opportunity was afforded him, and, indeed, pressure was brought to bear upon him to go to the Colonies. He writes under date 1 9th September, 1859, in reference to this matter : — " I may mention that Dr Bonar is urging me strongly to go out to Lower Canada for a few years. I don't think, however,, that I shall go at present, but if I shall be long spared I shall visit America, although I do not think that I shall ever remain in it permanently." This resolution was never carried into effect. In the same letter he indicates the approach of his definite settlement and con- tinuance in his present sphere : — " The congregation at Renton are taking the usual steps in the matter of their call. The moderation is to take place on Thurs- day first (22nd September). It is likely that I shall accept it, but I feel that the matter is one of great difficulty. The responsibilities of the ministerial office are tremendous, and how few take that to heart as they ought." It was not without much anxiety and exertion on the part of preacher and people that affairs had come to be in their present satisfactory position. Writing on July 18th, 1859, Mr Cameron Ixxvi. MEMOIR OP BR CAMERON. " We began to build our church in September, and we applied ifor sanction to the last General Assembly. The church was opened for public worship on the 22nd of May. Mr Macrae, late of Greenock, preached in the forenoon and Dr Koxburgh, Glasgow, in the afternoon and evening. The collection at the forenoon diet — that is the Gaelic diet — was about £30, and at the other two diets, £12, which made about £42 in all. The church is very neat and is exceedingly well finished. Our application for sanction was unanimously granted by the General Assembly. Our Sustentation Fund contributions will amount, I expect, to £200. The income of the minister will be about £160, and house-rent until a manse can be built." Mr Cameron's services were highly and widely appreciated at this early date in his career, and many predicted for him a successful future. He was invited to exchange pulpits with Mr Aird of Creich — the now venerable and highly popular Dr Aird, on whom his Church conferred its highest honour in 1888 by appointing him Moderator. It will not be uninteresting to know the incidents of a journey to the north on the occasion of the pro- posed exchange. The date is, Free Manse of Creich, Monday. 19th September, 1859:— " I left this place on Monday morning a little before five o'clock, and walked to Alness, a distance of twenty-one miles, where I arrived at ten o'clock forenoon. But when I arrived there I found that the coach had passed to Inverness about half an hour before my arrival. I could therefore do nothing but either walk to Inverness, or else wait for the mail which would pass sometime through t le night, and which would be too late to enable me to get forward comfortably from Inverness on Tuesday morning. I therefore crossed the Ferry at Alness to the Black Isle, walked on to Kessock Ferry, a distance of fifteen miles, crossed that ferry, and walked to Inverness, so that I walked on Monday altogether between thirty-eight and thirty-nine miles, not counting the ferries. I remained at Inverness that night, and on Tuesday morning I left by the railway at twenty minutes before seven ■o'clock for Glasgow, where I arrived about 7.30 in the evening." And now for the return journey, which is equally difficult^ " I was obUged to leave Glasgow on Friday forenoon. I went first to Edinburgh and thence to Aberdeen, where I arrived late that evening. I left Aberdeen on Saturday forenoon at eleven o'clock for Inverness, where I arrived a little after seven o'clock in the evening. I left Inverness a few minutes after eight o'clock EENTON — .THE MISSION STATION. Ixxvii. by the mail coach, by which I came to a place called Novar, which is eight miles on this side of Dingwall, and exactly twenty miles from this place by the hill road. The coach was there at half past 11 o'clock at night. I did not like to go round the way of Tain by the mail, as in that case I would be travelling by a public conveyance up to 5 o'clock on Sabbath morning. I therefore left the mail at Novar and walked to this place across the hill. There was good moonlight and the road is very good, although there are many steep braes ; but on the hill it is as dreary as on Drumochter, for you meet only one house for a distance of between 11 and 12 miles — and what was still worse, I had a good deal of rain on the hill. However, I walked on and entered this house immediately after the clock struck five in the morning. Now, when you consider that I was travelling without stopping, except during Friday night at Aberdeen, from half-past ten o'clock on Friday forenoon, first by the train and then by the coach, you can understand that I was sufficiently exhausted when, after walking the last twenty miles on foot, I entered the Manse of Creich. I went to bed at 6 in the morning and slept until 9. I then got up, and at 11.30 I had to be engaged in the Sabbath service. They begin here the Gaelic service at 11.30 and the English at 2. I never felt it more difficult to engage in my Sabbath duties, considering the state of both my body and my mind, and also that I would have the heaviest [greatest] men in this part of the country, such as Gustavus Munro (Hivy Munro he is generally called) and Hugh Graham for my hearers I suppose you would have heard Donald Duff speaking of them. I had, however, much cause of thankfulness ; I seldom preached with more satisfaction to myself, although it might not have been the same to others. All the time that I was engaged I felt no fatigue, and to-day I feel as fresh as ever." On the same date Eev. Mr Dewar, Kingussie, writes in reference to the Ronton call : — " I am very glad to hear of the doings of the Highlanders of the Vale of Leven. They deserve to get a minister, and I hope they shall soon have the man of their choice. I do not see how you can refuse their call. Think what the consequence may be if you do so. At the present moment they are full of zeal and hope; their efforts are at long last about to be crowned with success ; they are, I presume, unanimous in the choice of a minister, and I suppose the prospect of getting that particular individual stimulated them all along. But let them be disappointed, and their zeal will receive a check, their first ardour will be damped, then they will try one after another of the most eminent ministers Ixxviii. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. id the Highlands till they find that a hopeless game, then they wiU try to choose a probationer, then they will get divided, and then the old story of fighting with one another and with the Presbytery till they lose all heart. All this might not happen, but it is at ]east probable it might ; it has often happened, especially in Highland congregations in towns, and that which has been is that which shall be. But I hope the Rentoh congregation will be spared the trial." This augury proved correct. Mr Cameron, after much deliberation and some hesitation, accepted the call of the congre- gation, for whose best interests he had laboured so strenuously and successfully. The usual steps preliminary to a settlement having been passed through, he was ordained minister of the Gaelic Church, Renton, on the 17th November, 1859. MINISTRY IX RENTON, Ixxix. CHAPTER IV. MItJISTRY IN RENTON. It may prove instructive to get a glimpse of the surroundings and ascertain some of the historical incidents and recent reminiscences of this " local habitation." And for such a sketch I am indebted to an able and learned lecture delivered by Mr John Macleod Dalquhui-n, to the Renton Literary Association. He says : — '•' Those who have spent their early years in a small country vil- lage, amidst the works of nature and beautiful scenery, and have had the advantage of seeing nature under its various aspects, and have seen the old, low-roofed, thatched houses, the small dingy shops, with their half-doors, and the stone seats in the streets disap- pearing, along with many old customs and ways of living, cannot but view the place of those early associations with feelings of peculiar interest and affection. Besides, it is both acceptable and profitable to us to possess a knowledge of the events and circum- stances which have produced the social system and institutions under which our happiness has been produced and protected. Cicero, the Roman philosopher, has truly Said, ' For a man to be ignorant of what happened before him is to be always a child.' . . . In early times the people of all ranks lived so friendly together that the villagers were, in a manner, all next-door neigh- bours. This village, like many other villages, had names given to certain of its inhabitants, founded on some peculiarity of their character, and married women were addressed by their maiden name. The village had its ' King Hale,' its ' Duke,' and its ' Bishop,' all as familiarly known to the old natives as the cross on the Main Street. During last century and well into the present, spinning and weaving as opposed to the present factory system were carried on by farmers and cottars. The spindles and spinning wheel occupied a prominent place in domestic life, and the two last handlooms in use — Duncan M'Laren's in the Back Street, and James Paul's in the Main Street, are still remembered. Joseph Irving gives some account of the early dwellers in the district. Early charters tell of grants of free forestry and fishing in the Leven as gifts to religious houses. The district was generally known as the ' Lennox ' or ' Levenach,' and the once powerful house of Lennox dates as far back as 1072. This tract IXXX. MEMOTE OF DR CAMERON. of country was given by Malcolm III. to Arkil, the son of Egfrith, in consideration of the noble stand he had made against the Conqueror^ and as some recompense for the loos of his possessions. In 1587 James IV. visited Matthew, the Earl of Lennox, at his castle at Balloch. After the Restoration, the lands of Bonhill passed to the SmoUetts of Dumbartonshire. The founder of this house was Sir James Smollett, the novelist's grandfather, who is said to have been a skilful lawyer and a sagacious politician. Archibald, the fourth son of Sir James, married Barbara Cunningham, and occu- pied Dalquhurn House on the family estate. Tobias, the novelist, was the youngest son of this union. It is somewhat pathetic to be told that the author of ' Regicide,' ' Roderick Random,' and ' Humphrey Clinker,' should have passed his life in a continual struggle for existence. At Cardross, in the vicinity of Renton,, from 1790 to 1801, Rev. Mr Macaulay, the grandfather of Lord Macaulay, the celebrated historian, was minister. Commercial prosperity and intellectual power are often found associated, and it is interesting to find that the firm of Walter Stirling & Sons, begun as a bleachwork, and become a lucrative business as a print- work, should be closely connected with Scottish scholarship. William Stirling died in 1777 at the age of 60, seven years after he had settled in the Valley of the Leven. His daughter Elizabeth was the mother of Sir William Hamilton, the dis- tinguished philosopher, and of Thomas Hamilton, the author of ' Cyril Thornton.' Rev. James Oliphant, rendered historic by Robert Burns, was appointed to the parish of Dumbarton in 1773, and belonged to the Evangelical party. To check religious heresy at its fountain head, he prepared a Catechism, doctrinal and historical, of divine truth for the use of schools and families. It attained much popularity, and reached an issue of 20,000. With the view of giving him annoyance, a man was employed to go through Dumbarton with copies of the ' Young Communicants' Catechism,' crying as he went along, ' The whole works of the Rev. James Oliphant, presentee to this parish, for the small charge of twopence.' " Previous to 1793, there is no record of any public school being in the place, the children being taught either by private teachers or their parents. In those days the school books were riot heavy to carry. For the most part they were the Bible, the Shorter Catechism, a slate and a copy book. The usual school curriculum was the A B C on the first page of the Catechism, then the abs, ibs, and so forth ; then came 'The Chief End of Man,' next the New Testament and the Bible, and this ended the education of a large number of scholars. For a number of years old John Maclaren, called by the natives ' John Highlandman,' carried on a school in Back Street most successfully. He was MINISTRY IN RENTON. Ixxxi. well known to all the villagers, and when the children were dis- missed from the school he walked behind them with a small cane in his hand like a herd on their way home ; no general at the head ■of his army felt prouder of his soldiers than this old teacher did walking along with his drove of scholars. He taught his children with great kindness, and was much loved by them and their parents. At that time the severity of discipline in use in our schools was far too general, and often thoughtlessly applied. Flogging and buffeting were unmercifully employed. This re- acted again on the nature of the boys, who in turn domineered over each other. " Old customs and superstitious beliefs, similar to those of •other countries, prevailed here, such as reading cups, forecasts from ■dreams, and spacing fortunes. The three most important events in life were attended with many curious customs. At birth there was the danger of being carried away by the fairies or being injured by the influence of an evil eye ; and many charms were used as a protection and preventive, particularly before baptism. The woman who carried the child to church to be baptised must be a lucky person. She carried with her a parcel of bread and cheese to be given to the first person she met, as a gift from the baby. Forecasts were made of the future of the child from the character of the person who received the gift. As to marriage, it was regarded as unlucky to enter wedlock in May — marry in May and rue for aye. If the day proved bright and cheerful it betokened a happy life, if dull and rainy the contrary result. The solemn event of death had also its quota of superstitions, omens, and warnings. The ticking of a watch or any noise about a sick person's bed, or the howling of a dog in the direction of a sick person's house, were considered sure signs of approaching death. There was a prevalent belief in the district that the rowan tree or mountain ash possessed a wonderful influence against all evil machinations We find these trees still growing near houses, particularly farm- houses, as they were considered a protection both to the cattle and to the process of churning. Deaf and dumb persons were con- ■sidered able to foretell future events." Into the life of this important, if limited, sphere of labour Mr Cameron entered heartily ani hopefully. He became well known and appreciated in the whole neighbourhood. His sermons were carefully prepared and fully written out, but not read. It may, doubtless, be a special gift to be able to address audiences extempore, but one can hardly fail to realise that the spoken word seems to tell most effectively, as being an utterance direct from heart to heart, and as deriving part of its power from the presence Ixxxii. MEMOIB OF DE CAMEEON. and position of the people influenced. His congregational work was in no way arrested but rather helped and brightened by occasional visits to other and remoter districts at Communion seasons. We shall best realise this by reference to his diary of date Saturday 14th July, 1860 : — " This is my birthday. How little I have done for the glory of God and for the good of souls during the thirty-three years of my life now past ! May the Lord enable me to improve whatever portion of time He may be pleased yet to allot to me. Keturned home after an absence of ten days in Kintyre where I was assisting Mr Maopherson, of Killean, at his communion. Left home for Killean the previous week ; and here I may give a brief account of my visit. On Tuesday, 3rd inst., went to Rothesay by the 'lona' with I. and A. A. was on way to visit his aunt in Glenquoich. Having spent a happy day returned with I. to Glasgi iW in the after^ noon by the same steamer. After arriving in Glasgow got Mr D^ Gray to supply my place in Renton on Sabbath. Staid on Tuesday evening in Mrs Diamond's, to be near the steamer in the morning. " On Wednesday, the 4th, left for Killean by the ' Zona,' which brought me to Tarbert. Was suffering from severe headache when I landed at Tarbert. Rested for two or three hours at Mr Campbell's, from whom, as well as from Mrs C, I met with much kindness. Left in the afternoon for Killean. Was met by Mr Macpherson with his gig about three miles beyond Tarbert. When, we came to Clachan we rested for some time, were hospitably entertained by the gardener and his wife, and were constrained to- address a few people who came to the house for that purpose. The duty devolved upon me. Spoke for some time from Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Much worse in consequence of travelling in an open con- veyance after being somewhat heated by speaking at the meeting at Clachan. Arrived at Killean after eleven o'clock at night. Felt very unwell. My throat much affected. " Thursday 5th. — Very unwell. So hoarse as to be able to speak with great difficulty. Officiat^ed, nevertheless, three times. — in the forenoon, in Gaelic, from Isa. i. 18 ;• in the afternoon, in English, from Jer. 1. 5 ; in the evening, in Gaelic, from the pa,rable of the ten virgins. A good congregation in the forenoon. A coQsiderable number left at the close of the Gaelic service, so that there were many fewer during the English service. That the result of habit more than of not being able to understand the English language: Most of the young people can understand and speak; English quite well. There was a good attendance in the evening, .although it, w^s much inferior to the forenoon attend- ance. Those who .came frpjn a distance to the forenoon service MINISTRY IN RENTON. IxxxiiL had returned home ; but some attended in the evening who did not attend, owing to want of dress or other causes, during the day. In the evening nearly all present were in their working dress. The service was called a meeting, although the exercise was much the same as an ordinary lecture. James Currie, a fine young man belonging to Killean, engaged in prayer before we dismissed. His prayer was simple, solemn, and very appropriate. From all that I have seen of him during my recent visit, I am inclined to regard him as the most extraordinary young man 1 have ever met with. With very much common sense he seems to possess clear views of Gospel truth and deep religious feeling. His mind is much exercised and is in consequence kept low, of which he is much the better. He possesses fine natural talents, but is withal very modest and diffident. If the Lord will spare him I trust he will be the means of doing good. It looks as if he had been raised up for that end, for he is far before every other one of whatever age that I have met with in that district. " During all the Thursday services a deep solemnity pervaded the people. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord has been work- ing in that district, and that whatever may be the ultimate result in regard to some, others will derive from the recent awakening lasting benefit. Many things to blame there may have been as there have always been in connection with similar movements ; but good has been done in spite of all these things. " On Friday very unwell with the cold. No service this day in the south and west at communion seasons. The Friday meet- ing much missed by those accustomed to it. Some conversation with Elizabeth, Mr Macpherson's sister, who l;ias gone to reside with him, and who has been unwell ever since she went there. "Mr Campbell, Tarbert, arrived in the afternoon. On Satur- day still unwell, but able to preach the English service in the schoolhouse. Very few present. Subject, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. "Sabbath. — Still unwell. A very deep cough. Found necessary to apply a mustard poultice to my chest a little before twelve o'clock, so that I was prevented from going to church until near two o'clock. Preached after the Tables from Zech. xiii. 8, 9. Considerable liberty in declaring the truth. to feel humbly thankful for every measure of liberty which we may enjoy in speaking of divine things ! "Some conversation in the evening about the awakening. Mr Macpherson knew that I did not approve out and out of the movement. I suppose he must have heard in Lochgilphead Availed myself of the opportunity which our conversation on the Sabbath evening afforded me to state my own views as prudently as I could. ■ Endeavoured to show that mine differed, not so widely as might be supposed, from his own. Stated what I Ixxxiv. MEMOIR OP DE CAMERON. approved of and what I disapproved of. Disapproved much of endeavouring to produce excitement and causing people to cry- out ; and stated that it would be much better if the people could keep altogether from crying out ; although I did not wonder at all at many when they came to believe their lost state crying out. My main object in making these and other statements to the same effect, was to convince him, if possible, of the danger resulting from creating excitement among the people by working upon their feelings. All that I said, however, produced no effect ; for he was very firm in his own view, which I greatly regret. "On Monday unwell, but better — the cough still continuing. Preached the English service in the church. More present. Subject, Song of Solomon vii. 10, In the evening crossed from Killean to Gigha in an open boat. Distance seven miles from the point which we left to the point at which we landed. James Currie and Mrs Mackay accompanied me in the same boat, and some others in another boat. The sea was smooth as glass. The meeting was held at the house of a farmer on the other side of the island from that on which we landed. Some forty or fifty persons present. Found that no proper intimation had been given, and that the place of meeting was not convenient. Chose Matth. xvi. 26 as my subject — the preciousness of the soul, and the awfulness of its loss. The people listened most attentively. One girl much impressed. J. Currie and myself remained all night at the fartner's house, where we were very kindly enter- tained. Mrs Mackay and the rest from Killean returned home. " Tuesday, 10th. — Very unwell last night and this morning, but better by 10. o'clock. Left Gigha for Kilberry about that time in the same boat that brought me to Gigha. It belonged to a young man from Kilberry who was at Killean at the Com- munion, and who, along with two Killean men, who were going to Kilberry to work, accompanied us. to Gigha, that they might take James and myself to Kilberry. The day very fine, and the sea very smooth. Arrived at Kilberry about 2 o'clock — distance from the point from which we set out to that at which we landed about 1 1 miles. A good meeting in the evening in the School- house, which serves for both church and schoolhouse. English service first — subject. Lamentations iii. 24. Experienced much comfort in speaking. The people much impressed. Continued this service too long, quite unconsciously — about two hours. Gaelic service immediately afterwards — short, only about one hour. Very happy during both services. Believed that the Lord was present. No excitement, but deep solemnity. Gaelic subject, 1 Tim. i. 15. Mr John Clark is labouring here as a catechist. Met here the Misses M'Kinley from Rothesay. Mr Macarthur's friends stayed all night with Mr Barnhill, whom, with Mrs Bam- MINISTRY IN RBNTON. IxxXT, hill, I had met at Killean at the Communion, and from whom we now met with much kindness at their own house. " On Wednesday morning we breakfasted with Mrs Shaw, a young lady married to a farmer there. Mr Shaw was not at breakfast, having left earlier for his fank, where they were busy sheep-shearing. Mrs Shaw a most interesting and gentle creature. Miss Maclean, daughter of Mr Maclean, Glenorcby, was staying there.^ Mrs Shaw, Miss Maclean, and another lady— an aunt of Mrs Shaw — had walked to the sermon the previous evening, a distance of four or five miles, or more. Mr Barnhill sent James and myself this forenoon across to Claohan, where it was arranged there should be a service about 1 o'clock. Mrs Shaw and Miss Maclean accompanied us, but returned immediately with Mr Barnhill, as the day began to thresiten rain. Found the people waiting for us at Clachan, having been a little behind our time in getting forward. Addressed them from Hosea ii. 19. Much comfort in speaking to them, but was very exhausted before I got there. The people exceedingly attentive. Most of those present were grown-up men, and the tears were falling down the cheeks of some of them. Tea was prepared for us in the house of the gardener, where Mr IMacpherson and myself stayed for some time that day week. Met with much kindness. "Left Clachan about five o'clock p.m. to cross the hill to Skipness, a distance of - — miles over a very bad road. One man, a tailor, accompanied us, while another sent a horse with us a considerable part of the way. Arrived at the house of a Mr Stewart, a farmer, exactly at eight. Was very much worn out, having walked the whole way, that poor James, who is not strong, might have the benefit of the horse. Much discouraged by find- ing only one other family, Stewart's father-in-law's family, present, besides the family of the house in which the meeting was held. All were Established Church people. Were told that the meeting was not properly intimated. One thing, however, was very apparent — the anxiety to hear the Word does not exist on this side as it exists on the other side. Addressed the few assembled from the Parable of the Supper, Luke xiv. Those present very attentive. Who can tell but that the Lord may bless the truth to some one present ? Great, unspeakably great, is the value of one soul ; and if one soul were won, that evening's labour would certainly not be in vain. Left after the meeting with Mr M'Q. in his dog-cart. Mr M'Q. is Mr S.'s father-in-law, Mr M'Q. and some of his family belong to the Established Church, to which the whole family at one time adhered, but some of them having come under concern, joined the Free Church — to which I believe the whole family would now adhere had they a Free Church Ixxxvi. MEMOIR OP DH CAMERON. to go to. This family an instance of the influence for good •which children often exert upon parents. " Thursday, 12th. — Never met with more kindness than in that house. The family wished us to hold a meeting there before leaving for Carradale, where it was arranged we should have a meeting in the evening. Consented, and the family and a few others met at 12 o'clock. Addressed them from the parable of the Sower. Dwelt much upon false appearances, and how they gradually die away. Ascertained afterwards, through James, that one of the girls in the house has been much exercised for some time back. Considered the state of her mind hopeful. Was led through the influence of some companions who were anxious at the time of the awakening in Greenock, and who seemed to have got peace, to believe that she herself also had found peace, but that peace she had subsequently lost — which was well for her. May the Lord lead her to find peace in Christ ! Thought that I felt a little of the presence of the JiOrd at one time during the meeting. Mr M'Q. sent his dog-cart with us to a place within two miles or so of Carradale, or rather of the place where we were to meet there. " James was expeciing a good meeting at Carradale, but in this he was disappointed and much dejected. There are a few Free Church families there, but with the exception of Mr M'Q.'s son, who goes every Sabbath across the hill to Mr Mucpherson's Church, they do not seem very zealous. There are also some Independents who would join the Free Church if there were an acceptable preacher there. The Free Church ought not to lose sight of the place or of her own adherents there, and a faithful and judicious preacher might be the means of doing good. Addi'essed the few people who had assembled from the parable of the Prodigal Son. After the meeting parted witli James (Virrie, who went to Mr M'Q.'s sou's house. Felt regret in parting with him ; he is very promising. After this I went to the Inn, an Independent who was at the meeting kindly carrying my bag and refusing to take anything for doing it. The people at the Inn had gunc to bed, and the house was quite full, so that I had some difficulty in finding accommodation. A bed was, however, prepared for me, in which I slept soundly, and the charge for bed and breakfast was exceedingly moderate — only 2s 3d. " When I found so much difficulty in getting accommodation at the Inn, I regretted much that I had not gone along with James to Mr M'Q.'s, although it would be far out of the way of the steamer in the morning. AVas pressed to go, and was promised to be sent to the steamer in time in the morning. All things con- sidered, however, what I did was better ; and thus ended my visit to Kintyre — a visit which, upon the whole, was very pleasant, and to myself, I trust, not without profit. Seldom experienced so MINISTRY IN BENTON. Ixxxvii. f much pleasure in preaching as during that visit. May it be for the Lord's glory and for good to souls. Amen." At home, amid the manifold labours of consolidating and extending a newly-formed charge, Mr Cameron was surrounded by not a few young men and women whose interests and prospects he had deeply at heart. He frequently delivered addresses to their associations, and indicated to them main lines of improvement, as the following sentences show : — "Now, to reading you must add reflection upon what you read. Eeflection is to intellectual food what digestion is to natural food. What you eat will do you no good unless you digest it, and what you read will not improve your mind unless you reflect upon it. You should write as much and as often as possible. To write enables you to take stock of your mental furniture. Many people fancy they know a great deal who really know very little. Now, writing your ideas is like counting down your money. It enables you to know what you really have. I am afraid that writing would reduce many whose credit is very good, and who figure well before the public, to a state of intellectual bankruptcy. Writing your ideas will likewise enable you to mark the progress of your minds by comparing your present thinking with your thinking at former periods of your life. Writing also teaches you accuracy. Some of you will remember Bacon's aphorism : Reading maketh a full man, speaking or conference a ready man, and writing an exact or accurate man. . . . " Having said so much about the cultivation of the intellect or understanding, I must say a few things about the improvement of the heart. The instrument in improving the heart is moral truth, but moral truth alone, and without the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, will avail but little. Precepts and example, by fortifying the conscience, often preserve the young pare from many temptations, but a character built on mere morality is like a beautiful waxen image. Its form is perfect, but it has no life. Grace is the life which quickens the heart, and thus Jays a true and solid foundation for moral improvement. Men, to do good, you must first be good, for a heart purified by faith, and animated by love to God, is the only source of true obedience." He was himself accustomed to carry these wise precepts into practice by committing to writing a series of meditations and reflections on subjects that fascinated or fixed his thought. Here is one : — Ixxxviii. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. " Godly fear lery different from slavish fear. The child fears the parent's frown, because he loves that parent. The slave fears the master's rod because he recognises the master's authority and power, and has no sense of his love. The child of God is often troubled with slavish fear, when he has a more vivid sense of God's authority, power, and justice, than of His saving love. We ought to seek to have a proper apprehension of the divine char- acter as it is revealed as a whole — not of this attribute to the neglect of that other attribute, but of all the attributes. "Does the opinion of our fellow men weigh with us more than what God says, in the regulation of our conduct 1 Are we more afraid of offending some friend whom we highly regard, than of offending a righteous, holy, and merciful God ? What Joseph feared was to sin against God. A. sanctified conscience has regard to the word and authority of God. It gives law — even the divine law, written in the Word and impressed on the new heart — to the soul, and it commands obedience to that law ; but the spring of obedience is love — not blind passion, not ecstatic emotion — but a living principle, or rather the exercise of the living principle, implanted in the soul in regeneration, and which is stirred into activity by the revelation of the glory of Christ in the Word. Love to God is the outgoing towards God on the perception of His excellence and of His mercy to me, of that native affection of a renewed soul. Love, or the capacity of love, is a native affection of the soul ; but this affection is impure, and is set upon earthly objects and turned against God, its legitimate object, until the soul is regenerated, after which a new bias is given to all the faculties and capacities of the soul. Love', therefore, is not a new capacity or affection, properly speaking, but the native capacity or affection renewed. What is the proper seat of love and of godly fear in the soul 1 It is the heart. ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.' ' I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me.' But is nOt loving an exercise of the will 1 Love, properly speaking, is an affection, but an affection deeply seated in the heart. And still it may be called an exercise of the will, for the will is the great motive power. This would lead us to the intricate question of the identity of our desires and volitions.'' Here is an analysis of a hypocrite : — " The hypocrite uses truth as a means for elevating himself. He says something smart —perhaps something good. He lays great stress upon it to attract your attention to it. But do not suppose that he wishes your attention to terminate upon the thing or the truth. He only wants you to attend to it that you may be induced to admire him for saying it. To the truth in MINISTRV IN RENTOX. Ixxxix. itself he has no liking, except so far as it may be instrumental in gaining influence for him. If he admires it, depend upon it, it is not because of any intrinsic beauty he sees in it, but because he sees himself in it or associates hin^self with it or its author. The hypocrite sobs aud sighs, and looks on either side of him to see if he be admired for his brokenness of heart. This is conceit in the borrowed garb of Christian meekness, and, depend upon it, the trick will be discovered." Further, we find a somewhat sharp criticism of the tendency in some old men to disparage youth : — "FroQi experience, especially experience in blundering, one may have learned to know what a blunder is, but the same experience should have taught him to be charitable while faith- fully correcting faults. I know some who in the season of their youthful zeal and indiscretion were running their heads continually against posts, who are the loudest in blaming youth for blunder- ing, and, in their zeal, do not often stay to enquire whether the blundering which stirs their bile, may not be more apparent than real. Again, there are some who regard every young person imprudent who ventures to differ from their views and actings. In fact, when you are anxious to find fault with any young person, but cannot find proper grounds, the safest way is to say that he is imprudent, for then you have a good chance of being- believed, since it is not at all improbable that a young man may be imprudent. This charge is not only the most credible, it is. also the most injurious to him. And this heavy penalty one may pay for possessing the manliness necessary to express dissent from some party whom accident perhaps rather than worth may have elevated to a position which gives to his sayings and doings a temporary importance which their intrinsic character could have never obtained for them. Others, again, esteem that to be caution which preserves its possessor from offending everybody. It is proper, of course, to avoid offending, so far as that can be done in consistence with higher duties. Let our caution be that of him who, weighing well both motives and consequences, is eager to grasp the first reasonable opportunity for action. The wise man is neither he who contirraally meditates, in close retirement,, nor he who is so much engaged in action that he has little time and less relish for reflection, but he who walks abroad into the world with his eyes and ears open for observation, and who then Betires to his chamber to arrange and classify the results. These remarks will enable us to appreciate Dr Johnson's observation who, when some one had asked him to take a walk into the fields, declined, but added:— 'Let us walk down Cheapside, where we can see men.' " XC. MBMOIE OF DR CAMERON. There is this remark about punctuality : — " Another subject which I must study practically as well as theoretically. Two divisions — 1st, its advantages, and 2nd, how to form the habit — the banefal fruits of procrastination !" Appreciation of the wise is put thus : — " In the company of superiors in wisdom and attainment one should study to reflect their light by appreciating their good sayings rather than to shine ourselves. The way in which Words- worth's sister shone was by her true appreciation of his compositions. She drank in his music, and that encouraged him to sing." We find finally this touching and true reflection under date February 16th, 1861 : — " Whoever succeeds in extracting the gall and bitterness which sorrows and disappointments have mingled with our feelings, will be sure to become an object of our affection." The following account and estimate of Mr Cameron's work at Eenton was kindly sent by one of his old parishioners, Mr John Maccallum, now of Uxbridge : — "He was a very zealous worker in the interests of his own congregation at Renton, which was his first charge. The efforts made and the means used by him to cause Highlanders to attend church on the Sabbath day were sometimes very original. In the Vale of Leven there were a large number of Highlanders who were not exactly model church-goers, and Mr Cameron seemed to think that the injunction 'compel them to come in' had special reference to these northerners. A fair proportion of these were natives of the Isle of Skye, one of whose besetting sins on the Sabbath was Gaileing or visiting in each others' houses and lodgings and relating stories of adventures which never happened in Skye. Mr Cameron seemed to be well aware of their failing, and the success with which he dealt with them was marvellous ; he made it a very regular practice to call on them during the week, and exact promises of attendance at church on the Sabbath. These High- landers, believing generally in the Scriptures, and particularly in that part which says ' The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,' made very fair promises of attendance, which they very frequently failed to fulfil. Though sometimes bafiled in this method, Mr Cameron was not easily turned aside from his purpose, and he used to leave the manse sometime before the hour for worship and shame the young Highlanders out of their houses into the church, many amusing incidents resulting from these visitations. MINISTRY IN RBNTON. xci. " The young Highlanders soon learned that being in bed was no defence, so they often contrived to be out of their lodgings and on a visit to their cronies before eleven o'clock. This plan, while it enabled them to evade Mr Cameron in some cases, at other times landed them in the lion's den, as he sometimes caught them in groups. On one particular occasion a number of the Muraohadhs and Toramailds were assembled in one house, from which they could see Mr Cameron on his way to church, and were startled when they discovered that he was making tracks for their ren- dezvous. There were so many of them, that to have remained where they were might have tempted him to hold the service there ; to escape into the road was impossible, as they would, have met him, so they made their escape into a small building in the garden, where they thought they were safe, but were doomed to ■disappointment, as Mr Cameron, perceiving the flank movement, ■walked quietly in and bearded them in their supposed safe retreat. In dealing with those who were irregular in their attendance, Mr Cameron was very faithful, and he would have been a crafty Highlander or Lowlander who could have formed an excuse for non-attendance for which Mr Cameron had not an immediate answer. A Highlander having made the commonplace excuse that last Sunday was a very showery day, was asked, ' What is a shower of rain in comparison with a shower of fire and brimstone f Mr Cameron's congregation was scattered over a large radius, but even those who lived furthest away need never make the excuse of distance. One householder who lived about two miles from the church was visited in his own house by Mr Cameron, and after being driven from one excuse to another for prolonged non- attendance, he said at last that he had not a good pair of boots ; whereupon Mr Cameron bent forward, caught him by the leg, straightened it out, and exclaimed, ' Peter, I myself have been ^oing to church all winter with a far worse pair than you have on at tliis moment.' During a part of the year the English service followed the Gaelic without any interval except a break of about a minute or so. This break was to allow that part of the congre- gation who only understood English to come in, but Mr Cameron would not admit that the Highlanders present in the forenoon had any excuse for going out. A number of them often marched out when the Gaelic service was over, and Mr Cameron frequently .stood up and expostulated with them. I do not remember him naming any one, but it was almost like saying ' That red-haired man in the third seat from the front.' " The amount of work and the number of agencies in con- nection with the church, to which Mr Cameron gave personal a,ttention for a number of years, was very great ; he preached fore- noon and afternoon, superintended the Sabbath School, and XOll. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. preached again in the evening. His duties as superintendent of the Sabbath School were, I am convinced, rather oTierous. He- did not seem cut out for that office, but he bestowed much labour on it, and had a most flourishing Sabbath School, which was. attended by a large niimber of children from other congregations. Many a time I have seen his patience sorely tried, and I believe- his temper was oftener fretful there than anywhere else. Suc- cessful, however, he undoubtedly was. Once a week he held a teachers' meeting, at which he expounded the lesson for the Sabbath, and this, no doubt, was a factor in the success of the- school. At one period of his ministry in Eenton he got -dragged into a controversy with a section of the Baptists, who, by means of sensational meetings, were leading away some of his young people. Mr Cameron was not a man who did things by halves, so he prepared two discourses, which he delivered in his own church on two consecutive Sabbaths. Each of these services, lasted two hours and three-quarters, and so fascinating were they that all who heard them declared they felt them the shortest sermons he had ever preached. Many of the foundation texts of the Baptists were stated in such new, clear, startling, and thoroughly logical aspects, that the positions laid down by him were quite unanswerable. They were not answered then, and I have never heard them answered since. He took the bull by the- horn-:, stopped his career, and was not much troubled by the Baptists after that. " Mr Cameron could not be exactly called popiilar, and many who did not know him held the opinion that he was narrow and too reserved. It is true he did not often take part in the more- popular religious movements ; but he afforded his congregation 'many opportunities of hearing able preachers both inside and out- side of the Free Church. At Assembly times he was constantly bringing strange ministers, not always Highlanders, to preach to his congregation. In his own locality the ministers of the United Presbyterian Church often occupied his pulpit, and Professor Bruce, who was then minister at Cardross, was a not infrequent preacher in Eenton Free Gaelic Church. The diversity of ministers which he annually brought to the congregational and Sabbajih School Soiree was seldom to be seen elsewhere. Among them may be mentioned MacNab of Glasgow, with his humorous — though almost apochryphal — stories of the Highlands ; Sprott, of Queen's Park U.P. Church, with his breadth of thought and inspiring style ; Hamilton, the reformed Presbyterian whose excel- lent discourses were always well sprinkled with Latin quotations ; Professor Bruce, with his banterings of the U.P.'s, which wero certainly not dry as dust ; Alexander of Duntocher with his inimitable comic story telling, and Macaulay of Old Kilpatrick MINISTRY IN BENTON. XClll. ■with his thunderings against organs and monkeys ; and Dr Halley of Dumbarton with his stories of burghers and anti-burghers — all made up a treat the equal of which was seldom to be found else- where. A feature of Mr Cameron's management of the Renton congregation was the manner in which he worked the Sustenta- tion Fund. This he always maintained at a high figure consider- ing the standing of the congregation. " In some things Mr Cameron brought an immense amount of method to bear, while in others he was somewhat irregular. He would give the precentor a list of the Psalms to be sung during the Gaelic and English services, and while there was every probability that the most of these Psalms would be sung, there was no guarantee as to the order in which they would come. Absent-mindedness, or absorption in one particular thing, some- times made him miss an appointment, and one slip of this kind was sometimes related at his cost. He was advertised to preach on the evening of a Fast-Day in the Free Gaelic Church, Greenock, to which lie proceeded by rail to Helensburgh, intending to cross the Clyde by steamer to Greenock. Having some time to spare at Helensburgh, he called on a lady friend, who invited him to look at her garden. Either Mr Cameron's watch stopped or his inter- est in horticulture deepened, with the result that when he pre- pared to depart he found that the last steamer for the day had left. There was still some time on hand before he was due to preach, so he took train at once for Dumbarton, a distance of eight miles, and crossed the Clyde at the Langbank Ferry ; but the tide being low, the boat could not get within a hundred yards of the landing stage. Over this hundred yards of salt water and mud Mr Cameron soon skipped, took train for Greenock, and reached the Free Gaelic Church when a substitute was about half- way through with his discourse. Mr Cameron's personal appear- ance on that occasion was somewhat akin to Pliable's w hen he got out of the Slough on the wrong side. " There were some matters against which Mr Cameron was prejudiced, and he knew this himself. When he was satisfied that his opposition was due to prejudice, he would withdraw it. One case of this kind occurred in connection with the psalmody of his congregation. His precentor had taken considerable pains in training a choir, and it was resolved to ask Mr Cameron's permis- sion for this choir to lead the singing in the church. Contrary to the precentor's expectation Mr Cameron gave permission, stating, however, that he had a very strong prejudice against choirs, but no objection on principle. The career of the choir, however, was short and sweet, as, after officiating two Sabbaths, one of the elders objected — on principle, and Mr Cameron requested the disciples o St Asaph to disband. XCIV. MEMOIR OP DH CAMERON. " A visitor to Mr Cameron's manse could not fail to be struck with his splendid library, but a considerable portion of it was not very orderly, in fact, it reminded one of a remark made about Carlyle's library, that an earthquake might turn it upside down, but it could not add to its confusion. At the first election of a School Board for his parish he was returned at the head of the poll, I believe. It would hardly be fair to say that this was due to the Highlanders plumping for him. His powerful grasp of business affairs inspired the general public with confidence, and he always stood high in School Board suffrages, both in Eenton and Arran. His excellence as a tea,cher of Gaelic and his high position as a philologist brought him into contact w ith many people eminent in literature ; but it is questionable whether it tended greatly to his general practical usefulness. A man cannot be victorious all along: the line, and I believe his success in philology was attained partly at the expense of his success as a preacher and pastor. The first dozen years of his ministry were marked by much ardour arid zeal in congregational work, undistraoted by abstruse studies. Had he continued in this channel the gain would have been to the com- mon Highlander ; it may, however, be that his success on more learned ground may bear a more lasting fruit." Mr Cameron's correspondence during the first ten years of his. ordained ministry amply shows how highly appreciated and how constantly in demand his preaching powers were. He was. frequently called upon to officiate in Lowland or English charges, and the expressions of thanks and gratitude clearly convey the impression that his labours were not in vain. It was at this time that he found some leisure to acquire books and lay the founda- tions of the future solid structure of Celtic learning and lore which he patiently and painstakingly reared. The years 1869-70 were largely occupied by a tedious and somewhat serious controversy in the Church Courts, which originated in the refusal of the Renton Gaelic Kirk-Session to give a certificate of membership to one who was alleged to have preferred an unproved charge against certain parties in the congre- gation. The actual merits of the case appear never to have been arrived at. Questions of procedure were endlessly under discussion, and as a study in ecclesiastical law the case is very intricate and interesting. The position taken up by Mr Cameron may be gathered from the following statements prepared by him during the progress of the conflict : — MINISTRY IN RENTON. XCV. "The Kirk-Session have agreed to obey the Presbytery's citation, certainly not because we think the Presbytery did right in citing us, but because we did not wish to show, even in appearance, any disrespect to the Presbytery, even when we are convinced that the Presbytery have acted irregularly and uncon- stitutionally. But although in appearing, as we now do, at your bar we have obeyed your citation, we cannot at present enter upon the merits of this case. This we regret, but I hope I shall succeed in showing the Presbytery that the blame is not ours. We have no misgiving in regard to the merits, and, therefore, we are not afraid to enter upon them at the proper time. So certain do we regard our ground, so far as the merits are concerned, that we are prepared to take the case, if necessary, to the General Assembly. " It is with the utmost reluctance that I have brought this case to the Synod. The Presbytery, however, have shut me up to this course. Had the Presbytery decided in Nov. as they did in March to send this matter to ' the Kirk Session to be dealt with according to the laws of the Church,' I would have acquiesced, although, as I stated at the time, I might have objected on the ground of informality. I suggested at the last meeting a course, of which some of my brethren approved, and which would have saved the Synod from the necessity of entering into the case. The course suggested, however, was not adopted, and therefore I have been obliged to come here. And now I must throw myself on the indulgence of the Synod. I have the whole Presbytery opposed to me, although some of the members, from the views held by them in regard to the points raised by my complaints, ought to be along with me. And further, the Presbytery, or those members of it who have taken the lead in this case, have had, I have reason to believe, the benefit of advice, of the practical value of which I have had myself at one time experience ; while at every turn in the case I have had to rely upon my own slender resources. T have had, I am happy to say, the unanimous support of luy Kirk- Session and the entire sympathy of my congregation, but my office-bearers have had no more experience than myself of cases of this kind. It was brought up on a reference from the Presbytery of Dumbarton to the Assembly of 1870, but was dismissed because ' the only ground on which the Presbj'tery in the circumstances could have referred this case would be that they had found inextricable difficulties in obterapering the Synod's judgment,' which was ' to remit to the Presbytery of Dumbarton to instruct the petitioner to make application to the Session for her certificate, and instruct the Kirk-Session to deal with the application according to the laws of the Church." On account of complications arising from Presbyterial posses- on and retention of Eenton Gaelic Kirk-Session records, and from XCvi. MEMOIR OP DK CAMERON. divergence of opinion as to the duty and interests of said session, this complicated case dragged its weary length along before Pres- bytery and Synod for more than two years after the above date ; when it seems to have taken end by a certificate having been granted to the petitioner by one of the Superior Courts of the Church. At all events, at Renton, 26th August, 1872 : — "The Kirk-Session, anxious that the n.atter in dispute between them and the Presbytery should be settled in the spirit of the decision of the Synod, agree to furnish the Presbytery, ex gratia, with extract minutes to show that the documents referred to in the petition of the Kirk-Session had been inserted in their minutes at the proper time and in the proper place." A much more important controversy, known as the Union negotiations, and affecting the respective interests and relative existence and constitution of two Churches^ — the Free and the United Presbyterian — was at its height about this period. It has been remarked that the discussions thus carried on with great ■ability and energy, from 1863 to 1873, might well be called a second Ten Years' Conflict. The questions of the Headship of Christ over the nations represented practically in the principle and fact of a national recognition and support of religion ; and of Voluntaryism or the sole dependence of the Church for support on freewill offerings, and the disavowal of the duty of the State to 'establish or endow any Church, were prominent in all the debates. Mr Cameron took a deep interest and played an important part in this crisis. He ranked very high in the counsels of the party ■opposed to an incorporating union of Churches constitutionally divergent. His intimate acquaintance with Church law, and his accurate knowledge of the old Acts that declare the constitution ■and secure the liberties of the Presbyterian Churches, stood him in good stead. His logical and acute mind often detected flaws •and faults in arguments and propositions that seemed at first glance fair and sound. Some of the leaders with whom he was associated frequently consulted him, and submitted proposals of moment to his judgment and criticism. In an able speech before his Presbytery, in 1 869, he indicates and reviews the history of the question of Establishment and the principle involved. The following quotations will sufficiently show his standpoint : — MINISTRY IN RENTON. XCvii. " I agree with Dr Cunningham that the Confession teaches that it is the duty of the Magistrate in certain circumstances, that is when necessary and expedient, not only to establish, but also to endow the Church of Christ— in other words, that endow- ment is one of the ways in which the Magistrate is bound, when occasion requires it, to do homage to the truth and to advance the interests of the Kingdom of Christ. iS[o ingenuity will ever succeed in distorting the plain meaning of the words of the Con- fession so as to make it appear that the doctrine of Church establishments is not there. The doctrine is there as clearly as the sun is in the heavens ; but the Confession does not say what particular Church, or Churches, ought to be established. That belongs to the practical application of the doctrine, and must be decided infereutially, after you have examined not only the con- stitution and character of particular Churches, but also all the circumstances that must be taken into account in deciding the question of present duty." " The statements of the Confession must be interpreted in the sense in which they have all along been understood by the Church — that is in the historical sense, or in the sense in which the framers understood them, until the Church herself authoritatively puts another interpretation upon them." The doctrine of a Scriptural alliance between the Church and the State, he shows to be embedded in the statements of the Con- fession, as where the Magistrate is to take order that all the ordinances of God are to be duly settled, administered, and observed among the people ; to be proved from the Scripture proofs attached to these statements ; to be held by the best exponents of the Church's constitution ; and to be undoubtedly found in the meaning and use of the word " settled," as given in Act of Assembly, 1647, and in Act of Parliament, 1690, by which the Confession was ratified and the Presbyterian Church Govern- ment " settled," that is, established in Scotland. Regarding the doctrine of spiritual independence laid down in the Claim of Right of 1842, he says : — " That independence, which Christ has conferred upon His Church, States can neither give nor take away. It is a right which she derives immediately from her living Head, and of which she cannot be deprived. The independence which the Church then claimed, and for which during the Ten Years' Conflict she contended, was not the right of self-government but liberty, as an Established Church, to exercise the right of self-government. . . G XCVIU. MBMOIB OF DR CAMERON. This Claim of Right is the noblest testimony in existence to the doctrine of Church Establishments, while at the same time it is a standing monument of the Church's faithfulness to Christ, her King and Head, whose Crown-rights she refused to sacrifice even for the advantages of State alliance and support." The doctrine of National Establishments is thus defined ;— " I observe that there is no security either for the inde- pendence of the Church, on the one hand, or for the independence of the State, on the other, except by their respective spheres being well defined, and by each keeping rigidly within its own sphere. But how is this to be secured 1 There is no third power to which the aggrieved can appeal, and which can control the aggressor. There is a rule — the Word of God — which defines their respective spheres and their relation to each other. But who is to enforce it ? It is evident, therefore, that the boundary line between their respective spheres and their relation to each other must be agreed upon by those powers themselves acting together in friendly alliance, and agreeing to take the Scriptures as the rule which determines their mutual relation, and to which the last appeal is to be made, when cases of collision arise." Hence the necessity of a mutual contract. " Spiritual independence includes a right of jurisdiction as well as of administration in spiritual things — a right authoritatively and finally to decide, without any appeal but to Christ and His Word, all purely ecclesiastical questions." " But the Church can have no security for the enjoyment and free exercise of her spiritual independence, in its j)rimary sense, except on the condition of her right to it as Christ's kingdom being recognised by the State. The truth is that Voluntaryism and Erastianism are not really two opposite errors, but two opposite phases of one and the same error." " The State's only defence agamst domination lies in the recognition of this doctrine, and the State can best fulfil the ends of its existence by actually carrying out this doctrine, at least so far as to recognise and co-operate with the Church of Christ in the furtherance of the cause of truth and righteousness." During the same controversy, and probably about the same period, Mr Cameron delivered a very able address on the vital doctrine of Atonement before his Synod. He copiously illustrated his theme by abundant quotations both from the men whose views he criticised, and from the men whose views he supported. Only a very brief and general outline of his position can be given here : — MINISTRY IN RENTON. XCIX. " i shall endeavour, first, to state tlie theory of the Atonement ■which goes under the name of the General Eeference Theory. This theory, which seeks to hold a middle position between Calvinism and Arminianism, appears to have been originated by John Cameron, Professor of Divinity at Saumer, who held that ' while the elect are, by an effectual and irrevocable calling, saved through the death of Christ, Christ died for all men, with the intention that they might be invited and called to repentance ; and that when so invited and called, it arises from themselves alone and the hardness of their heart repelling the means of sal- vation, that they are not saved.' This theory is, in a softer and less offensive form, that which, in our own day, teaches that Christ's death has given such satisfaction to divine justice for all men indiscriminately as has removed the legal barriers that stood in the way of the salvation of all men, and has, therefore, brought all men into what is called a salvable state. It will be seen that so far as satisfaction to divine justice strictly considered is con- cerned, this theory does not materially differ from that of Universal Atonement. It was supported by Cameron's disciples, Amyraut, Testard, Daille, and others ; and it was opposed by such theologians as Eivet, Spanheim, and Des Marets, and in our own country by Dr Owen. There were early indications of a tendency towards this doctrine in the Secession Church in this •country; but those tendencies were resisted, and the doctrine obtained no footing until it was espoused by the two Professors of the United Associate Synod — Drs Balmer and Brown." "Accord- ing to this theory the order of the divine decrees was, first, a decree providing that that remedy should be applied to some — the elect." " Second. But is this vievv of the atonement erroneous 1 I trust there are not two opinions in this Court upon that subject. Professor Macgregor, in a very able paper which he read before the Paisley Presbytery some two or three years ago, characterised it as Uncalvinistic, but not as anti-Calvinistic. I think a mind even less loijical than his would have little difficulty in proving that it is essentially anti-Calvinistic ; for there is really no half- way house, so far as the doctrine of the Atonement is concerned, between the Calvinistic view of a Definite Atonement and the Arminian view of a Universal Atonement." " It is unnecessary to state that this viow was condemned by Dr Cunningham and Dr James Buchanan. In former times it was supported by Baxter, but it was opposed by the greatest of British theologians, Dr Owen." "Let me now briefly state what appears to me to be the jiecessary consequences of this theory : — C. MEMOIR OP DE OAMBEON. " 1. It appears to me to destroy the proper substitutionary character of the death of Christ, for that death secures salvation for the elect, not because He was their proper substitute in His sufferings, but because in virtue of the decree of election a pro- vision which does not immediately result from the Atonement has been made for bringing them to avail themselves by faith of the common satisfaction. The Atonement is not thus a proper vicarious sacrifice, but a means which enables God so to manifest His displeasure against sin as to render it ' consistent with the perfections of the divine nature and the principles of the divine government ' to pardon sin. It thus affects the very nature of divine justice. " 2. The work of the Spirit in the application of salvation is not, according to this theory, the immediate fruit of the atonement. " 3. It affects the efl&cacy of the atonement itself. It is not a perfect but an incomplete salvation which the death of Christ, on this theory, secures. In point of fact, the efficacy of the atone- ment determines its extent (see Candlish p. 228 and p. 214). " 4. It really affects the character of the gospel offer. It is as a foundation for the universality of the gospel offer that this theory is adopted ; but it has in reality the very opposite effect (see Candlish p. 221). " 5. It affects the principle on which faith is held to justify and save the sinner (Candlish p. 214). "6. It does not meet the felt want of the awakened sinner (Candlish p. 215). " 7. The theory is essentially Arminian. It is a contrivance for relieving the conscience before the sinner has been led to despair of his own resources. The salvation which it provides is essentially salvation by vvorks ■ — salvation by the covenant of w orks. It is a salvation conditioned and contingent on something on the part of the sinner, call it faith, &o. (Candlish p. 226). " 8. It is based on an erroneous view of God's justice. " Third. But I come now to ask is the theory which I have stated the doctrine of the United Presbyterian Church ? It is not only tolerated in that Church, but is also held by some of the most distinguished ministers in her communion, who openly avow it, glory in it, and tell you that on any other theory of the atone- ment they could not give a free offer of salvation to sinners. Again and again this doctrine was indicated by the United Associated Synod, not only when Dr Brown was acquitted of the charges of unsound doctrine brought against him by T>r Marshall, but also on other occasions, as when that Synod, in 1843, after hearing the statements of the professors already alluded to, homologated their doctrine (Life of Brown p. 237). It is true that the U.A. Synod no MINISTRY IN RENTON. longer exists as a separate denomination, for it now forms part of the U.P. Church ; but many of the men who formed that Synod and who took an active part in defending Dr Brown and his views are still living, and are at this moment leading ministers in the U.P. Church. And they have the candour to tell you that they have not changed their views, which they held and taught in the U.A. S\nod. Yea, more, the United Church has formally sanc- tioned the same views." He then adduces the statement of Dr Wood, of Dumfries, in the General Assembly, that several distinguished ministers of the U.P. Church stated in the Union Committee that Christ satisfied divine justice for all men without exception. He next appeals to a reply by Dr Robson to a member of Presbytery who said he regarded Dr Balmer's views as heretical. 'In saying so you aiTaign the whole Synod.' Then follow the views to much the same effect of Drs Brown, Eadie, and Cairns. Replying to Dr Buchanan's eloquent reference to the services rendered by the Secession to the cause of true religion when much spiritual dark- ness prevailed in the Church of Scotland, Mr Cameron remarks : — " That is all quite true, but it has no bearing whatever on the doctrinal difficulty in the way of union with the descendants of those men who had done so much in their day in holding forth the light of divine truth in this land. It is not because the ministers of the U.P. Church are the descendants of the Erskines that I object to unite with them, but because they have departed from the principles and doctrinal views of the Erskines." Through the whole period of his ministry at Benton, Mr Cameron's hands were full of work. Having built a church, he had next to build a manse. A lovely spot on the hillside above the village, and overlooking the Vale of Leven, was chosen for a ■ site. From any knoll near, on a clear day, the classic Loch Lomond, with its famous islets, can be seen. A very comfortable, though not a very large house, was here erected. It often occurs in the experience of some men that they expend much time and toil on what their successors are destined to enjoy. It was so in this instance. After the manse had been cleared of debt, and when new book-cases were being fitted up to contain the tons of books that had to be housed somehow, a call came from the Isle of Arran, where further work in this and other directions awaited the willing toiler. CU. MEJVIOIR OF DR CAMERON. As has been incidentally noticed, after the passing of the Education Act of 1872, at the first election of School Board mem- bers, Mr Cameron was returned at the top of the poll. He devoted a great deal oif his time and energy to the furtherance of education, and was specially anxious, as we shall see later on, to help in every possible way the youth and students from the High- lands. The best summary of this part of his life is found in the parting address given to his much loved and son-owing flocK before he left them for Arran in 1874 : — " The position in which we now stand is a very solemn one. This is the last occasion on which from this place I shall address you, and on which you shall hear my voice as your minister. Other opportunities, I trust, I shall have of addressing to you the message of salvation, but it shall not be in the capacity of th& watchman solemnly commissioned to watch over your souls. This- naturally leads our thoughts backwards into the past, as well g,s forward into the future. Let us glance at the past. It is now twenty years, all except a few months, since I came to labour among you in this locality. I have, therefore, spent among you what may be regarded as the best vears of my life. The world has undergone many changes since — more, perhaps, than during any previous twenty years of its history, but to these I shall not make even a passing allusion. In the Church also changes have occurred. And in that branch of it in connection with which we are worshipping, changes have occurred which, in the opinion of many, affect not only its hereditary position and testimony, but also its very constitution. On these matters, however, I shall not at present dwell. Among ourselves many changes have occurred during that period. We then met for worship in the lower school- room. The two regular services were in Gaelic, for it was between two and three years thereafter before we succeeded, after a long- and keen contest with the Presbytery of the bounds, in getting permission to have an English service during the ordinary hours- of public worship. Then this church was built in 1858, and in 1859 the General Assembly sanctioned the forming of the station into a ministerial charge, and in November of the same year I was ordained as your minister. The relation, therefore, of pastor and flock has subsisted between us now nearly fifteen years. Of those who worshipped in the schoolhouse twent}' years ago, not many are now among us. Several of them are dead, and several hav& left the district and gone to other places. Of the office-bearers- appointed in 1859 only one is now alive, and the changes which MINISTBV IX RENTOX. ciii. our small communion roll has undergone strikingly illustrates the truth that here we liave no continuing city. " When I look back across the years that I have been in con- nection with this congregation, I find much that is fitted to awaken feelings of thankfulness to God as well as much that is fitted to fill me with shame and humility in His holy presence. In regard to causes of thankfulness, I may mention the following: — " 1. My bodily health, although I have frequently had severe colds and bronchial attacks which unfitted me partially for my work, has always been such that I have never been even for a single Sabbath necessarily laid aside from duty. For one Sabbath — and, so far as I can remember, for only one — have I kept the house since I began to preach, and on that one occasion I would have been here, had not the friend who took my place insisted — knowing that I whs unwell — on my staying at home. I have been often here when I could have wished, s'^ far as my feelings of fitness were concerned, that I had been very far away ; but I do not remember that I ever felt so wretched here as I felt on that Sabbath away from the ssnctuary. " 2. In respect of worldly support, I do not think I ever com- plained that my income was too small, and I do not now com- plain. Your own poverty prevented you from supplementing the amount which I annually received from the Church funds ; but I know that my oflBce-bearers were more anxious about my comfort than I was myself. So far as this matter is concerned I can honestly say with the Apostle that I sought not yours, but you. " 3. The peace and harmony which have ever prevailed in the congregation since the first day I came among you is to me a source of heartfelt thankfulness. We have had to contend with many difficulties, and we have had to arrange and settle many matters during the last twenty years, which might have led to serious diiference of opinion and even strife and division amung us, but with the good hand of the Lord upon us the utmost harmony and cordiality have hitherto prevailed at all our meetings, whether in the Kirk-Session or in the Managing Committee of the congre- gation. My earnest desire and prayer to God is that this unity of mind and feeling may prevail among you after I am separated from you. It is easy to generate bad feelings, and bad feelings generally lead to strife and division, which are always disastrous to congregations. " 4. The measure of outward prosperity which the congrega- tion enjoys is another cause of satisfaction and thankfulness. When we were applying for sanction many felt a difficulty in regard to granting it, because of the fluctuating character of the Gaelic population of the district, and some even predicted that if ClVi MEMOIR OF DE CAMERON. such a thing as a change in the manageinent in one of the neighbouring Public Works were to occur, the congregation woald be sure to disappear. It is cause of thankfuhiess that, although we have lost many of our adherents and most earnest supporters, by death and other causes, the condition of the congregation is better at the present moment than it had been at any previous time since it was formed. The large and increasing number of young people connected with it show that it is striking its roots into the native soil, and is becoming every day less dependent upon the more fluctuating than upon the general population of the district. The present arrangement in regard to the English services provides for the younger portion of the congregation who do not understand Gaelic, and for such of the natives of the district as are connected with it, the same i ■ppoi'tunities of hearing the Word of God on the Sabbath day which are provided in the other congregations in the neighbourhood : while the convenience of the Gaelic people is studied more than when there was only one English service, and a long and wearisome interval. I do trust, therefore, that the present arrangement will be con- tinued in future during the summer months, for I am convinced that it is the most suitable that can be devised with such resources as you have at present, and I would earnestly and affectionately urge the 3'oung jDeople to avail themselves of it, and to be regular in their attendance on the forenoon English service. In connec- tion with the outward prosperity of the congregation, and as a cause of thankfulness, I should mention also that the church and manse, which from first to last cost upwards of £2000, are entirely free of debt. " But it is not with unmingled satisfaction that I look back upon the past, for I can discover much that is fitted to fill me with shame and humility in the sight of God. I have often the feeliug — sumetimes I might say the painful and crushing convic- tion — that my ministry, my dear friends, among you has been, considered as to its spiritual and moral effects, a comparitively barren and fruitless ministry. It is well tliat we are not ourselves the best judges of our success or want of success in the service of Christ. In this lespect as well as in other respects, it is true that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts than our thoughts. The Saviour Himself had to say that He had laboured in vain, and that He had spent His strength for nought and in vain, but at the same time He could confidently say — ' Yet surely my judg- ment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.' I may have been to some extent of use in the way of instructing and helping those amoug you who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and MINISTRY IlSr RWNTON CV. ■who required instruction and edification ; but as to the great end of the Christian ministry — the conversion of sinners unto God — i cannot speak of great results. On the contrary, I know that many among you who have heard the word from my Ups are still unsaved. I know that some of you, notwithstanding public warn- ings and private admonitioQS, still continue in the practice of sins, which, you know full well, will ruin your souls unless you return and repent. I now solemnly beseech you, on the last occa- sion on which as your minister I shall ever address you from this pulpit, to seek the Lord while He is to be found, to call upon Him while He is near." CVl. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON" CHAPTER V. PASTORATE AT BRODICK. Aeran is divided into two parishes — Kilbride and Kilmory. The former comprises most of the east side, including Holy Island, and extending from Lochranza to Dippin Head. Its utmost length is about 20 miles ; its utmost breadth is 6 miles ; and its area is 38,985 acres. Its population in 1801 was 2183, and in 1881, 2176, of whom 971 were Gaelic-speaking. By far the largest proprietor is the Duke of Hamilton, under whose uniformly kind sway the people live happily. Brodick, on account of its central situation, though, like Edinburgh, not on account of the number of population, claims to be the capital of Arran. It was here with such surroundings that a new sphere was presented to the energies and gifts of Mr Cameron, who was inducted as colleague and successor to the well-known and highly respected Rev. P. Davidson on 3rd Sept., 1874. On this auspicious occasion there were present many representatives of several denominations, indicative alike of regard for the newly-inducted pastor and of the general sympathy the settlement evoked. It proved also predictive of the good feeling and mutual appreciation that existed in after years between the accomplished preacher and the vast variety of visitors from all quarters that frequent this very popular summer resort. A good deal of hard work lay before him. Lamlash and Corrie claimed a share in his services, and received attention to the full amount of their claim. In addition to three services on Sabbath and the- superintendence of the Sabbath School, two and sometimes three prayer meetings were held in different parts of this wide district during the week. Bible classes were likewise set agoing, and the young people attended admirably. Diets of catechising were regularly held at convenient centres during the winter mionths — an " exercise " recommended by long established usage and th& example of many worthy predecessors, and calculated to keep fresh in the memories of the people not only the Shorter Catechism, but PASTORATE AT BHODICK. CVll. the whole of the Westmiuster theology. He endeavoured to visit all the families of his flock once a year at least and sometimes much oftener, but I am afraid, like most ministers, he did not wholly escape criticism on this ground. Wherever anyone was sick he called very frequently at whatever cost of personal incon- venience to himself, and dealt very tenderly with the suffering and dying, as well as gently comforted the bereaved and sorrowful. It is said of Dr Gu.thrie that he remarked on his death-bed that if he had realised what it was to lie dying he would have dealt far more tenderly than he had beeu able to do with those near the end of life. Although pressed with pastoral work, Mr Cameron succeeded in finding time to take a deep interest and a very active part in educational matters. He unhesitatingly advocated the retention and teaching of the Bible and Shorter Catechism in schools as an indispensable part of all adequate training of youth. He took a special delight in examining children in religious knowledge, and did all in his power to secure prizes for them. But the Govern- ment Inspector has now almost entirely superseded the time- honoured annual ministerial visitation and examination of schools. It will readily be admitted that Mr Cameron took a fair share in the discussions incident to Church Courts, but it is not so well known that he took an important part in all Presbyterial business and more solemn duties. He acted for a time as clerk to the Presbytery of Kintyre, and was, if anything, too minute and accurate. The following address to a newly -ordained pastor will indicate his high ideal of the duties incumbent upon those who break the bread of life to men : — " I have now to address to you a fcvv words in connection with the interesting position in which you now stand. You have now been solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry — the most responsible and at the same time the most honourable work in which anyone can be engaged. 'We are unto God,' says the apostle, ' a sweet savour of Clhrist in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life.' Need we be astonished that he added, 'and who is sufficient for these things?' " My brother, you have now been appointed to an office for which you are not sufficient — for which no one in the world is sufficient — for which the might and wisdom and zeal of angels arg CVni. MEMOIR OF Dlt CAMERON. not sufficient, and, therefore, that in that oflioo you may be found a worker that will not need to be ashamed, it is necessary to tell you that your sufficiency, like that of the apostle, must be of God. He alone can give you success.. I have no intention of addressing you a lecture on pastoral theologj', although hints as to the divi- sion of your time, for example — what proportion of it should be devoted to study and what proporrion to pastoral work — would not be out of place, but might be useful to one beginning his ministry. I would not, however, discharge the duty laid upon me, nor would I be faithful to you, were I not to address to you a few simple exhortations bearing upon the position in which yoti now stand, and the office to which you have been set apart. "1. Be much in private, praying to God for grace to enable you to fulfil your ministry-. This exhortntion is so common-place that it is apt to be regarded as unnecessary ; and yet I dare not pass it over, but, on the contrary, I give it the first place. The apostles appointed deacons in the Church to attend to its outward and secular affairs, that tliey ndght give themselves continually to prayer and to the preaching of the Word. Prayer and preach- ing must go together. Without being frequent in prayer you need not expect to be successful in ijrenching. If you be not given to secret prayer, your ministry, you may depend upon it, will be fruitless. Speaking generally, a praying minister is easily known. He is full of life — his preaching possesses heavenly unction — and many other things will show that he is much with God. Earnest and believing prayer moves heaven itself. Jacob wrestled with God, and as a prince he had power with God and prevailed. You likewise will have power with God, and will pre- vail to bring down spiritual blessing upon yourself, upon your people, and upon the district 'in which you are to labour, if you will be a wrestler with God. " 2. Cherish habitually a holy frame of mind. This is the duty of all Christians, but without it a minister of God's Word need not expect to be successful. Tliorough preparation for the Sabbath by the study of the word is very good — is indeed abso- lutely necessary — and ought not to be remitted even for a single Sabbath ; but all your preparation will be of little avail to render you an edifying preacher to God's people, if you neglect to give your utmost diligence to cherish habitually a frame of mind suit- able unto the work in which you are to be engaged. The means to be used for cherishing a right frame of mind I need not occupy your time in setting before you, for no one can know anything of the life of God in the soul who does not from experience know by what means that life is to be sustained in vigorous and healthy exercise. PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CtX. "3. In regard to the preaching of the Word, let me earnestly guard you against being a mere professional sermon-maker. I do so, because this is a growing evil in our day. The faithful minister of Christ seeks to preach the truth upon which his own soul hves-the truth which he loves. The mere professional man preaches because that is his business. His sermons come from his head rather than from his heart, and, therefore, they do not reach the hearts of the hearers. They may instruct them— they may increase their knowledge— but they do not edify their souls. The article may be very good of its kind— it may show great natural gifts and resources— but it is not relished by the discerning Christian whose spiritual instincts inform him that the truth which the preacher sets forth, perhaps with eloquence and earnestness, does not come out of the treasures of a mind richly furnished with grace. He plainly sees that it has been prepared like any other article of merchandise to serve a purpose — perhaps for popular effect. To him it is lifeless and uninteresting, for it is artificial. No art in its composition, no earnestness in its delivery, no affected unction can render it edifying to his soul hungry for the bread of life. " 4. Preach the truth of God. Avoid ingenious speculations. God will acknowledge only His own truth. Let Christ and Him crucified be the burden of your preaching. Give prominence in your teaching to the doctrines of grace. There never was a time when there was greater need for exhibiting fully and faithfully and fearlessly the truth of God in our preaching ; for many keep it in the background, as if they were ashamed to own it, while many openly oppose it. It is unnecessary to tell you that you need not expect your ministry to be a fruitful one unless you honour the truth of God ; for, assuredly, if you do not, God will not honour you in your work. Be distinct and explicit in declaring what the truth is. Do not be afraid that in so doing you may offend some of your hearers. Faithfulness to Christ and to His truth and to the souls of those whom you have undertaken to instruct in the truth is your first duty. From the very outset of your ministry plant your foot firmly on the truth as set forth in the Confession of Faith and in the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. Do not be afraid of being called an exclusive preacher, if you be not more exclusive than God's Word is. I press this upon you. With all my soul and heart I urge it upon you, for I believe that your ministry and mine will be unsuccessful — will be worse than unsuccessful — will prove a delusion and a snare to souls, unless we give due prominence in our preaching to the cardinal truths of the gospel, such as the sovereignty of God in choosing sinners unto salvation, the vicarious sufferings of the Mediator, man's utter inability to save himself, either in whole or in part, the necessity ■ex. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. of the Spirit's work in quickening and sanctifying the soul, the obligation which rests upon the Christian to lead a life of holiness in the world. Let no one be in doubt as to the value which you attach to these truths, and the esteem in which you hold them. "5. Be not one-sided in your preaching. You cannot, uf course, cram all the doctrines of the gospel into every sermon you preach, but that is not necessary in order to give full justice to every tnith and full opportunity to your hearers to learn the truth as a whole. " 6. In all your preaching be plain and pointed — explicit and •direct. Be faithful to the consciences of your hearers. Ever realise the preciousness of their souls. Let your great aim be to bring them to Christ. Be not, therefore, afraid to tell them the truth. Warn the careless of their danger. Seek to lead those anxious in regard to their personal salvation to Christ in whom alone salvation is to be found — to be found freely by the chief of sinners. Strengthen the weak hand,s and coniirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, fear not. Behold your God will come with vengeance, even your God with a recompense ; he will come and save you.' Let your preaching be discriminating, and for that end seek the wisdom which will enable you to distinguish between the precious and the vile, and to give to the saint his own, and to the hypocrite and sinner tlieir own. Insist much upon personal holiness — holiness of heart and holiness of practice, on the part of your hearers, that God may be glorified by the fruit which they may bring forth in the world. And, in this respect, seek that you may be yourself an ensample xmto your flock. "7. Forsake not, either in preaching or in worship, the good ■old ways in which our fathers walked, and in which they were owned and blessed of God. You hear mvich said now-a-days about presenting to the people the truth under new forms or aspects suited to what is called the growing intelligence of our time ; but, for my part, I prefer the old aspects of the truth to the so-called modern aspects of it. Indeed, when I closely examine these modern aspects of the truth, I am often at a loss to discover the good old truth under them. The truth needs no pompous and affected style to recommend it. It disdains the conceited phrase- ology of philosophy. It relies upon its own native lustre — its ovm intrinsic glory ; and, indeed, one is tempted to conclude that he who thinks that to please modern taste the old time-honoured truths must be oast into new moulds and uttered in new forms of expression, m'-'st have little confidence in the native power of the truth or in his own acquaintance with it, and that, therefore, to cover his own weakness and deficiencies, he affects originality by means of a copious use of new forms of expression which are but PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXI. wretched substitutes for those which the Church, after great care and deliberation, has adopted, and which our excellent Shorter Catechism has rendered familiar to every child in the land. " Finally, my brother, I commend you to God, to whose service you have this day publicly, devoted yourself and have been solemnly consecrated. May the Holy Spirit fill you with all grace so that you may prove a worker that will not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Cast all your care in connec- tion with your work upon your Master and He will care for you. He will make His grace sufficient for you, and His strength perfect in your weakness. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and then whatever diflBculties you may have to encounter — what- ever trials you may have to endure — however arduous may be the duties you will be called upon to perform— in all the variety of your circumstances and experiences, He will help and deliver you, until at length you shall have been enabled by His grace to fulfil the ministry which you have this day received of the Lord." The Ee-union of the Presbyterians of Scotland, on the basis of the Confession of Faith and of the old statutes, was a matter on which his heart was set, and he fervently hoped that the Patronage Act of 1874 could be so improved as wholly to meet and adequately recognise the position and protest of the Free Church of Scotland in 1843. He took an active part in all the discussions and conferences bearing upon this question, and intensely regretted what he regarded as a departure or resiling from the Presbyterian principle of State-acknowledgment and support of religion on the part of the majority of the representatives of the Free Church as demonstrated by voice and vote in diflFerent assemblies. In the Assembly of 1875, he stated that he he'd that the Disruption became a necessity after the decision of the House of Lords in the Auchterarder case. Supposing there had not been another deci- sion by the civil courts encroaching upon the domain of the Church, it was impossible for the evangelical party to remain in the Church after that decision, without sacrificing both the rights of the Christian people and the jurisdiction of the Church. The Stewarton decision did not touch so sacred a matter as the Auch- terarder one. Sir H. MoncrieflF had candidly admitted that the Patronage Act would have satisfied the non-intrusionist leaders in 1842, but it would not have satisfied them after January, 1813. He thought it should, for they never had any idea of getting such an Act, which had completely eliminated the Erastian element CXll. MEMOIE OP DE CA.MBBON. contained in the previous statutes, and, therefore, the Church was now thrown back upon the statutes which formed the bulwark of her liberties. He then adduced the testimony of Mr H. Mon crieff of East Kilbride in April, 1843, who, in moving to overture the Assembly for the repeal of the Veto Act, said he attached much more importance to the principle of non-intrusion than to anything else, for if he could get an Act which would protect that one principle he was not for breaking up the 'Church. The recent legislation had swept away the whole foundation of the decisions against the Church, and the principle of spiritual independence was not sacrificed by the Church not being able, propria motu, to change the constitution of her own judicatories without consult- ing the other party. "Writing to a friend three years later, he says : — " The recent lectures of Dr Kennedy, and more especially his speech last week in the Free Synod of Koss, seem to me sufficiently clear and explicit. When you find a man of his strong views in regard to the present condition of the Established Church — especially in the North — declaring publicly that, were he to get the modification of the Constitation which he regards as necessary to meet his principles, he would feel bound for the sake of his country and for the sake of national religion, to sacrifice his private feelings to his conviction that it would then become his duty, as a Free Churchman, to enter into alliance with the State, it seems to me that you and your friends are bound to do all in your power to satisfy him and those who agree with him." He then indicates what is desiderated from the Legislature. " On the difficult subject of spiritual independence (excepting the matter of the Stewarton decision) we want nothing more than what you believe and what I believe the Established Church at present possesses. The Duke of Argyll has admitted that if there be any doubt as to the Church having been thrown back by the Patronage Act on the old statutes, it is but reasonable that the doubt should be removed. This can be done without any new definition of spiritual independence — without, in fact, anything of the nature of an abstract resolution on the subject A clause in the preamble of an Act to the following effect, which merely states an undoubted fact, with a sufficient repealing clause, would suffice : — " Whereas the government and supreme and exclusive jurisdiction of the Church of Scotland in all matters spiritual (causes ecclesiastical) as founded on the Word of God and set forth in the Confession of Faith (chaps, xxv. 6, and xxx. 1 and 2) have been recognised, ratified, and confirmed by divers Acts of Parlia- PASTORATE AT BRODICK. Cxiii. ment, and, in particular, by the Act 1592, entitled ' Eatification of the Liberties of the True Kirk,' and by the Act 1690, entitled ' Act Eatifying the Confession of Faith and Settling the Presby- terian form of Church Government : "And whereas by the Act 37 and 38 Vic. c. 82, entitled ' Church Patronage (Scotland) Act,' the Acts of Anne c. 12 and of Vic. 0. 6 and c. 7, and also all other statutes or parts of statutes inconsistent with the pi-ovisions of said Act of 37 and 38 Vic. c. 82 were repealed, and the right of congregations to elect their own ministers, and of the Courts of the Church to decide finally and conclusively upon the appointment, admission, and settlement of ministers, was recognised and declared : ["And whereas it is desirable that the right of the Courts of the Church of Scotland to decide finally and conclusively upon all other matters that come within the province of the Church as recognised and ratified by the aforesaid statutes of 1592 and 1690 should be re-affirmed :] " And whereas the Act 7 and 8 Vic. c. 44 is productive of much inconvenience in the erection of parishes, and is a barrier in the way of the union of Presbyterians iu Scotland who approve of the standards of the Church of Scotland : " Be it enacted ... as follows : — " I. This Act may be quoted as the New Parishes (Scotland) Act. " II. It is hereby declared that the right to erect parishes quoad sacra, and to invest the ministers of said office, including ruling in the Courts of the Church, belongs to the Church of Scot- land in the exercise of her supreme and exclusive jurisdiction as recognised, ratified, and confirmed by the aforesaid statutes of 1592 and 1690. " III. The Act 7 and 8 Vict. c. 44 shall be repealed from and after the passing of this Act : and also all Acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act : and also all Acts and laws inconsistent with the aforesaid supreme and exclusive jurisdiction of the Church of Scotland in all matters spiritual as recognised, ratified, and confirmed by the aforesaid statutes of 1592 and 1690, and, in particular, the Acts Eescissory 1661 c. 15 and 62 c. 1-2." In regard to the Bill prepared by Sir A. Gordon and Mr F. Mackintosh, to make further provisions in regard to the Church of Scotland; to facihtate reunion therewith of other Presbyterian Churches in Scotland ; and submitted to the House of Commons in 1879, Mr Cameron writes in reply to a newspaper criticism as follows : — Cxiv. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. " In your leading article on Sir A. Gordon's Bill, you gave as an illustration of the great powers proposed to be conferred upon the General Assembly that it could ' expel the Burgh Elders who represent the ratepayers at large.' The General Assembly, propria motu, admitted the Burgh Elders. It does not, therefore, seem a greater exercise of power to reject them, if it see cause, although there is not much probability of its destroying an element of representation created by its own exclusive action. Further, why should not the General Assembly, which admitted as members Professors of Theology who had no charges, and Burgh Elders who, as you hold, represent the ratepayers, not have power to admit ministers of chapels, if it see cause 1 In reference to the possible admission of ' lay assessors,' it is sufficient to remark that that would be un-Presbyterian." When another attempt was made in 1886 to pass a Bill to declare the Constitution of the Church of Scotland, Mr Cameron was energetic in his advocacy of the proposal presented with such ability and cogent reasoning to Parliament by Mr Finlay, and afterwards associated with his name. The important representa- tive Conference of Free Church office-bearers opposed to Disestab- lishment and Disendowment, held in Tron Free Church, Edinburgh, on 16th February, 1886, and presided over by Mr (now Sir) William Mackinnon, Bart, of Balinakill, approved of Mr Finlay's Bill, " which is to remove obstacles to the reunion of Scottish Presbyterianism," and considered that, if passed into law, it would aiford " a sufficient basis for cordial conference with a view to reunion among all who hold by the principles of the Reformed Church of Scotland." The final form which this great and comprehensive, and necessarily difficult question took in the mind of Mr Cameron may be gathered from the subjoined propositions of which he approved : — " 1. Legislation which would declare the Constitution of the Church of Scotland to be such as is set forth in the C aim, Declaration, and Protest adopted by the General Assembly of 1 842 ; such legislation to be accompanied by a measure which would render adequate justice to all the practical interests involved. " 2. That it is necessary for such legislation that it secure the following points : — PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXV. " (1) A clear declaration as to the divine source of the Church's jurisdiction. " (2) The repeal of all statutory enactments at present encroaching upon the Church's jurisdiction in spiritual matters. "(3) The restriction of the action of the Civil Courts to the civil effects only of ecclesiastical jurisdictions. " 3. That it is at the same time most desirable, " (1)- That such legislation should contain an express refer- ence to the aforesaid Claim, Declaration, and Protest. ' (2) That such legislation should in some manner effectu- ally recognise the just claim of the Free Church to participate in the civil benefits of the ecclesiastical establishment. " i. That the Bill introduced into last Parliament by Mr Finlay would, with suitable amendments, secure the above pro- visions. " 5. That a Committee be appointed to confer with Mr Finlay, and also, if thought desirable, with any representatives of the Established Church in regard to the various heads of these resolu- tions." It would almost appear that Mi- Cameron was destined to have on hand questions of law and liberty wherever he went — matters of moment, or the reverse, in regard to which some of his brethren and himself were hardly able to see eye to eye. When he left Ronton he was promised — informally, perhaps — that a new manse should be built for him at Brodick. The first step towards the realisation of this desirable object was taken in 1881, when a large and very successful bazaar — the first held in the Island of Arran, and opened by the Duchess of Hamilton — realised over £1100. It is admitted that no small part of the success was due to the high estimate formed far and near of the genially popular pastor and widely known Celtic scholar, for whose comfort the proceeds were intended. The late author of "John Halifax, Gentleman'' (Mrs Craik), who opened the bazaar on the fourth day, pictured in prospect the erection of a fine home for a hospi- table and good man. As sometimes happen, differences of opinion arose on this occasion, which rapidly developed somewhat later, when the report, amplified by rumour, got abroad that the Deacons' Court had decided to devote the interest, if not a small CXVl. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. part of the principal sum so obtained, under ample guarantee, tO' the building of a private house for the minister. The only founda- ' tion for this damaging story was, as the Deacons' Court records attest, a request by the minister that, as His Grace the Duke of Hamilton had offered him a site out of personal regard, the deacons, if they deemed it right, might permit him the use of the interest, and, if necessary, of a small additional sum to be collected by himself, for a few years. Three weeks later, apart altogether from outside pressure, or, indeed, knowledge of the proposal, hfr made a statement to the Court to the effect that he had thought the matter over, and deemed it undesirable that his private affairs, should be in any way mixed up with their public proceedings. And yet how much obloquy and unmerited remark he had endured for this comparatively trivial incident ! It even formed an element in the Lamlash case, of which it is difBicult to give a condensed and consecutive account. Several influences at work resulted in a petition for the erection of Lamlash into a mission station coming before the Presbytery of Kintyre, on 20th January, 1885. Mr Cameron's attitude: towards it is best given in his own words. On the part of the petitioners, •' There was shown no desire to have a separate mission station at Lamlash, and, therefore, no difference of opinion existed, until after I had expressed, in January, 1883, my decided disapproval of a proposal by members of Whitingbay Free Church, and some others, to place services which I had commenced at Lamlash some months previously, and which were admitted by alL to have been giving entire satisfaction, both to the native popula- tion and to the summer visitors, under the charge of the Free Church minister of Whitingbay and myself conjointly. But joint- moderatorships never work well, when, as in this case, it would be giving the minister of another congregation equal rights with myself within a district which had always formed part of the charge of Kilbride. It is true that I was of opinion that, in the interest of the Free Church itself, Lamlash should continue to- form part of the charge of Kilbride ; but, at the same time, I was willing that the new church, which my office-bearers and myself were preparing to erect, should be available, when finished, for special services for such as might not be satisfied with the services already regularly held at Lamlash in connection with the Free Church, and who might consider it too far to walk to Brodick or PASTORATE AT BEODIOK. CXVll. "Whitingbay. This ought sufficiently to meet the case of any who might be ' persuaded that their comfort and edification could not be satisfactoi-ily provided for ' by the Free Church services regularly held within comparatively easy distance of all the people at Brodick, Lamlash, or Whitingbay. " The statement that while the question of the erection of a station was in dependence, I closed an arrangement for the site behind the Established Church, is entirely erroneous. Between the time in January when, as stated in the preceding paragraph of the petition, the question was carried to the Presbytery for ■decision, and the time when three of the petitioners went to Mr Murray, the factor, about a site, I had no communication of any kind, directly or indirectly, with anyone connected with the management of the Arran estate. " The statement that I closed an arrangement for the site referred to, ' without the knowledge of the petitioners,' seems to imply that, in negotiating about a site for Lamlash, I was acting upon my own responsibility and without the knowledge of parties who ought to have been consulted in the matter. Now, the fact is that at every step in these negotiations, from first to last, I regularly consulted my office-bearers, who were the parties entitled t" be consulted in such matters. All the meetings of the Deacons' Court, at 'which these matters were discussed, were publicly announced both at Brodick and at Lamlash. It is not quite ■correct to say that the site accepted is ' behind the Established Church.' It would be more accurate to say that it is behind the Whitehouse, the grounds of which it overlooks. " In support of the prayer of the petition above referred to, two reasons were urged : (1) That I was not proceeding with the erection of a church at Lamlash, although I had undertaken to provide one ; and (2) That if Lamlash were separated from Kil- bride, the contributions of the Lamlash people to the Sustentation Fund of the Free Church, would be available for the support of the station. The Presbytery, without any reference to the merits of the ca^e, and without citing the Kirk-Session of Kilbride to appear for their interests, granted the prayer of the petition by a majority of five to two votes. Against this decision Mr Inglis, the elder from Kilbride, and myself dissented, and complained to the Free Synod of Argyle. " The case came before the Synod on 22nd April. The main argument stated in support of the decision of the Presbytery was the importance of Lamlash as a favourite resort for summer visitors. The Synod, after hearing parties, ' sustained the dissent and complaint, but in respect that the petitioners laid no statistics before the Presbytery relative to the population and financial •capabilities of the district intended to be erected into a station, CXVlll. MEMOIE OF DR CAMERON and that the Kirk-Session of Kilbride was not cited to appear at the Presbytery for its interests, remit the case back to the Presby- tery arid instruct them, if they see cause, to proceed in the matter acoording to the laws of the Church.' In this decision, Mr Inglis and myself acquiesced, and the Presbytery protested and appealed against it to the General Assembly. " The Presbytery having met by leave of the Synod, imme- diately after the rising of the Synod, agreed to fall from their protest and appeal. A motion was then made to cite the Kirk- Session of Kilbride to appear for their interests in the case at a meeting of Presbytery to be held at Campbeltown on 1 2th May, and to request the petitioners to supply for that meeting the statistics referred to in the Synod's deliverance. This motion having been carried by a majority, I dissented, and complained against it to the General Assembly, chiefly because the Presbytery proceeded in the case (1) without a certified extract of the Synod's deliverance ; (2) in the absence of the petitioners ; (3) without showing cause why further action should be taken, especially before there was sufficient time to elect the lay members of Presbytery ; and also because (4) the names of representative elders, who ceased to be members of Presbytery when the Synod rose, were put in the sederunt, and these elders sat and voted as members of Court ; because (5) a petitioner sat and voted in the Presbytery in his own case ; and because (6) the resolution of the Presbytery to proceed in the case with such undue haste, was contrary to the spirit and intention of the Synod's deliverance, which contemplated,, as stated by its supporters, giving parties in the case time to con- sider their respective positions in reference to the question in dependence. " Although, in view of the undoubted irregularities in the Presbytery's procedure, I would be fully justified in carrying my complaint to the Assembly, still, on finding that no practical advantage was likely to result, seeing that the General Assembly could not competently deal with the merits of the case when adjudicating as a Court of Review in a case of complaint against irregularities in the procedure of a lower Court, I fell from my complaint, and thus the decision of the Presbytery of 22nd April,, citing the Kirk-Session, and requesting the petitioners to supply the statistics referred to in the Synod's deliverance, became finaL The case would then come up in ordinary course at the first meet- ing of Presbytery after the General Assembly, to be dealt with under the Synod's remit, ' according to the laws of the Church f and should any complaints or appeals arise in connection with it^ the services at Lamlash, which admittedly had given general satisfaction for two years, would in that case be continued on the same footing for possibly another year, or until the meeting of the PASTORATE AT BRODICK. Cxix. next General Assembly, when the case, I ha\e no doubt, would be finally disposed of on its merits. This, however, was prevented by the proceedings which I shall now mention, and the matter was brought mto the unfortunate position in which it now stands. " Some time previous to the meeting of Presbytery, held at Campbeltown on 12th May, the Moderator of Presbytery wrote to parties at Lamlash, requesting them to get up another petition, and to forward it to the Presbytery. This petition, as afterwards appeared, was a new step towards the splitting up of the congre- gation of Kilbride, which is comparatively small, and has never been self-sustaining, into two still smaller congregations; and yet neither the Kirk Session of Kilbride nor myself have ever received any notice of it. It was not until the 22Dd May, and then only incidentally, that I came to know that the Moderator of Presbytery had written to Lamlash, and my informant could tell me nothing of the petition thus got up. " Crossing from Ardrossan to Brodick on Tuesday, 26th May, I learnt, also quite incidentally, that a petition from Lamlash was to come before the General Assembly, then sitting. But the friend who informed me of this, having only heard that there was such a petition, could tell nothing in regard to the nature or object of it. After I arrived at Brodick, I learned from the newspapers that the petition was to come before the Assembly that very day at the forenoon sederunt. This petition, I afterwards ascertained, was the same which was got up at Lamlash two weeks before by direction of the Moderator of Presbytery. In the interval the Presbytery Clerk apparently had charge of it ; but, although he had written me twice between 12th May and the meeting of Assembly, on matters connected with the Lamlash case, he never alluded to the petition to the Assembly. It was not until about a week after the rising of the General Assembly that I learned that, at the evening sederunt of the Assembly, on Monday, 25th May, leave was granted to the Presbytery of Kintyre to meet at the close of that sederunt for the purpose of considering matters connected with the petition of members and adherents of the Free Church at Lamlash, and that, at the same sederunt, the Assembly ' appointed the Committee on Bills to meet on the following day a quarter of an hour before the meeting of Assembly.' The petition stated explicitly that there was a division in the Presby- tery on the question of the erection of Lamlash into a station, and complained that, in consequence of my dissent and complaint to the General Assembly, the erection of the station had been ' with- held or delayed ;' and yet one of the parties in that division, unknown to the other party, ask leave of the Assembly to meet as a Presbytery when it was impossible for the other party to be present, or even to know of the meeting, and the Assembly CXX. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. grant leave, and also appoint a special meeting of the Committee on Bills, to facilitate the action of the party who had thus obtained leave to meet as a Presbytery. " The meeting of Presbytery was held that night, 25th May, between 11 and 12 o'clock, and it was then agreed to ask the General Assembly to appoint assessors to the Presbytery in the Lamlash case, and to empower the Commission at any of its stated diets to dispose of any complaints and appeals which might arise in connection with the case. On the following day, at the fore- noon sederunt, the petition which had apparently been passed through the Committee on Bills into the Assembly without any relative extract minute of either Kirk-Session or Presbytery, which, indeed, although asking the General Assembly to take action with a view of dividing an existing congregation, and of having a new one formed, did not pass through any of the inferior Courts, was taken up by the General Assembly, and parties were heard in support of it, although those chiefly interested, the minister and Kirk-Session of the congregation proposed to be divided, were absent, and had no knowledge of their proceedings. The main argument used at the bar of the Assembly in support of the prayer of the petition was the importance of Lamlash as 'a place of large summer resort.' The Assembly also took up the application of the Presbytery for Assessors, which, on account of the extraordinary haste in these proceedings, made it necessary to have the Standing Order anent the printing of papers suspended, to allow the minute of Presbytery of the previous night to be received m manuscript. The Assembly granted the application, and appointed Eev. Dr Rainy, Rev. Dr Adam, and others. Assessors to sit and vote in the Presbytery in the Lamlash case. It does not appear, however, that any action WES taken in regard to the Lamlash petition. Even the resolution of the Presbytery of 22nd April, citing the Kirk-Session of Kilbride to appear for their interests at a meeting of Presbytery to be held at Campbeltown on 12th May, which laecame final, when I fell from my complaint, was not, so far as appears from the printed proceedings, altered or amended. The statement in the petition, therefore, that the Presbytery, when they erected Lamlash into a mission station, were ' acting under a remit from the General Assembly,' does not seem to be correct, unless by 'remit' the appointment of Assessors be meant. The Presbytery, along with the Assessors, having met by leave of the (Jeneral Assembly in Edinburgh, on Saturday, 30th May, agreed then to meet again at Lamlash on 11th June, and to cite the Kirk-Ssssion of Kilbride to appear for their interests at that meeting. The Kirk-Session did hot appear at the bar of the Presbytery, but gave in an extract minute, in which, while still retaining the views previously PASTORATE AT BRODICK CXXl. -expressed by them to the effect that there was no necessity for a separate station at Lamlash, and that the erection of one would, by weakening the existing congi-egations, prove injurious instead ■of beneficial to the Free Church cause in the district, they agreed to offer no opposition to the Presbytery sanctioning, should they •see proper, a mission station there, the whole responsibility in the matter resting upon the Presbytery. After hearing a statement from the petitioners, the Presbytery agreed to form the district into a mission station. From this decision Mr Inglis, the elder representing the Kilbride Kirk-Session, and myself, recorded our dissent ; but we did not appeal to a higher Court. The newlj- erected station was placed under the charge of the Rev. Mr John- stone — a member of the Presbytery of Greenock — one of the Assessors appointed by the General Assembly to the Presbytery of Kintyre." It is important in this connection to call attention to a docu- ment signed by Mr Cameron on 29th May, and given into the custody of Principal Rainy, as it figures repeatedly in the progress of the case : — " Edinburgh, 29th May. — Mr Cameron explained that he was "willing to consent to the Presbytery taking charge of Lamlash, erecting it into a station, if they see cause ; that he agrees to abandon the site, leaving it to the Presbytery or people to nego- tiate for the same site or a better one, promising at the same time to do nothing to hinder their obtaining it. (Signed) " Alexander Cameron." It was expected that this proposed agreement, amicably arrived at, would end or tend to terminate the difficulty. But when the matter came before the Duke of Hamilton's Commis- sioner, the elasticity of interpretation was subjected to the follow- ing criticism by Mr Cameron, in a letter to Dr Rainy, of date .27th August : — " You can see from Mr Jamieson's letter that the memorandum which you wrote in Edinburgh, on 29th May, and which I agreed to sign, has left on his mind the impression that I had proposed, and even actually arranged, to make over, so far as I could, my interest in the site given me for a preaching station at Lamlash to the Presbytery. I was certainly pressed by yourself and friends to do what Mr Jamieson thinks I did ; but, as you are aware, I positively refused, because, as I stated to you, I believed that if 1 were to do what you wished me to do, I would be breaking faith with the Duke of Hamilton. What I agreed to was, as you know. pXXU. MEMOIE OP DE CAMERON. to give back the site to the proprietor, and to leave him free to give it, if he thought proper, to the Station. It is clear, therefore,, that your document which I signed is liable to misconstruction, and that consequently it is better for all parties that it should be withdrawn, which, as the party who signed it, I accordingly now do. It was an irregular thing from the first, for clearly you had no right to propose to me, and I had no right to agree, to sign a document of the kind without my Kirk-Session having been first consulted. I signed it, as you know, with the view of my being at once relieved of my obligations in connection with the church ordered for Lamlash ; and when that purpose failed, no further use should have been made of it ; nor should it have been engrossed, as it was, in the Presbytery Eecord without my express, sanction. But although I now formally withdraw the memor- andum, I still adhere to the resolution of the Kilbride Kirk- Session, of date 10th June, which was so highly commended by yourself and the other Assessors at the meeting of Presbytery on the following day. Of course, in agreeing to that minute, the- Kirk-Session did not surrender their right to make such provision as they might consider necessary for supplying ordinances to their own members and adherents at Lamlash. This was also expressly understood when I signed your document on 29th May." The question of motive in the whole matter will probably with most people be somewhat set at rest by an undoubtedly genuine expression of feeling in the following communication to the Duke's Commissioner, a most genial and learned lawyer : — " The obligations under which I have come in regard to a church for Lamlash were undertaken entirely in the interest of the people and of the Free Church cause in the district, and were the natural and necessary result of arrangements entered into, and of responsibilities assumed, long before the petition to the Presbytery for the separation of Lamlash from Kilbride came into existence. Of the fact of these responsibilities the Presbytery was informed as early as the 20th January, when the case came first before the Presbytery. I am satisfied that His Grace will not allow me personally to suffer in this matter. I am likewise- satisfied that he will not be the less disposed to protect my interests in this matter, if he should come to know, as Mr Murray and yourself have all along known, that in negotiating for a site- for Lamlash I acted as faithfully to the Free Church as I could have done if I approved as sincerely as I, for the most part, dis- approve of the public policy of those who now guide her counsels." On the 26th of October the following note was addressed to- the Moderator of the Free Presbytery of Kintyre : — PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXxiii. '^Eev. Dear Sir,— In reference tu the citation to the Kirk- Session of Kilbride to appear at a meeting of Presbytery to be held at Campbeltown to-morrow evming, to explain and defend, if it sees fit, the course it may have taken in connection with the erection at Lamlash of a building ' alleged ' to be ' a place of worship' 'in connection with the Free Church,' I have been instructed by the Kirk Session to inform you that it takes nothing to do with the erection of buildings whether in connection with the Free Church or not, that being a matter which does not come within its province as an Ecclesiastical Court. — I am, yours most respectfully." The reph- was this : — "At Campbeltown, 27th day of October, 1885, which day the Free Presbytery of Kintyre met and was constituted. " Inter alia, — It was moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to:— " 1. That though neither Mr Cameron nor the Kirk-Session of Brodick appeared to answer the citation of the 13th inst., the Presbytery understood, from information furnished to them, that a place of worship is being erected at Lamlash under the direction of the Kev. A. Cameron, of Brodick, which erection has not been authorised or sanctioned by the Presbytery. " 2. That no such building can lawfully be opened for public worship in connection with the Free Church of Scotland without the sanction of this Presbytery. " 3. That the Presbytery, disapproving of the way in which this building has been proceeded with, so far as it has been disclosed or can be gathered, hereby prohibit the opening of it for public worship. "4. The Presbytery appoint intimation hereof to be made to the Kirk-Session of Brodick, to the congregation at Lamlash, and also to His Grace the Duke of Hamilton. "Extracted by (Signed) Alex. Macrae, P.C." There must have been some mistake or misunderstanding as to the precise position of affairs at this juncture, as appears from the view taken of this deliverance by Mr Cameron, which was : — " At a meeting of Presbytery in October a motion was agreed to 'prohibiting the Iron Church from being opened for public worship.' This was quite incompetent, as the building was not Free Church or denominational property." Accordingly, about the middle of January, 1886, the Iron Church was opened by the Rev. Dr Williamson, Ascog, Bute, who preached in the forenoon from Ephes. ii. 19 and 22, and in the CXXIV. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. evening from Kom. i. 16. The day was very unfavourable, but the attendance was most gratifying, and the collection amounted to £32 13s 10 Jd. The structure presented an elegant appearance was most comfortable, and well lighted. The Free Synod of Argyll met at Lochgilphead on 28th April, 1886, and took up the reference from the Presbytery of Kintyre in the Lamlash case. It was moved and seconded — " That the case be referred iimpliciter to the Assembly." It was also moved and seconded — "That, inasmuch as the abandonment and acceptance of sites for buildings, and also questions directly affecting the erection, owner- ship, and possession of property, come within the province of the Civil, rather than of the Ecclesiastical Courts, the Synod decline to interfere in this case, moi'e especially as it appears that the building in question at Lamlash iu not Free Church property, and that there is no evidence that it has been opened in connection with the Free Church denomination." Fourteen voted for the first motion, and three for the second. From this finding Mr Cameron dissented. In May he stated that, although no money consideration could make up for the annoyance to which he and his people had been subjected, he was yet willing to acquiesce in any reasonable terms as to a satisfactory arrangement at Lamlash. But nothing came of any overtures that may have been made on behalf of either party in the somewhat complicated case, (t is not unknown that pecuniary difficulties affecting the Iron Church began, at and after this period, to press so heavily that at one time he contemplated the necessity of selling his furniture in order to meet all obliga- tions. But such a sad pass was fortunately and opportunely avoided by the generous intervention of unfailing friendship. The reference from the Synod of Argyll in the case of Lamlash came before the Assembly on Tuesday, June 1st, 1886. Mr Cameron was asked to go to the bar, but pointed out that he was not a party in this case, as it came before the Assembly by reference from the inferior Court. When members refused to hear him in the House but at the bar, he protested strongly against his having been compelled to take the place which he then occupied, stating that that was the first time he had ever known, PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CIXV. in aU his experience of Church Courts, of such a course being followed ; and he appealed to the Clerks of Assembly whether it was not as a member of the House, instead of as a party at the bar, that he should be taking part in this case. After parties had been heard, it was moved and seconded— " That Mr Cameron be asked whether he had received a title to the ground at Lamlash from the Duke of Hamilton in his own name and favour?" It was also moved and seconded— " That this question be not put to Mr Cameron." The first motion was carried by a large majority. But from this judgment Mr M'Ewan and nineteen other members dissented, because the Assembly had no right to interfere with the individual and personal rights of Mr Cameron, and because the question put to Mr Cameron involves another party, namely, the Duke of Hamilton. Two others dissented because '• we are not entitled to know whether the titles be in his own name." To the question put, Mr Cameron replied that this was a matter in which other parties were concerned, and that he did not feel himself at liberty to answer the question without their consent. He asked for time to obtain this, and then promised to reply. Dr Moir Porteous asked whether the Presbytery would now be willing to take over the Iron Church, provided the site could be secured, along with the consent of Mr Cameron ? Mr Johnstone replied that the Presbytery could not undertake to answer the question without communicating with the local parties. Mr John M'Ewan, Edinburgh— Is it a fact that Mr Cameron or his Deacons' Court has done anything to prevent the parties interested from obtaining a site ? Mr Cameron — We have done nothing whatever to prevent a site being got. The Duke of Hamilton decided that matter on his own responsibility, and after making enquiry for himself. Professor Thomas Smith moved : — " That the Assembly do not find that the Presbytery of Kintyre was called to interfere with Mr Cameron's exercise of that right which appertains to all ministers of the Free Church of conduct- ing religious services at any place within the district assigned to him ; while it is competent to the Presbytery, if they see cause, to take steps in the regular way for the disjunction of Lamlash CXXVl. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. from the congregation of Kilbride, and for the institution of a station there." Mr (now Dr) Stewart, Glasgow, seconded. Mr E. G. Balfour, Edinburgh, proposed : — " That the General Assembly find that Lamlash has been erected into a station ; that Mr Cameron has secured a site and erected- a church at Lamlash, and alleges that a few families there still adhere to him ; that the securing of this site and the erection of this church, which is understood to be the property of Mr Cameron, or under his control, constitute the obstacle which has rendered it impossible as yet for the station at Lamlash to obtain from the proprietor a site for a place of worship ; that Mr Cameron has erected the building in question without the authority or approbation of the Presbytery, and has caused it to be opened and kept open for public worship against the prohibition of the Piesbytery : — " The General Assembly find that Mr Cameron's conduct has been highly censurable, and all the more so because, on the plea of caring for some persons at Lamlash still adhering to the Brodick congregation, he has inflicted a grievous wrong upon the body of the people at Lamlash adhering to the Free Church. The Assembly prohibit and discharge Mr Cameron from opening the said church for worship on the Lord's Day, without the leave of the Presbytery, under pains of process for contumacy, &C." Mr Lawric, Tulliallan, seconded. Mr Neil Taylor, Dornoch, proposed : — " That the General Assembly, having heard parties, and con- sidering the peculiarities in the case, find that Mr Cameron was justified in providing a place of worship for the convenience of the adherents of the Brodick Free Church congregation residing at Lamlash, and authorise the Presbytery to take over the Iron Church, with Mr Cameron's consent, and on the understanding that Mr Cameron be relieved of the pecuniary obligations con- nected with the undertaking." Mr Macaskill, Dingwall, seconded. Professor Smith having withdrawn his motion, it was found that 104 had voted for Mr E. G. Balfour's motion and 39 for Mr Taylor's motion. From this judgment 10 members dissented. " 1. Because the motion of Mr Balfour is unnecessarily severe and stringent. 2. Because the second motion was sufiicient to meet all the purposes contemplated by Mr Balfour's motion without pain to any party.'' PASTOEATB AT BRODICK. CXXvii. The last reason is very significant and far-reaching; and a urid light is thrown upon it by this personal reference :— "After returning home from the General Assembly, I was attacked by a sort of nervousness which completely >mfitted me — although in other respects quite well — for any mental exertion — even the small amount of exertion necessary for writing letters of any importance. This feeling, the result, 1 believe, of the annoy- ance and worry to which I was subjected in Edinburgh, went ofi all a,t once when I went north to assist Mr Baillie at his Com- munion ; and during all the time I was there I was perfectly well. I preached seven times in five days, and on five of these occasions to very large congregations in the open air. AVhen I reached this (Brodick) the nervous attack returned, and except on the Satur- days and Sabbaths, when I have been obliged to exert myself, I have since felt quite helpless, so far as auy mental work is concerned. I am ashamed to own all this, but it explains my delay in writing you. I ought, of course, to have overcome this feeling, but it is not easy to do so. You have asked how the case of Lamlash stands since the General Assembly's decision. That decision prevents me from using the building for public worship ; nor can I give the use of it to any other party. I can preach to my own adherents at Lamlash in any place in the district except in the building erected by myself on the site givnn to me by the proprietor as a matter of personal favour. It will, therefore, be necessary for me to divest myself of the control of the building, at least for a time, so that my people may have the use of it with- out giving an opportunity of bringing a charge of contumacy against me." It was some consolation to him while thus suffering that he received a large amount of sympathy both from private sources and from the public press. To mention only two newspapers, which may be taken as representative, by way of contrast — the Scotsman and the Signal. A few sentences from the latter will suffice : — " If the preamble was designed to give a true represen- tation of the facts, it would have stated that Mr Cameron had received a site and had contracted for the church before the Station was erected." " Where is it that a Free Church minister comes under obligation not to open a church or hall for public worship within his own district without the approbation of the Presbj'tery f ' " In the preamble the Assembly say that the church is ' understood to be the property of Mr Cameron or under his control,' and then they prohibit him, under pain of Church CXXVUl. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. censure, from opening his own property for worship on the Lord'& Day !" " He may preach anywhere about this building, and he may even enter it and preach on any day of the week except Sabbath. " ' ' When the reference from the Synod of Argyll was stated' and sustained, the Synod, of which Mr Cameron was a member, ceased to be parties, and he was entitled to deliberate and vote in the Assembly, of which he was also a member, when the case was taken up upon the merits. Instead of this, however, he was com pelled to go to the bar, and was not allowed as a member of the House to speak or vote upon the case. In this way he was not only subjected to censuring and inquisitorial questions, but was. deprived of his constitutional rights." — (MoncrieiFs Manual, pp. 60-63). On the 24th of June an authoritative proposal was submitted to Mr Cameron to take the Iron Church — the site to be included — off his hands, at a sum to be fixed by valuation. But, considering- all that had taken place, it is hardly to be wondered at that he seemed to find it difficult all at once to reconcile this line of action with the interests of the members and adherents of Kilbride- resident at Lamlash, not to refer to personal considerations. On April 16th, 1887, an appeal — not without authority, and not in an unfriendly spirit — was urgently addressed to him to- come to a just and generous settlement, in view of the forthcoming- meeting of the Supreme Court of the Church, to which he replied on 1 8th April, clearly stating his position ; and with this com- munication may fitly close the case and correspondence, as far as he was concerned : — " It was about half-past ten o'clock on Saturday night when I received your letter, and, therefore, I had not sufficient time to reply to it before the steamer left this morning. Besides, I would like to have more leisure to bring out more clearly (1) whether or not the General Assembly ought as a matter of simple justice, and apart altogether from any questions as to the future use pf the Iron Church, to cancel the decision of last year in the Lamlash case, and (2) whether or not I have acted all along in this business, not only justly, but also generously towards the interests which you advocate, although I have often had sufficient provo- cation to dispense with the generosity. These are the two main questions raised by your letter ; and the first of them may easily be decided by reference to facts and documents, with which Dr PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXxi?. Eainy must be as well acquainted as I am, for he acted a principal part in connection with all of them, whilst a brief narrative of the actings of the Church Courts on the one hand, and of my actings on the other, in connection with this matter, will enable any unprejudiced person to form a correct opinion in regard to the second question- It is sufficient at present to say that, assuming that I am right in thinking that the decision of the Assembly has inflicted on me a grievous and cruel wrong, your proposal about taking ' the sting' out of it would only have the effect of adding insult to injury, although I know very well that that is not your intention. I cannot therefore be a party to any proposal in regard to that decision which will not, in effect, remove every trace of it from the Records of the General Assembly. " I find in your letter a mistake which it is nebessfi.ry to correct. I did not say that the parties into v. hose hands, as I expect, the control of the Iron Church will soon pass, are to act for me. They will act not for me, but for themselves, and on their own responsibility. They have a material interest in the building, which entitles them to assume the control of it ; but I am confident that they will deal both generously and wisely with any applications for the use of it, that may be made to them on behalf of any Free Church residents at Lamlash, who may wish to have special services there for their own benefit. I hope that this arrangement will result in giving satisfaction to all parties. When Dr Rainy called here in August, I informed him of my intention to divest myself entirely of the control of the building, and he considered that that arrangement would do, if the matter were to ' pass into the hands of responsible persons. Of course any parties who may have to decide on applications for the use of the building must feel that they will have to deal with a very responsible matter, although they will not be answerable to Church Courts." The only services held in the Iron Church after this, while it remained at Lamlash — from which it was ultimately removed to Glasgow — were one or two prayer meetings, over which, on a week day, the late Dr Smeaton of Edinburgh geniaUy and profitably presided. In October, 1888, Mr Cameron was beyond the pale of con- troversy. The subsequent steps in the conduct of the Lamlash case were not without considerable intricacy and difficulty ; but only a very brief summary of results can be given here — for the sake of completeness. Rev. M. P. Johnstone, Greenock, repre- sented the Lamlash people, and the present writer conducted the case for the representatives of the late Dr Cameron. It may not CXXX. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. be inappropriate, without attempting^to cover a tithe of the ground or of ' the various interests involved, to give one or two extracts from a correspondence that shows how the situation was simplified. In reply to a request by a deputation from the Free Church station at Lamlash for a new site on which to build a church, the Duke of Hamilton's Commissioner wrote on 24th July, 1889 : — " I wish in the first instance to make it plain to you and the other adherents of the Free Church in Lamlash, that whatever views may be entertained by you and others regarding the acting of the late Dr Cameron in connection with the existing site and the Iron Church on it, His Grace would never at the time that site was given have agreed to give any site which did not in his opinion meet the wishes and requirements of the late Dr Cameron and those whom he was supposed to represent in Lamlash ; and having — as the Duke has always had — a very great regard for Dr Cameron while alive, and a sincere respect for his memory now that he is dead, he will do nothing which would in the very least degree indicate a lessening of that regard or a diminution of that respect in connection with these arrangements ; and the only feeling which prompts His Grace to agree to the request of the deputation on this subject is the unanimity with which, as you represented, the adherents of the Free Church in the district make a request for another site ; and the Duke feels, looking to that unanimity, he can without the least reflection on Dr Cameron's memory agree to the request, but upon the conditions I am to name." (1) Eefers to locality of site to be pointed out 'and approved. " (2) As a preliminary to any such selection the Duke must insist that Dr Cameron's representatives shall be relieved of all the expenses which were incurred by him in absolute good faith in. connection with the existing site, and with the erection of the Iron Church upon it. His Grace feels that in making this condition he is only doing what is fair and right by the memory of the late Dr Cameron, and in the interests of his representatives, and because he is satisfied that whatever may be the views entertained by some of your body regarding Dr Cameron's actions, he (Dr Cameron) acted in this matter, so far as His Grace is aware, in the most absolute good faith, and in the belief that he was doing the best he could for the interests of the Free Church of which he was minister." The site offered met with warm approval and appreciation of His Grace's kindness on the part of the people ; but the condition attached was submitted to some criticism, which was answered by PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXXxi. an intimation that the cost incurred in getting and erecting the Iron Church " may be ascertained, if a difference of opinion shall arise, by arbitration between the representatives of the late Dr •Cameron and those who desire the new site." A Minute of Reference was then drawn up (by Mr J. A. Stuart, solicitor, Edinburgh) between the Rev. John Kennedy, on behalf of the owners of the Iron Church, and the Rev. M. P. Johnstone, on behalf of the congregation of the Free Church of Scotland at Lamlash, whereby they submitted and referred to the final deci- sion and award of James S. Napier, Esq., Glasgow, sole arbiter, mutually chosen by them to fix and determine the value of the said Iron Church. The arbiter's findings were given on 5th February, 1890, fixing the present value of the Iron Church at two-thirds of the original ■cost — a judgment in which both parties acquiesced. It is only right and what is due here heartily to pay a high tribute for per- fect fairness and frankness to the respected arbiter and to the corresponding representative. The final stage in this protracted case was reached when, on 1st June, 1891, the General Assembly took up consideration of a petition by members of the Kirk-Session of Kilbride, Arran, and by a large number of people, representing that the decision come to in this case by the General Assembly on June 1st, 1886, involved, in a way most painful to them, the name and memory of the late Rev. Alexander Cameron, LL.D., as also their Deacons' Court ; and requesting that the decision complained of should be rescinded, at least as far as it bore upon the office-bearers of their congregation and on the respected memory of the late Dr Cameron. I appeared in support of the petition, and briefly stated the history of the case, emphasising the desirability and necessity of granting the prayer of the petitioners. Principal Rainy said there was no new element set before the House. He hoped Dr Cameron had not suffered appreciably in health from that judgment, but undoubtedly he felt it. He was disposed to think that, however unable to review the judgment of J886 it must be an exceptional case that would lead them to do ^jjj^t the Assembly would be willing to come to any finding that -would have a solacing effect upon the minds of those to whom the XXXll. MEMOIR OP DB CAMERON. memory of Dr Cameron was dear, or who had regard for him. H& accordingly moved : — " Find that no charge against any of the office-bearers was made or suggested in the judgment of 1886 which is referred to in the petition. With regard to Dr Cameron,, the Assembly declines to review the judgment of 1886, but they willingly express their respect for the memory of Dr Cameron, and disclaim any desire to reflect oh the motives under which he' acted." Mr (now Dr) William Balfour, Holyrood, Edinburgh, seconded' the motion, and animadverted on the harshness of the judgment of 1886, in the case of one who was doing his utmost to further the- interests of his people ; but he gladly acquiesced in the tribute now paid to Dr Cameron's memory, for whom he had the greatest possible respect and regard. The motion was unanimously agreed, to. , The home life of Mr Cameron was a complete contrast to the- estimate formed by some of him from casual acquaintance or from rumours about his ecclesiastical contendings. Rev. Dr Goold, Edinburgh, in a time of deep bereavement, begins a letter to him thus : — " We don't often meet, and we sometimes do not see eye to> eye, but I hope there is no lack of personal friendliness between us. In this belief I venture to trouble you with an enquiry." It was, like that of many others, in reference to summer quarters — a matter that he readily and gladly attended to — as he. could thereby often oblige both strangers and natives. The following note to Mrs Kennedy, Dingwall, at the time of her sorest trial — the death of her beloved husband and his dearest friend, Dr Kennedy — shows the same sympathetic and deeply- touched heart-chord : — " I am sorry not to have been able to call, were it only to- shake hands with you, for I did not wish at present to intrude upon you, nor even to refer to your great affliction, which, notwithstanding all the sympathy that friends may show, you must long bear alone. And yet not alone ; for the Master, whom he who has been taken from you so long and so faithfully served, will, I trust, be Himself with you and yours, according to His. promise." ^ PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXXxiii. As is well and widely known, his hospitality hardly knew any bounds. It was a great pleasure and a literary treat for him to meet many of those who frequently called, and in this way he sometimes formed life-long friendships. He was exceptionally liberal and mindful in giving money to any who were in need ; and occasionally, as often happens, some of those not the neediest or most deserving succeeded in sharing in what could not always well be spared. At all events, as he sometimes playfully remarked : — " Money does not remain long with me." In regard to a proposed new hall at Lamlash he writes : — " I regret that in ■consequence of several calls of a similar kind which I have at present to meet, I cannot contribute a larger sum than one guinea, which I now enclose." In 1887 he was busy endeavouring to secure a suitable site for a hall at Brodick mainly for prayer-meetings ; and also arranging as to a central site for a new Free Church at Corrie ; but as in the •case of building a new manse for personal comfort, all these long- thought- of proposals were destined to be handed down to his successor — one soweth and another reapeth. In writing to two literary and life-long friends — Eev. Mr and Mrs Auld, Olrig — under date 6th August, 1887, in connection with communion services, Mr Cameron confesses he would not like to leave Caithness without having the pleasure of seeing them, and adds — " I have not had an idle Sabbath for years, and I would enjoy one, if I shall not be in your way.'' All who have had the privilege of even a brief day in the happy home and society so much appreciaq.ed by Dr Kennedy will readily acquiesce in the above estimate and prospect. During 1888, in spring and in summer, the doctors — local and visitor — repeatedly recommended him to rest, and pressed him to remove to some retired place to recruit. But he put off from day to day in hope that when the strangers should be gone it would be easier for him to take a change. It was noted by many that he seemed to devote the summer wholly to pastoral work — writing out admirable sermons in full, and occasionally reading a large part of them from the pulpit on account of failing health. It was remarked by visitors and natives alike that he never preached more powerfully or profitably than during the last year of his hfe. CXXXIV. MEMOIR OF DR CAMEROX. Probably lie felt that his opportunities of pleading with men were' fast passing away, and, therefore, put all his ardour into his. appeals. On the 18th of April the University of Edinburgh, his alma mater, conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D., in recognition of his great services to Celtic scholarship. It is no secret that the University of Glasgow had in view to bestow a similar honour upon him had it not been that it was anticipated by Edinburgh. Along with Mr Cameron was capped en old fellow student, Mr Oliver, of Dennistoun, who received the D.D. degree. Many congratulatory letters reached him on this occasion. One wrote : — " Your old friends rejoice with you in your promotion, and hope that you will long be spared and known as Dr Cameron. What a pity that you had not a lady to share the charms of it with you." It need hardly be added that he was never married. In this he was like Immanuel Kant and many other distinguished men, who seemed to dread the possible rivalry between books and looks. Nevertheless it is scarcely regarded as the ideal life. Another remarks : — " I have very great pleasure in offering you the hearty congratulations of myself and family on your having had conferred on you by the Edinburgh University the distinguished degree of Doctor of Laws. It is extremely gratifying to us all, as it must also be to your other friends, that you should have received such a well-merited honour." Another says: — "Will you allow me to congratulate you most enthusiastically on the honour which the University of Edinburgh has conferred upon you ? It must be a cause of eager gratification to every former student of yours that your work for Celtic Philology and your attainments in that department are at length officially recognised. But to one who has so long known and proved you, not only for a master, but for a true friend, it is doubly pleasing to hear of the distinction proposed to be conferred." One other note will sufl5ce : — "At Campbeltown, 27th March, 1888, which day the Free Presbytery of Kintyre met and was constituted inter alia, Mr Macqueen called the attention of the Presbytery to the fact that the degree of LL.D. had been conferred on one of their number, Mr Cameron, of Brodick, and he moved that the Presbytery express- their congratulations with Mr Cameron on receiving from the most PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXXXV. illustrious Univevsity in the kiugdom its highest degree. Conscious that this brother has well earned this honour by his well-known abilities, and especially by his labours in connection with Celtic literature, they hope that he may be long spared to enjoy the distinction so lionourably conferred upon him. " The motion was seconded by Mr Mackenzie and unanimously agreed to. " Extracted by A. Maceab, P.C." A melancholy and pathetic interest attaches to this kindly and appreciative record : for this was Dr Cameron's last, and the writer's first appearance at the Presbytery. He was not destined to wear the honour long ; but it was well that his ripe scholarship had received this lasting mark of recognition. In reply to the congratulations of Dr Aird — so soon to be the venerable and honoured Moderator of the Inverness Assembly, and in answer to his desire for information about Gaelic Bibles and Psalm-books, regarding which he is pleased to say — " No other man but yourself can tell accurately the dates," Dr Cameron writes : — " I beg to thank Mrs Aird and yourself very sincerely for your kind congratulations. The honour of which the Senatus of the Edinburgh University have judged me worthy, I neither sought nor expected ; and [ can say without any false humility that I do not consider myself to be really deserving of it. It is not for me, however, to quarrel with the opinion of the Senatus and of your- self and other friends on this point, but rather by more application to work in the future, if the Lord will be pleased to spare me for a few years longer, to endeavour to make up, to some extent, for my shortcomings in the past. " I have to apologise for not sooner acknowledging your kind letters. The last— that of the 27th ult.— I received on Saturday last on my return home after some days' absence ; and during the past days of this week I was very busy with work which I was anxious to get out of my hands before sitting down to acknowledge the congratulations of yourself and other friends. Your letter of the 23rd 1 received before leaving home to attend our Presbytery meeting in Campbeltown, and I expected that while there I might be able to get definite information in regard to the date of the publication of the first complete edition of the Synod of Argyle's metrical translation of the Psalms. Dr Russell, one of the Established Church ministers of Campbeltown, is the Presbytery Clerk of the Synod of Argyle, and has in his custody the Synod flecords. I had hoped that I might have been able to call on Dr Russell and see the Records, which contain much valuable infor- CXSXVl. MEMOIR OP DR CAMEROX. mation in regard to the eiForts of the Synod to get the Scriptures and Psalms circulated among the Gaelic-speuking people. I was not, however, able to call in consequence of our sitting having been a very lengthy one, and of my having to make some prepara- tion for a discussion on the overture on ministerial inefficiency, which I regard as wrong in form, wrong in principle, and not fitted to serve the end which it is intended to promote. Our Presbytery, however, passed it by eight votes against four. My opposition was in vain, and I might have been more profitably employed searching the Kecords of the Synod of Argyle : but of course it was my duty to be in the Presbytery. " It was astonishing that so few ministers in the Northern Presbyteries refused to conform to Episcopacy in 1662. I believe of the Established Church ministers of the present day would become Episcopal if they could ; but the Presbyterian Con- stitution of the Church of Scotland, as contained in the Statutes of the Scottish Parliament, prevents them. " I do not know much about the religious history of Argyle- shire after tlie Revolution ; but it is a very interesting subject, and well worth study. There was a Mr Donald Campbell in Kilmiohael-Glassary, who was an evangelical preacher. The people were very ignorant and irreligious when he went among them. He published some sermons on the ' Sufferings of Christ,' which were translated into Gaelic and published before the end of last century. A second edition was published in 1800. I have the English edition and the two Gaelic editions. I have also another volume published by this Mr Campbell. " I shall write soon auain if I can get more information for you. You ought not, however, to let your own stores of valuable information in regard to the traditional religious history of the North Highlands die with yourself. — With kindest regards, I am, yours sincerely, "Alexander Cameron. " Brodick, 9th April." In a letter dated Brodick, 17th March, 1888, addressed to Dr Aird, and referred to in the last, Dr Cameron gives a great deal of valuable information about Gaelic books, that ought to be remem- bered. He says : — " I am sorry that I have been so long without replying to your esteemed letter of 1 2th inst. I was at Lenimore on Sabbath intro- , ducing Mr Kennedy to his people there ; and having had to go to Edinburgh on Monday, I did not get home imtil yesterday after- noon. "The 'Caogad,' or first fifty Psalms, put into metre by the Synod of Argyle, was published in 1 659. The Synod did not com- PASTORATE AT BRODICK. CXXXVll. plete its metrical version until 1694, but I do not know whether ■or not the completed version was published in that year. Reid, in his ' Bibliotheca Scoto-Celtica,' says that the first completed edition was published in that year, but that he had never been able to meet with it. The first completed edition of the Synod of Argyle's version that I have seen was published in 1702. This is also the oldest edition Reid had seen. It has the 3rd edition of the Shorter Catechism (same date) bound up with it, the 2nd edition ( 1 659) having been published with the ' C'aogad.' One would think that if the Synod of Argyle's completed version was published in 1694, the 3rd edition of the Shorter Catechism would be published along with it, whereas the 3rd edition was not published until 1702, according to the title-page of the edition published in that jear. '' The next oldest edition of the Synod of Argyle's version that I have got was published in 1738, with which the 6th edition of the Catechism is bound up. Between the edition of 1702 and that of 1738, two editions were published, one in 1715 and the other in 1729. "A metrical version of the whole Psalms, by Mr Robert Kirke, minister at Balquhidder, was published in 1684, but there •never was a second edition. It does not appear to have been much used. I have the ' Caogad ' and also Kirke's Psalter, but they are very scarce. " The date of the first edition of the Shorter Catechism is not known. The second edition, as I have stated, was published in 1659. " The first edition of the New Testament into Scottish Gaelic was not published until 1767. It was prepared by Dr James Stewart, minister of Killin. The first edition of the Old Testa- ment was published in four parts, and at different times. The 1st part, containing the Pentateuch, was published in 1783 ; the 4th part, containing the Prophets, in 1786 ; the 2nd part, containing Joshua to the end of 1st Clironicles, in 1787 ; and the 3rd part, ■containing 2ud Chronicles to the end of Song of Solomon, in 1801. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd parts were prepared by Dr John Stewart, minister of Luss, and son of Dr James Sfewart, and the 4th part by Dr John Smith, of Campbeltown. " The Old Testament, translated into Irish by Bishop Bedel, -was published in London in 1685. Some 200 copies were sent to Scotland for use in the Highlands. The Irish New Testament was published in 1603, and a seco:id edition, prepared by Bishop O'Donnell, was published in 1681. A copy of this edition is bound up with my copy of Bedel's Old Testament. The volume belonged to the late Marquis of Breadalbane, at the sale of whose library I purchased it. "In 1690 Bedel's Old Testament and O'Donnell's Ne.v Testa- ;ment were published in London in one volume, in the Roman CXXXVm. MEMOIR OP DE CAMERON. character, for the use of the High]anders of Scotland. There were- also copies of the Testament bound separately. Mr Eobert Kirke,, of Balquhidder, was the means of procuring this boon to the- Scottish Highlanders ; and hence this edition is usually called after him, ' Kirke's Bible.' Another edition of the Irish New Testament, in the Koman character, for the use of the Scottish Highlanders, was published in 1754. The publisher was John Orr,, a bookseller in Glasgow. "The publication of Kirke's Bible in 1690, and the reprint of the New Testament in 1754, both in Irish Gaelic although not, like Bedel's Bible, in the Irish character, were the only steps taken to make the Scriptures available for our Highland countrymen previous to the publication of the New Testament in Scottish. Gaelic in 1767 — a little over a century ago. " I hope that these hurried notes will be found to supply the- information you wish to get. I need not say that I shall be delighted to give any further information that I may possess and that may in the least interest you." These letters read like Mr E. Gosse's " Gossip in a Library" — only Dr Cameron's is a Gaelic library, but not the less interesting on that account. He struggled on through the summer and autumn months, working excessively hard, paying pastoral visits to his people, and regularly calling for the strangers. He did not seem to have secured as many ministers on holiday to take a sermon for him as he was wont to do, for he was almost proverbially successful in persuading reluctant preachers to go to the pulpit for an hour At last, in the early days of October, when he could no longer fight against growing weakness and the rapid advance of several diseases that affected heart, liver, and latterly, lungs, he agreed to go to Strathpeffer ; but he was under promise, at the same time, to assist the late Mr Baillie, Gairloch, at his communion, and hoped against hope that he would be able to fulfil his engagements He only, however, succeeded in arriving at the hospitable home of his old and most kind friend, Mrs Fullarton, Woodside Place, Glasgow — now in her hundred and first year — when violent bleed- ing at the nose set in, and he was quite prostrated. Only at this j uncture did he allow his Gairloch appointment to be telegraphi- cally cancelled ; and he managed, with great difficulty, to go through to Edinburgh, where he was at once laid up in Holyrood Manse, under the hospitable roof and genial care of his unfailing PASTOEATE AT J3KODI0K. CXSxix^ and ungrudgiugly kind friend, Rev. Dr \Villiam Balfour. Here he lingered for several weeks, battling against overwhelming odds, but brave and patient throughout all his trying illness. He had the very best medical advice from Dr George Balfour and Dr T. A. G. Balfour, George Square, who were uuremitttiug in their attendance and kindness. He received visits from many sym- pathetic and sorrow-stricken friends, who had a few months before hoped and prayed that he might be spared for many years to con^ tinue and crown his life-work ; but it was otherwise ordained, and he unmurmuringly acquiesced in the will of God. He was nursed assiduously and admirably, under the superintendence of Miss. Balfour, by one of her servants, and by his own housekeeper. Miss Jane Currie, who was called to Edinburgh when it became evident that he could never see his much-loved home and people at Brodick. He had also the careful attention and unwearied assist- ance of Rev. J. K. Cameron — who succeeded him in the pastorate at Brodick — during the last three weeks of his heavy trouble ; and, being an eye-witness of the closing days of Dr Cameron's life, he kindly supplied the following touching account : — " The worth of a man, and the nature of the Christian profes- sion, are always more or less tested on a sick bed, especially when the hope of recovery gradually lessens at the apparent approach of death. The triumphs of faith in such circumstances as these are often very remarkable. To those who were favoured with a measure of the confidence of, aud whose painful lot it was to see the late Dr Cameron during the three weeks of suffering, ■ in Edin- burgh, which terminated in his lamented death, it was very- apparent that his was no mere profession which could not stand in the hour of trial. To a remarkable degree it was seen that it was. the man who lived that was there contending with death and the realities of eternity. His patient suffering, and whatever few remarks his painful suffering permitted him to utter, bore ample testimony to the fact. " For several days he clung to a very strong hope of recovery, but it weakened with a gradual sinking of bodj- under his disease. Notwithstanding all the aid that medical friends did render him, his condition from the first appeared to his friends to- be very critical, yet he himself for some time failed to realise that it was so much so. This helped to strengthen his hope of eventually overcoming the disease, at least in a measure. Proof of how little he realised his true condition was afforded by the fact that he proposed to leave Edinburgh on the following morn- •0x1. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. ing after his arrival there for to proceed to Gairloch, in the west •of Eoss-shire ; -which is reached by irain to Auchnasheen on the Dingwall and Skye Eailwa}', and thence by coach for a distance of thirty miles. He was to have assisted at the Gairloch Communion services. He intended thereafter to return to the favourite Spa of StrathpefFer, and there rest for some weeks. He had a strong personal desire to be at Gairloch because of how refreshing the Communion gatherings there, on previous occasions, proved to his own soul. His services, too, were always in request in the north •of Scotland, where he was very much appreciated by the Lord's people as a preacher of the Gospel. It was, however, his promise, given some time previously, to be there which most determined his purpose. " His ministry at Brodick was not without peculiar trials and ■difBculties, but the people of his congregation had always a warm place in his heart. They were much on his mind durinp' his last illness ; and he desired much, if it were the Lord's will, to be restored to such a measure of healtli as that he would be able to go back to work a^ain among them. He left Brodick immediately after the close of a busy sunmier season ; and on account of the many visitors who frequent the place, representing, as they do, so many different classes of society and so many parts of the country, the importance of the place deeply impressed itself vipon him, because of the opportunity that is there afforded to a preacher to preach the Gospel to so many of his fellow men. Indeed, the whole interests of the congregation continued to the end to hold a place in his thoughts second only to his own spiritual Avelfare. Even the night, before he died, when he began to calmly put his house in order, his Communion at Brodick was the first thing he arranged for. However strongly, ho-vvever, he expressed a desire to remain to work among his people, he always beautifully joined with such a desire a strongly expressed prayer for the grace of resignation to whatever the will of the Lord might be towards him. " His estimate of his own work in ths ministry was very Jow. During his last illness he dwelt much upon himself as an unprofit- able servant. Indeed, to himself that work almost seemed a failure, though there is much testimony to its having been other- wise. However low his estimate was, yet his heart was in the work, and he greatly appreciated all scriptural efforts made by others in it. To many it seemed strange that he should have given so much of his time and talent to the prosecution of his Celtic studies rather than to the real work of the ministry. From his own lips there was the testimony that this was not due to any want of love for the one, or entirely due to his love for the •other. However strong his love of Celtic scholarship may have PASTORATE AT BRODICK. Cxlf. been, it was the desire of doing some service for the benefit of others that caused him to prosecute his studies with such devotion. " A zeal for the honour of Christ characterised all his work in the Church. And, when he was called upon either in or out of Church Courts to stand in defence of Christ's honour, he did so fearlessly. The spirit which ruled in him in such matters became apparent during his illness in a conversation which he had with two of his city brethren. Their conversation at one point turned upon the supply for his pulpit at Brodick. He mentioned one man by name whose preaching met with a measure of acceptance by his people. One of his brethren jocularly asked him whether he were jealous of such a man. He replied in all earnestness that he considered himself honest in saying that he was jealous of no man who might become popular through his truly preaching the- Gospel, but that he was jealous of men who became popular whom he knew did not truly preach the Gospel. " Throughout his illness he appeared to maintain his professed reliance on the merit of the atoning death of Christ ; yet his few last weeks of sickness had not for him a cloudless sky. He had his mental strife, and no presumptuous delusion could bring peace to his troubled spirit. Only true peace could satisfy a soul exercised as his then was. An intimate friend called one day to see him, but on account of the weak state in which he found Dr Cameron at the time, he said very little to him. When, however, he rose to leave him, he said : — ' There remaineth a rest for the jjeople of God.' 'Yes,' replied Dr Cameron, 'that is true, but it is one thing to speak of it, and one thing even to preach of it, but I can assure you from experience that it is a different thing to make personal application of it.' " On another occasion he was greatly awed with the thought of eternity, which he saw about to break upon him ; and the solemnity with which he three times in succession uttered the word eternity, is not to be soon forgotten by those who heard him. " It was well that it was not all darkness. He retained in his illness much of his wonted reticence, yet it was apparent that there was light at times penetrating the darkness, and that he had moments of true joy in the midst of his sufFerings. Some such moments as these were enjoyed by him from the visits of the late godly Dr Smeaton, whose prayers were very refreshing to him. " Towards the close he as much desired to be away as he at first desired to remain. The time seemed long till he should pass in to be with his Saviour. " The last attempt he made to speak was a few hours before his death, but what he said could not be heard. Thereafter he became unconscious ; and after a few hours in this state, he peace- fully fell asleep." 'Cxlii. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. The congregation for whose welfare he felt so anxious on his •death-bed were not unmindful of him, and showed their continued attachment by subscribing a sum of £40, with which they intended to present him on his home-coming if he should recover. But when it became evident that the end was approaching, Mr John Hastings, Lamlash, one of the elders, and a most faithful and attached friend to Dr Cameron, was requested to convey the people's kindliest wishes, and take £20 to him in Edinburgh — a parting gift which the dying pastor pathetically and thankfully received. This was not unlike the spontaneous action of the Metropolitan Tabernacle flock who, the other day, subscribed £700 for the comfort of one of the world's greatest preachers. The result proved similar in both cases. N'either preacher returned to enjoy the gift, but passed to the enjoyment of an eternal reward. On Wednesday morning, the 24th of October, Dr Cameron rallied considerably and seemed much better, and was pleased that another day had dawned after a restless night. He then spoke of a fairer world and a brighter light that knew no night where the inhabitant shall never say, I am sick. He rested composedly and conversed occasionally until mid-day, after which he spoke little, and towards evening he fell into a deep slumber which ended, as already stated, peacefully in the sleep of the just about nine o'clock. Many letters of sympathy and condolence were received from men representing many different views of thought and life, but all alike anxious to bear witness to the ability, kindliness, spiritu- ality, and influence of one whose work was widely appreciated, ■and whose memory will long be held dear. The suddenness of his death — as far as the outer world was concerned — elicited an immediate testimony to the sense of profound loss sustained. He retained unaltered his great affection for his old home in the North, where he is survived by his younger brother ; but his last wish was to be buried at Kilbride, Lamlash, near the scene of his latest labours — a touching and final proof that he loved Arran well. The remains were removed to Brodick ; and many •came to take a farewell look of the pale but placid face. On Monday, 29th October, the funeral took place, attended by a great PASTORATE AT BEODICK. Cxliii. assemblage of sorrowing friends from distant quarters as well as from all parts of the Island. A handsome granite monument marks his grave, and bears the following inscription : — (I) Erected by the Free Church Congregation of Kilbride, Relatives, and Friends, To the memory of the Rev. Alexander Cameron, LL.D., Born July 1-lth, 1827 ; Died October 24th, 1888. Free Church Minister of Renton, 1859-1874, and of Kilbride, 1874-1888. ("■) A man of undoubted piety ; an able minister of the Gospel ; an •earnest defender of Reformation principles ; a theologian of no mean attainments ; the most eminent Scottish Celtic scholar of his day. (III.) Do ghuth cho caoin ri clarsaich thall An talla Thiira nan corn fiall. D' fhocal taitneach mar an druchd 'Thuiteas ciuin air raoin nan sliabh, 'N uair a bhri'seas a' ghrian o mhiiig. — Fionnghal, Duan v., 468-72. (IV.) Aoidheil agus a' gni,thachadh aoidheachd. Gath soluis do'n am nach 'eil be6. Translation. Thy voice is sweet as yonder harp In Tara's hall of generous bowls. Thy word is pleasant as the dew Which gently falls on mountain-plains, When breaks the sun athwart the gloom. Affable and given to hospitality. A ray of light to the time that is gone. It is appropriate and interesting to add that Dr Cameron's splendid and valuable library, containing nearly 5000 volumes, chiefly Celtic, was bought by Sir William Mackinnon, Bart., Balinakill for £600, and presented as the " Cameron Collection" to the University of Edinburgh, where it is conveniently located Cxliv. MEMOIR OP DB CAMEEOK'. in a separate room. This mode of disposing of it was what Dr Cameron desired, though he hardly knew how it could be accom- plished ; for he hoped that the books, which cost him so much time and money to collect, would not, if possible, be scattered. Ifc is highly satisfactory to find that his wish has been so perfectly realised. It is also due to the Duke of Hamilton to state that his- Grace spontaneously offered the same sum for the same books, and- readily acquiesced in the above purchase. On Tuesday, 8th January, 1889, the Free Presbytery of Kintyre met and " put on record an expression of their sense of the loss they have sustained by the death of their brother, Dr- Cameron. While he differed from the majority of his brethren in many of his ecclesiastical views and positions, they cannot but express their appreciation of his earnest piety and his ripe- scholarship, especially in the department of Celtic philosophy.. Having clear convictions, he held them firmly and advocated them with courage, at the same time maintaining, as all who knew him intimately are ready to testify, a deserved reputation for genial friendliness and hospitality. The Presbytery, with much sorrow call to remembrance, while now taking notice of their brother's- decease, that so short a time has elapsed since they had occasion to congratulate him on receiving the well-earned honour of Doctor of Laws, and they regret that he has been taken away in thfr middle of his work, and while he had in hand important literary efforts, the completion of which would have been a great boon to- Celtic students." Emerson says — " This is what we call character — a reserved force which acts directly by presence and without means." " Half his strength he put not forth." " Somewhat is possible of resistance, and of persistence, and of creation, to this power, whichi will foil all emulation." " Greatness appeals to the future." That being so, this chapter may fitly close with the following estimate- of Dr Cameron's character by one who knew him long and well — the Rev. Hugh Macmillan, D.D., LL.D. : — " Dr Cameron and I were fellow-students in the Divinity Hall of the Free Church College of Edinburgh for four sessions from 1852 tc 1856. We sat on contiguous benches, and had frequent opportunities before and after the meetings of the classes of PASTORATE AT BRODICK. Cxlv. exchanging words with each other. What struck me specially iu these days was his great earnestness and quiet thoughtfulness He did not take a prominent part in the work of the classes, nor obtrude himself much upon the notice of his fellow-students. He was shy and self-contained, and seemed to shrink into himself at the approach of any one with whom he was not familiar. But he made a most creditable appearance in all the oral and writteii examinations, and earned the high respect and esteem of his professors and his compeers. While those who had the privilege of his friendship saw beneath his constitutional shyness and reserve a force of character, a warm and generous nature, a mind of fresh and vivid power, and a capability of devotion to any cause he espoused, that were all the more concentrated and persistent that he was reluctant to give outward expression to them, I was not one of those who were admitted into the inner circle of his friends. He was for one thing older than I was ; and perhaps I was more attracted in my youth by a frank enthusiastic nature than by one whose excellencies were not on the surface but required to be brought out, like precious metal dug up from the depths. But my heart warmed to him on account of the many good qualities which I could not help knowing he possessed and showed, and very specially on account of the dear old mother tongue which we spoke together as often as opportunity offered Even at that time he impressed me greatly with his extensive knowledge of Celtic literature and philology. He gave me glimpses into the wonderful beauty and expressiveness of the language which filled me at once with admiration and surprise. After our college curriculum was finished, we parted ; and we met but seldom, owing to the wide distances between our respective spheres of labour. But I was always glad to see him ; for his conversations on his own favourite topic of Celtic lore, and also on other subjects of more general interest, were invariably most interesting and instructive, and left me richer m the possession of a new thought or a new way of regarding an old thought. I knew no one who had such power as he possessed of clearing up some doubtful or obscure question of philology, by the side-lights which he threw upon it, from his studies of comparative language He had a wonderful power of linguistic analysis ; an extraordinary patience and skill in hunting out words and idioms or facts to their remotest origins. He was admirably qualified to make the study of the Celtic group of kindred languages a thoroughly scientific pursuit. The literary remains which he has left behind give abundant evidence of his vast and varied and exact scholar- ship. And we feel that in him we have lost one who would, had he been spared to labour longer, have shed a new halo of interest Cxlvi. MEMOtK OF DB CAMERON. and significance round the language and literature of his native Highlands. He did much valuable work in his life-time, cut off prematurely, we cannot but think, at a time when his mind was ripest and most capable of arranging and utilising its great stores of erudition. But we feel sadly that he might perhaps have done more even within the limits of his life-time, had he not unfortu- nately, as we all have more or less, the defects of his qualities, and the constitutional dreaminess and want of practicality which seems to belong to the Celtic temperament, and is ever, indeed, one of the concomitants and proofs of genius. He could not have found it easy, with his methodical habits, and the very varied and arduous duties that he had to perform as a minister and a pastor in important churches, to find time and energy to carry on his own favourite leisure pursuits. It was astonishing, indeed, that he was able to finish an amount of work which must have required the greatest labour and concentration of mind. We are grateful for the valuable monument of learning he has erected ; but we cannot but regard it as we do the Torso of the Vatican, as a noble relic of what he might and could have finished." CELTIC STUDIES. cxlvij. CHAPTEE VI. CELTIC STUDIES. In this chapter only a general account can be given of Mr Cameron's Celtic scholarship and early enthusiasm for his native tongue, as a more specific presentment of his standpoint and influence in Philology will be given in the second volume. It is interesting to find Dr Mackintosh Mackay, of Dunoon, one of the most accurate Celtic scholars of his time, making the following honourable and encouraging mention of Mr Cameron as far back as 16th December, 1848 :— " I am very glad to inform you that on examination of the papers given in at the Gaelic competition, I find you entitled to the first of the three prizes of five pounds each. In examining your Gaelic paper, there are several improvements which I could point out to you, though I cannot count them as errors. By attention and perseverance you may make yourself very soon perfectly master of Gaelic orthography." It is clear from his subsequent career that he acted according to this suggestion, for no sooner was he settled at Renton than he set about acquiring an accurate knowledge of the literature and philology of Gaelic. But this acquisition was devoted to more than merely personal purposes, for thereby he was preparing him- self to become a fit instructor of Gaelic-speaking students. We find from the following reference to this subject in the Gael of June, 1872, that Mr Cameron commenced a Gaelic class in the Free Church College, Glasgow, at least as early as session 1866-7, and that his teaching was very highly appreciated and acknowledged. At a meeting of the Glasgow Free Church Students' Celtic Society, held on 25th March, 1872, "Mr John Mackay, M.A., President of the Society,- and Mr Alexander Paterson, fourth year divinity student, presented the Rev. Mr Cameron, in name of the members of his Gaelic class, ■which has been taught for several years in the Free Church College with great success, with a testimonial expressive of their Cxlviii. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. gratitude for his untiring and valuable services, whicli were gratuitously given during the last five sessions. Mr Cameron expressed his gratitude to the students for their valuable gift, and referred to the importance of an accurate acquaintance with the grammatical structure of the Gaelic language to such as are to be employed in communicating instruction to others through the medium of that language, illustrating his remarks by some amus- ing examples of mistakes sometimes committed in speaking and writing Gaelic, and urged upon those present the duty of devoting some portion of their time to the study of their native language, which furnishes the key to those treasures of ancient Celtic lore which are now being studied with so much earnestness by Celtic scholars both in this country and on the Continent. Studies which engaged the attention of such men as the Chev. Di Nigra, the Ambassador of the King of Italy, recently at the Court of the Tuilleries, and now to the French Republic, they should not regard as beneath their interest. The books selected for the presentation were ' Leabhar na h-Uidhri,' an ancient Gaelic manuscript pub- lished by the Eoyal Irish Academy, and ' Sanas Chormaic,' an ancient Irish Glossary, recently edited for the Irish Archseological Society by Dr Whitley Stokes." In the subsequent October number of the same excellent magazine, there is a lecture on Gaelic Philology by Mr Cameron, who concludes it by indicating what required to be done in regard to modern Gaelic : — " The Gaelic Scriptures must be purged of the errors and anomalies which escaped the notice of the translators, and also of the revisers of the quarto edition of 1826, so that they may become what they were intended to be— the standard of Gaelic grammar and orthography ; the work of which Dr Alexander Stewart laid the foundation in his ' Grammar of the Gaelic Language ' must be completed ; a standard edition of the Gaelic poets must be prepared ; the Bardic and other traditional litera- ture which still exists in the Highlands, but which has not been committed to writing, must be collected and preserved before the present generation shall have passed away ; much must yet be done, in addition to what has already been done, to read and interpret the old Gaelic which has come down to us, often much obscured, in the Gaelic names of places ; and, especially, a Gaelic Comparative Lexicon must be prepared, which will exhibit the words of which the language is composed, not only in the different forms in which they appear in the different dialects of the Celtic, but also in relation to their cognate words in the other branches of the Aryan family. This last work' would certainly be a heavy CELTIC STUDIES. Cxlix. undertaking, and one which could not have been accomplished when, more than forty years ago, the dictionaries of Armstrong and of the Highland Society were prepared ; but the progress which has been made in the study of Celtic philology within the last few years has prepared the way for beginning, and for carrying on to a successful issue, a work of this kind ; and if the Highlanders of Scotland should resolve, ' shoulder to shoulder,' to help it forward, he promised that it would be undertaken." In the November number of The Gael there was an immediate response to this appeal on the part of Mr John Mackay, who wrote : — " I hail with delight the idea of having a compilation as you shadow forth — a Gaelic Comparative Lexicon. As a Highlander willing to bear a hand, I accept the challenge by offering at once to subscribe a five pound note to begin with, more if found neces- sary, and take several copies of the work when published." Unfortunately, this projected and important work, though begun by Mr Cameron, was not completed, and has not yet seen the light. A Comparative Gaelic Grammar remains to be written. A second revision of the Gaelic Bible is in the hands of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and there is at present a proposal to reprint the quarto edition of 1826. Although it does not appear that Mr Cameron composed any original poetry, he was very happy and accurate as a translator of popular hymns into Gaelic — M'Cheyne's, Cowper's, Keats', Watts' &c. In 1864 Principal Shairp wrote a short poem, " A Cry from Craigellachie," on paying a visit for the first time on the railway to Inverness. Mr Cameron translated this piece so successfully into Gaelic that many mistook the translation for the original. It was published in leaflet form, and proved very popular. Many of the hymn-translations appeared in The Gael, signed A. C, such as Longfellow's " Psalm of Life," " Precious Promises," " Jehovah Tsidkenu," &c. He also contributed several excellent and exquisite translations of hymns to Bratach na Flrinn — " The Banner of Truth" — in 1872, one being, "Just as I am," and another, " The New Jerusalem," the latter having been, it is believed, translated at a time of deep and enduring bereavement in the translator's life. And there seem to be traces of this pathetic feeling per- vading, and echoes of such a mood of mind prolonged in Cl. MKMOIR OF DE CAMISRON. the rendering of this harmonious, and beautiful poem. A few stanzas may be given as a specimen of the painstaking and pleasant workmanship : — " AN lEEUSALBM NUADH. " mh^thair chaomh, Jerusalem ! A d' ionnsuidh cuin 'thig mi ? cuin a chriochnaichear mo bhr6n ? Is t' aoibhneas cuin a chi ? thir 'tha taitneaoh sdlasach ! chala ait nan saoi ! Cha 'n fhaighear br6n am feasd a' d' ch6ir, No cfiram, saoth'r, no caoidh. "Cha 'n fhaighear tinneas annad fein No creuchd air bith no le6n ; 'S cha 'n fhaighear bas no sealladh grand' ; Ach beatha ghn&th a' d' ch6ir. Neul dorch cha chuir ort sgA,!!' a chaoidh, Is oidhch' cha bhi ni 's m6 ; Ach dealraichidh gach neach mar ghrein, An solus Dhe na gloir'. " Cha 'n 'eil innt' sannt no ana-miann, No farmad fos, no stri ; Cha 'n 'eil innt' ocras, tart, no teas, Ach taitneasan gun dith. lerusalem ! lerusalem ! Mo mhiann bhi annad shuas ! b' fhearr gu 'n criochnaicheadh mo bhr6n, 'S gu'm faicinn t' aoibhneas buan ! " He also translated several political election addresses — -a species of composition very difficult to render accurately into idiomatic Gaelic. As early as 1862 Mr Cameron's eminence as a Gaelic scholar was recognised, and he was appointed a member of the Joint- Committee of the Established and Free Churches on the Gaelic Scriptures. His extreme accuracy to the minutest points was admitted by all, but criticised by some on account of the time involved. Eev. Dr Kennedy, Dingwall, wrote thus in 1882 : — " I once had an opportunity of comparing the best Gaelic scholars in the Established and Free Churches of Scotland, when acting as a member of a joint-committee for the revision of the Gaelic translation of the Bible. I had, at that time, no hesitation in CELTIC STUDIES. cli. deciding that, as to exact acquaintance with the structure and roots of the Gaelic language, the copious use of Gaelic terms and phrases, the knowledge of cognate dialects, and the power to explain and establish his opinion regarding any disputed point, there was no member of committee to be compared to the Rev. A. Cameron. He is undoubtedly the best Celtic scholar in Scotland.'' This opinion appears to have been shared by many in the com- mittee ] for we find the following corroborative minute : — " At Glasgow, the thirty-first day of March, 1864, which day the Sub-Committee of the Established and Free Churches on the Gaelic Scriptures conjointly met. Sederunt — The Rev. Drs Smith, Inverary ; and Macdonald, Comrie; and the Rev. Messrs M'Lachlan, Edinburgh ; and Cameron, Renton. Dr Smith presided, and opened the meeting with prayer. Mr Cameron was appointed Clerk." The following estimate of his ability and not ungenial criticism is from the pen of a fellow-member — Rev. Dr Masson, Edinburgh : — " With the late Dr Cameron I first became acquainted at the meetings of the Joint-Committee of the Established and Free Churches on the Gaelic Scriptures ; and my first opinion of him there was that in all things he was too critical. I had heard of him before ; and I knew that in certain influential quarters, and to some highly esteemed Gaelic authorities of that day, he was anything but persona grata. It is not unlikely that what, before meeting him, I was in the way of hearing in these quarters had to some extent prejudiced me against Dr Cameron. But when I came to know him in the Committee I found good reason, growing with the progress of our meetings, to entirely abandon the prepos- session. He was critical, indeed, but could always give good grounds for every point of criticism on which he insisted. He was particular about inverted commas, hyphens, accents, and spacing, but you soon came to feel sure that when Dr Cameron wished the insertion of an inverted comma some letter or syllable had been left out which the inverted comma should represent. Some of us were at first inclined to poke fun at him as a worshipper of the inverted comma. We soon, however, came to view the matter in a difierent way. In point of fact, Dr Cameron removed from the Gaelic Bible a great many more inverted commas, which were meaningless, than, with good reason, he wished to insert. His point of view was that every inverted comma, accent, and hyphen on the Gaelic printed page should be distinctly significant. My clii. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON". own point of view has always been different. I have always held that every such typographical excrescence, though, doubtless, having some significance to the student of word-growth and grammatical inflection, is a needless disfigurement of our Gaelic books, and that, moreover, it greatly increases the difficulty of reading Gaelic, while also it burdens the memory and attention of the writei with a multitude of minute technical details which are practically as useless as they are distracting and irritating. In the Joint-Committee my views had little support from either party in the controversies which raged so hotly. But, Dr Cameron met me with the knowledge of a scientific linguist, instead of the traditionary superstition of the empiric, which formed the stock-in trade of his most distinguished opponents. " Dr Cameron was not one of the first Free Church contingent to the Joint-Committee. It was understood at the time that he had purposely been kept out of it. And no sooner had he appeared in our midst than it was evident that he was distrusted and greatly disliked by his own brethren. But he was not the man to be unfairly put down or sat upon. Nor was our chairman, the late revered and distinguished Dr Colin Smith, of Inverary, the man to allow it. He and many more of us, alas ! how many, have gone the way of all flesh — Dr Macdonald, of Comrie, Dr Maolauchlan, Dr Mackay, Dr John Kennedy, and many more. It i-i an old saying, and wisely charitable, nil de mortuis nisi honum. But it is only the barest justice to Dr Cameron now to testify that though from one influential member of the Committee he met with much provocation and with ungenerous an.l even violent opposition, he never allowed himself to lose his temper. Firmly and with a calm self-possession, which to his opponent was more aggravating than a sharp retort, Dr Cameron held his own and kept the even tenor of his way. Well, well, they haye now, both of them, entered that presence where, *' beyond these voices there is peace." I confess I should have liked to witness their first meeting there. " In private T seldom met Dr Cameron, nor did I even hear him preach but once. That once, howevej, was a treat to be long remembered. It was a Gaelic sermon, preached not long before his death in the church of his friend, under whose hospitable roof he died, the Eev. Mr Balfour, of Free Holyrood Church. Seldom, indeed, have I listened to an abler sermon. It could never have been preached by a man who was only a student of words and of mere grammatical technicalities. It was full of human in'erest and richly laden with divine truth — well reasoned, too, and well proportioned, clearly arranged, and touchingly as well as impressively delivered, and that, too, without a shred of "paper." Every one was deeply affected. For myself, there was CELTIC STUDIES. cliii. jet another pleasure, the last I would have anticipated. Dr Cameron was the last man in whom I would have expected to find the gift of song. But that night in Mr Balfour's Church he was his own precentor. He had, I think, but three singings. The first two psalms were sung in plain song, quietly, but with much solemnity. But the last psalm was simply inspiring. It carried me back to the Burn of Ferintosh, full forty years ago. With measured cadence and all the touching simplicity of the true northern modulation, he gave out the line. Then followed strophe and antistrophe, burst on burst of inspiring song, su^ch as carried us oiF our feet and lifted us up to heaven. I will never forget that night. Save the Benediction, the music of that parting song of praise was the last I heard of the voice that now is hushed for all his friends on earth. Is he singing that song now, and are thty singing it with him ?- —they, I mean, who vexed him so sorely in the Church below T In 1867 the Joint-Committee drew up and in 1868 submitted & report to the General Assemblies, containing numerous proposed emendations on the 1826 quarto edition of the Gaelic Bible, against the adoption of which Mr Cameron appeared at the bar of the Free Assembly ; and his position may be gathered from the closing part of his statement : — " Now, I beseech the General Assembly not to adopt a report which unfairly throughout, and in some clauses inaccurately, represents the proceedings of the Joint-Committee. If you adopt it, what will be the result ? You will be inflicting an injury upon some of the most distinguished ministers of this Church — men who have been devoting their time and strength to the work of this Committee, and whose conduct in the discharge of a public ■duty that report places, undesignedly no doubt, in a light in which I feel that the conduct of the men who formed the majority of the Joint-Committee in January, ought not to be placed before the Church — as if because they refused to proceed to introduce changes into the Scriptures which the Joint-Committee all but unanimously disapproved of, they had hindered the prosecution of the work entrusted to this Committee You will be inflicting a -wrong upon some of the best Gaelic scholars in this comitry — men -who, not being members of this Church, are precluded from appear- ing here to defend themselves. You will be inflicting a grievous wrong upon the people of the Highlands by indirectly countenanc- ing unjustifiable interference with that version of the Scriptures which the Church has sanctioned, and which for upwards of forty years they have been accustomed to peruse. Our admirable Gaelic translation of the Scriptures was prepared by such scholars cliv. MEMOIR OP DR CAMERON. as Dr Stewart of Killin, Dr Stewart of Luss, and Dr Smith of Campbeltown. Dr Stewart of Dingwall afterwards, in conjunction with Dr Stewart of Luss, bestowed much toil upon its revision. Unfortunately they both died before their work was finished, but in the Pentateuch (of 1820) they have left to other«i a specimen of the manner in which the Scriptures ought to be revised. The last edition which the Church has sanctioned and authorised to be- used in her pulpits to the exclusion of other editions — that of 1826 — was prepared by the best scholarship of the time. The name of one distinguished minister of this Church who took a leading part in its preparation I must mention — the late Dr Macdonald of Ferrintosh. This edition is certainly not perfect, but it is decidedly better than any subsequent edition ; and on that account, as well as because it is the edition whose words and phrases ,are lodged in the memories of the people, any unnecessary and extensive interference with it ought not only to be- scrupulously avoided, but resolutely resisted. That is precisely what some members of your Committee have been endeavouring for the last four or five years to do, and to do not merely in the ipterest of the Gaelic Scriptures, but also in the interest of sound scholarship. I therefore trust that the General Assembly will not,, by adopting this report, virtually pass a censure upon us in return for our efforts to preserve uninjured their own Bible to our people." This appeal resulted in the following resolution, which was. adopted by the Assembly : — " The Assembly receive the report, record their thanks to the- Committee, and especially to the Convener, for the diligence and attention that have been bestowed upon the subject of the report ; but in consideration of all the circumstances now under view, the General Assembly resolve to discharge, and hereby do discharge, this Committee. In coming to this resolution the Assembly declare that no difference of opinion has arisen between this Church and the Established Church upon the questions that have been under consideration of the Joint-Committee ; that, on the contrary, there had been the utmost cordiality in the intercourse which has been carried on, and that any difference of view^ leading to the discharge of the Assembly's Committee is a difference among Gaelic scholars, which prevails as much among the mem- bers of the Free Church Committee, when taken by itself, as it could among the members of the Joint-Committee when met together. The Assembly, therefore, record their satisfaction with the conferences that have been held on this subject with the Com- mittee of the Established Church, and they hereby instruct the clerks to make communications, both to the Assembly of th& CELTIC STUDIES. olv. Established Church and the National Bible Societj-, to the eifect that the discharge of the Assembly's Committee on the Gaelic Scriptures is to be explained in the manner now indicated." Dr Mackintosh Mackay, Rev. Farquhar Macrae, Mr Cameron, and others, about this date came to the conclusion, that whatever might be the defects of the Standard version of 1826, there was little likelihood of its being ever improved, and they add :— " But if a revision should be deemed expedient, there are many reasons demanding that it should be gone about with much serious deliberation and caution, in such manner as to secure the confidence of our Gaelic- speaking popiilation at home and through- out the world." The difference of opinion among Gaelic scholars alluded to above can hardly be touched upon in this rapid review, although a lengthy and learned correspondence ensued, in which Dr Maclauchlan and Rev. Mr (afterwards Dr) Clerk, Kilmallie, on the one hand, and Mr Cameron on the other, were the keen com- batants. A few extracts will suffice to show some of the points at issue. Mr Cameron wrote to the Edinburgh Cowant of May 23rd, 1870 :— "The last authorised edition — the 4to of 1826— although containing typographical and other errors which might easily be removed in a new edition, has always been highly prized by the people, who have been from their childhood familiar with its words and phrases, and, therefore, any extensive interference with it, beyond the removal of obvious errors and anomalies, is much to be deprecated. The alterations introduced by Dr Maclauchlan and Mr Clerk into their edition (1860) are very numerous, and although some of them are corrections, very many of them are either unnecessary or positively erroneous. Having subjected this edition to a minute and careful examination, I am prepared to prove to the satisfaction of any competent Gaelic scholar that the errors and anomalies which have been introduced into it, and which are not to be found in any other edition, may be numbered literally by thousands. Passing by such alterations as 'An toiseach chruthaich Dia na neimhan agus an talamh,' ' First God created the heavens and the earth ' (Gen. i. 1), and ' An toiseach bha am Focal,' 'First was the Word' (John i. 1), I shall at present give a few specimens of the grammatical errors with which this edition abounds. Some of these errors, it may be noticed, seriously affect the sense of the passages in which they occur." Then follow twenty specimens of errors such as — "An Clvi. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. ceud bc6-chveutair," " The hundred living-creatures,'' for " An ceud bhe6-ohreutair," "The first living-creature," Kev. iv. 7. " Feuch bha leth-aoin 'n a bolg," " Behold there vas the half of one [child] in her [Eebekah's] womb," Gen. xxv. 24. " Longan de Tharsis," 1 Kings xxii 48, represents Tarshish as the material of which Jehoshaphat made the ships ! Title-page, " chum craobh- sgaoilidh a' Bhiobuill," for "chum craobh-sgaoileadh a' Bhiobuill." " This error occurs in the only sentence wholly composed by the editors." "Thar nan uile thighibh," for "thar na h-uile thighibh," Isa. xxxii. 13. " Na mile bliadhua," for "am mile bliadhna," Rev. XX. 5, &c. " These specimens taken from a very extensive list of errors discovered in this edition are sufficient to show the evil of interfering rashly with the edition of the Gaelic Scriptures which the Church of Scotland sanctioned, and with which the people of the Highlands have been long familiar. Not a few of Dr Mac- lachlan and Mr Clerk's corrections on that edition have now been condemned by themselves ; while their efforts to correct their own errors, in the last impression of their Bible, have not unfrequently resulted in producing new errors as awkward as those which they have sought to remove." Mr Clerk replied on the 26th May in the same newspaper, admitting typographical errors, for which he endeavoured to account by the disadvantages under which the editors laboured in living far from each other, and from the printer who knew not a word of the language he was putting in type ; and accusing Mr Cameron of making assertions resting entirely on his own authority. A counter-reply from the latter appeared on August 12th, pointing out that Mr A. Sinclair, Glasgow, who possessed an accurate knowledge of Gaelic, had the corrected proofs submitted to him and revised ; but was prevented from interfering with the wish of the editors, after correcting an editorial emendation which represented David, when he feigned madness atGath, as writing instead of scrabbling on the doors of the gate. And as to assertion, " the specimens of errors which I have produced violate well-known rules of Gaelic grammar, and th€y exist only in Dr Maclauchlan and Mr Clerk's edition." This second letter contains an able and elaborate re-statement and proof of the positions laid down in the first — most of which are now acknowledged as unassailable. A further statement on the same subject, which contained a vindica- tion of the 1826 edition from charges preferred by Mr Clerk is dated from Renton, October 3rd. CELTIC STUDIES. clvii. Writing to Rev. Dr Clerk in 1881, Mr Cameron pointedly says what may be regarded as amply justifying the somewhat unenviable position as candid critic he occupied : — " I see from your Reference Bible that you have adopted, but without any acknowledgment, the fruits of my criticism. It is too bad to abuse me for criticising, and then quietly to avail your- selves of the results ! Is it not? But while you have appropriated my corrections, you have adhered to nearly all your objectionable orthographical changes. You have even introduced new ones, equally objectionable, which until now had no place in the Scriptures." No doubt it would have been a much pleasanter, but far less conscientious course, to curry favour by being less critical and more laudatory, but he never yielded to this temptation. The Monthly Visitor Gaelic tracts he occasionally submitted as exercises to his students, and as examples of how not to translate. In a letter to the Inverness Courier, 17th June, 1869, no fewer than 44 errors occur in a tract of four pages. At the same time I thiiik it may be admitted that, had he devoted as much time to constructive as to critical work, Gaelic philology, and perhaps literature, would have been far more enriched, and Celtic students more highly benefitted than as vet is the case. The name of Professor Blackie is well and widely known in Celtic circles, and his manifold labours, eventually crowned with complete success, in founding the Celtic chair in Edinburgh University, are universally acknowledged. He is known to have repeatedly stated, as in a letter to a friend in 1876, that Mr Cameron was the best Gaelic scholar he knew. And the Professor was occasionally very candidly criticised by the scholar. The following letter, dated 3rd October, 1882, speaks for itself: — " In Professor Blackie's interesting letter, published in the ' Scotsman ' of Wednesday last, the second part of the compound word Finlarig, in Gaelic Fionnlarig = V\o\a.i-\kvcig, is identified with larach (a ruin), and the first part. Fin, is represented as pointing to the ancient Feinne. Neither of these comparisons is correct. The word lirach, explained in the dictionaries as 'the site of a building,' 'a ruin,' &c., is a corruption of lathrach (a house- site). LWhrach is a derivative from lathair (presence), and has no connection with Uirig, the g of which is always hard. The latter word occurs very frequently in the Gaelic topography of both Clviii. MEMOIR OF DE OAMEEON. Scotland and Ireland, with the meaning of "^side' or ' slope of a hill,' and is identical as shown by its Irish form Uwry (pronounced larg), with the old Gaelic word lerg (a little eminence, a plain, a field, a battle-field). Leargaidh, which occurs so frequently as Largy in place-names, is a derivative from learg = lA,irig. For the Irish forms Joyce's Irish Names of Places (1st ser. p. 390) may be cohsulted. " If Fin, the first part of Finlarig, were identical with Firm, the name of the famous King of the F^inne, the Gaelic equivalent of Finlarig would not be Fionnlairig but L^irig-Fhinn ; hutfionn, forming as it does the first term of the compound, must be regarded as the adjective fionn (fair, white), as in Fionnghasg (Fingask), Fionnairidh (Finary), Fionndruim (Findrum), &c. Fionnlairig, therefore, signifies either the 'white hill-side" or the ' white plain ' or ' field.' The Gaelic adjective yiojiw (white), in old Gaelic ^rac?, is identical with the Welsh adjective gtoin (fair, white), and seems connected with Sansk. cvind, cvinddti (to be white), Goth, hveits (white), A.S. hvit, Eng. white." In 1872 Mr Cameron commenced to contribute to The Gael a series of able articles on Gaelic Philology, which were continued for three years, and dealt with some five hundred and fifty root words. They were abreast of the philologic science of the time, and claimed only to be on the right lines. They seem to have been much appreciated, one stating they were the only articles in The Gael he read. The origin of these studies is put on record thus :— " Soon after my settlement at Kenton another clergyman in the village and myself agreed to meet for a certain time every week to read Greek and Latin. This we continued for two or three years. It was those readings that first led to my having taken an interest in Celtic philology, the study of which I have been enabled, by the Grammatica Celtica of Zeuss, and the writ- ings of Stokes, Ebel and others, to prosecute on the right lines. I was first drawn to the study of ancient Gaelic through having met, quite accidentally, with the copy of Dr Stokes' Goidelica which he presented to the Advocates' Library. If I have done anything towards promoting among my countrymen a more accurate know- ledge of Gaelic, it has been chiefly by having succeeded, by the help of the ancient language, in clearing up difficulties in the con- struction of modern Gaelic which had baffled Dr Stewart and other writers on the grammar of Scottish Gaelic." This idea is put more strongly by Rev. M. Mackay, LL.D. Who says of Mr Cameron ; — CELTIC STUDIES. clix. "I have met with no individual of the present generation more intimately acquainted with the grammatical structure of the Gaelic language, or with its idioms." Perhaps the most convenient way of introducing the difficult subject of the translation into Gaelic of the Queen's Book is by the subjoined references and extracts. Messrs Edmonston & Douglas, publishers. Princes Street, Edinburgh, wrote on April 2nd, 1872, to Mr Cameron as follows : — " We have requested our friend, Mr Alex. Nicolson, to edit the late Mr Angus Macpherson's Translation of Her Majesty's Journal in the Highlands, and he is willing to do so provided you will give him your aid in revising the MS. now in the printers' hands. If you will be so kind as to do this, we shall send the MS. to you at once, as there is no time to be lost, and we should be glad to know how many pages a week you can forward the printer, and your probable charge. Did Mr Macpherson talk to you of a preface he had written?' This request was complied with ; but the execution of the work was not proceeded with as rapidly as was anticipated, and hence the following note from Mr Cameron on June 12th, 1872: — " I was obliged to go north to Caithness on Wednesday of last week, and I was not able to return home until last night. This explains why I have not written sooner in reply to yours of the 6th. I bad the printed sheets with me in the north and worked at them as much as I was able. I expect, therefore, that they will be finished by the time I promised. When I saw you in Edinburgh, I undertook to write out on the broad rrargined sheets the corrections which I had made on the sixteen sheets at the rate of one sheet daily. I told you that I could not undertake more, and that it would not be desirable for the work itself that I should attempt more. That you did not receive the two sheets promised on Monday of last week was no fault of mine, and, therefore, there is no occasion to speak of ' fallacious promises ' and of ' promises made only to be broken.' " The corrections on the margined sheets became almost innumer- g^lQ at any rate unmanageable within the period fixed, and the difficulties and delays were correspondingly numerous and exasperatmg. Expostulation was frequent and urgent, and the readiness of response was not always all that could be desired. Whether it was excessive painstaking or a touch of dilatoriness, or both, on the part of the reviser, the publishers were greatly elx. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. inconvenienced and not a little displeased, as there had appeared several notices of the coming book, and many subscriptions had already been received. The Inverness Courier said : — " We understand that the Gaelic edition of the Queen's Jourrud in the Highlands, translated by Mr Angus Macpherson, Deputy-Secretary of the Highland Society, will be published immediately by Messrs Edmonston & Douglas, Edinburgh. It has been arranged that there shall be two editions of the work, one giving the Gaelic and English in opposite pages and the other giving the Gaelic only. Her Majesty has very kindly supplied a number of sketches and illustrations, not previously published, which will add greatly to the value of the work ; and besides this new feature, nearly all the illustrations in the two-guinea edition will be reproduced. A special photograph of the Queen spinning her Highland wheel will form the frontispiece ... Mr Mac- pherson, the translator of the work, is an excellent Gaelic scholar, and has taken much pains in discharging his honourable and difficult task." The controversy already adverted to grew so keen and unfortunate that Mr Cameron declined to continue his revision or permit the publication of the large portion — almost the whole — already printed and revised. This proved a loss to the publishers and a great disappointment to the public. I am unable to give full particulars, and at this distant date, when the matter is beyond recall, it may be as well. Here, however, is a letter from Mr Cameron to Dr F. W. Eamsay, of Inveresk, stating how the matter stood 'at a later date — August 30ch, 1873 — but, sad to say, the translation, though executed and excellent, never saw the light :— " The late Mr Angus Macpherson's translation of the Queen's Book was put some time ago into my hands that I might revise it, which I have done, and I am now arranging for its publication. From papers which have been sent to me I find that the Highland Society of London promised to take 500 copies, I presume, of the 4s 6d edition, or to give a subscription of £100. In arranging with a new publisher, which has been found necessary, it would be of great importance to know whether or not that subscription be still available ; for if it be not available, I am afraid that the idea of publishing the translation must, at least for the present, be abandoned, which would be unfortunate after so much has been written and spoken about it. I shall therefore feel greatly obliged CELTIC STUDIES. clxi. if you can give me any information regarding the Society's subscription and the condition or conditions on which it was promised. " I may inform you that I have carefully examined the translation, comparing it, clause by clause, with the original, and that I have also corrected the orthography, so that the MS. is now ready for the press. It is, perhaps, proper to state that the translator's father has authorised me to write you, and that I wish to get the above information to facilitate the arrangements in regard to the publication, and not for any personal ends, for I do not intend to accept of any remuneration for my work. " In consequence of the long delay in issuing the volume, it is considered better to publish only one edition — that with Gaelic and English on alternate pages, at 10s 6d; and if the publisher with whom I am arranging shall see his way to take the publication in hand, the volume will be finished in the best style of typography. I take the liberty of sending you a copy of a Gaelic magazine, published in Glasgow (The Gael, March, 1873), which contains an extract from the Inverness Courier in regard to my connection with the translation." In the extract referred to, Nether Lochaher intimates the prospect of early publication, Cluny Macpherson having taken an interest in the matter, and stated that the work was under the superintendence of Rev. Mr Cameron, Renton, who, it is added, "perhaps knows more of the genius and grammar of our mountain tongue than anybody else that we can at present think of." In 1876 Mr James Macdonald, London, writes to Mr Cameron : — " I was very interested to read in the newspaper reports an account of a valuable paper which you read at the meeting of the British Association the other day at Glasgow on the etymological af&nity of the Gaelic and English languages." The Gaelic class continued to be taught with much success in the Free Church College until 1876, when, on August 31st, Professor Candlish, as Clerk of the Senatus, wrote to Mr Cameron : — " As the Senatus are about to make arrangements for awarding the College bursaries for next session, I write to request that you will give me such information as may enable the Senatus to arrange for awarding these bursaries among the rest." It was not possible, however, to fix even the number of, much less the amount available for, bursaries beforehand, and this Clxii. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. proposal, to have control over what cost so much toil and time to collect, could hardly fail to be regarded by him whose unaided efforts secured the money, as undue interference on the part of those who had no knowledge of the subjects taught, and could not, therefore, well have any voice or vote in the award or distribution of the bursaries. The result was an application for the use of one of the University class-rooms, and the request was immediately and frankly granted. The removal to a more central, accessible and unrestricted sphere proved a great boon, and the attendance at the class was more than doubled. The sums of money given by Sir William Mackinnon, Bart, of Balinakill, and the late Mr Kidston of Ferniegair, along with many other friends of Gaelic- speaking students, by way of encouragement and incitement to become proficient in their native-tongue, amounted some sessions to almost £200. The instruction given was highly appreciated, as the numerous testimonials given at a later date by old students amply testify, and as a more tangible proof of afiection indicates — the presentation of a copy of " The Sculptured Stones of Scotland," in April, 1878, by the members of the University Gaelic class to Rev. Alex. Cameron, " as a cordial expression of their appreciation of his devotion to Celtic scholarship in general, and especially as a token of their gratitude for his disinterested and invaluable services as teacher of this class." Some of the students who had hardly any knowledge of Gaelic to begin with acquired a keen interest, not only in modern, but specially in ancient Gaelic. Mr Cameron took great pains in giving very accurate and minute information on many difficult and intricate points of Gaelic construction, and he also took great delight in leading up through the beauties of Ossiaji to the higher planes of philological thought, from which one could take a wide survey of the history of language, and learn somewhat of the past life and modes of thinking of otherwise forgotten or even unknown people and nations. In 1880 the attendance of students exceeded 70, and the class was at its best ; but the teacher had, on account of severe illness, most reluctantly to give up his much-loved work, and not with- out pathos part with his attached pupils — he fondly hoped only for a brief period. But communication with Brodick in winter CELTIC STUDIES. clxiii. was then only three times a week, and this implied absence from home for several days each week, so that on account of additional congregational and literary work and less strength to meet so many pressing calls, he was never again able to resume his teaching. The following is a brief tribute to the teacher's memory from one of his most distinguished pupils, Kev. Duncan Brown, M.A.: — " He had the teacher's prime qualification of enthusiastic devotion to his subject. He was therefore able to impart this enthusiasm to the true student of Celtic. He had the no less necessary qualification of thorough acquaintance with his subject. Any student who sat under him, and who had a mind at all, could not fail to see how great was the store of learning from which he dre* constantly his illustrations and examples. As a result of the combination of these two qualities in him, he was suggestive and inspiring in the highest degree. Sitting under him for only one hour a week during a short session, I can yet say that he gave me not only a love for but au insight into, the scientific study of Gaehc as well as of language in general. His influence in this respect, upon myself at least, was as great as that of professors under whom I sat not one hour but five hours in the week. The truest evidence of his power was that he could be all this and yet that there was no show or display in his teaching. It was slow, q^uiet, unassuming, but powerful in the grasp and force with which it laid hold of the mind." The project of starting a periodical which would take up Gaelic scientifically, and give the latest philological researches and results, occupied the mind of Mr Cameron for a long time. It took definite shape in 1878, and was submitted to the well-known collector of Gaelic Tales, J. F. Campbell of Islay, who replied thus : — " I have the pleasure of knowing that you are a great Gaelic scholar, and feel the compliment of being asked to contribute to a Celtic periodical of which you have sent me the proof prospectus. You ask my opinion and suggestions. My experience leads me to advise caution in starting another Celtic periodical. I know the classes who take an intelligent interest in Gaelic lore, and know them to be poor in purse if rich in mental gifts. Between the poor, who really know and admire and take interest in songs and heroic traditions and popular tales and legends, and the rich who subscribe to support a Gaelic chair, there extends the entire class of book buyers and Gaelic vendors who have never yet made any Clxiv. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. Gaelic serial pay its way or pay contributors. It is a maxim amongst men of the press who understand their business, that no publication can flourish that does not pay. To the best of my knowledge there exists no Celtic publication that pays contributors or- can pay its own way. The writing is done by men who seek a vent for the fire that bums within them, not by men who have found a way to make themselves heard. The class of Celtic scholars is very limited — I mean the set of men who go at a sub- ject from the bare love of it, and work gratis with might and main. The ' Celto-maniacs ' include Germans, Irish, Scotch, Italians and others who are scattered all over the world. They, if they were got to bring their several lights to a focus, would make a blaze ; but even then they would but enlighten each other. There is no buying public for a Celtic periodical as yet. I have a great pile of Gaelic stuflf, but my hope is to live long enough to make some use of my gatherings on my own plan. I shall be glad to hear that you come good speed. I wish you every sort of luck in your venture." Mr Cameron's reply indicates the character aiid contents of the proposed publication : — " I am much obliged for your kind letter and for your offering to become a subscriber to the Celtic Review. From the prospectus I sent you, you would see that the Review is intended, if it go on, to occupy ground which has not hitherto been formally taken up by any periodical in this country. It will not, therefore, interfere with any periodical at present in existence. The articles that appear in the Highlander and in the Inverness Celtic Magazine, if I except some Gaelic ballads with airs, would not be suited for the Review, and most of the articles that I would like to see in the Revieiv would not be suitable for those publications, which are intended more for general readers. Any Celtic publication that may appear in this country must for years to come move in the rear of Kiihn's Beitrage and other similar publications on the Continent ; but if the Review be started at all it must go on the same lines so as to reflect to some extent in this country the blaze of Celtic light to which you refer in your letter, and perhaps to increase it by some few sparks of its own kindling. It must therefore more especially at the outset appeal for support to a narrow circle of readers, and to a still narrower circle of contri- butors. It must also be self-supporting. It is therefore necessary that the subscription price should be higher than the ordinary price of magazines. There can, of course, be no pay for con- tributors, nor for conducting the periodical : all that must be a labour of love. I may mention that the idea of starting such a publication as the Review is not new. It is now more than seven CELTIC STUDIES. olxv. years since the matter was first talked of, and it has never been entirely lost sight of. If the idea is to be at all realised it seems to me that no more time should be lost. A considerable portion of the necessary expense for the first year is already secured. The prospectus, however, will not be published until a sufficient number, or nearly so, of subscribers has been obtained by means of private effort." Accordingly the first number of the Scottish Celtic Review appeared in March, 1881, and was well received alike by reviewers and readers. This number contained articles ^chiefly by the editor — on the place of Celtic in the Indo-European Family ; Grimm's Law ; the Laws of Auslaut in Irish — a translation of a valuable paper by Irofessor Windisch of Leipzig ; a specimen of Old Gaelic — St Patrick's Hymn ; a West Highland Tale, con- tributed by Rev. Mr Campbell of Tyree ; a Gaelic Song; Notes on Gaelic Grammar ; and a Gaelic air — Coire-a'-Cheathaich. Professor Windisch — than whom there is no higher authority in Celtic philology — gives the following favourable estimate of the work begun : — " A foreigner like myself naturally finds the Gaelic texts the most interesting, and I observe with peculiar pleasure that you have also begun to present to your readers the invaluable ' Book of the Dean of Lismore.' Perhaps you will permit me some time to send a short article for your journal, explaining my view of the value of that remarkable manuscript. With your fine knowledge of Gaelic you combine a comprehensive grasp of the principles and methods of comparative philology. You have rightly recognised that a scientific acquaintance with the phonetic laws is before all things essential. This is the A B C of philology and of all grammar. You have done me the honour to translate a treatise of mine and insert it in your journal. I mention this only in order to remark that the correctness of your translation is eminently deserving of recognition. I have not observed a single error, although the German scientific style is none of the easiest. Your grammatical analysis of single portions of texts is certainly calculated to afford assistance to those beginning the study of Gaelic etymology, and to stimulate them to deeper research. I am convinced that your Scottish Celtic Review, and your own work in connection with it, will bear good fruit, first of all in your own country, and will also be prized in other countries." Professor Rhys, of Oxford, writes on the same subject in the Academy :— cllvi. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. " Most of the earlier articles are earnest efforts on the part of the editor to initiate his countryraen into reasonable views on Scotch Gaelic, which they do not, as a rule, like to see connected too closely with Irish, it being, as they have usually thought, a much finer thing to dip at once into Sanskrit or Hebrew, or anything Oriental, than into the source to which history clearly directs them." The Northern Chronicle remarked : — " Judging from the first number — a large, beautifully printed octavo of eighty pages — the magazine will differ from its Scottish predecessors in the Celtic field, in that it will devote considerable space to philology, and what may be called the higher branches of Celtic literature, while, at the same time, it will not neglect the simpler and more popular subjects connected with the Gaelic language." It adds that the editor had devoted more time and attention to the objects thus to be promoted than any other Scotchman, and that he is generally considered to be one of our most erudite and accurate Celtic scholars. The second number appeared in November, and contained a continuation of former articles, together with new material. There is an interesting note on the "Tuairisgeul" M6r by Mr Alfred Nutt ; there is allowing translation of the "Aged Bard's Wish" by Dr Hugh Macmillan ; and there is also the highly popular air and song — " Macrimmon's Lament." The third number appeared in November, 1882, and. contained " Eas-Ruaidh," an Ossianic ballad, from the Dean of Lismore's book, transcribed and translated by the editor — who was always admirable and accurate in his renderings of ancient or modern poems ; a West Highland tale — " How Finn went to the Kingdom of the Big Men," with translations by Rev. J. G. Campbell ; the affinity of the Celtic and Teutonic languages; and studies in Gaelic grammar which account for and illustrate many difiicult and obscure idioms. The fourth and final number which, on account of pastoral and ecclesiastical anxieties and duties, did not appear until October, though dated July, 1885, contained the "Lay of the Muireartach " with revised version and translation, Macphie's " Black Dog," " Gaelic Orthography," " Common Mistakes," " Laws of Auslaut in Irish " concluded, " Studies in Gaelic CELTIC STUDIES. clxvii. Grammar," " Macgrigor of Eoro " with translations by Principal Shairp, and music of " Macgregor's Lament." Mr Cameron had abundant material at hand to continue the periodical for years, and almost adequate support to carry it on successfully, as will be seen from this reference in 1886 : — " In regard to the Celtic Sevieio, I may state that the cause of its not appearing more regularly is that most of the articles had to be written by myself, whilst my professional duties, especially during the summer months when Arran is much frequented by strangers, leave me but small fragments of time for other work. I cannot complain of want of encouragement, so far as the number of subscribers is concerned. In a very short time the number reached nearly 500, of whom about 80 subscribed for the large paper edition ; and at that time the circulation could easily be extended. I believe that even now, notwithstanding that the successive numbers have been issued at such long intervals, a considerable number of additional subscribers could be got without much difficulty ; for I have urgent requests from different quarters to continue the Review, which I would willingly do if I could devote to it more of my time." As proof of this wide-spread desire, may be given a very friendly letter from Mr E. A. Neil, M.A., Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, who writes on 12th November, 1886 : — " You may perhaps recollect that I had the pleasure of meeting you in your manse some years ago. This is partly my excuse in writing now to trouble you about a matter in which I take considerable interest, and on which several people have spoken to me lately. It seems to be a very great pity if a periodical publication devoted to Scotch Gaelic should not be kept up and strongly supported : and the Scottish Celtic Review has always appeared to me to be the only thing of the kind worthy of the subject. May I ask you what are the chances of its being continued ? I ask this, bcause, though I fear it has not had the support it has so fully deserved, I do not think it would be difficult to get a considerable number of more subscribers. Without any trouble I think I could get 10 or 15 among my personal acquaint- ances, and this ought to mean that a good many more could be got through them. If it would be of service I should be very glad to do anything in my power towards furthering such an excellent object as the keeping up of the Review." But his hands were full of other and less profitable work in the form of conflict with Church Courts, so that for the remaining three years he was hardly able to buy or consult the books requisite to clxvii. MEMOIR OF DR CAMBBON. keep him abreast of the rapid advances of philology on newer lines. One cannot pass from the promise and possibilities patent in these papers without a sigh over all that might have been, to which the world that credits what is done is cold. Mr Cameron had the honour of being a member of the Royal Irish Archaeological Association ; and a, similar mark of esteem was bestowed upon him when, on 1st December, 1882, it was intimated to him from the Royal Institution, Edinburgh, that he had been elected .a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. On the same date, " within a few days of the expiry of the time appointed for giving in applications," he offered himself " as a candidate for the Celtic chair recently instituted in the University of Edinburgh," and submitted testimonials of the highest order proving his fitness for occupying the arduous and honourable position. Perhaps it may suffice in this connection to quote the opinion formed of the whole by Sir Noel Paton, LL.D. : — "December 9th. — I have carefully read, and herewith return the printed testimonials of your fitness for the very important task of inaugurating the scientific study of Gaelic in Scotland ; and it is with much satisfaction I find so many competent persons bearing witness, on the one hand, to the extent and accuracy of your attainments as a Celtic scholar, and on the other, to the enthusiasm, patience and success with which, for so many years, you have gratuitously taught the subject in Glasgow. You have done original work, the value of which has been recognised by scholars at home and abroad, and you have proved your capacity for comnmnicating to others the results of your investigations." Referring to the labour involved in conducting the Scottish Celtic Review, " which would make it neoessarj-- to follow the example of the Paris Revue Celtique and other continental publications devoted to special subjects by issuing the successive numbers as they can be made ready," he states the reason for finally, though very reluctantly, making up his mind to exchange pastoral for literary work : — " But even under this arrangement I find that it is impossible to carry on my literary work efficiently, and, at the same time, to discharge faithfully my professional duties. It is this con- sideration mainly that has decided me to become a candidate for the Celtic chair, so that my whole time might, for the future be devoted to the promotion of Celtic study among my countrymen." CELTIC STUDIES. clxix. In the same strain Mr Macbaiu wrote — " It would be well for Gaelic literature and philology if Mr Cameron could obtain the compai-ative leisure of the Celtic Chair to enable him to give to the world the wealth ,of knowledge he possesses in the language, myth, and literature of the Scottish Celt." Dr E. C. Jebb, M.P., said — " Mr Cameron is a thorough scientific scholar, who adds to his intimate knowledge of Gaelic as a vernacular the possession of the latest results in comparative philology and a mastery of the most approved methods." And to add only one other weighty opinion, Rev. H. Macmillan, D.D., LL.D., stated — "I know no one so well qualified in every respect to occupy the chair with honour, and make it useful and stimulating. His Celtic scholar- ship is both profound, far-extending, and accurate.'' There was thus a general consensus of opinion as to his great, if not unrivalled, claims and fitness for the position, and consider- able surprise — not to say disappointment — was elicited when it transpired that he was not the successful candidate. His own view was that, if possible, it would be preferable to secure the services of Professor E. Windisch or of Dr Whitley Stokes, and he repeatedly said that if either of these distinguished linguists could be got to accept the chair, he would be glad to become tutor to their pupils in modem Gaelic, but to those of none else. On the 23rd February, 1883, he received, written in Gaelic, the diploma of the Edinburgh University Celtic Society, conferring upon him the honour of honorary membership. In the long-continued controversy as to the authorship of the famous Poems of Ossian, the question that calls for settlement is, whether James Macpherson was, as he professed, the translator, or, as many maintained, substantially the author. Mr Cameron does not appear to have publicly pronounced an opinion, but his ■attitude on the subject seems to be indicated by a remark made in conversation — " That not a line of the Gaelic originals which we possess exactly corresponds with the old Ossianic ballads." The last published literary work in which he was engaged, and the only one for which he received any remuneration, was a contribution of two ballads from the Dean of Lismore's Book, which appeared, with modern renderings and translations, in the Scottish Review. clxx. MEMOIR OF DR CAMERON. His zeal for Celtic matters continued without flagging unto the end ; for he had with him on his last journey to Edinburgh MSS. that he hoped to be able to transcribe. He felt handicapped and hindered in his work by distance from the requisite material and by lack of leisure, as this reference shows : — " I have a considerable quantity of material which might interest a large class of readers and which deserves to be published. I refer to transcripts of Ossianic and other ballads, chiefly from MSS. in the Advocates' Library. I have been trying during the last few years to do something whenever I could spend a little time in Edinburgh in the way of transcribing . portions of these MSS. I have transeribed a considerable part of the Dean's Book (including all the Ossianic ballads contained in it), about one-half of the Glen-Massan MS., and portions of others. Besides these MSS. there is now deposited in the Library the large collection of Highland Tales and Ballad Poetry which belonged to the late Mr .John F. Campbell of Islay, and which is available for use. From these two sources a large amount of material could be got." The excessive care bestowed upon, and the great accuracy attained in the transcripts made from tho MSS., may be shown by a note from Dr Thomas Dickson of the General Eegister House — a well-known authority on such matters — to whom Mr Cameron was very highly indebted for his great kindness in reading over and comparing the transcripts with the manuscripts : — " 22nd September, 1886. — As this is a bright day I went to the Librai-y and examined again the words of doubtful reading. There is, I think, no room for doubt about ' demyth.' The 'h ' is written on the line and there is nothing after it. Of the other word, the only doubtful letter is that which precedes the ' g,' and to-day I seemed to perceive more clearly than before that it con- sists of two parallel strokes, and is in short either ' n ' or ' u.' I thank you very much for your kind invitation to Arran ; but regret that owing to the absence of other officials on holiday I am closely tied to the oar at present." As already stated in the preceding chapter, Mr Cameron's AlTiia Mater, the University of Edinburgh, conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. on 18th April, 1888. He had fondly hoped to be permitted to do some literary work worthy of the dis- tinguished honour bestowed upon him. He had already translated Professor Windisch's Irish Grammar, but was antici- pated by others in its publication. He had been for half a CELTIC STUDIES. clxxi. life-time collecting and cogitating material for a scientific Gaelic Grammar, but, with the exception of notes for his class, he had not begun to reduce it to writing. He had in hand a Gaelic Etymological Dictionary which was long-looked-for, and which all concerned expected would prove his magnum opus. But diin cUiter visum. Six months later he was at rest ; and these purposes and plans were not destined to be carried into full effect. And yet it is satisfactory to find that his wish in regard to making public property of the materials he had with such labour and learning accumulated, will be largely realised, and his work continued, though not completed, in the publication of " Eeliquite Celticse." JOHN KENNEDY. Caticol, Akran, 8th March, 1892. EXPLANATIONS OF SIGNS AND ABBEEVIATIONS USED IN THE TEXTS. All editorial additions and materials are put within square brackets. The round brackets are reserved for Dr Cameron's work, or for the editor of the Sage and Mackenzie Collections. Dr Cameron's texts are reproduced literatim as he left them ; and the abbreviations of the original MSS. which he left unextended are here repro- duced " diplomatically " by the following signs (the signs of abbreviations in the Dean of Lismore's text being explained on page 1) : — The apostrophe (') stands for a stroke with a super-imposed dot, which is placed above a letter ( -=- ). This sign generally stands for a vowel and dh or gh. But, like many of the signs in these MSS., it is used for other abbrevia- tions, as thain' for thainic. The double apostrophe (") is much the same as the small super-linear s or y, which see below. A single inverted comma {') shows that the preceding letter (i.e. consonant) has a stroke drawn above it. This abbreviation stands generally for an omitted liquid consonant with suitable vowels. It may simply mean a reduplification of the letter. But m' may be for mac, son, and 't is a vowel and rt. A double inverted comma stands for two strokes over a letter in the original MS. It denotes a larger supply of liquids and vowels than the fore- going. It often stands with a single letter for one word, as F" for Fergus. The small super-linear / or s, or doubles of the same, are attempts at reproducing similar forms in the MSS. These generally are abbreviations of r or -rr with a vowel prefixed. Other small letters show contractions which affect them, but these may be easily understood. The letters are similarly placed in the MSS., unless they are written over the letter which should precede them. Of course, this last position could not be imitated in print, nor is it anyways necessary. The gamma-like letter in the MSS., with super-imposed line, which stands for chd or cht, is represented by x. If a dot occurs above the line, then an apostrophe follows the x, or an h. The letter h, italics, is always reserved for any letter in the MSS. having a •dot above it. Of the numerals employed, the 3, or letter z, stands for a similar abbrevia- tion, which means s preceded by some vowel. 'I'he figure 4 represents ar. The figure 7 stands for " acus," or the English equivalent for " and." But it has also the value of et or ed (arising from its being originally for Latin et). When it has the dot above it, the aspiration thereby meant is represented by italic h in print. Thus, c; is for c4t, ceud, " one hundred," and b7Aa is for hetha or beatha, " life." Once or twice on p. 165 the apostrophe represents a similar sign of abbre- viation in the MS., but no confusion can arise. It is final in baitht'. These abbreviations apply only as far as page 166. The rest of the book is printed from modern MSS. written in the ordinary characters. THE TEXT OF THE DEAN OF LISMORE'S BOOK, WITH TKANSLITERATIONS AND TRANSLATIONS. The Book of the Dean of Lismore is a manuscript collection of Gaelic poetry taken down from oral recitation, more than three hundred and fifty years ago (1512-1526), by Sir James Macgregor, Dean of Lismore, in Argyllshire, and his brother, Duncan Mac- gregor, who acted as his secretary. The MS. contains 311 quarto pages neatly written in the current Roman hand of the period. The orthography, which is not always uniform, is phonetic, and may, therefore, be regarded as accurately representing the spoken Gaelic of the West Highlands of Scotland at the time the MS. was ■written, a circumstance which greatly enhances its value for lin- guistic purposes, although it immensely increases the difficulty of presenting its contents in an intelligible form to Gaelic readers of the present day. A complete transcript of the Dean's Book, with the exception of those parts that are illegible, was made in 1813 by Ewen Mac- lachlan, of Aberdeen ; and a volume containing a selection of pieces from it, with modem versions and translations, and a valu- able introduction written by Mr W. F. Skene, was published in 1862 by the late Rev. Dr Maclauchlan, Edinburgh. [In reproducing Dr Cameron's transcripts, the contractions and peculiarities have been retained, except when extended by himself. They are as follows : — c italic shows that the original has a form which may be either c or t. e italic, doubtful if vowel be e or o. h italic is used after any letter that has a point — punctum deleus — above it. OT italic after another m, shows that a stroke is above the m in the MS. — a sign of duplication, ii is for nn. italic may be e. r, small and at the top of the line, is for ir or er or .such s alone italicised, doubtful if not ss. t, similar to r described above, is for th or ch. t italic may be c. See c. ' , apostrophe, is a contraction generally for n, but it may be m, or r, or even a mere liuuiish of the pen, if terminal. ' a sign for r with vowel. Other italics denote extended contractions], 1 THE DEAN'S TEXT. A hotid'' ossan m^finna etc. Di chonna mee tyly* finn is ner vai tyly' teme trea Aggis di chonna mee scheve di vonf in nir in nea Di chona mee tyly* art far lar vai dona binni Far is farre ne agga mee di choiia maa tyly' finn Dane vaga mir a choiia mee choiia m'' ynlai fa ynna Owcht is merk na. vagga ea di choiiek ma tyly' finn Goym ree ni lygh no* gi oik za vil er mo chinni Gin seirra marreine o faynna Dy* chonna ma tyly* finn. Di chonna mee tyly* A houd'' so ossin. Is fadda no* ni nelli finni is fadda linni in nychei* ryr In lay dew gay fadda zoyth di bi lor fadda in lay de * * day ? Fadda Iwmmi gy* lay za dike ne mir sen di cleachta domh Gin deowe gin dany* cath* gin wea foylim clas dlwo* *creach 1 Gin neni' gin choill gin chrute gin froni* crew gin gneiwe gr . . . Gin deilly* ollom zoir wea gin neilli gin oill fley Gin chin er swrri na er selgi in da cherd ray in roy* mee [noi ? Gin dwlli in glaew no in gay* oiohane ach is derriih dow Gin wrai* er ellit no er feygA ne hawle sen bi wane lom Gin loegA er chonvert na er chon is fadda no* in nalli fi[nni] Gin ereri' gaske znaai* gin nimmirt* mir a baill linni *nimirt ? Gin snaw zair leichre er loch is fadda Din teill mir a ta mee is trowig er bea mir a ta sinn Menir a tarring clocht Is fadda Derri ni feyni foir* nois is mee ossin mor m" finni *far ? Gesticht re goy*ow clokki Is faddi Faye a phatrik zoein o zea fiss * in ninni f in bea sinni * fis? f nini? Gi' serrir marrure roi* locht Is fadda Is fadda MODERN VEESION. Ughdar so Oisiii^ Mac Fhinn. '[Do chunna mi teaghlach Finn, is nior bu teaghlach tioma treith ; Agus do chunna sibhe de mhuinntir an fhir an de. Do chunna mi teaghlach Airt, fear le'r mhac donna, binn. Fear is fearr ni fhaca mi. Do, &c. Da 'n faca mar a chunna mi ! Chunna Mac An Lai fa Fhinn. Och ! is mairg na faca e. Do, (fee. Gu 'm r6 ni ioghnadh gach olc dha bheil air mo cheann Gin sacra marruinn o phein. Do, sl6igli.5 D^ mhanais^ ghaisge gu'^ buaidh A' seasamb an gabhlann a sg^ith'; Air neart, air ghaisg' air ghail, Ni bh-'eil fear mar^ (sin) ach sh. Neul flaith agus rosg righ An ceann an fhir 'ba chaonihs cruth ; Math a shnuadh, 's ba gheal a dheud, Is luaith' a steud na gach smth. Th^inigi" an steud sin an tir," 'S am fear^^ nar mhin leis^^ an Fheinn' ; (Ni fhacas samhail an fhir Teachd gu ruige ^* sin an c6in).i'^ Oaogad laoch^^ bhiomar ann, Dhuinne r'a innseadh (?) gur nkr{T);^'' Air eagal an fhir is a shith,i^ Nior robh laoch dhinn gun ghrMn. * Miss Brooke's version has " 's do bhi treun " (and who was brave). ^ " Gun gar fbir." ^Miss Brooke's version — " Droim Ife a g-cleas air an g-cle." 2 " taebh." ^ " os a chind." = " i g-cenn [in] t-sl6igh." « " Dhii mhanaois." ' Sc. '■ le." » " mear (?) ach s^. S"fachaemh." ""Tiiinic." "'-id-tir." ^2 "an fear." ".f. 41 [Bu bhuidhe innis] a fholt, Fada rosg barghlan fa [liosg], Guirme agus glais' 'n a shuil Maise 's cais an cul nan cleachd Binneas is grinneas 'n a ghl6ir Gile' n a dhoid bharr-dhearg bhlith Meud agus eifeacha 's an laoch Seang is saor 'n a chneas ban. €oiteach is mealltair bhan, Mac O'Dhuinn bu mh6r buaidh, An t-suiridh char tbog a suil. chorruich iur air a ghruaidh. [Imirdeach fhaoghaid] is each Fear an eigin chreach nar chkr Gille a b' fheirr gaisg' is sioth Ach truagh mar a [theich] 'sa' ghleann. Ughdar so sios Alan Mac Ruaiaidh. M6r an nochd mo chumha fein, A thailgein a ta dha m' reir, E.e smaointeadh a' chatha chruaidh Thugamar is Cairbre Crann- ruadh. Am mac sin Chormaic 0' Chuinn Mairg an Fh6inn 'tharla fa chuing High gun chas uim chath do chuir Is gun ghr^in roimh biodhbha. [Cailleas mi gach uile fa m' dhaoinej Fhinn is clanna caomh Chuinn Gus a bh-faidhbh sin Chairbre-ruaidh, Nior smaoineadh sinn olc no anmhaoin. Do chan Cairbre r' a shluagh Agus do b' i an fhala chruaidh Gur b' fhfearr leis tuitim air magh Agus an Fheinn le cheile Na(sa) righreachd bheathadh mhir Agus an Fheinn a bhith air Eirinn. A king careless about giving battle, And without fear before his foes. [I lost all of my men, Fionn and the gentle race of Conn, Until Ked Cairbre's yoke We thought not of evil or wrong]. Said Cairbre to his host (And it was direful treachery). That rather would he fall in the field And the Feinni with him Than (have) the sovereignty of the living world And the Feinne be over Erin. 42 THE dean's text. Di chan barrin gi prap cwnei' mvkre agis art ffir sinsir huttwm in sen di wrei* felli' ni faynet Cwnei' a gessiih chroye is cwnei* in non* oywir *nen? Is na* royin* cogei' rame linni ach na heiggei*! vakkowle *reym? reyin? fhoiggei'? Ba corle clonni cwne agis carb^ a lay trome Ead feyne a hawrt dar ginni agis sinni di zechin gow marrei* no zey wleygh is ^ gin nane a wei* in nalvin Is weadeisst baiss fa zoem tra na* bedeis in mir zloe Hug sen gi fei' fgi* in cath sen oath' zawraa Di hut in nane bonni re bonni is reire* olsa errin *rei*re Ne roygh oo nynea nor gow fodlei* earra in doy*in In rei* na* reigh fair* sniacht rairf linni gwss a chaa sen a halgin *far frar churri an sen ir nair* ner zowe rweni keiss^ na kayn *nar ? Is ne roye ag dwn kei*rwn ach fair gwde di zea neirrin* *nerrin? ymm* er feyf in doyn worre na' lar ueyinlf dei* in tloye *ymni? t ymme fey ? J neyin ? noyin ? weyin 1 Ni fenyei** la er lai a hwtteim la na cheilli* * fonyei* ? Da degfei* awlworrei* in sen orrew in neirrin eazlyn *nerrin? ^ " is" apparently deleted. " " keiss'' with the " sa" deleted in MS. Said Parran in haste, " Remember, Muoramh and Art, That your sires fell there By the treachery of the Feinni. " Remember their heavy tributes And remember their exceeding pride, And that there was not one province in my time But was a tributary to Mac-Cumall." It was the counsel of the Clan of Conn, And of Cairbre from Liath-druim,^ To give themselves in our cause And to have us beheaded, That matters might continue as they were And no Feinne to be Almr ; And that we should die at last When engaged in frantic strife. We fought fiercely, wrathfully, That battle, Gabhra Battle ; ^ Leitrim. MODERN VERSION. 43 Do chan Barran gu prap, Cuimhnich Mucruimhe agus Art, Bhur sinnsir thuitim an sin Do bhrigh fala ^ na Feinne. Cuimlinich an geasaidh cruaidh, Is cuimhnich an an-uabhar, Is nach robh aon Ch6ige ri ni' linn Ach na h-iocaidhe do 'Mhac- Cumhaill. B' e comhairle Cloinn-Chuinn Agus Chairbre o' Liath-druim lad fein a thabhairt d' ar cionn Agus sinne do dhicheann. Gu maireadh 'na dheigh amhlaidh, Is gun Fheinn a bheith an Almhain, Is faighdeas bis fa dhe6igh, Trath nach beideas am mir ghle6. Thug sinn fiadhaioh feargach An oath sin oath Gliabhra ; Do thuit an Fhiann bonn ri bonn Is righre uailse Eireann. Ni 'n robh o'n Innia noir Gu Fodhla iar an domhain Aon righ nach robh fa 'r smachd r' ar linn Gus a' chath sin, a Thailgein. chuireadh an sin ar n-ar Nior ghabh ruinn cis no cain Is ni robh aig duine [cith ruinn] Ach bhur cuid do iath-n-Eireann lomadh air feadh an domhain mhoir Xeach le 'r eibhinn dith an t-sl6igh Na Fianna (1) leth ar leith A thuitim le na cheile. Da d-tagfaidh AUmharraigh an sin Oirbh an Eireann iath-ghlain. 1 feallaidh ? The Feinni fell, foot to foot,i And the noble kings of Erin. There was not, from India in the East To Fodhla, furthest West of the world. One king to us not subject, in our time. Until that battle, holy man. Since our battle there was fought We have not taken cess nor tribute. [Nor to us was tribute due. Only our share of Eirin's extent]. Many a man throughout the great world Rejoiced at the destruction of the host : [That the Feinn side by side Should fall all together.] If foreigners had then come Against you in Erin, the fair land, ^ Lit., " sole to sole," meaning close together. 44 THE dean's text. Ossin cred a zanei' finni* is errssmif far neirrinf *fiyni ? fersmi? Jiien-in? Er a lawe a oleyrre o.haye ne royi* si vanve vane Beggane di leitbre erse* agis ogre gin darve *errse 1 arse ? arrse 1 Ga bea rei' heissy* in sin zoyve sai fodlei* in nasgei' Gin chath' gin nirril gin nawgh gin nene * gin achassen * none 1 Churrsin ir defhta sor gow faAaA mayk v" oonni Di Lei'* orriu nar genni di zowell rei*rei' errin * hoi* ? Mor in tysin dymi* orwei' ar rei* tawrei' fa mow torm TwUi' owyr a twg gew* dul di warwa er oUea * gow ? Ossin innis dAowe * skail nor chorsew in nirril trane * dAoive ? Nor huty* di waksi si chaa na drwg tow er er lawryiht Oskin mi vek osgir ayen. * hany' mis er cwrrei* in nar a * ayew 1 Id tanik keilty' er* sen oskin a hecht' clynni *or ? Hanyk in* roye boa zairf weane woskinin gaxrit^ feyn *ni? fzar? Drong zoe lawrrit or* sin is wei* drong elli' gin armyn * or ? A cleyrrei' ni baichil (?) bane ga bea zei' chewi' in tayr By* wor in troye rair* lin olsa errin di huttym *rar 1 Ymmei* caifhraa codei* kewe * y'mi loerei* hei* heirf *keive? fher? Y'mei* skai* bar 'si si wygh agis a trea gin anmyn ^ In 4th line, " dyt" is written above '' it" of " garrit." Oisinn, what would Finn have done, And the remnant of the men of Erin ? ' By thy hand, oh holy cleric, There was not in fair Banbha (But) a few aged warriors And of youths untried. Whatever king might then have come. He would have got Fodhla for nought Without battle, without strife, without contest, Without blame, without reproof. We sent our messengers eastward To Fatha, son of Mac-Conn, To come to us to aid us And take the sovereignty of Erin. [Great the grief that came on you From Tara's loud-spoken king ; Further pride went altogether, For all our men were slain.] Oisin, recount to me When you fought the stout contest. MODERN VERSION. 45 Oisin, cred a dheanadh Fionn Is iarsma fhear Eireann 1 Air do liimh, a chleirioh chaidh, Ni robh 'sa' Bhanbha bhain (Ach) beagan do laochraidh areaidh Agus 6igridh gun dearbhadh. 6e b' e righ 'thiseadh an sin, Gheibheadh e Fodhla a n-asgaidh, Gun chath, gun iorgbail, gun aigh, Gun on, gun achmasan. Chuir sin ar teachda soir Gu Fatha mac Mhic Cuinn Do theacM oimn 'n ar ceann Do gbabhail righreaebd Eireann. ^lor an t-saith ^ sin d' imich oirbh righ Teamhra fa mo toirm Tuilleadh uabhair a tug gu dul A mharbhadh ar n-uile.* [*oile?] Oisin, innis domh sgeul 'Nuair 'chuir sibh an iorghail threun, 'Nuair 'thuit do mhac-sa sa' chath An d' rug tu air air labhra 1 Os cionn mhic, Oscair aigh, Thiinig mis' air cirr an air, Ad tiinig Caoilte iar sin Os cionn a sheachdnar chloinne. Thainig na robh beo d' ar Feinn Os cionn an cairde fein, Droing dhiubh 'labhradh sin Is bhi droing eile gin armain. A chleirich nam bachall ban, Ge b' e dhibh 'chidheadh an t-ar, Ba mh6r an truaighe r' ar linn Uaisle Eireann do thuitim lomadh cath-barr cumhdach caomh lomadh luireach shaoi shaor lomadh sgiath tharsna sa' mhagh Agus a thriath gun anmain. i"tai," grief. When thy son fell in the battle Didst thou reach him while he had speech ? Above 1 my son, brave Oscar, I came as the slaughter was ended, Caelte then came straightway Above his seven children. There came as many as lived of the Feiune Above their own friends. Of these some had yet speech And some were without life. Oh cleric of the white staves Whoever should see the slaughter [Would deem it] a great woe in our time That the nobles of Erin were slain. Many a helmet richly adorned. Many a noble warrior's mail. Many a shield (was) strewed on the plain And its lord without life. ^ i.e., to lean over him. 46 THIS dean's text. Cha dewei' sin din tloygh mirri baale er in rojgh boyc Cha dug sin lynni as a cAaa ach feyve rei* na ardlaiht Sanni a hor me mi wag feyn na lea er a wllin chlaa is skaAaA nawriss er in layr agis a lanni na zes lawe ^ Tonnwl alii* er gi' lea d(^a er bley a loereicha Leggwm erla mi ley re lar is di rynnis os a chinni tawe Smvnin * a healgin er sin cred a zanvm na zeye *Smvuim 1 Di hilli* osgir rwmsy' sos agis bi lor lam a chros Di hein a hwggwm a lawe ^ er wayn erre ym choaaill Di zoyve may lawe ^ mi vec feyn is dy* hoeis rany' crea Is won tw sin a lea char churreis cais sin teil Hurrt romsy' mi wak farry' agis a nar* army* *nor? ner? A woe ris ni dwllw sin di wesi* slane a aythir Ne zanwmsy* (?) zewsycht goe* ne roe aggvm fregrei* zoe Gin danik keilt wor sin huggin a zeyzin oskir A dowirt makronane in nawe aib kynnis* tayzeis a zrawg ^kynis? A tame er oskir mir is dloe dul a gomir seil awzewe* *awzeive ? ■Crachtea sley cAarb^ roye fa ymlin osgir armroye Lawe cheilt ga wllin des (?) rea* in greachte ny' sley ^ A dot above first part of " w" in MS. in these places. For iv ? ' That had not been the ruin of our host Had it not been an enchanted spot. We brought not with us from the battle But the spoil of king or high prince. There I found my own son Lying on his left elbow His shield beside him on the ground And his lance in his right hand. Pouring his blood on each side of him On the fragments of his mail. I let the shaft of my spear to the ground, And I stood leaning over him. I bethought me then, holy man, What I should do after him. Oscar looked up to me. And to me 'twas pain enough. He stretched towards me his hand, J'ain to rise to meet me. jrODERN VERSION. 47 Cha diobhadh sin do 'n t-sluagh Mar a ball air an robh biiaidh, Cha d'thug sinn leinn as a' chath Ach faobh righ no ard fhlath. 'S ann a fhuair mi mo mhac fein 'Na laighe air 'uillinn chle Is sgiath \kiwh ris air an Mr Agus a lann 'na dheas Uimh. Tonnadb 'fhala air gach leth detli Air bliaighibb a luiriche. Leig mi earrlinn mo shleigb ri lA,ir Is do rinneas os a chionn t^mh Smuaineam, a Thailgein, an sin Cred a dhaaufainu 'na dheaghaidh. Do sheall Oscar riumsa suas Agus ba le6r learn a chruas, Do shin e hugam a l^mh Air mhiann eirigh a' m' chomhdbail. Do ghkbh mi Rmh mo mhic fein Is do shuidheas re na [crea], Is o'n 1>suidhe sin a leth Char chuireas cks san t-saoghal. Thubhairt riumsa mo mhac feardha Agus e an deire 'anma ; A bhuidhe ris na duilibh sin, Do bheith-sa slan, a athair. Ni dheanam-sa dhuibhse g6 Ni robh agam freagradh dh6 i mairg dar ghinadh achniiis nar umaTO fein 6 taoi go fuar comhfada theid fuath 7 gradh Do ghuala fein fada oriabh CMman deisi do dhiol truth duine o mhumarew. na mur geal diobh 7 duine do leath cuinn. Do bhadai" da bhliaghum deg an dias sgoilair sgel suirg gan deghail gan diachra sere ar fud eirenn deas 7 tuaith ^ " adohiam " ? THE EDINBURGH MSS. 141 Deis auimnte abailtibh sgol dala anchupla a?' nac/i glos beim do thionrasgin gach daine dhiobh dol antratlisi?i da thir feiii Do bi freagradh anfhir adeas 7 sruth deir ag tscht re gjMaidh ni shaoilum go faioaumm agradh cnms a cbeile go la luain Da thiocfadh i ar an sgoiler a tuath olc do chexuir uain da bhrigh OS ag deghail dhiimji nar dias gitr ba duitsi abbias adhioth Deis air coman gusa nox ni mor abhen na folt slim nach 1 freagra anfir a tuaith fuaras uait ag deghail rrn'nre Ni bi hanratsocrac^i no tferg ni dioghbhal ceile na cerd bhaogb ni fuath ni droch tbesd ni druis do bber degh' dhuinwe araon Gan tu sancricbsi abiadh meabh no crich Laigliinra na neas reidh no coigadh deghuidh mhi'c Fein (?) ttug mo dbegb' riot re mo re Ni fbuai'r isi giodh meanma saor aghlac shocrach gaK taomcruas fath mo thregsin 7 me adgharr is maith gacA cuneadh afad uait iiaiVg dmne bhrathis e fein XXII. Odubhagan . cc . Bliagbm'n so sholas adath slighe aigentach eolach ariaghail fa lomnan Horn an bliaghuin chomhian choitchenn i"tiocfadli"1 142 THIS EDINBURGH MSS. Ceithre raithe ambliaghum bhuig asi gnaith shlighe ghabhamuid tri mi ingaoh raith ambliaghum snaithe i fa ein riaghuil A ta ami gheanuair greanta triochad la is la aigenwta tosach don mi on mhealltoir laur do chi on chailenntoir A mi fheabhra thall ata ox laithe is fiohe fionrela sgri'obh gan chiorra sios mur suin mios is giorra san hhliaghuin La is tri .X. an mhart mhoir riaghuil chinrete gan claoclilodh ni gan chleith a aitline araon tri dech da aithle anabraon A mi maoi maith re mholadh trioohadh is la ag leabhrugli' gan chleith ar niiiil asi soin tri deioh. ami iiim gle ghloin A mi giuil nar ghortach grian la 7 tri . x . adheigh chiall ahughduir da coeill aoeisd a urdal eile anaibhgheisd Tri . X . ansebtemper slan gaoh ughdur aga iomradh siotha ro aom timbear triocha haon anoctimber November tri deicli dhealbbtha a ughduir na healaghna desember gan gruig thall thra se chui'g anre 7 aou la Ciu'g la tri . XX . tri ched 1 se huaiVe gan oired as riaghuil fa li do leath san bhliaghuin nach bi ar bhiseach Gach tosach ambliaghum bhain sloinre go rathmwr tre ro bhaigh cui'r go frosach sna froighibh tosach ar na tosuighibh THE EDINBURGH MSS. 143 Oirrdheirc an guth onghleanntoir C] tosach an cailenjitoir maith ro locradh tra 7 tuig tocAimadh la iar nodhluig TosacA eile ambliaghum mhais an tra tugadh an tsainais riaghm'l nach diosg do dhailedh \>\iag}m.in criosd re achomhatVeam Tosaoh nach oirgdherc agaon da dheich. re sa nabraon mur do bullamh. anglann run do cumadh na ceathar dhul Dombnacli aidueinte ^ anaigh tosach ghabhas angriogair vdur dhleaghair do gaoh aon inre mar aon san leabhur leighinre Ced la don bliaghui'n go mbiogh baistedb iubhl' anaird riogh maith gne aghruadh tra re ataisdiol se la uadh go hath bhaisdedh p mbliaghna . xx . fior dhamh 7 se la gan locadh edir da bhaistedh dhea ^ dhil antaisder cia nach cuimhn' Fiche la nocha leath dail go feil foil & eifepain ofheil Phoil gan luadh ale ox la go feil buan brighde Iar na mhairach mor an mhais do chuaidh mui're donegluis mirr is tuis di da dhergadh si gan chuis ga coisergadh A ccionra laoi 7 da dheich daoibh do chuaidh Pedar na chathaoir maith antres chaithi gan chas antres laithe ag matias 1 " aidaisnte" ? 2 D-,ub;ful. 144 THE EDINBURGH MSS. An dara \aithe deg as doigh do mi mart a fell griogoir as airemh suadh e tra 7 tui'g se la uadh go fell Patruig 9 la gan dul uaidh tar ais no go f huaiV mui're an t sainuis rainig tair gach saoir mi sloinre tainig ancaoimhri accoluinji Da laithe dheg go ndaithe 7 fiche fhionn laithe 6 fheil ogh mhuire gan ais go feil mhor ghloine mharcuis A sec/iimhadh la lith gan mhoid la feil Philip is lacoib fa la traith niamhdha toile la blaith naomhtha bj,iltume An treas la do shamhr' shuairo feil na croiche do)i ched ouaud an sgoth nocha ttoirne thoir croch an ohoimhdhe dar ccobhai'r Ceithre la deg go deimhin go feil brenainre bain bhleighidh saor agk)r nooha diaud de naomh as mor cui'd dore crwinne Cuig is da dheich adearar fheil brenuiu?i barr leabhuir naomh mholuim go leir go feil choluim chaoimh ohille An treas la uadha gan agh barnabas easb' iomshlan an sechtmadh la na lingsoin la fheil mo ling alughair An tochtmadh la is'leighenre dhcarbh feil eoin baisde go mbith shealbh ioTddha da gairm go ceill caigh darab ainm feil shan seaan An tochtmadh la uadh gan ail la feil Foil 7 Peadair dairmar ^ uadh tre shimon sin do badar di mhor deisdin 1 " darrmar " 1 THE EDINBURGH MSS. 145 An toc/timadh la deg ma le cur na nasb' o cheile fer na aonar sgach oirea.cht do sgaoir le sgel mdhe&cht Seclit la grinrae 7 ghlain fheigh go feil mui're maghdhalen ben rer cabhr' ri na riogh do taghadh i go nairdrigh Ceithre la is fior go feas go feil lacoib gan aincheas is ris adearthair san seim ni fanra dhl" gach degh sgel An tochtmadh la uad^ mas fior la feil PeadaiV na poirt ghniom/t each accaxA ni cosmhuil an la soin la lughnasadh. An deichmadh la dfoghmhar ogh la feil luibhrint Ian mhor asi suin tra gan tlas an la soin la san labhras Ar na mharach gWan glanta la feil uaiiul attrachda da ogh nar ciontach agcol an da bhanogh fhiortach nasal Eg do mhuire is derbhta dhamh an . 5 . la deg dfoghmAar ri na gc7 da togha thoir rogha na neg anteg sin An deicmhadh la iarsin sloin» Parthalan easb' almnn anseisemh la uadh feil eoin da oeisim ar gach cealloir En la is da . v . gan chol go rugadh mutre mhathar tlaith re fhoghail is re fheall do chobhai?- caich go coitohenw, 10 146 THE EDINBURGH MSS. Ar na mhaireacA briathra hinn oiaran ancara thogham is infedhmdha buadha abhreth tigherna cluana ancleireach * [An . vii . m' uada iseadh. la fell croiohe an coimhdegh sin tollairbhi ingach tigh mi ar comairce an oroiii sin An toxmadh la fell matha nocha nuaisle aonfhlaitha n,ort dia na aon'' ni chel a naomh' la fell michel An suibhisgel saoi gan tlas in fichedmhadh la lucas a gbloir na dhiaigh ar na dhol fa liaigh do phol na bfob' La 7 da .V. gan chas go fell simoin is udais cuig la uadh sire go samhuin sluagh do dligh an duileam/iuin Ar namhairach as heachd linw marbh na cminne go coitceii giadh gleo re ha'r g' eg sin marbh gach beo is bed bhun An taonm' la deg dealbhtha don gaimhr' ni go mea'na crodh an ghuirt g'armuighe glioil la feil mic marbhuigh martain An treas la deg go direach cleman can na martireacli an si' ro box n° box bhias ochd la uadh go feil aindrias Da roibh feil aindrias @ aoibh ar luan ar mhart no ar . c. aon cios gach droinge do deghailt roimhe bhias anaigh ebint * Here Dr Cameron's transcript of MS. XLVIII. ends, leaving 9 more pages out of the 6i wbicli it contains. The rest of O'Dubhagan's Calendar, so far as the MS. has it, is given on the Editors' respoisibility. THE EDINBUBGH MSS. 147 Dardaoin aoine sathraiDi sin aigaibint da beis abar m' creidir daighdis do da roibhe fell aindrias orrtha Sec/id laithe fionna as forz go fell naomhtha nicholas fesd an chleirigh uar cainedh cenn sgeinih na sgelaireadh In treas la na dheagh' so do coimr' maithir iosa iosa an ceathramh' la diaighsiu la fell finnein na fior cheil Se laithe deg gan doilge la feil tomais toghaim ni togh comramach go ceil asb' olibhlaghach eisin Cuig laithe uadha li nach lag la OS g° la la nollag ciod cia mar do dearbh' dhe da ndernadh do dhia duiue Steaphan mairtir mor am broid ar na mareach iar nodhluig la feil eoin iar na mharach a threoir fa seimh soghradhach Ar na mharach buan mblagh do much' an mhacrighe do roingadar nemhna nel ambi ri fiath na bfiren A cuig iar nodhluig neamhdha tomas asb' ard aobhdha maithe an cleas chaidhche na cheil an treas laithe ag silvesder An la sin do reir riaghla fiar dheiredh finn b(l)iaghna criosd do uim/i ingach trath thoir do bhlatli irag" bliaghuin . b . Gach airemh dar airbheas an ar soUamhn' na sar chlanre im chroidhe go ttribhra astegh iodhna oile sa naireamh 148 THE EDINBURGH MSS. Ata fos ga chlaon ceill ag riomh gacha ri fheille ag gach la seimh re seal an da fheil anjisa naireanih Gach nech anre da du aoine cluiufid dronga deghdaoiree righ de n" do taom thogz nach be aon na amharus Epipfain fail luibhrint lain nolluig is feil san sea ain samhuin nach diosg afular dia chuirp criosd is easgabhail Da easbal deg na desgel cethrar sendna suibhsgel do charus tuile na try sanuis niuire sa moir eg Ag sin na haoithe ag'a mar abz anonara aoine thric accas na cuir tig anbas ingach bliaghuiw A.b.c.d.e.f.g. na haon sin is da ttreighe cert gach no do a on rentoir (?) &echd colainna an chailentoir A &echd fa cethrar gan chol an chiogal ghrianda gle gla caite gabhanre dlus g' dath na fagann tus ar tos'^'^ longn' masedh a dearar ase an ced la an an cethramadh diongna mbhrethnuigh' da ri cethram/iMm an 07 la An bisioch mbrogha adatha in ciogol grianda ghniomAach tuas go mbein uall ga agar anen uair ma fhuaradar An ceithramh' bl' buan don chiogal grianda gla fhuar ria shechd riaghla m"^ sin asi an cheart bl'na bhisidh THE EDINBURGH MSS. li'J A . . litir dhomnuidh dhe an denamli clair na cruinne b . dia luain . c . dia mairt Here there is a break in the MS., and the Calendar abruptly ends. The next two leaves are mostly in a different handwriting from the foregoing, and possibly not consecutive. The last page contains the poem beginning " A dhuine cnimhne am bas "]. POEM ILLUSTRATIVE OF MS. XLVIII. Cnoc anair an cn6csa siar, go la na braith hidda ghairm a Phadruig na mbachall mb4n, ni gan fath tugadh an tainm Inreis masa cumhain. leat, aiia Chubhaill nach beg bron abaiV biadh mo bhenraacA^ let, seel fire sna can g6. As truagh an ni rer a» me, a m(h)ic Albrumn. nar er neoh a,n sgel ro fhiathfroig(h)ia diom, innsim ar sgath riogh na mbreth La da ndechaicZA Fionn. na bhflegh, is Fian(n) Eirenra na ngredh seng ar are chnocsa lion v.n sWgh, nior begal doibh techt re accenre En bhen do bailie no grian, do chi an Fhia?i(n) ag techt sare leirg do mhoc Cumhu*l(l), innsim dhuit, benMc(h)uis rioghain a» bhruit dheirg Cia tii arioghaire, ar Fionn fpin, is ferr meinra sis dille dealbh fuaim do gbotha is binrae linre, na abhfa re seiim gion gur searbh NiamAan nuacbrothach se mainm, inghen Doilbh mic D61atV fhinji airdriogh Greg, mo ra{h)al\a.cht air, do r Cred do bheir ga sechnat^A tii, na ceil do ruin, oirre saiocht dul do o(h)omrag ar do sgath, gab/iara do lamh ar do thocht An ri scire ga ttugas fuath, do roinre adubhghiial dom ghne cluas is urball is cenre cait, do bhi aiV, nior bbait an sgeimh Dimches an domhan fa thri, nior fhagbhas ri arere no flaith nar iarras acht sibhsi a Fhian(n), snior ghell triath manacalair Ainigfed tii ainghen 6g, ragh mac CumAuill nar chl6dh ria.mh no go ttuitfid ar da sgdth, na aecht cathsa ata are Fhian(n) Ar are laimAsiw- ortsa, a Fhinre, is giiais linre go dernms breg are ti re teichijre ab(h)fad, tuitKdh leis cath agas ced Na dein iomarbhaigh As, afholt cas ar dhath an6ir snack tainic don laooh accein, nacA fml saw bhfein fer da chl6dh 150 THE EDINBUBGH MSS. Is gerr go bhfacamar uainji, ri fer ccaitcenre fa crwaidh lamh nior hheannuidh. snior umhlaiffh d Fhionre, sdo iarr cath ar chionn amhnd Teid dheinw ced laoch na dhail, do bferr lamh nn lathair gleo noohar thill nech dibh ar ais, gem tuitiwi le Tailg mac Treoin. Iar(r)uis Osgur ced ar Fhiorere, ger bholc linn e do luagh dul do chowirag ara Moioh loinra, mar do c(h)onn.airc dfth na sluagh Do b(h)eirim ced dhuit, ar Fionre, giodh olc liom do thuitiw trid eiridh beir mo b(h)en/iacA< let, cuimhnidh do ghal is do g(h)niomh Fedh chdig oidhche fedh cJiSig la, do bhi aw dias sin nar thlath gleic gan bhiagh gan choladh ar dhi suain, gur thuit Tailc le buaidh me mhic Do l^ig sinji tri garrtha os aird, sare chomhrag sin nar thUth gleic gsdr chaoinjite far thui't dar bhfeinji, sdd. ghd(i)r mhaoidhfe fa eg Thailc NiamAan niiachroch mor an. hed mar do choinjiaio med an air ghabhas ndire a-n ghruadh derg ghlaw, tuitis marbh le med nai're Bds aw rioghna deis gach uilc, ase is mo do chmr ar chach ar aw. cnocsa des accliath, do bhaisd an Fhia?i(n) cnoo anair. EDINBURGH MS. LXII. Tri manuinn a bhaig riogh bretanw tri seabhaio o shliabh a ohuilinre an triar dar gheillfid na gaisgidh sda ntiubhruid na hamiiis urram Tri steallain do nubhall eis nach bhfuilngyA temial na ntir tri mic Uianeach 6 dunmonyA o tri heoin a choohaill a caoim Na tri heoin do bailue snuadh a tainig air chnan na mbdrc tri mic nisneach on charrtha ohiuin tri laoha ar tuinre a snamh Sor' soir gu halbinre uainre far mhaitb radharo chuain is ghlenn am biadh mio JJisneach re seilg baoibhinw suigh air leirg a ben??. Co biongnadh mis a thabhai'rt graidh do dalbuinra lir bu reidh roid bu ghlan mo oheile na measg bu lem a Eeich is a h6r Bail 7 leith Albany fein do bhi agam ard an c6im is le fergus na ncolg laidir o smairg a tainig gu heirinre ! Ghlinn masain sin glen masa ge gorm a chremh sgeal a dhosain sminic a rinw. me oodal corrach air do mhullaoh sa ghlinn masain Glenwdaruadhail gienn daruail ana glenn is binree guth cuaioh sbinra guth gadhair fan choill ohruim os ar ooion an Glenndaruail Aoibhinre Diinmedha s Dun fionra aoibhinre an dun bi os a chionji aoibhinw. inis druighinm lethanre leis a sinn agus dunsuibhne Cethrar sinn an inis droighinre far naoh bhfedfadh no sloigh ar noighedh misi fein sni moide an ach Naoisne, Aillemh, agus Ardan Bhiodh Ardan aguinn, re toirbheirt 7 Aillemh re seilg seunta is Naoisne fein cenre ar muinwtir is misi re fuaim na nteuda La da raibh fir Alba g61 is Clann- JJianeach fa ceol gen a dinghen thighema duntreoin do thug Naoisne pog gun fhios Do gheall se dhith eallta bhaoth agh all' is laogh re cois is thaghail se aic adr chuai'rt Tpilleadh shluadh inbirnis R 1 Euigidh each mall muilionn 2 Ruisgidh bru braghaid 3 Ruigidh dail doras 4 Ruigidh so deach an triubhis agad 5 Ruich chon an da fhiadh 6 Rabhil chailleach na cuinncoige 152 THE EDINBURGH MSS. A nuaiV do chuala misi sin do lion mo chenre Ian do neud chuiras mo churach air tuinra bu cboimhdheis Horn bheith beo no eug Do lenadar mis amach aillemh is drdan a ba treun s philleadar mi aris asteach an dias do chuireadh oath a,ir chead Do thug naoisne a bhriathar fior sa luige a mfiaghnuis arm nach ouirieadh se orm fearg no gruaim gu rs^chadh se air sluadh na marbh Thug nighen tigherna dun treoir a briathar sa boid gu mer gu raohadh Naois anw accre ma nrachac? si fein a dfer da nclumneadh sisi anocht 96 dol iuidh brot a cere throm ghuilecdh isi gu heckt is guilfinwsi fa Becht Mith Siad Ciann U : sud ta tall s iad na nluige honn re bonn da nsumhl'eadh mairbh romh mharbh ele gu snmhVeadh sibhsi romhamsa Tri dreaguin o dun mon' triar cur 7 A' na craoibhe ruaidhe tare's na ttriath ni beo mis triar abristeadh gach einruaige Do threiganisa aoibhnes uladh fan triar cur' do bannsa mo saoghal amfesta nior fada na heighfor einf«ar damhsa Air fosgladh a partain na denuib an uaidhsi gvi docrach biaidh me a bfochair na haaidhe far dent" truaigh agus 0... Is mor a geibhinra do shochar anw a bhfochair na ocur' lenfuinra iad gun tech gun teine ^ sis misi amfest nach biadh dubhach A ttri sgiatha sa ttri sleagha, anresa nleaba dhuinre gu minic cuiribh a ttri ctilaidheama, cruada sint os cionn uaidhe na giolla A ttri chona sa ttri seabhaic bitar a bfest gun lochd seilg tri triathr' choimhecZ catha triar dalta Conuill cherrn' Tri ialla na ttri chon sin do bhuin osna o mo croide sanw agamsa bhiadh a ttasg' a bhfaicsina is adhbhar caoidhe Och is truadh mo sheallarfA ortha se dfag me fa dhochair sfa thuirs nach ar chuireadh misi ttalmh' sol va&rhhadh geal mhic U : s truadh ar tturas le fergws gar ocealgarfA chum na craoibh ruaidhe le na bhriartha blasta binree f^th far mhilleadh sinree deinuair Och s misi Deirdr" gun aoibhnes anois a criochnachadh mo bhetha bronwfam lem chroidh mo tAri poga is dunfar ambron mo laeth s 1 Saoilidh a mfear a bhios gun mhodh gur he amodh amiomhodh 2 Salachidh einchaora chlamhach an trend 3 Saoilidh bradach na mbruach gur bradach uile each i"teinei." THE EDINBUBGH MS3. 153 [ 4 Suil do ni sealbh 5 Sleamhuinn sliasaid athnihna 6 Sann on ghaile thig an fonn 7 Sgeul ga Insi don ghearran sa ngearran a braimneach 8 Saoilidh an fear a bhios na thamh giir he fein is fearr lamh air an sdiuir 9 Sionnach aig iarruidli a ruagaidh 10 Seile air do bhrat fein sin 11 Sona gach cuid ra comith sman-g a shloimitear na onraclid 12 Sann ma dheireadh a nig thu ntoighre 13 Stoisge deoch na sgeula 14 Sann a bhios an uaisle mar ohiimar i 15 Shanntaich a ntathach an tor 16 'Smor na samhluidh sa chogadh 17 Sleamhuinn stairseaoh an Tighmhoir 18 Sbinn guth eoin na choill fein 19 Smor saith droch bhanaraich da droch bhlathach fein 20 Suidhe a gheoidh an doras tighe an tsionnaioh 21 Se an suidhe bocbd do ni ngaradh bearteach 22 Sodan guibhre a dol aire Imaire ^ 23 Shaoil gu raibh agam an laoh air chois sann a bhagam an los- gann air spaig 24 Sann do na cheird na cnncaidh 25 Si namhaid duine a cheird nach cleachd e 26 Sgaruidh aimbeartas deagh chomann 27 Se a chneadh is a dhoilgbios bhios gach duine ga largain 28 Sean an duine a dhfeadas fhortun innse 29 Sliudha na fealita na na freacadain 30 Saothair an dao 31 Samhan an fhir sa chac fogha 32 S minic a thainig boganach a blathaioh 34 Sleamhuin an laogh a ligheas a mhathair Sann fhad sa bhios an t slat maoth is fasa lubadh Sann sna spuir ata an luathas uile (In the above, 34 follows 32 in MS., and the last two proverbs are not numbered. The following, on this page, are written in the Irish character, except the first two words, " Sireadh seam," of the first line). Sireadh seam a ccoimhigil no ned fennoig air cuaille duine tabhrt a chomhaiVle far nach gabhar uaidhe e S lom guala gun bhrathair re tigha,cht na bhfer a lathar re faicsin a bhuinwe bhuirb sanbhfan buille naonuird ' " Imaire " 5 154 THE EDINBUBGH MSS. S maol guala gun bhrathair beo s dall duin' an« a ntrom ceo s diombuan torn is teine ris sis trom eire gun iris S fiamhac fuathacA gloir na ncarad &cht smairg o mbi iad re am troid ge milis let gloir do ndmhad aiV thi foille bhoidh iad duit S mairg a tuitas a ocath charad gun a bhith reir a rdcharad an drem nach scaradh re cheile sgerr a mbairios an aimbreite 1 Tbugadh gaoh fear sgairbh a Creagan dho fein 2 Tairrnidh gaob neacb ra choslas 3 Tairrnidh gacb neach uisge air a mhuilionn fein 4 Thigeadh dbo fein a bhith oinidh an ti shiras air gacb einnech 5 Trod a bhodaich ris cheithirne 6 Turas na mban hun a bhaisdigh 7 Tugha na bdith ga chur air a mhuilionn 8 Theid an duthchas anaghaidh nan creg 9 Tnu a ni treabhadh 10 Thuit an tubist air an d61as 11 Tuitiom eadar long is laimrig 12 Tha an uaille anaghaidh na tairbhe 13 Tuigidh cu gearr a locht 14 Treabhaidh na daoidhibh scho dean saoidhibh aoh treabhadh 15 Theid neart air cheart 16 Thug a chruth an coslas e 17 Taisleadh an lathair oireaohdais 18 Tlam ghorrthaig air cuigeal chrionnaig 19 Theid an cat air ithe a chaise 20 Thig an iche on imligh 21 Talach a ghille ghlic 22 Tha feadalaich agus feadalaich ann asin 23 (Deleted but " se air do bhois" written below deleted line). 24 Tha Ruathar do chac romhad 25 Tha thu rith air thfaileas 26 Tha thu ad sholus fein 27 Tha thu giasgach air abhainn taimhleis 28 Therig gus an Inch s cainidh si thu 29 Thugadh e pog da chabaig fein da chionn sin 30 Tnu naoh gabh comhairle Ta moran don ghearran bhdn ann Thig re uair nach dtig re haimsir Tha cadal a mhadaidh nuair a bhios na mnai a criathradh air Thig iomadh olc a heinolc THE EDINBVEGH MSS. 155 Rpe. A groats worth of herypikery 2 pence worth of Corriander seed A penny worth of white guiger po(u)nd the Corriander and the Ginger put them altogether in a bottle with a mutchkin of strong spirits After 48 hours take a large morning dram every other day, and keep for that day from salt meat. u 1 Uidh air nuidh a thig an t slainte agus na tonna mor an Easlante 2 Urchair an daill ma ndabhaich 3 Urchair don mhaoidail air a bhr(5thlean 3 Umhal da thighearna (na) dhligheas gach oglaoh An Epitaph Inscrib'd on the Tomb of Marg*- Scott who died in the Town of Dalkeith, Feby. 9th, 1738. Stop passenger untill my life you've read ; The living may get knowledge from the dead. Five times five years I liv'd a virgin life ; Ten times five years I was a virtuous wife. Ten times five years I lived a widow chast. Now tired of this mortal life [ rest. I from my cradle, to my grave, have seen Eight mighty Kings of Scotland and a Queen. Four times five years the Commonwealth I saw ; Ten times the subjects rose against the law. Twice did I see old prelacy pulled down ; And twice the Cloak was humbled by y^ gown ; An end of Stewart's Eace I saw ; yea, more ! I saw my country sold for English ore. Such desolations in my time have been I have an end of all perfection seen. 156 THE EDINBURGH MSS. (Written in the Irish character). Tuirimh Bhrighid Gairm is guidm tu a cloch na leig Brighid amach o si geurughadh a ndeoch is iomdha saoidh gun locht da ttug si bas do thart anois o chuaidh tu thart tart siorruidh ort a Bhrighid (The same written in the common character, as follows). Gairim is guidm to a Cloch na lig brighid amach si geurughadh a ndeoch Is iomad saoidh gun lochd Da nttng si bas do thart a nois o cuaidh to thart Tart siorruidh ort abhrighid c Cho ne mbosd a theirig leat aoh ambegan fearann Cho neil conn fo 'cheill i (Here " David" is written). Cho raibh sgeulach nach raibh breugach Cho raibh gaoth mhor riamh guni uisge na deigh Cho dean aonghoblan-gaoithe samhradh Cho dfuair droch bhuanidh riamh a shaith corrain Cho neil gach luchair san tir crochte re aon chrios Cho dean croidhe meisgeaoli breug Cho dean a mbalbh breug Cho bu choir dha cadal san fiadhair am fear air mbi eagal romh na ouiseogan • Cho ne ntamadan is amadan ann ach a mfear a shneithas ^ ris an amadan Cho diol toilg fiach Cho ruigar a leas a bhith giarruidh uisge teth fuigh earagach ' i"ohull?" 2«ghnatlias?" ^"erragach?" To melt the soul to captivate the ear (Angels his melody might deign to hear) To anticipate on earth the joys of heaven Was Handell's task ; to him the power was given Ah ! when he late attun'd Messia's praise With sounds Celestial w* Melodious lays THE BDINBURGH MSS. 157 A last farewell his languid looks exprest And thus methinks th' enraptur'd Croud adrest " Adieu my dearest friends ! and also you "Joint sons of sacred harmony adieu " A whispering angel prompts me to retire " Bids me prepare to meet the immortal choire " for the glorious change great Handel cry'd Messia heard his voice and Handel dv'd. c 59 Cho bhi miann deise air aonmh^is 60 Cho leir dhuit a choille leis na Craoblian 61 Cho dligh a phighinn fois 62 Cho nuaisle mac Eiogh na a chnid 63 Cho nfaigh ou gortach cnaimh 64 Cuid an tsearreich don chliathadh 65 Cho nfidir an sathach an seang 66 Cho dean ambodach breug sa dhuine cloinne a stigh 67 Cho dteid euraic as a bhuille nach buailtior 68 Cho ne rogha na muc a gheibh fear na faighe 69 Cho tabhair a bho don laogh ach na bhios aioe 70 Cho nann do dhuine a ghaire 71 Cho ne an tochradh mor a ui an tiomna beartach 72 Cho neil ni anagbadh an eigiontais 73 Cho sluadh duine na onrnchd 74 Cho nionann a thig an cota glas do na huile fear 75 Ciall bo buacbaille 76 Cho bionann Brian is na gaill 77 Cur na cubhaighe is buain na slaighce 78 Cho nfiii sagairt gun chleireach 79 Cho mhair an sionnach air theannruich 80 Ciatuidh a bhruic da mhnoi 81 Cho be sin deoch mhor do dhroch Cheannuigh 82 Cho choir do dhuine a ghradh is aithne chur a dheintaobh 83 Cho do bhuinginn thu air na cairtibh nach do chaill thu air na Disnibh 84 Cho bhi naracha treibhach 85 Cho nfaodar a bho a reic sa bainne ol 86 Cho naithnidh boiceann na bradhan e fein a cur a dhuis as 87 Ceilidh gradh grain 88 Cho bhi an da chuid aig bradaig a bhrathlin sa phladeag 89 (This proverb deleted in MS.) 90 Cluinnidh a mboghar fuaim an airgid 158 THE EDINBURGH MSS. 91 Call oaruid gun a thathuidh sis call caruid rothathuioh 92 Cum uomhthrom re goigean 93 Cho lion beannachd bru s cho dean mallachd eanbhruth 94 Ceartas na cleire da cheile 95 Cho chinn oaoiuneach. air a ohloicb ga sior-roladh 96 Cho nfas feur air an rod a nitar a shiorthathuidh 97 Catadh seangain a ncrios 98 Cumidh an gearrphoc urad ris a chorrshac 99 Oho sgail cu romh chndimh 100 Ceannuich mar thfeum is reic mar thailghios 101 Cho sgain mathair leinimh 102 Cho sgaoiltear tigh an arain 103 Cho chaochail dubh a dhath 104 (Omitted). 105 Cho raibh lamh fhada riamh aig caolan farsuing 106 Cho nfeud duine fas beartach muna leg a bhean do 107 Cho bhi each lasachd choidhohe sgi 108 Cho bhi aonduine criomia a measg mile amadan 109 Cho bhi laathair a ndeibhthir an aniadain 110 Cho mhill deagh ghloir fiacaill cho bhi fial ach duine dona 111 Chi duine ocrach a bhfad uaidh 112 Cho raibh curaidh riamh gun arm 113 Cho n6r gach uile raod buidhe 114 Cho raibh oaill gun chriomchair 115 Cho dfuair tus nach dfuair donas 116 Creach caillich a heinbho 117 Cho dug a nead an fhighaich ach a mfigheach ceadna 118 Chain thu do bhraim sdo dhamhsa 119 Cho dtug thu do long fein gu tir fos 1 20 Cuideoil a chachcas na gadhair sa naghaidh air a bhaile. (Pnges 14 and 15, in MS., are blank, except that "Sgibinis' written in the Irish character at the top of p. 14). 57 Is iasg gach uile raod a thig na lion 58 Is buaine Tuath na Tighearna 59 Is fearr teichadh math na droch fhuireachd 60 Is trom a nteire a ntaineolas 61 Is minio a thog fear rogha diu 62 Is mairg air a ndtig na 's eiginn fhulana 63 Is doiligh rogha thabhairt a diu 6 i Is iom an leao air nach deanadh tu maorach 65 Is baghach gach bochd 66 Is furasta a chur amach duine gun dteach aige fein THE EDINBURGH JISS. 159 f>7 Is tibhide a cheirt a dubladh 68 Is olc an comlithar air traig niiair a bhios a heoiu fein ga fag-ail 69 Is fasaide dhuit droch ni a dheanamh fheablias a ghabh is tu do leithsgeul 70 Is deacair a thabhairt don laimh na obleachdas 71 Is olc an fheile dhfagas duine fein folamh 72 Is le dnine na sliluigeas e, s cho leis na chagnas e 73 lallath fada a leatliar cbaich 74 Is fearr an turraic na nurchair 75 Is fearr cu luatli na teanga laibhir 76 Is olc an taoncbaruid an righ 77 Is fearr maoidhach na diobarthach 78 lasachd Dbirbhail sa neibhe re tboin 79 Is maitb an Liaidh fear athchneidhe 80 Is olc cuid a cheartbarnuich re tbasgwidh 81 Is eiginn marcuigbacbd air each muii sa bhall 82 Sa biiaU nacb bhfaighear an tsaoi 83 Is iomadli duine mbeall suil re cuiteachadb 84 Is fann a chuil as nacb glaoabar 85 Is goirt a bbuailear a nleanamb nacb bbfeud a gbearan 86 Is mairg air a maor a madadh sair an siorram an oat ban 87 Is fada is biorach bo bodaich 88 Is duiride an cat a ghreasachd S9 lasgach a cbait ma lagbair 90 Is maith a chuirt a bbfuigbear ni le larruidh 91 Ironeadh na circ air an spiris 92 Is minic a bha ratb air malltriallacli 93 Is fearr duine gun ni na ni gun duine 94 Is lorn antearrach a ngcuntar na faochaga 95 Is fearr geall oaillich na labhach. Eiogh 96 Is furasta ambao a mbealiadh 97 Is fearr a bbith cinnteach no bhi caillteacb 98 Is mine min na gran smine mnai na fir 99 Imneadh a gbeoidh cbaim san fbothonnan 100 Is daine e na mfear a chac na thriubhas 101 Is leithnede a ncac saltarit ^ ann 102 Is call caruid gun a thatbuidh's is call caruid a rathatbuidb 103 Is cosmail re cheile nighin na ceire sa gamhuin 104 Is trom tubaisdibb air na slibisdibh 105 Is maith gu fogbain an gioll ogbar do ntsearbhant 106 Is fear 2 ceann caol a cbaruid no c" reamh'" a cbompanicb Is mo do mboll na do shiol Is daor a nceannach air mil an draighinn a bbith ga imligh Is eiginn don tseaneach tuitiom air laimh fireigiu ' " saltairt. " " fearr 160 THE EDINBURGH MSS. (Page 18 blank in MS.) A mhic ata gu tuirseach tim A saltairt mo ohinn san iiaidh Cumhnidh ncath a chur na am S beannuight an dream a bheir buaidh Mas aill leat a blieith tfear leanmhuinn na droing ta sealbhachadh gloir Gluais an casanuibh na firinn S gheibh thu neart o Chriosd is treoir S lionmhur do naimhde 's is dian An saoghal an diabhal sa nfeoil Do chroidh millteach fealltach fiar Do Ghniomh'thra 's briartha do bheoil Mar fhear cogaidh n Cathruidh dhion Sa naimhde lionmhur amugh S luchd a bhrath sa chur an greim Neart a mhuintir fain a stigh Cho dean sparrnuighaobd car uair Ach comhrac cruaidh gus a chrich Faire theann is urnuigh gheur Bheir do naimhde treun fuidh chios (Page 20 blank in MS. Page 21 in Irish character.) So rinnas an tigh marc' eir' nar thapac^A an oidhche a deiram riot tre sheicreit, na den a lyAadh choidhche Do tuigas ar mnao ^ in marc', dar liom gMr faxuidh oramsa 'eir' gu ciuin na caidribh gu faicsin da tear cumhtha Brigh mo tegasg on gheib(h)am eir' gu ciuin na coinne do tograis luigh a,ir muilin>t tuitim air muin na cloinwe lar hristeadh laimh an . c . fhir do eirras air eagal an athfir le deitfiV m'' do chliscas do hhriatas cos an fhior sin lar sin eirim gu hAiseach, 's tarla olaj'rsech fam choxA' teighim an luib an lamhchroimi is fagam i na bloighibh Tarla romham na iomdhail, iear iomohuir chluig phadraig is chuaidh gu coirptha crosta mo ohos an luib na slabhr' Mar tarla domhsa. ^ iooinn/A ni pill' aris do roinraas an cuid de naoh do bhloigheas gus an dovus do shines Tarla leba na mbr^thar gu sasta chois an doruis lingam tre lar a ngcert luidh aig sin dearadh an donuis ^"mnaa!" -"daoahsa." THE BDINBHEGH MSS. 161 Tuilt' eile dom olcaibh aig rochtmnn damh am leab' an docas gurahi mfalluin»i tugas tarrsing don tseoa C'reud so do raidh an marc' ag glaoadh airm faobhar-ach mar do cuala me ntariiing, co raib aigam aonghuth Na lein' air olos an eighimh do eir' ben an tighe sdo raidh gu mear ag mosgladh oia tus a duin' air mire Do eir' fear na cruite mar gach duine sa ntrath sin nior shinfac^A fiu an ghallain ni raibh fallan da olairsig Och ooh ar fear na sgrine : oia do rinn na huilosi ge be do rinn an tamhghar do bhristeadh slabhr' mo cluigsi Gidh maith le each a coiallsan do roinneadh iacadh i ro rahor ag dala na mbrAthar do b' mo an adhbhar no noohain Tharla me gu loianochd ge leor dorohacht an tige in sin do raidh in marcach gu luath lasta coinniol Do raidh an ben gu dana is granda duit nar codlais sgun tu fan ohuirm aic comhol is ro mor do ouid soluis Do raidh seision gu feorgach is cealgacA liom do coinree fechthar oia rug mo sheoa no oia rug leca mo oloinne Sro bheg do raidh an roigeg do bi re na choimhead agad is ar lar do leapa an seoa tarla tarad Ma?' do choisg ben a tighe iear a ooidhe sa ceud ghrad do fhan mis um luighe mar mhadadh tige o lesan Do bainm bunaidh dhamh breugat'r anra gach aoutir dar sirios inttigh mharc' on eirne ag sin eir' do rinreis Finnid. (Signed) William m" Mhuirach' Fithiod bl'na bhetham soir a foghlam gaisgectdh om mhathair san cles leis air mharbhthas me ise bhi mesbh' gun fhoghlum Daithn' . cc. uo neg a mhao snior ^ a oh.oiiah.ed disligh aign' a choin caill a chuimhne sa oh^itibh Gun sTpionnadh a coois no a condimh gun lugha anm a ndes laimh gnn chli an anam no a ccorp a righ moigheadh ^ mar thainic Tainic aimsir mo tnrsa * liomsa co deoh' a bliadna snemhthuigseoh a nech nach dtuig mo thurasa ar na dhenamh Da mbethainsi is Conlaoch slan ag imert ar ccles comhlanra cuirf'maoid chath laimh ar laimh ar fcruibh o" agus albanra Conlaoch caomh mo charuid is misi g"' a shaoghal da mbethadh e anocht agum cho bhethainw. snaocht amaonar Ona ohaithemh slegh an laoich sgiath 7 olodhemh Conlaoich b7Amar seal ag caoi mar sin mar mhnaoi gun mhao gun bhrathair 1 " iocadh." 2"smor." ' " ionoigheadh." ^ " tur3" in MS. 11 162 THE EDINBURGH MSS. Mo mhac do muirfas mo nuar Conlaoch an ohlaidheamh oruaidh esbcht do roinms mor anc^lonji is sgith mo croide don chomhrac Am aonar damh na dheghaidh ar faithche duin na delganw. is in«is do na feruibh gur misi cu na cerdach Cucul' na ncomlir" cruaid baoi se nla sin fa diomb' aon mhac fein gur thorchar leis is fior na sgeul ud do cualas FaighdoirecA^ amadan Emhna mhacha Thigh 1 don choill is geii' croinra is denuidh curacain Dair mo laimh gu tig tobar Mhaol moig Emhuinn. Tegasg duit a dhuine luim bi nisa airde no haofiiinw osa lughaide is trom e oiribh da mbe lom ad lenmhiiinn. Mas beg mor i bfuil ad laimh caither hbh e gu hiomlan Do spreighe air cac na ceil' is gna feile dfh6irighin Feuch ga mesa dhuit no dhi leig slan an r6ide impe is no gu luigh si air eiginre ort na bi ag breidy/i na hoohd uinwe bhosax Laoidh an Tailleoir Dula ch' me dhenamh aodidh do chlanrea Baoisgn anre a nalm" Cho dtug iad anasg' mo shaothaiV sgu biad fein na daoine calma Strio arinre me casag mhaisech do Gol mor an aigne fiol' Scho bhithinji na bu laogha na ginw.id nuair a shineadh eisin an lamh dhamh Chuaidh me dul a dhenamh triubis do . co . an dun dealganw ar bhith dhamhsa ga ohuma tainic fomhthaiV a stech dar nionb' Tarruing . cc . a chl'eamh sis mairg a tarladh aii- sanuairsin scuir e na coig cin?i da mhuineal smisi cimreaig bhith ga bhualac^A Gheibhte farast ad theoh rioghoil PibaiVec/ii is cruit is clairseoh fion ga ligeadh or ga dhiolac?/t fir ur aig iomaiVr ar thaileso Hiomadh seng chu anw ar slabhr' agus spainreech an ar falachuin?;. mnai deudgheal re fuaigh^ anatrt scainn.libh ceir anre last an landoir Siomadh clogad agus cen^ibh'd sgiath amlaoh ann dhfarg is uaine siomadh dilloid is srian buolac(h) pillin oir i cuirplinn aiVgid Slionmhur slegh is rinngfr faobhar an taic re laoch ar fhalachuin?i geibam'^ tombac is sgeul sbranduidh eirionwa is fhrancach THE EDINBURGH MSS. 163 Chuir Fion» gioUa ga mo shireadk dhenam/i brigis da don mheilm/tinn i bhith. farsuinn a mbac na hesgaid chum ga bfasaide da riiich thenji e calama S misi nech is luaithe a deirar aii?i a nsecht oathaibh na Feinwe is air do olais na freag'' duine gus a ccuir thu mis am eidedh Dubhairt oscar is e gabail ancaiV gu de fath dhuit bheith ga chumail mun f uidh mis e mooh amaiVeoh gu dtoir me achenra as a nihuineal Oscair is misi do shenathar is ta se agam na suighe is 00 dtabhair greim do dhuine guus an cuir e mis am uighim Ga bu tu mathair s mo shenathar co bi me ni as faide riiisge mo cota sioda gun fhuaigh' s beir me duas da chionn a dhenamh Deir' Goll is deir' Garryh s deir' Brioin mac Brian B6rroimh olc ar maith le Clarerea Baoisgne gheibh sin« cuid ar ooroinre do nogl' Duirt Conwo. se dusgadh a chog' ga b' oil le Oscar sle Fiona e Gheibh sinn ouid ar coroinre don tailleoir dhenamh eadach bainsi mhic Morna Dubhai'rt Feargus ^ is e ga fhreagai'rt a Chonain leibid" an dolais Co den e anaighthe do duine gus an riar' e Clanma Baoisgne Deir' caoilte deir' diarm"* a dhaoine gude chiall a thagaibh a trod fa aon Ian puitsi a thailloir aonla gu riar' se air fad sibh GabhcwV gu suighe sgu siothchaint sni mis innlecht duibh an gcertuair an tailleoir a cm- as an teghlacA soho mhair a chaonnog ni us faide Smaith do chomhairle dhuinn a dhiairm'^ siothchainte dtiuinra air fad tu an tailleeoir a cur a fochair na Fein?ie ma ndentar leis beud no braimes Dfiosr' diarmeinn ghulbanji ghuirm si is ailne tuilm fuigh n ghre'va bu ghnath le srothaibh a bhith dfrg a deidh selg fin le fhein EistecA* beg ma as aill leibh laoi ar an cuidecA* caoim so ch' ar bheinre ghulbanra ar fion fial s ar mac ui dhuimhne mo seial t?'«adli Thorchair le Fion trwad an scealg ar mac ui duimhne bu derg li dol a bein gulb" a sealg an tuirc nacA dfed arm a chlaoi Moscail a beisd as a suain is damharc si uaidhth' an glen s chunreatrc si foragan na bhfianra anoir sa niar atecAi na cenn Togar re faicsin na nlaoeh sen tore sith fa fhraoch benre bu fhaide a ghainrae no sledh bu geire a fhedh na ngath bolg Diarmmd mac ui dhuimhne fell cuir se shledh an dail an tuirc hrisXeadh leis an cranw fa tri s ch' ma bfior anwsa mhuic An tslec^A on bhois bharghil bhld shracadh leis na bh-a na corp tawuing e ntsen lan» on truaill a choisin mor \>huaidhe an aigh thorchair le diarmaid a beist stainig e fein na dheigh slan Sair bhith fada dhfionre na thost labhai'r e sgur bole re radh tomais a dhiarmaid o shoe ca lion troig sa ntorc ata Cho duilt me tathchoinge f hin s aithrech dhamh gun techt na hagh' thomhais e ntorc ar a dhrwim mac ui diumne nach trom troighe SecA< troighe deg do f hior thomas do bhi m . . . na muic sin CO be sud a cert totnhas acM tomh ... End of MS. LXII. THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION. [This Collection was made by the Eev. Alexander Campbell, A.M., minister of Portree, in Skye, about the year 1797 ; and it was found by the late Donald M'Pherson in a drawer of the Advocates' Library, in 1872, when J. F. Campbell was printing his Leabhar na Feinne. It was found too late for Mr Campbell's work ; he gives one specimen of it — " Mar a Mharbhadh Lamhfhad" — at page 165 of his book. The following contents, with remarks by some purist, precedes : — " 1 . Cath Innse-Croite — Modem intermixt with some ancient stanzas ; Style, low ; Versification, harsh and clumsy. 2. Dan na h-Inghine — Much corrupted. 3. Mar a mharbhadh Lamhfhad. 4. Dan na Muirirdeach. (None of these genuine). 5. Tarcum. 0. Dargo — Pretty correct. 7. (Two leaves) Fear Mor." Besides this, the other contents transcribed are : — Laoidh Naois, Ceardach Mhic Luin, Dan Laomann, Trod Chlann Mhorn agus Chlann Bhaois, Laogh Phadric, Duan Gharbh Mhic Stairn, Laoigh Fhraoioh, Losg Bruth Farbuim, Dan larcun (1st part only), Duan Eas-ruagb, Conn Mac An Deirg. See Campbell's Leabhar na Feinne for one or two poems left untranscribed. — Ed.] 168 THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION. DAN AIK LA BLAIE INNISCROT. A CHBUD CHUID. La dhuinn ri fiadhaoh na 'n ard, Nuair tharladh an t' shealg nar car Chunnaoadair lin an' bar b4rc Seoladli gns an traigh o lear. Gu facaidir lin sai' bar bairc, Seoladh gus an traigh o lear, Aig n' stad iad san chala ghnath S bard a Chluinte gadruisg fhear. Thainig an cabhlaoh gu tir, Greadhan nacli bu mhin ar leinn ; 'S bu lionnihor ann croinn le sroil, Ga thogbhail leo as an ceinn : Mar neoil dhonn bhreao ar dhruim Bein-ard Gaoirid ma 's tig seilm na frois 'N dara 'uair ni duth a ghriau, 'S iad uair eil a dearsadh leis. Mar sin le srolamh ri b^r, Sheas ar 'n traigh an oarlach tiugh, Chit ar uaireamh dearsadh lann, 'S chailta sin iad fann ma seach. Sheasamh sinn nil' ar an t' shliamh, Thionnal an Thiann as gaeh ait ; Dh' fiosmchadh — " Co iad na Sleigh, Einn cruinneachadh mor ar traigh f Dh' earraid Mac Chu'aill dhe 'n Theinn ^ " Uo racha ghabhail sgeul dhe 'n t' sluagh ;" S gun dhiunis e fa gun chleith, " Gu faidh e breith agus buaidh." Do ghluais Fearghus meanmnach og, Ar a r6d an coinne na fear ; 'S dh' eorich e le comhra foil, " Co idd na sloigh tho seo blio lear ?" " Tha Orrain i orra mar Thriath ; Ma Ghara mhoir na sciath dearg ; Ard Ri Lochlann ceann nan cliar, Giolla bu mhor fraoch is fearg." •' Al. Co dheabhamaid n' duigh san Theinn, A racha dh' eorach dhe 'n tsluadh ? S e labhair Fionn flath gun Chleith, Gu 'm beirigh 6 breith agus buaigh. THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION. 169 " Ciod a ghluais a bhuidheaun bhorb, criooha Lochlann nan oo]g sean ? An ^ ann a chuideachadh na 'm Fiann A thainig an Triath air a' lear 1" " Ar do laimhsi Fhearghuis fheil' As an Fheinn ge mor do bheac, Cha 'n fhalbh sin mar faigh an tir Gun Chdrag neo-mhin o' r feac." " As do laimb ge mor do dhoidh, I's as do shloigh ge mor do bheachd ; Cha 'n fhaigh sibh bbnoinne chaoidh 'n tir, Gnn Ch6rag neo-mhin o' r feaohd. Ach dhobh sibh o' n Fheinn gun stri Tri fichid is Caogid each ; Tri chiad Clogad do stuth grinn, Is tnille mor do uith ar sin." " An tir nil' o thoinn gu toinn Gheilleacan do m' aon Chiiing ; 'Neo corag curranta teann, Gu bristidh cheaini ugui chneas.'' Do thill Fearghus mo bhraithir fein, 'S ga b' chosbhail ri Grein a chruth ; Dh' aineadh ^ mid o ohaoohla greann, A dhrooh sgeul ma 's cuala jihuth. " Tha Orrain a sud a traigh, Cia fath dhos' a bhi ga ohleith ; Cha 'n fhalbh e mar faidh e n' tir, 'Neo cdrag neo-mhin na leith." Sin thiuntaidh Mac Chu'aiU ri Goll ; " Nach mor an glonn duin bhi na 'r tost, 'S nach tuga mid Cath laidir treiin, A dh' ard Ki Lochlan uo sciath breac. Ga Ki e ar triun na fairge, 'S nach gaoirer mi fein cho treas ; De cha d' thuga mid uoinn an tir, Gun sin fein a bhi na leith." Fhreagair Ullain le frith mhoir, " Fhionngheal crodh' a chruth ghlain ; Gu de 'n cAs no tharlagh sibh, 'S gur lionmhor dhuibh oloidheamh ar laogh, C aite bheil Fionngheal no Fiann, Caoilte Mac Keath agus Leith ? ^ Orrainn ? — A. C. ^ An asterisk in MS., but no foot-note to it. — A. C. ^ Al. Dhinnis da 'n Fhein a sceul, 'S gu 'm V fhosgara mor a dhuth. 170 THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION. C aite bheil Colla, Connull is Taog, Is Faolau geur a chridh theith ? Cia aite bheil Diarmid donn, Oissin mor a's Geal mac Luth, A's cfeathrair mac Fhearghuis am bard 'S fear Du'aird ladair nan sruth ? Cia ait' bheil claim an Deirg mhoir, A's Morlamh o I nau creag ? Na Claun a Choitir o' n Bheinn 'S gu fuiliga mid beum na scuid 1" Dheirich a Theinn uile borb, Cha gheilleadh iad beoi gun chath ; Mar dhaimh ohabrach ruith ar Eilde, Chiti fairis oeum na flath. Chruinnich na laoch ma Ri, A bhuidheann chrodh' bu chaomh leis ; 'S mhionnaioh iad ar ceann a lann, Nach f4sadh iad fann san ghreis. "Buinnige sinn buaidh na laraich, Bho 'n armunn thanig o' lear ; 'Neo treigi ar neart 's ar tabhaohd, 'S caille sinn Ailleac ar fear." " Beridh beannachd, beiridh buaidh ;" Ars' Mac Chu'aill ri shluadh ; " Maireach coinnoachidh sin Orrain, 'Noohd bi 'mid suthath gun ghraini." An oiche sin dunn gu la, Cha bu ghnatli linn' bhi gun cheol, Fleagh gu farsaing ; fion a's ceir, Bhiodh sud ag an Theinn gu leoir. Bha Caoireall a's Fearghus nan tend Le cheile 'g iomard ar cruit ; 'S na Baird eile bh' ann gu leir, Cha d' cheil iad o' n Theinn an guth. * " Co sud a tuirlins' san cheo 'I Co sud 'n con'uidh na' neal, Da shleadh fhada traist na dhorn ; 'Sa sciath mor gu deas ri thaobh. — Mar ealain beamnach, tha sciath ; A dha shleadh mar dharich crion, * Bha fuaimneach nan teuda binn, Mar cheol taibhse tighin o' lear Nuair chluintir misg caoil na Caothanu Guth na Gaoith sau Aird an Ear. THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION". 171 Chitir fad ar faireadh feasgar, 'S Gealach doiller misg ua 'u craobh. Se sud Colg'ear ! Mac Chonnuil ! Da m' ghnath bhi 'Strath glas na fiadh ; 'S na Milti taunas ma'n cuairt dha ; Bualadh sa crathadh a sciath. Thainig Stairne gu tiamha ; Se fir iargalt diaii ua dheigh. " Striochd a' Chomhaill na Morbheinn, Striochd gu hiimhaill da m' threin." Ach dheirich Colg'ear ga bhachdail, Choinnioh no gaisgeach san teinn, 'S bu dnbhacli Stairne na shiumhHil, Mar shruth a tilleadh o 'n bheinn. Le fuathas ruith e gu traigh ; Ri bharoa thogadh no siuil : Ghrad chruinneach doiuionn nan speur, 'S bha taibhse ri cul. Gaoth, fein adhair, a's tairnean Ri garbh-stairireach ar a mhuir; Dhuthadh gu buileaoh na speuran, 'S tonna beucnach 'g eiridh fliuoh. Bha gaineamh na dilinn ga biialagh, Le fuaimneach fairis ma 'n druim ; Na loingeas riist a geiridh, Gu h eutrom 'mullach nan tonn. Rug egal ar Slairn' agus curam ; Lub e go Sorcha ro 'n t shin ; Ach shiothlaidh dhiu fichid a's ceath'r> Mas d' ranaig iad ealain a Bhaoin. Gun thuit fo Cholg' ear san deannal, Da ohaogad fear agus laooh ; Tuille thuit dhiu san iomain, 'S fuil na stra air a fhraoch. " Beannao dhuitsa Laoich oig', Se labhair ris gu foil a Ri ; Dhion u raise — dhion u Morbheinn Choisinn u do coir san stri. — 'S leatsa 'n teidigh staillin uchda, 'N cloidhe geal, 's a'n ologad ur, Bhuinig mi le m' neart san draich, Cheanntort Carruic nan Tiir. Cholg' air bhuadhaich na geur bheum, Ciod an eigin rin ort lochd 1 Fiadhaich air mullach na Morbheann, 1'72 THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION. * Thuit u eiti sior fo 'n Tore ! Bu duthich ! duilleach a la sin, Tulach adhor na n' aram nochd ; A's Comhall le buidhi^ann ga tuirseaoh, Gad chiiir san Uir a chnochd ! Cluinnidh d' thu fiiaimneach ur teud ; A's eisdidh sinne ri do cheol ; 'S a maireach a crathadh nan speur, Thig beud air Orrain a's br6n. Ach threug a sealla ! C'ait na dh' albh u ? Cha 'n fhaic mi tuille do chiabh, 'S e ciar' thu donn ar dhath na h oich, Mar chaoill a dhiithas a ghaoth " Beannac dhuit theanga nan oran, A's dhuibhse ohlaoinn cheolar nan teud : Biodh lullain maireach na Cholg'ear ; 'S theid Orrain air chrith air an leirg. Chi mi dhe chaitheamh i-an araioh, Mar lasair na muice fiadhich, Nuair dheiris cath ^ air meall-gomi, 'S a theiohis treun Laoch ro diomhail. Ach r'.'ait' bheil Mac Cliolla nan lann, Bu mhath ceann ^ dhuinn an s' gach oath ? Gu de chum e 'nduigh o'n Fheinn 1 O'n chuilm gu de chum a Flath 1 " Chunniiig Mac Laomuin a Bhean, Bu ghile s' bu bhoiche dealbh ; A leaga na h eilid le corr, 'S gu stolt air beinn Eudain a falbh. Bhuail a chriodh le leum chais ; Ghluais fhuil gu bras na chuisle borb, Ghorm thuil nam bosa miu, Tha m' ghaol fain gun chlcith na d lorg. Theich ise le leum mhoir, Ein'i eighmh, 's bu luath a cas Chuala Conn 's a shleagh na dhorn ; Choinneaol e fear og fiun stad. Thoiseach na seoid uir a cheil', Cho aoilteal forrumach, bras ; Fead, agus faoth, agus foirionn, 'S an oireallach nic-na-ceardach, 'S an l^nn fhada ghlas do Dhiarmad 'S ioma latha riamh a dhearbh i. Agam fhein a bha geur n' an calann Bu mh6r farum 'n uair a throdadh, Bu mhaith i 'n latha na teann-ruidh Ann an ceardaich Lon Mac Lioghann. Anochd gur tuirseach mo ghabhail 'N dfeis bhi 'g aireamh na muiuntreach^ THE MACPAELANE COLLECTION. , 289 Laoidh an Amadain Mhoir. Chualas sgeul luaineaoh, 's cha bhreug Air Eoin sin ga 'n gfeill na sloigh, 'N laoch curand' air nach dearg arm, ""S e b' ainm dha 'n t Amadan m6r. Smachd an domhain a ghlac h, 'N Giulladh nach d'fhaod gu bhi borb, Cha b' ann am b^rr sgeith na lann A bha neart ann ach 'na dhorn. S amhuil sin is mar bha h, S ioma triath a bha fa smachd, Sgeula gearr air dheire' thall Tuig ann rann is tha i ait. Latha gan raibh 'n t Amadan m6r Air ohriochaibh Lochlainn ri seol gaoith, E fein is aona Mhac ^ a mnai, S ni 'm facas riamh h ^illidh mhnaoi An Gleann diomhair a tharla leo Gleann is boidhche tha fui 'n ghrein, Is mine srath, 's is aillidh fonn, 'S fuaim a thonn ri slios a leirg, •Chunnaic iad a' tighinn 'nan taobh Gruagaoh ^ chaomh bu bhreagha brot, Pios do db' 6r loisgte 'na dhorn Coltoch ri corn am bi deoch! Ach comhairle a bheirinn ort Na h61 a dheoch, 's na blais a bhiadh, Gus am fiosraiche tu 'n Gleann, ^S nach raibh thu ann roimhe riamh. 'N sin thuirt an t Amadan m6r, Cha raibh mise f6s ri m' re, 'S ni 'n raibh mi riamh ni 'a m6 tart, 'S gum b' fhearr a theachd ge h' h co ^, Bheannuich Gruagach a chuim 6ir Do 'n Amadan mh6r, 's ga mhnaoi, 'S bheannuich an t Amadan m6r "H na comaine ceudna dho. ^ " Bean." ^ " Oganach." 19 290 THE MACFARLANE COLLBCTIOK. Thainig iad air cheann gach sgeoil, 'S thuirt a Ghruagach bu bhreagha brot Na bi dubhach Og-laoioh mhoir Dean suidhe is 61 do dheoch. Thug fe sugha draosta borb 'S cha d' fhig braon sa chorn gun 61, 'S ri imeachd gruagach a ohiiirn Cha bu shubhach a chuirni dha ; Na oasan o na gluinean sios Bha sud a dhi air an fhe'E COIXECTION. 'S h thuirt an t Amadan mor Fuirich thusa f6s gu mall, A chas eile gun d' thig uait Gu ceum cruaidh, air neo do cheann. Ach mo chomaraich ort a bhean, Didein mo chorp, 's glac mo ^ann. Cha 'u fhaith thu didein o 'n bhas A mhacain is aillidh dreach ; Ach thoir a chas eile dha 'S gabh seachad an rod amach. Ach 'n fhuair mi mo chasan ceart Cha leig mi leats' iad ni 's m6, 'S mior dhiot cha d' theid am Gus an d' thug Gruagach a bhrait 6ir. Mo chomaraich ort Og-laoic''. mhoir 'S ro mhath mo dhoigh as do mhfeinn ; 'S miss Gruagach a ghaothair bhaiu, 'S mi chuir anu s gach cas thu, 'S mise thug do chasan uait A dh' fhiosracha do luaiths', 's do liiiths'. Bha iad ann sin gri,dh air ghradh, Mfeinn air mhfeinn air aon doigh ; Gu'n cualas sgeul liiaineach, 's cha bhreug Air Eoin sin 'g an gfeill na sl6igh. THE MACLAGAN MSS. [Teanntachd Mhbr na Fdinn^] 1 La ga n raibh Padrig ua Mhur Gun Sailm air uidh aoh aig 01 Ghluaishe e thigh Oisheaii Mhic Fhinn Bho san leish bu bhinn a ghloir 2 Umhla Dhiiit a shean fhir shuairo Tionsuidh air chiiairt Thainig Sinn A Laoich Mhile o'n dearg Dreach Cha deir thu riamh Neach Mad Ni 3 Sgeul a bail linn fhaotin Uaite Dheadh Mhic Guile bu chruaidh Colg Ciod an Teantachd 's mo 'n raibh 'n Fhiann Bho 'n la ghinn thu riamh nan Lorg 4 Gu 'n Inshinsa sin duit fhir A Phadrig a obanadh na Sailm An Teantachd is mo 'n raibh 'n fhiann Bho 'n la ghinn Me Riamh nan Lorg 6 Dearmad Fleadha gan drinn Fionn S an Almhaidh re lin nan Laoch Air chuid gam Feinn shuas druim Dearg Dheirigh am fearg is am Fraoch 6 'S mo dhibir shibh Sinne man 01 Thubh'rt Mac Eonain le gloir bhinn Bheirin fein is Ailde Ur Breiteaoh Bliadhna re Tiir Fhinn 7 Thog iad gu sgibilt an Triall An Cloidhean san sgiath gan Luing An Dis Fheinni Amiaidh Fhiall Gu Riogh Lochlan nan Srian Slim 1 [From MS. 66, which is not in Mr Maclagan's own handwriting nor rthography]. 296 THE MACLAGAN MSS. 8 Muintearas Bliadhna don Eiogh Se thug an Dis bu Deirge Dreach Mac Eiogh Cranchar nan Sleadh geur Agus Ailde nach Eir Neach 9 Ghabh Bean Eiogh Loohlan nan sgia Donn Trom ghaol trom ar bhi gu Deas Air Ailde Greadhnach nan Arm Geur Kinneadh le Ceilg is leish 10 Dheirigh i as leabidh 'n Eiogh Sud an gniomh man doirtear Fuill Gu halmhaidh labhair an Fhiann Togadar an Triall air Muir 1 1 Eli Eiogh ar lochlan San Nuair Fear a bhuineagh Buaidh gach Blair Earagan Mac Annir nan Long Gu ma Mhaith a lamh sa lann 12 Chruinigh Eiogh lochlan a Shluadh Cabhlach cruaidh ar bhi gu Deas Gvir he Dheireadh leish gach Uair Na Naoidh Eiogh-rin san Sluadh leish 13 Loohlanich a bhuidhean bhorb S ro Mhaith 'n colg re dol am feim Thug iad an Mionan aig Triall Nach Tilleadear is Fiann nan Deidh 14 'S Diubhradar an Abhaist Ard Gu Eioghachd Eirinn Nan Calg Neach Shuighich iad am Poipleadh gu Tiugh Gairrid o n bhruth an raibh Fionn 15 Teachdaireachd thainig gu Fionn Sgeul Trom a chuir rujnn gu Truadh Comhrag aon Laoch Inse Phail Fhaotin air an traigh ma Thuadh 16 Comhairle a chin aig Fionn 'S Aig Maithibh na Peinne gu leir Ninghin Eiogh na gabhte Uape Thoirt do Eiogh Lochlan nan Arm geur 17 Chuir shinne Uain Ninghin Eiogh 'S gile gnuis sis grinne Meur Chuir Sinn ga Comhaideachd Ceud Each S fearr rish an Deachuidh Srian THE MACLAQAN M8S. 297' 18 Chuir Sinn ga Comhaideachd Ceud Each A Bearr risli au Dechuidh Brian Is Ceud Mai-cach air am Muin Bearr fuidh Shroll ar an lasadh Grian 19 'S nuair Thaoirin i air an Raon Sa dhag i na deidh na lieich Thug i ceum an shin nan coir 'S da Ubhall Oir na lainih Dheish 20 Coinlin air Guaillibh a guin Dealbh a chruin bho chill nam Port Ciod do Nnaidheaehd a Pobul Fhinn Ach Inish duinn a chiabh nan Cleaohd 21 Mo Nuaidheaohd a Pobul Fhinn Dhiushin duit e bhridh mo bheachd Ma rinn do blieau ort Beart Ghli 'S gun Diommair i Gniomh gu Cearr 22 Mo rinn do bhean ort Beart Chli 'S gun Diommair i gniomh gu Cearr Cairdeas is Commun re Fionn 'S gu'm faigheadh tu mi na Geall 23 Gheibheadh Tusa Ceud Shead Is ceud leig fuidh 'n leabhuidh Shaoir Gheibh Tu Ceud Seobhag Suairc Air am Bitheadh buaidh nan Fan 24 Gheibh Tusa shin 's ceud Crios Nach Dteid Slios man Deid e 'm faobh Chaisgeadh e leim Droma is Sgios Sfeud Eiomhach nam Bucal Ban 25 Gheibheadh Tusa shin 's ceud Mios Lan Coursa Riogh do Bheatha Naigh Ge bidh Ghleidheadh iad fad a la Gu 'n cum 6g an Dune a ghna 26 Gheibheadh Tusa shin 's ceud Corn Ni do 'n Uisge dhorm am Fion Ge bidh Dholadh Asta a Dheocli Cha d teid a Dhochartastas am Miad 27 Gheibheadh Tu shin is Ciad Long Sgoilte Tonn air bhuinne Borb Air an Luchdachadh gu Trom Do gach aon ni is fearr Buaidh 298 THE MACLAGAN MSS. 28 Gheibheadh Tu shin is Ciad Mac Ei Bhunneadh cios ar Cluche Borb Gheibheadh Tu shin is Ciad Greidh Is Ian Glinne do Chromh Ban 29 Gheibheadh Tu shin is Ciad Greidh Is Ian Ghnne do Chromh Ban Ach mar Foghnadh Leatsa Shin Thoir leat do Bhean 's dean rinne Sioth 30 Cha Tugainsa Sioth do Dhailde Na Mhaithibh ar Feinne gu lair Ach Fionn fein a chuir fom Bhreith Is a Chreach a thoirt gu Traigh 31 Cha Tug thusa leat a Neart Dhinshin dhut a bhridh mo bheaohd Na chuirea Duit Feann fo'd Bhreith No na bheir a chreach gu Traigh 32 Fabhaidh^ mishe is Beannachd leat Bho chaidh Fainne Bun os oionn Cha 'n fhalbh thusa chiabh nan cleachd A Kiomhain f harasda bheoil Bhinn 33 Cha 'n fhalbh thusa a chiabh nan cleachd A Eiomhain fharasda bheoil Bhinn Gheibheadh Tu na Sheada Saor 'S Cheauglain mi fein re'd thaobh Des 34 Cha 'n fhan mishe chean nan Cliar Bho nach fraogh mi t fhiamh na t fhearg Bho nach faighin saor gu'm Bhail Cean na Deishe bu dh;inn Ciall 35 Thiuntadh Ishe reu a Ciil Is Mharcaigh i a chuirt gu Diann Bu lionmhor Sroll gan togbiiail Suas An Ordugh gu luadh chaidh an fhian 36 Seachd fichit a Mhaithibh ar FMn Agus Ailde ffein ar Thus Thuit Sud le laimh Earagain Mhoir Mu 'n Deachuidh na Sloigh an Dlus 1 Falbhaidh. THE MAOLAGAN MSS. 299 37 Dhuirigh Feann fada na thosd Is laidh sprog air an fhein Co Dheangas Earagan San Ghreish Mil 'n leigimid leish air Tair •38 Shin dar thubhairt eisin Goull An Sonn nach Burast a Chlaoidh Deangaidh mi Earagan San Ghreish Mu 'n leigimid leish air Tair 39 Mac an loinn is Diarmad Donn Earagan crom is Mac an leidh Gad Dhidne Bho Bhuillibh 'n Laich Cuir Dishe ar gach taobli mar Sgfeith 40 Cuimhnigh Oath feagara Feinn Do shliochd Cuich nan Cleas luth Cuirsa sud ar do laimh dheish 'S gu fionnas leo Cleass Luth 41 42 Ochd laithan Duinne gun Tamh A Sior chuir kr air an Tshluadh Ceann Eiogh Lochlan nan sgiath Donn Se Bhuighin Goull ar an Naoidhibh La 43 Mur fear a chaidh ass o bheul Airm Na chaidh le Maoim don Ghreig Do Eiogh Lochlan na ga Shluadh Cha Deachaidh Duine ga'n tir fein 44 Naoidh fichit is Mile Sonn Thuit sud le Gara 's le Goull Dha Uibhir le Hosgar an aidh Agus le Coirreal Corra Chnaimh 45 Air a Bhaiste thug thu Orm Ghille Phadrig nan Salm Grinn Gu na thuit learn fein 's le Feann Comlionmhor Ceann rish an Cheathrar 46 Na faigheadh e Corum nan Arm Earagan Mac Ainnir nan Ian glas An Almhidh gad fhaite ga riar Cha Ghlaoite ach an fhiann as 47 Cha Ghlaoite ach an fhiann as Cha Drinn Shinne ar leas san la Ija gan raibh Padrig na Mhur Gun Sailm ar uidh ach ag ol 300 THE MAOLAGAN MSS. An lonmhuinn.^ A Osein uaisle mhic Fhinn, 'S thu d' shuidh' air au tulaich aoibhina, A mhili mhoir nach bheil meat, Tha mi faiosin broin air h' iiitinn. Is cuid d' abhar mo bhroin feiu, A Phadruic mhio Alpein fheil, Bhi smuaineach air maithibli na Peinne, 'S air na seachd Cathuibh Coi-treuna, La gun robh Teaghlach Fhinn, Gu muirneach meanmnach aoibhinn, Gu'm facas ag teachd 's a mhagh, Annir is i teachd na 'h aonar. An Nighean bu ghile snuadh, Bu deirge 's a b' aille Gruaidh ; Gu 'm 'b aille na Gath Greine A bragad suas fui Caoimh leine. Blia da rosg Ghaireachdacli na Ceann, €Bha earradh aluinn mu timchioll, Leinteog d' an t' srol a b' uire fa cneas gxadhach, oaoibh, cumraidh. Dunadli oir fa brat uain, Clocha buadha fa sar shnuadh, Bha fain oir loisgte air gach meur aic, Bha slabhra oir mu Caoimh bhragad. Thug sinn trom cheist uile dhi, Teaghlach Fhinn a h' Albhuidh ; Gun aon duin' a thabhairt Gaoil D' a mhnaoi fein ach d' an lonmhuinn Chuir i a Comraich air Fionn, An Ei-bhean Ghlan, Bhon, bheulbhin Mo Chomraich air GoU mear mor, Mac Mornai nam bratach shroil Mo Chomraich air Faolan mac Fhinn ; 'S air Cairreal nan gruaidh grinn. Mo chomraich air Diarmad Donn, 'S air Luth-lamh Ghasta nan Sonn P MS. 112, in Mr Maolagan'a handwriting.] THE MACLAGAN AISS. 301 Mo Chomraich ort Oscair an aigh Lamh a chosnadh 's gach Teug-mhail ; Mo chomraich oirbh Fheanna maithe, Eidir chlann Righrin 's ard Fhlaithean. Sin tra Fhreagair Fionn gu Grad, An Annir ur 'gan gile glaio ; Cia bhiodh an toir ais do lorg 1 A Gheug Bhannta shul-ghorm 'S e bhiodh an toir orm fein, A Fhinn uasle 's High d'ur Fheinn, lolunn aghmhor a's ro Ghlaine, Aon mhac Oighre na h' Espainne. Dh' eirich cear'ar mhac Fhinn, Connul, Taog, Is Raogh nan Rao'ghann Faolan cruaidh na 'n Gruaidh grinn, Le 'm briathraibh ardanach aoibhinn. Suidhidh sinne air do sgath, A Nighean a 's mannta Comhradh, Mu 'm buin am fear mor leis thu, Oe mor leat a ainnis Fheabhas. Cait an d Fhas e 'n Ear no 'n lar, Na 'n ceithir Ranntaibh an Domhain, Nach cailleadh ris Inchinn a Chinn Mu 'm buineadh e leis an lonmhuinn ? Is mor 'M Eagal Fhianna maithe E 'd '\ir liadairt is 'd ur Dorainn ; Am mih mor Curanta treun, Fuileach, Faobharach, Rinn Gheur Am feadh bhias am fear mot uainn, A mhio Fhinn le 'm beirte Buaidh Aithris dhuine sceul air lolunn, No c' a fhad uainn ghabh am fear mor ? Gum facadar am ^ Oglach mor aig tomhus a Chala sa Chuain, aig tarruing a luinge gu Tir ^S e tighn' le 'h anmeinn. 1 Sio in MS 302 THE MACLAGAN MSS. Gu 'm b' e sud am fear mannd', 'Na Stuaigh allmhar chugain, Le fraoch feirge gu Fiannaibh Fhitin, 'S e mar chaore teinnteach Chugainn. Bha leine d' an t' srol bhui' mu 'n fhear, Le stiom do 'u t shioda ga Cheangal, A luireach. mlior, irseach, mhailleach, 'S a threun Scabul breac Buathach. Ceann-bheart clochara slieamh, Os cean sochria a mhasain ; A dha shleagh bu chruaidh rinn, Nan cuilg seasamh re Ghualuinn. A Chloidheamh frosaoh neimhneach, Cruaidh cosgarach Coi-dhireach, An soiath irseach oir a Bhrii Bhlagh, An dom toisgeal a mhili. Thug e Euthar fir gun cheill, 's cha do Bheannaioh d' Fhionn no Dh' Fheinn, Mharbh e oeud do Cheuda Fhinn, S mharbha leis an lonmhuinn. Cheangladh ceathrar mhac Fhinn, 's naoi naonar do 'n luohd Leanmhuinn D' an Cuideachuibh mear-dhana mear Le lolunn og an deud ghil. Thiondadh mo mhac air a leirg, Oscar 's e Ian do throm Fheirg, Thug e ndire gu dana, Air a Fhear mhor mhi-narach, Thiontadadh lolunn re mo mhac fein, 'S Einneadh leo Comhrag treun ; Coimheach, Cneathach, Cnaimh-dhearg, Bos-luath, beumnach, Leamnach Garbh. Gu 'm be sin an comhrag ard Fuileac Faobharach ro Gharg, An Scriosa fola gu teann Mar Uisg' a ruidh re Caol Ghleann, Mar Gharbh Ghaoith a thig le Greann sa Eeubas soealpa nam Beann, No mar Chaore teinnteach thig a teallach Bha tora na 'n laoch Namhadach THE MACLAGAN MSS. 303 Thug Oscar beum feargach, fearoil, Do D lolunn Calma n Deud Ghil, Chiosaich e leis a Bheuma Ghranna Mac Oighre Righ na h' Espaine. Air an Tulaich cladhaicheadh a leac A Phadruic tha 'n Sceul ud beach d 'S leac na mna air an taobh eile A dheadh mhic Ailpein a h' Albhuidh 'S bhriste mo Chride mini Fheinn 'S Gun'bhi n duine Dhiubh ach Seicd Beannachd nan Diaidh gu leir, 's mo Bheannachd fein ad Dheaidh Oscair a Chrioch. Beinn Eaduinn, &c.* A Fragment of a Poem ascribed to Oshian. The Battle of Bein-eiden. Maoineas King of Lochlin having invaded Ireland Fingal sends his Son Fergus the Bard to enquire of his Hostile appearance and to offer him rich presents on condition he would return peaceably to his own country. The two Armies being in sight of each other, it was previously concerted betwixt Fingal and Fergus that if Maoines declined accepting the Terms Fingal proposed, Then Fergus was immediately to display a flag. Which he carried with him for that purpose, as a signal for Fingal to advance to the Battle. Fergus still remaining in Conversation with Maoineas while Fingal's Army advances, takes that opportunity to inform \\\m of the Character of Fingal's Chiefs, whom he points at under their several Colours or Standards. With this the following fragment begins. The names of the Speakers are Marked in the Margin. ( )ssiAN Sgaoil Fergus fili a Bhratach o Chrann, Mar Chomhar gun dhiult Riogh Lochlin Cumha. Ghluais an Fhian ghaolach gu mor, Agus na glas-Laoich bu mhor neart Thanig sluadh fairim chairim nan tonn Thanig sud 's bu throm an fheachd. Dubhairt Riogh Lochlin an sin * On outside of cover. [MS. 114 ; different hand-writing]. 304 THE MACLAGAN MSS. -Maoineas Cia i an Bhratachsa fhilidh dhuaiiioh 1 'Ni so Bratacli mhic treun bhuadhich ? Chi mi Giula gast ar a Ceann 'S i fein a togar bhar Sluaidhridh Fergus Cho 'n h so ach an Liath luidhnach Brataoh Dhiarmaid o' duinne 'N tra thigeadh an fhiann o mach, Gadhadh an Liath-luidhnach tosach Maoinbs Cia i an Bhratachsa fhilidh dhuanaich 'Ni so Bratach Mhic treun Bhuadhich Chi mi Giula gast ar a Ceann 'S i fein a togar bhar Sluadhridh Fergus Cho ni sud ach an fhianna chosach ruadh, Bratach Rhaine na Mor shluadh Maoines Cia h Bhratachsa Fhili dhuanich Ni so Bratach mhic treun Bhuadhich Chimi Giulla gast ar a Ceann 'S i fein a togar bhar Sluaidhridh Fergus Cha ni sud ach a hhrieil bhrocil ^ Bratach Ghiula mhor mhic Morni Gur h fe bu shuaimhneas don tsrol hhui ^ Toisach^ teachd 's deireadh falbh jVIaoxeas Cia i Bhratach Fhili dhuanich Ni so Bratach mhic treun bhuadhich Chi mi Giula Gast ar a Ceann 'S i fein togar bhar sluaidhridh Fergus Cho n e sud ach an duth Neimh Bratach Chaoilte mhic Retha Ar mheud dom bithidh sa Chatha Cho bhithidh iomrath ach ar an duth neimh Maoineas Cia i Bhratach Fhilidh dhuanich 'Ni so Bratach mhic treun bhuadhich Chimi Giula gast ar a Ceann 'S i lasaradh le hor Aobhain Fergus Cho ni so ach squab a ghibhaidh Bratach Oscair chruaidh laidir Bratach so an sgoiltear cinn 'S far an leagar fuil gu faobartinA 'S nach tugadh troigh ar a haish Ach gun teicheadh an tallamh trom-glas Oss Thog sin a ghath Ghreine ri Crann Bratach Fhinn bu tean san Chath Lomlan do Chloehan an Or 'S cosmuil gum bu mhor a meas 1 Tattered and Torn. ^ Yellow Satin. ^ Toeach ? * Aiikl THE MACLAGAN MSB. 305 Maoineas Fergus Maoineas Fiscal Os 'S aolidh mi gun thuit a bheni S Duilich dhuitsa ua bhfuil ann Gatha greine mhic Cumhail ri Crann Breugaoh do bheul Fhili bhinn Trian na t' agam so a shluadh Cho raibh riamh agaibhse an Erin Co beag leats an Fhiiann errasuidhsa Bheir thu do thean leim mun d' tig an feascar Roimh lanna Glas neadh ui a d' aimhleas Cromamaid nar oeann san Chath 'S deanadh gach flath mar a gheall Bn lionmhur Ceann ga mhaoladh Agus Gualain ri snaidheadh eirigh Greine gu feascar Clio teach o fhaobhar lanii gu luiugeas Ach aon Mhile do shluadh barr Theioh iad mar shruth a rith o bharraibh bhean 'S sin na san Chath chath gan iomain Bu lionmhur Fiannuidh agus Sonn Agus Curruidh bu throm trost Ach samhuil do Oscar mo mhaicsa Cho raibh ge bhos na thall Seach Cathiu do bharr an t sloigh Thuit sud le Oscar nam buadh S an Naonar Mac a bha aig Maoineas Ruadh Seachd fichid agus mile Sonn Thuit sud eidir Connan agus Goll Ach Mac Cuthail sa Shluadh Garg Mar Chaor theine gun dol as Le a shradagan deamhnuidh Cas Buile gach Laooh se cur ris Fhad sa mhair Lochlinich Ris TRANSLATION. Fergus the eloquent spread his flag from the shaft As a signal that the King of Lochlin declind tlio reward The lovely heroes moved with majesty And the grey swains of great strength The chearful people of the waves advanced These advanced and heavy was that host Then spoke the King of Lochlin 1 MS. "bhean" with " a" deleted. 20 306 THE MACLAGAN MSB. M. Whose standard is this Musical Bard Is this the standard of Migh lomadh och 's gaire bhos lomadh lamh agiis leith bhos lomadh Cloigin, iomadh Oeann Cuirp gan coigleadh ar aon bhall Thuit ar seachd fichiod fear mor B' adhbhar thuirse 's do broin 'N sin iabhair Conan maol mac Morni Leigthear mise thuig an ceudna 'S gu buinnin an Ceann deth Do Chonn dimeasach Ainteadh Mar-asc ort a Chonnain mhaoil An sguir thu dod lonnan a Chaoidhche Ni thugan tu an ceann do Chonn 'S 6 Iabhair Oscar na mor ghlonn Gluaisidh Connan mu mhi-cheil Dhaindheon na feinne gu leir An Comhdhail Chuinn bhuaidhich bhrais. Mar char tuadhal ga aimhleas Nuair Chunnaic Conn bu Chaoin dealbh Connan a dol an seilbh Arm Thug e le sic ar an Daor 'S h teicheadh dhachuigh gu falbh uaithe- 'S ioma scred 's iollach cruaidh 'S ioma cnap 's mailc, 's meall A Dh' at suas ar a dhroch cheann Ar maol Chonnan gu reamhur 'S a Chuig Caoil san aon Cheangal Beannachd aig an laimh rinn sud 'S h Iabhair Fionn a Chro-shnuadh Gu 'm h turus gun eirigh dhuit A Chonnain eiceilidh gun fholt Sheal sin an sin ar a Cheil Moran do mhaithibh na Feinn Kfe tir theaghlaich m' athar fein B' fhear Meoghair 's deagh mhMn Ghoil Mhic Mhorni na mor ghniomh Os tu chleachd ar comradh riamh On ti a ta bagradh ort 'S air moran do mhaithibh na feine 'Gun tugadh an Ceann gu fearoil detb. Mar thug u ga athair roimhe Gun deanainsa sinn duit Fhinn Fhir na 'm Briathra blath birm THE MACLAGAN JISS. 311 Cuiramaid fuarachd 's follachd ar Cul 'S biomaid uile a dh' aon run Gu 'd Mharbhadh tii m' fhiann Gun di sheachadh aon duine Bhithin fein 's mo threine leat A Eiogh na Feinne ga 'd chabhair Ghluais Goll na chulaidh Chruaidh All a n lathair a mhor shiuaigh S gu bu geal dearg gnuis an fhir Le seol gairge an tus 'iorgail Ghluais iad an Ceann a Cheile Na 'n da Churaidh fuidh throm fheirge An da Churraigh bu gharg cith A chuiredh an fhaich air bhall chrith A part of Conn M" an Deirg. Le beumanuibh bull na 'n fear mor San Fhiann nile gan eisteachd 'S iomadh caor theiue ruagh 0' bheul nan arm fhabhar cruaigh Os cionn nan ceanbheartaoh corrach 'S iad a Cuimhneaohadh na mor fholachd Cith teine gan armaibh nochd Cith fola do chneasaibh an Cuirp Cith Cailce do sgiathaibh an aigh Dol uath 's na iarmailte Naoi laethe 's aon trath deag Bu tuirseach Mic agus mnai Gus an do thuit le Goll nam beum Conn mor air lom ^ eigin Gair aoihhneas thug an Fhiann Agus Fiann a bhi dan reir Hi faicsin doibh Ghoill mhic Morn An uachdar ar Chonn treun togha 'S Connan ga thoirt a sas An deigh lonnan a mhi-Ghrais Naoi raidhin do GhoU an aigh Ga leigheas mun raibh e slan Ag eisteachd Ceoil a dh' oidhche 's do la 'S a pronnadh or fuidh thromdhaimh Air seachd fichiod 's air cuig ceud Thuit d'ar feinn aghmhor dhearg 'S bu chruinn air fiann da reir. Finis. ^ " oheart" above " lom" in different hand. 312 THE MAOLAGAN MSS. Cuid do Dhanuibh nam Fiann le Oisein^ Sealg mhbr a Ghlinne.^ Sealg bii cho mhor a Ghlinne, Mu leitrichibh GUinn-Laoire, Mu ghleann dubh Loch Magh-lach, Mu theach^ re Looha Suine. Chaidh Fionn air sliabh Magh-mac'hrach A ghreasadh 'steach na Feinne ; An nuallan mor gluman glaomann Gur e leig Baoisge barra-ghlic* Gu do chruiunich an Fheinn uile Ke cluinntin doibli ua glaodh' Feinnidh, Lomlan do fhuil 's do fbiad'.iach, Gus an tulaich an robh Baoisge. 'S a Fionn fein a rinn am fiadhach Air na Fiannuibh uaisle banblmidh, 'S cha d' fhagadh 's an Fheinn, ge b'iom' iad, Aon laoch diumaidh no fear dearnmid. 'An diaidh eiridh do do na sealguibh, Bu bheus Feinn' e Mac Cumhaill, Go'm b' eudmhor le^ Goll gasradh, fioran," Tiis, is suidhe na Feinn' fhulang. Air' do laimhs' a Ghuill Mhic Morna, Fhir nam briathra t6gha, treuna, 'S ann mar sud a bhias am fiadhach, Gar am fan thu 'm Fiannachd Eirinn. Cha 'n fhan mis' am Fiannachd Eiriim, 'S e labhair Goll na'n ceum calma, Ach dhiiits' Fhinn na'm breith haogh'lach, Faguidh mi Magh-Baoisge banbhuidh. Sin 'n nair dh' athchuig Goll air Oiscin, A lamh a chosnadh dhuinn ar feimeadh, Aisoio sinn slan a h Albhuidh Saor Airlinn gu h Eirlinn. 1 [MS. 115]. ^ This poem must be the less correct, that only one copy of it could be had, and from Mr Arthur. ^ sheach. '' uu' Baoisge barraidheacht. ^ b'fhead-ar. 'Salutation ; fiorau 's ttis suidhe na Feinne fhaghail perhaps. THE MACLAGAN MSS. 313 Ghluaiseamar nar longuibh leabhradh^ Is 'n ar b^rcuibb reamhradh reidhe, Ann an aros breithe baogh'hiich, Gabhail gloir' na gaoithe gairge. So bha sinn bhlia'nn 'an Dunerlinn,^ Ann an aros gle ghlic, tosda, Is ar mnaoi 's ar olann an Albhuidh, Is ar n annsaoht 'an Dun-mouaidh.^ Ghluasamar 'n ceart cheann blia'na Ann am trom ghoil dian na dilnn Mac M6ma 's fir na foidleadh Gu foghaid ainmhidh, na milte. Suidhichear togha na'n treun fhear Canadar gloir gle bhinn gaosda Cuireadar teachdair chum na'm flatha Dh' fhuagradh catha do Baoisge. B' iongnadh learn a Chlanna M6ran, 'S ar tighin forgla gan aoise Teachd a dh' fhuagradh catha a h Albainn Gu h Albhaidh Chlann Baoisge. (Two pages blank) Bas Ghuill. Eirich a Bhean 's beir leat mo leine ; Gabh chugad i agus eirich ; Eirich a niach a Ghruaidh dhearg Ghlan Moch na maidne roimh mo mharmhadh. a Ghuill ca rachas fein, 'S gu marbhtadh thusa leis an Fheinn ? Tathach bean gun fhailte a flr 'S mi nocht gun cheann gun chabhlach. A ri-bhean a 's binne Ceol, Gluais gu uarach 's na gabh bron, Mar bu bheart Shubhach do thi, 'S mar bu chumhaidh do dheagh mhnaoi, ' leobhradh. ^ a fort abuve a pond. ^ the fort on the hill ; the two names are for one place, viz., Edinburgh ; see Bp. Carswell. 314 THE MACLAGAN MSS. Na faicear do dheur a bhos, A Ribhean Cheannard Chruadhaich, Na dean dear mu ni nach fagh thu 'S na tathaich an tir airgith. Cuimhnich air h' airgiod 's air h' 6r, Cuimhnich air do shide 's do shrol, Cuimhnich :ar leaumhuin an Fhir, 'S olc thig diolain Bean deadh fhir Euigse fos long Phort na 'm Fiann, Far an robh thu roimhe riamh, 'S gheabh thu fain a bheil dhearg Bhanda Deadh Fhear agus deagh annsachd. A Ghuill mhoir bu mhaith d' am reir ; Cia am fear leis an luidhteadh fain? Gabhsa Fearghus Binn na Feinn, No Oisein nan Caogad rinn, No Oscar feitheach Fuileaoh, No n Corchosach Geur Guineach. 'S Duilich laom sa imeachd uait, 's tu mo Cheud fhear Saimhidh suairc, 0' m' ooha-bliann-deug gu blath, Och ! gu robhsa riamh mud thiomchioU. 'n oiche sin gus an nocht, Cha 'n fhacas ort aigue bocht ; Ach a oiche nocht ni n dual damhsa Bha aig aon fhear eile ta air talmhainn Aon trath deug dhamh bao gun bhiadh, Mar nach robh Duine romham riamh ; 'S e s mo a chaochail air mo Ghruaidh, Bhi g' ol an t saile Shearbha Ruaidh. A Ghuill mhoir mhic o Bhidh, Cath na colla ni bhail ad thi, Ach mun tuit thu Laoidh na 'm fear, 01 bainna mo dha chich gu d' Chobhair. a nighean a Chaill do Chiall 'S miosa na sin mar tha mo sceul, Gomhairle mna ga cruaidh na Gaasan Ni 'n gabhsa no ni n dearnam, THE MACLAGAN MSS. 315 Na 'n dearna tusa comhairl uam, A dheadh mhic Chormaig a Chrainn Ruaidh, Cha bhiodh tii lag air an Ceann, Anns an am am faghadh tu Cothram. Aine fag a chreig Chruaidh, A Ri-bhean eitich an-uair, Gus an tig fraoch, throimh mhuir mear i Cha tig laoch an so gad chobhair Crioch. These three in Down do buried lye Patrick, Bridget, Pizeon Pye Ceud Oran Chlainn Uisleachain o bheul Uilleam Stuart am Piteaghabhann, mu'n bhliana 1790.^ Taisg gu deachaidh iad air tuinn Tri Mhic Uislein dubh nan each D fhag iad Deardridh is Ian dubh Am beinn aird is iad nan aonar. La is bliadhna dhoibh mar sin Labhair Ian dubh rise rinn Nach mithich dhuinn, ar bainis a dheanamh ? Ach nar bainis ni bheil f^th Is ni mo nitar i gu brath Gus an tig iad dathigh slan Tri mhic Uislinn a chlainn ionmhuinn. Gheabhadh tu sin a Dheardraidh ghuanach Gheabhadh tu sin am brath faoilteach Gheabhadh tu 'n crobh craobhach donn Air mhoch maduinn a maireach. Gheabhadh tu sin muineal mhult Agus Gruagadh o sheann tore Gheabhadh tu madhradh a mhadha Laoigh na tadhaill ach air aon sogha. 1 his was dictated by William Stewart in the united Parishea of Blair Atholl & Strowan. 1 " h" deleted in " mhear." P MS. 209]. ■316 > THE MACLAGAN MSS. Ge d' fhaighins coilich a mhagha Agus Bradain bhroinn-gheala B' annsa staoio do fhear chuil chais 'S e sin lamh gheal Naois Mhic Uislein. Sealla ga 'n tugas amaoh a shealltuin San air bord a bhaile ghreadhnaich 'S ianmhuin leom an triuir chuanta chi mi shnanihas na tonntan thairis. Ealbhmdh is Ardal air thus 'S iad a shnamhadh gu farasda ciuin B' e mo ghradh an (jeadh lamhach geal B' e m' fhear fein a bha stiui-adh sim Gait an raibh sibh thri Mhic Uislein nan each 't An raibh sibh 'n tir nam fear fiiileach ? No 'n d' imir sibh beud air duine 1 No ciod 6 fath bhar fuirich 1 Fath ar fuirich air del uainn Thgb gu'm b' fhviileach dhuinn an ruaig Mac sin luthmhor Ceann fir Fail Bhi d' ar cumbhail no gar ceangal. 'S mise gu d' innis sin duibh A thri Mhic Uislein duibh nan each. Lamh air bhog bhlonag bhan 'S dona cheaird chogaidh 'n codal. gar am biodh cogadh ann fuidh 'n ghrein Ach daoine cho fada o 'n tir fein Clodiil uile 's beag a thlachd Do dh' aon triuir is iad nan aonar. All codal beag sin a thuiteamh oirn An triuir oganach oho chruinn Mu 'n d' fhairich sinn as ar pramh Dh' iath na sea longa deug mu'r timchioll. Caith an raibh sibh na'r nairm ghaisge Nuair a mhaith sibh dhoibh bhar glacadh Nach raibh ceann air ]aimh gach fir A chlann an Kigh a leith bhur 'n anmainn ? Ghuir iad siune 'n garaidh daill Ann an uaghaidh fada f ui thalamh Far an tigeadh an saile tharuinn Tri naoi uairin s an aon laethc THE MACLAGAN MSS. 317 sin nuair thainig d' ar fios 'si Ni Fail bu gheile crios (cneas Chuir i an Donn Mhor g' ar truaidhe 'S Banntrach odliar na Craoibh-ruaidhe Chruinnich ise 's mnaidhe na tire Thionail iad an ceann a cheile Fhuair gach bean o": dhiubh a h eididh 'sa h each Gach bean eile a b'fhearr tuigse Chruinnich iad ann ceann a cheile Gus an tug iad sinne o 'n fhuar uisge Sin nuair ghluais i do Dhun a h athar Ninghin an Righ sin o 'n fhuilt scathaich Fhuair i h athair ann san Dun 'S a chairdin uile mu thimchioll. Thig am chagar a Ni Fail A Rimhinn fharasda bhonn bhlath A ni sin a cheilinn uile air chach Dh innsin duit e laoigh nam b' aill. 'S dona 'n ruin sin ruin nam ban Innseas iad sa chuil ni ch(l)mnear, '3 dona 'n ruin sin a bhiodh ann Mur innseadh tus' e do d' aon nighin. Tha Itiangh agam fui m' thaobh clith (fulasg ? Chaisgeadh air onadh naoi mio Righ Luangh eile fui m' thaobh deas Is i sir luangh tharam Chuir Righ Eirinn fios d' an traidh 'S an gu mathaibh Inrse Fail Gu faighinse luchdachadh loing Do Or 's do Airgead a dh' aon tuine Do chionn na cimich a chuir gun fheall A maireach air chuaintibh na h Eireann Leig an Irinn an osna throm As a croidhe gun choguill Dh' eist osna an tighe uile Re aon osna throm na h Irinn Ge b' leig an osna throm 'S ann mu na cimich is doiligh libh. 'S mise leig an osna throm Aeh na cimich is coma leom. 318 THE MACLAGAN MSS. Nuair a ghabh am baile mu thamh 'S ami a ghluais i anns au dubh 'N raibh thu anns an Dun ud thall 1 No ciod an aithris a bh' oime ann ? Bha mi anns an Dun ud thall 'S boohd an aithris a bh' oirbhse ann Gun d' chuir Righ Eirinn fios d' an traidh 'S an gu maithibh Innse Fail, Gu faigheadh m' athairse luchdacha luing Dh' or 's a dh' airgead a dh' aon tuinn Cheann na cimich a chuir slan A maireach air chuaintibh na h Eirinn. Sinibh ohugamsa bhar cosa Dfheachain an tomhais mi na glasa Cha d' fhag i aon diubh gun tomhas Air aird no doimhne reir a cuimhne Eainig i sin an gabha Cluanuidh Mac-an-t-saoir san Torrachualach Rinn e na tri Eochraiche buagha Ann am faiteal na leath uaire (jhiollain duibh nam bruan sceul (na bruan Na tigeadh aon dig a mach air do bheul Gus an tig e air an ord no air an innein No air an inneal air an deach an deanamh Sinibh ohugamsa bhar casa D fheaohain am foscail mi na glasa. Leim Naois gu h ealbhaidh ait Ealbuidh is Ardail na dhiaidh. 'M bheil sibh anois air bhar cosaibh No 'm bheil sibh ceart na'r airm ghaisge Sgeula 's measa dhuinn re radh Gu'n d'fhag sinn nar tri chlaoidhin Ann seomar t athar an Cluanuidh 'S biaidh sinn fui mhasladh dheth gu brath Fheadh 's as beo sinn air uachdar talmhainri Rachains' a dh' iarruidh nan cloidhin ■Cha b' i 'n fhaoidh a b' fhosa dheanamh Rainig i Gil]e an t seomair A Ribhean ghasta mu 'n iath an t omar "S gabhaidh leom 's gur ninghin Righ thu THE MAOLAGAN MSS. 319 Bhith falbh na h oi'che mu thrath codail 'S e bheir dhanih bhi falbh na h oi'che Coir mo luirge a bhi agad lirge (Jha deanuinse ortsa iartas diumaidh Ninghin an Eigh sin a Dunumuidh Cha 'n iarruinn ort iarrtas diumaidh Na 'm faighinn na tri chloidheann Ag tri baobhan na h Eireaun. Ciod a dheanadh tu do cloidhean Ninghin an Righ sin o'n fhuil scathaich Cha b' urrain thu do ohuir catha No ga iomairt ann laethe seirbheis. Bheirin oloidheamh dhiubh mar ghift Do mhac Righ nan Righrinn 'S ar thrupair nan each seaug Dol a dh iarrudh mna dh' Eireann Bheirinn an t ath chloidheamh dhiubh Do fhear gaisge is moir chliuth Sar mharcach nan each seang Dol a dh' iarruidh oir Righ na h Umuidh Sin nar fhuair ise na cloidhean Agus Ion chuig oi'che Torsa ceire leath mar leath Chor 's gn bu leir dhoibh a dhaidh cheile. Bheil sibh nois air bhar bonnaibh No 'm bheil e bhos na ni bhar ceannach Tha loingis aig m' athair thall iid An taobh 'stigh do Chluan Chiarain Tha fear Cos-donn ann toiseach na loingis Bu ailibhse gu cothromaoh ceart Bhar tri buillean san aon alt Ge bu dorcha (^oilleir an oi'che ■Gu bu bhorb a rinn iad an rod Gus 'n do bhuail iad cothromach ceart An tri builean san aon alt. Thig do d' loingis a Ni Fail A Ribhean fharasda bhonn bhlath Cha 'n fhacas aon bhean eile reachadh tharad Ach aon bhean eile tha san tir Ghaoidhealaich 320 THE MACLAGAN MSB 'S aon Ninghin mi d' an Righ 'S cinnteach o sin 's moid mo phris S dona 'n tir a th' aig m' athair thall ud Mur toireadh i aon eun an galadh. Bheirin bliadhna air do ghaol Bliadhn' eile ar son do ghraidh Bliadhn' ar son gach bliadhna Do chionn gu tigeadh tu 'n ceann nan cuigeadh bliadhna Ach mur fhead thu thighin ann sin No do shith o righibh an Domhuin No do shith bho 'n chraoibh Chonuill Thoirse do bhean as an tir Ghaoidh'laich. Dara Oran Chlainn-Uisleachain ag innseadh mar chuaidh iad gu bas. Sin nuair thuirt Conchair re each 'S bochd an cas 'n do thaohair mi Bhean a thug mi as an Dun Rinn no dha no tri Tri mhic Uisleachain nan each Thainig a tir nam fear fuileach An d'fhidir sibh beud air neach No ciod e fa bhur fuirich. Thainig Conchair 'mach d'an traith Le chuig oeud Ceann fear ualach D fharuid e gu broduinn bras Co iad an triuir mhic Ri tha 'm loingis ? 'S clann peathar dhuit na mio An triuir bhraithrin bu chradh buille Naois (Ghaeleach)^ (*nao'i mile). (* iotnrach) 39 Gur b' iomruis uiic rigb na fionn An ceud sin do thuiteam do ch6mhlan. An dk chend eile s nior ghniomh dlio Do chlaoi' an Dearg an aonl6 40 'Nuair a chounaio Triath Teamhrai An Dearg aig deanamh na li urlai Bhrosdaicli se a theachdair gu luatli Thir Mhicuthail na mor shluagh 41 Sin thainig thugainn an la air mhaireaoh Fionn Mac Cuthail na' mor shluagh* Tri mile* gaisgeach deas glan Nach d' fhuair fosadh no sgainneal 42 Fleasg oir mu cheann gach fir Do shluagh Fhinn o Albainn Sgia fhiogha le iomchar* oir Le 'n earra saoibhi seamh shr6ill 43 Gath minic lann is luireaoh Air gach laoch og ard sugach (sugarach) Inneal lasda air gach fear fraoich Deo-aobhar air gach laoch lamh gheal. 44 Le teachd anns na maghaibh dhoibh Do 'n t sluagh ohuranda chomh daigh Thogas an Dearg bu mhath dreach Am pobul orthuigh oilleanach. 45 Chai' fear o Chormaic gun tiomadh Chuir faolt air Fianaibh Albainn Fhuair sloigh Mhic Cuthail* nan creach Pog is cuireadh anu tigh Teamhrai. ' 46 Ghluais mac riogh na Fionn A steach uain anns a phobul Thog tri chaogad cleas luth Ge mor an t-aobhar iomra 47 An sin ghluais Mac Cuthail ftili' A steach uain air a cheud leam Agus bheannaich se do'n Dearg Do 'n og ^lainn* innealt 48 Nuair bheannaich Fionn gun tiir Fhreagair an Dearg dreachmhor dkna,, Is dh' fhdgair* cumha gu luath (* 'g agairt) Air Mac Cuthail gu luath neo comhrag (comhlann) * Muim& (* ain-fhir) ,S50 THE MACLAGAN MSB. 49 Ge math do lamhsa fhir Dubhairt jHath Feine Albainn Broighde* Eirin ni bheir dhiiit (* Thoirbheirt broigh- dein, Mac Coineal, chaidh ghloir air ais Neach Neach chuir Alb fo ehuimh * *chuing? chain? Le neart a laimh 's a threis. 3. 'S ann thuig' thigeadh gach aon 16 An ceart aindheoin sloigh is righ Cruineachd Alb is a h6r Hairgiod, a feoil 's a,fiann* (*fion ?) 4. Cha do bheaguich sud dad dhe do mhuirn Thulaich uir bu bhriagh uaill Ach gu'n d' thainig Cairiol e fein Gu mac righ Alb, ria^^ scian oire 5. Thainig tri chathan air Feinn r. ar Ged bu mhath a feim 's an t6ir Laoich nach diultadh comhrag da dheoin lulain mor mac Mhuirni mh6ir 6. Diarmad agus Caolt crogh* (sic) *crodha Le 'm brataichean eili' iomruaguidh Thainig clainn an lubhair ruaidh Buidhean dhearg is bu luatha ruinn. Ge mor ar cairdeas is ar daimh Do thaobh feirg is m5ir bhaigh 396 THE SAGE-POPE COLLECTION. 7. Thainig triuir o a ohiaruigb dhaoine Thainig ar buidliean is ar ionmhas Seachd fichead sgiath dhearg nan Gall (gharg ann goil 1) Duiluidh gach aon fhear dhiii ceud. (dioladh ? Ge iomadli agus air thus Le bratach dr dhait' sr6il. 8. Thainig mis a cath gach (nach ?) tim 'S cha do phill mi a aite cruaidh Gun eagal faobhair no ruinn Na no bha air mo chinn do shluagh. 9. Deich ceud sciath le 'n amaladh 6ir Bu deacair aon clo an cath Do mhaithibh ipeurach* nan sluagh (*meagh'rach ? Thainig Kaoin ruadh gu bras. 10. Thainig sud is Fithlan fial Le chlogaid,* sgiath, 's a chlaidheamh glas (caogad ?) dhaoine fir-ghlio na Feinne Gu dun Leimoin claidheamh (al. ciamh) glas. 11. Thainig Fionn innt' ohul bar (bui' al.) mhoir Agus Glaisein miomh (sic) gach neach 'N Fhianii air gach am Air tighean gum trom air feachd 12. Air bhith dhuinn bhith tamul mu 'n dun Chunnacas dunlachd nan sluagh (dumhlachd ? Co aguinn an curaidh m6r Oir b' iomadh an srol is fear. 13. Co chunnacas an iomal an t sr6il Ach mo bheans' do laimh ghlain is cliamh Bha scabul 6ir air a gualain Le ceann bheart do chlacha buagh. 14. Le gach sleagh fhad-chaol direach Le claidheamh cruaidh co-shinnt' ris Bha sud laoch feargach fuilteach (f eardha ? Osgar calmunt cruaidh crMcwWA-bhuileach. (crodha ? 15. Bu chomhrag leis gach cath Macan mor mhic an ard fhlath Air bith dha thighean greis do 'n t slighe 'S ann gu Oscar nan airm nimhe. THE SAQK-POPB COLLECTION. 397 16. Ghluais sinn ar taruigi mor meurach (mear meaghrach'? Thar sinn fein anns an Ian teaghach Sheas sinn mu na Gheal ghrein ghille ? Seachd cathan nan dearbh fheinn. Bha 'r Bhratuich uir-dhait ghlan Ma Ribhinn an dair. 17. Deich agus deich mile b^rc Thainig steach air traigh nan dos Sud a' chal an gabhadh iad tamh Tanamh is bliis is fois. 18. 'S ann gu Dun Leimoin nan lann Oir bu lionar ann iomadh fear 'S ann thuig' shireadh an Fhiann As gach sliabh an ear 's an iar. 19. 'S iomadh sciath, gu souaibte leis Agus cries as na tharuig e lann 'S iomadh Icath-lamh agus cas G' an ghearradh leis agus ceann. 20. Mo mhaoans' Oscar nan cathan 'S ann leis a choiseann* na sl6igh (choisneadh? chosgadh? chomhrag Leimoin nan cleas Thug mor-goinnin leis gun sheorbh. s6radh ? "21. Dh' innsin dhuit, Phadruic fheill' Sgeul beag eadruin air an dun 'S e thuirsich mo chridh' is mo chliabh Naoh mairrean Fiann nan cleas dlu. i'2. Gur mi Oisein bochd mac Fhinn 'S ann ruinn leigeadh iad gach ruinn rium & run 'S ged tharlam bhi nochd gun rath Bha mi anns gach cath bha air thus. 23. Dh' innsin dhuit, Phadruic nam bochdau is tu chuireas mo chorp gu uir ( > 'n fhads' cha d' rinn mo lamh 'S fhad leom so nochd, 's gur cian. Gillies, p. SOS. ^ taruing ? 398 THE SAGE-POPE COLLECTION. Duan Deirg. Naidheachd th' agam air Fionn fir-ghlic 'S air Dearg o na Gealladh 'S- air mhacan nan calp disneach Thainig thugainn 's air bruach Anamh Mhic Cumhail mhic Treunoir so sgeul tha re innse Gun d' thainig shealg do Alb 'S ann airsa urghlan dh' innsinn nach fac sinn Fionn le Feinne Air an t sliabh fo gach cuideaohd Gun leig e gadhar gu diomhair Do thogail nam Fiadh thugainn. 'G eisdeachd ri fuaim nan sruthan (sruth ?) Is re guth nan eoin buidhe Gu na thuit suain nach robh gu h eatrom 'S ann air aon mhac teuggill. (teugmhail ? nach fac sinn Fionn nan sleaghan (sleagh ? 'S e air tulach ghorm-ghlas an domhuin Gun bhith cuid ris do'n Fheinne Ach Dearg donn mac an Deur. Labhair an curaidh finealt Is gun innsin dhuit mo sgeul Ma's e Fionn tha do ohomhail Nan tagair thu dol d'a ionnsuidh. Air an da laimh th' ort Dheirg Naidheachd dh'innsin dhuit Ach an duighail [diol ?] mi bas m' athar Air Fionn oir 's e flath na Feinne, 'S bu chainnte bheirt assuin Mhic Anamh a gleann sleimh Bhith tu gun cheann gun fholt Le do chainnt bhuirb do ro-bheag c^ill. An tra ghluais fearg an da dhraigean Is dar throdadh iad re cheile ( lum b'iirde na glaodh Curaidh Taoch (?) am buillean s' am beuman. Thairgte (tharruingte) leo na sleaghan neimhe Thairgte* leo na claidbmhean geur *thairngte ? Bhitheadh cuirp is cnamhan dh'an gearradh Ach gu ruigeadh iad a cheile. Eadar Dearg 6g nan Gealadh Is mac Anamh a gleann sleimh. Do ghluais Fionn nan sleagh geur gabhaidh THE SAGE-POPE COLLECTION. 399 A dhol lathair na fir chalmunt' Ruig (al. throg) e air dheas lamh Dheirg La thiuntainn sinn sinn gun Armunn Cach air m' uilins' Dheirg No mo faodains' do thearnadh 'S truagh gur mi m' aonar do na mhacuinn Do mo dhi 's do mo chathan chalmunt'. 'S mor cliu sin le Deirg Labhair, la an labhairt 'S tu treun laoch re cathan Bh' agads' la na h Albhi Ach so laimh nach dibreadh mis' 'S ann le maoin na re macannamh* * macannaibh ? Ach gu d' thainig na seachd strathan Thugads' o bhruach Anamh, 'S e s6 mear bu bhinn air a h eudau Fo na bheul bu ro mhath h aogais Lamh bu ghile 's b'fhearr rinneas Gun deaeh inealt roimh an uisg Ach trogamaid e nis gu Ailbhe Far an dioladh iad an deur Mo mhile bheannachd air do lannan Oir 'stu deagh mhic Alpm chleirich nach fac sinn Fionn le Fheinne Air an t sliabh so gach cuideachd Gu leig a gadhair gu diomhair Do thogail na feachd thuguinn.. SIR. GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. The following poems are copied from MSS. transmitted to the Highland Society by Sir George M^Kenzie, Bart, of Coull. Duan air Dearmad dibh rinn Fionn. Tha sgeul agam air mor Laoch Gun do bhris Conan maol an corn 'S bhuail e Faothlan Mac Fhinn Fior-mhuUach a chinn a dhoirn. Gun d' thug Faolan laimh siar Ghlac e sgian air a crann Ghonadh leis Mac Moirne maol Sud dh 'fhag an laoch gu fann Dh' eirich Garradh an taobh thall Dh' agairt air Faolan Mac Fhinn 'S thug e tharruing d'a lann ghlas An sin bha air a chinn Caorall cas, La dhomhsa bhi an Albhin Ghuill Sinn air ardanach Mhic Cumhail (sic) Bho mo cheann chinnich an guth dar dh' eirich Fionn ann an corruich La chuir Padric a mhiir Gun suim aig do ni air bith aoh 61 Ghluais e do thigh Oisein mhic Fhinn La 's ann leis bu Bhinn a ghlor An dith mo bheatha sheannair shuairc Thugad air chuairt thanaig mi Innis uirsgeal domh air Fionn Otha Chumhail gam beire' buaidh. S mise dh' innseadh sin dhuits' A Phatniic 's gille cruth An cath is tinn 'thug an Fhiann La bha sinn riabh air a lorg. SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLKCTION. 401 Shailmse 's tinn 'thug na fir La ghineadh iad am Fheinne Fhinn. Am dearmad dibh riiin Fionn An albuinn re limi nan laoch Air bi do 'n Fheinn air druim dearg Gun d' eirich fearg is fraoch Thachair Mao Cumhail nan cuach Agus Rigb Lochlin nan sluagh bu liuth Re cheile an am measg a chatha Bu mhoir an cath 'n an dithis Cuireadar an airm le lair 'S feuchadar spairn an da laooh Clochan agus talamh trom Dh fhuasgail siad fo blionn cois Chuir Fionn o6angal nan tri chad Air an righ bu lionmhor float (phlod ?) Fear is dara leath na Fiann Dh'f hag sinn air an t sliabh fo dheas. Thachair Oscar agus Daol Taobh re taobh ameasg an t sloigh Comhrag an da churaidh ohaomh Mar gun doirteadh gaoth an cuan Mar cheo thaomadh an fhuill Bu naimhdeach gniomh nam fear S a bhaiteall bu mhor an guin 'S gur mairg a tharladh 'n an car 'S cha bu ghna leo sgiath re goill Bu chomhrag da, leomhan sin. Sin dar bhris Oscar Mgh Caogad sgiath air Cormac cruinn Agus bhris Cormac cas Caogad lainn ghlais on s an ehidmh Chuimhnioh Oscar air a sgian An t airm bu mhiann leis an laoch ghlan 'S chuir uaoi guineadh dhi ann Daol B 'ann seal mun do chlaoidh e ghreis Thug e uaith sgian le h 6ir Chuir naoi goineadh goin 'n a ohraos Ghlac Oscar a ris an sgian 'S ann ghlac e i air laaran ?ilar gun sniota gad an Coill ]tlar sinn thug iad sgian as a hearluinn Thug (')scar gaisge beum buaghach Ghlac e cluch ruagh 'n a laimh An tur char leis au do mharbhadh Daol Sud a bheart a chlaoi a ghreis. 26 402 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. Fearg eadar Fionn & Goll. Dh' eiricli fearg ro-mh5ir air uair araid eadar Fionn is Goll, air^chor 's gu'n d' thug an Righ amach Binne a' bhais air chor 's gun d' orduich e Goll a mharbhadh Icis an f hear bhiodh Gleidheadh nam muc aig an Fheinn mar th^r ro mhoir do Gholl. Tiomnadh Ghuill dha fain r' a mhnaoi fein A maireaoh thig Muc mac Smalla Aide uchd gheal mo dhaill (ghaoil 1) Marbhaidh Muc mac Smaill mise Aine gun nkir sud ri inish (gu ? innseadh 1 Aine druid fo mo cheann Nighean Ludgha Laimh ghil Na dean ni riach fheaird dhuit Tuirse dheoir ach dean deagh mhisneachd Taogh* fein fear gu do shlios geal * tagh 'S na biodh aon trith 'n ad aonar, Ciod am fear a phosas mi Ghuill mhoir mhaiseach mhileanta 'S nach 'ail sionald* dhuit re fhaotain * samhailt ? Ann am measg catha na comnadgh (sic) Innsidh mise sin, a bhean, Aodh cas mac na Caillich C uime an dreinse * fein * deirinnse 1 Dhionn* (sic) mac Caillich tha fo 'n Ghrein *aon 1 Gur am biodh re raite rium Ach bean Ghuill mhic Morna chlaisdin Cha bu Chaillich a b' ainm g' a mhathair Ach nighean Chuinn o'n Chruinn liireach B' e f ath mo shloinneasa air a mhnaoi mhear Luadse a thraobh air a h athair Cuimhnich do shoirean glanna Cuimhnich do sheilearan geal Cuimhnich t' airgiod is t' 6r druit Cuimhnich sud agus do mhuinntir Beir * tusa Mac do Aodh * beiridh Ghlacas Eirinn taobh air taobh Agus nighean bhas gheal hhkn Bhios 'n a bainrigh air Lochlain. Bha sinn 'n ar luidhe air n ar cluain 'G eisdeachd ri comhra an t sloigh Bha 'n amhuin 'n a bhuinne bhrais Cha taireag duine air thairis SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 403 'G eisdeachd ri gaotli nan gleann Ach an thraogh an abhuinn Thainig an curaidh gun sgath Thug e spurr do na bharruin bhlair (sic) Nach do haol riabh an t atha. Tharruing e lann as a thruaill Dhicheagh* moran do 'u t sloigh *dithichcadh Mharbh e oirne sonan eagh (sic) Agus naonar mac an neagh (sic) Dar bha Saoull air South Chleaohd mi aon laoch fhasda Cha do chleachd mi air meud mo ghlonn Ach aon bhuille roth na chuiridh Thug e dhiom sgiath s le a h oir Mu mo cheann dith rinn a bloidhean Mar bhiodh feabhas mo chlogaidh ghil Chaillin an oeann ga leanmhuia Thearruin e mo cheann re seal Maraon agus m' anam ionmhuin, Thionntaidhean e daohaidh gun Fhiabh Rainig e Fionn flath na Fiann [Fiain? Gun dith do bheatha Mhic i Faill Shuith Chviireanta chomhnaidh Is aghor chuir thu do ghreis [gheis ? Ma thainig thu slan o heirish Creud na sloigh bha thall Aig Mac Morna nan Gorm lann Bha shluagh cuimhneaoh, ciallach, narach Neagh mhisgeach ann am catha Mar biodh do ghrasans' Fhinn (_'ha tiginns' slan o heirish Duan CuchuUairj 's e air la kruid teachd shealltuin air Rigli na h Eirinn. Thainig au doirsear* a steach * dorsair An tigh teann-ruith gun fhuireach. Bhuail 6 shlabhraidh 6ir 's tigh thall Ris an d' eisd Fiann Eirinn Labhair righ Chonchar gu c6ir An deagh mhac Muinn Idirsgeoil Oreud sin tha air oirr (sic) fhir 404 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE S COLLECTION. Na creud d' eirich do dhoirseir, Gu facas thall oath-charbad sin Am foudhn (fonnadh) fioghal fionn Gu lios* (sic) agus gu luath *liosda'? Gu Umhach 's gu Un-ghlic Am popuil uaine cath rounbhuidhe (caidh ronhhaidhe 'N roth fiondruin bhiodh ceir uirard Ebhin efiorra a (bheann iubhra) ghisach^ ghasach Chaoineach uile ard^ do bhi anns na carbadaibh Na h eich chruinn bheag cheann bheag [ohrainn 1 Bhas tana is leus taineanteaoh soluis (sic) Eidihh bhran eidihh^ bhroinn dearg M&rfhriol ghalhddh (fhreothal ghealghaidh V) (sic) na mara mdhaol fhaoir in ngath f thuireard * (sic) na mar chuach galluidh n geirihh ^ fuidh a iomall n p.arag chaoin dearg Air mullach maol Hath. Air mhaohair bhan liath (bh^in ligh ? 'N gum be sin 'n ar druid is 'n ar luas 'S air mhaol na heaohdruidh (eachraidh) Agus iad a' teachd dar n ionnsuidhne. Do bhiodh anns na carbuidibh sin An t each liath luthar uircach (r. urraiceaoh Airceach* treasdach luathbharra (r. arraiceach. Stuaghmhor, deagh fhaicilleaoh, ionnruith Caomh oiun aonfidh ciun [cinn ? Ga b' ainn an Liath-maiseach. Mhoir muirneach saoidhleanda" sioth fhada Do bhiodh anns na carbaidibh sin An t each cruadh,^ sichionta^ searachail 'M fad shliosach, bao-leumnaoh Ga b' ainm an dubh-sronmhor. (sic) Chi dubh mar fiohead ceud ainbhidh bhuait Thugad agus teachd dar n ionnsuidhne. Agus do bhiodh anns na carbadaibh sin Laodghair (Ladhair) bheul dearg buadhach, Mac bhrionna, cobhra' le bruid & le brionna. Shom dhonna, grinn achduin na heachrai 'S teachd d' ar 'n ionnsuidhne 'S do bhiadh Laoch laidir lainireora lannor ami ? Ga b' ainm Cuchullan Bhiodh seachda meoir bhuadhach ^ dhiasach ? " Caoine gacli reile airt. •' A dibh-rionn a dhibh. •^ ma tliaobh libhearn ag aibh duireort. '' cheathach gealdhain ag eirigli. " Mor-mhuirneach saoi-oileanda. '' crubhach. ^ sithionta. ' gabhra in the MS. SIR GEOEGK Mackenzie's collection. 405 Air gach laimh ofhd gheal ollghodhuin doth (sic) Agus bliiodh seachda meoir bhuadhach Air gach cois chuilpeauda dho Agus bhiodh seachda ruis sgeidmhe Brisfidh tochd bharra nan rosgabh Agus bhiodh aon rath cabhair roth Agus bhiodh tri fiult iongantach air a cheann Fait eamhurra dearg na mheadhon Fait donn ri taobh aoinfuidh chinn Fait buidhe air bhaodh roth (bhaoph robh si) Agus snaidhne 6ir fairceadal air a bhar Bhiodh claidheamh iondla mhor iongha 1 Ann truaill ifidh aifidhair a thaobh chli 'S bhiodh cheufradh chlabruigh shollais mheanmuin Air a togail air a deo* thurladgh dho * deagh Air choir 's nach druidfeadh 'n a dhMl Ach feur a baimhle leis an fholach mhoir Frostan mar fhrostan bha culcach airm Agus eididh Cuchullin mhic Sheimhi Mhic Subhailt mhic Beagalta Mhic lolaran, mhic Aularan Mhic Cadghu mhic Caudghu eile Mhic Caoilndghne dearg mhic lolair casbolt Mhic Euraidh mhoir mhic to teich Mhic Fheille mar theach Mhic Staoir mhic Stair mhic Stamdgha Mhic Kuis mhic Eois mhic reile ruadh Mhic Dhuillaphoil mhic Cairbte dhliach Mhic Chaoimhne cheud chathach Sud mar thainig Clann Euraidh amach Bho na h ochd Curaidhnean deug 's o'n ochd fichead deug curaidhnean agus teachd d'ar ionnsuidhne. Report, p. 204- ; Appendix, XV. Ossian, Fingal, B. I. [Turus Fliinn do LochlainnJ. Chuir Eigh Lochlin air uair araid teachdair dh' ionsuidh Fioim is e 'n a righ 6g 'san tra sin air Albainn 'g a iarruidh gu luath gu posadh nighean fein ann rioghachd Lochlain. An sin dh' fhalbh Fionn le deich ceiid gaisgich glan maille ris do Lochlain a shuiridh air inghean a righ. Sin 'n uair labhair Patruic re Oisein Innis duinn mu thimchiol 1^ toteal sgian Totail sgian sin 's toiteal sgian 'S e 'n catha sin mu'n do thuit na fir 406 SIR GEORGE Mackenzie's collection. 'S ann learn a b' aite thii ma rireadh Their sgeul air toteal sgian (court or palace) Da theaoh deiig an Longphort Fhinn ' Dar Eachadh sinn a Chrom ghleann Da thein' dheug anns gach tigh Fear agus ceud mu gaoh teine Thionail sinn an sin an Fhian 'S bhiodh mac Clionn 'nan rian chon ? Dh' ionnsuidh Chrom-ghlinn nan olach Thainig e thugainn am Fathach (an t athach Sin dar thainig am fear m6r Dhruid am fiadhnuis an t sloigh Thuirt e le gbloir bhuig nach tiom Nach caith sinn ouid an Cromgbleann ^ Dar ohual oonan maol rh tha Gloir an fhathaich bhi ri thaobh 'S an dhruid e dhorn gun uamohalachd Ri fathach m6r na haon sullaoh (sula, suilea) Fhir od sgoirm suile gun tlaohd Innis duinn cia as tiomach* (timeachd?) Thainig mi a Lochlain shleaghaich Bho 'n ohuideachd ghuirm shfeamaich 'S mi thug an cas-oheira nach gann Thainig mi nail o rioghachd Lochlain Chuir inghean Eigh Lochluin am bla-bhuig ^ Thug i gaol gu Fionn a h Albinn Shir i oirbhse a flath na Fiann fhlatha ? ^sic) Dhol e deibh bhair druim cliar bharr ? Thug i b6id nach treig i steach (a teach ? Ach an rachadh am Fiann da* sireadh *g'a Labhair Fionn le ghuth f6il Chonan sguirs' dhe t' ainobh (sic) (anmhodh) 'S m6r t aobhart reachd leinn Bhuail thu teachdair Eigh Lochlain. Ghluais sinn gu druim chlair a' chuain An gasradh aiginteach fionnuair Bhiodh deich fiohead c6ta sr6il Aig Mac Cumhail mhio Treunmhoir Inneal osraidh* air gach fear (* gasda ? cosgraidh 1) Fraoch meaodghol air gach laoch laimh-gheal| Claidheamh am heart chruaidhibh gach fir ^ Cromghleann nan clach, i.e., Glenlyon in Perthshire. ^ am blath-bhuidh ? * In the marg. tairea(Jh is t iompai. t tainioohd in marg. J lann-mhear in marg. SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 407 Sgiath 6ir gu ruom do chraidh Ulachd air gach fear an droing. A luohd nan urchairin inealta Shuidh sinn anns a mheirghe* mh6iri *Bheirghe Teaghlach Fhinn bu lion thional Sin ag iomairt 's 'g 61 air Fiou 'S na sloigh uile mu righ Lochlain Sin 'n uair thuirt Righ Lochlain ruinn Fhinn an d' thug thu leat mo chuid mac An d' thug leat Ciothach mo mhac No 'n d' thug thu leat Beatoir buineach (buidhneach) No Lann nam beud mo mhac eile (lamh) Am feidhnigh phropag an iorghail f'.'/cj Labhair fear an taobh thall Ma 's e an fholachd 's fearr leibh ann Fagaidh an Fhiann sibh marbh 'nar teach 'S a righ Lochlain, 's mairg a dubhairt 'S mise mharbh Ciothach do mhac Thuirt Raoine fuidh 'n gile glao, Gabham orm marbhadh an fhlr 'S gur ann leam thuit e ann iorghail. 'S mise mharbh am Betoir buineach 'S e labhair Diarmad o Duibhne Air tre igh Chliathan fuidh thuath Am feidhnigh mu'n do thuit am m6r shluagh (feinne) 'S mise mharbh an Lann nam beud (lamh) 'S e labhair Oscair is cha bhreug Gun taing dhuinn ga chinn 'S na bheil uile an Rioghachd Lochlain Thuirt Fionn nam bu Ghobha mise 'S math a dheanain sgianan Chuirinn oruadh na rinnean Is siom na Saoidhean Chuirinn casan caol buidhe Cul tin, am faobhar tana, Tharruing sinn deich ceiid sgian Bheireadh 'n ar maise is 'n ar miadh Mharbh sinn dithis an laimh an fhir Do luchd tigh righ Lochlain Ghlac leinn Righ Lochlain fhein Bhris sinn doras a thur (mhur, marg. Ghabh sinn air a chuideam dghoir ^ ^Bergin in mg. - cuid throm do dh' oir. 408 SIR GEOEGB Mackenzie's collection. 'S chiiideam eile fadheoidh (arcuid throm) Is fo'n 1^ sin amacli Bha buadh aig Fionn air Lochlaiun Sealg Tuirce. Chaidh Fionn righ na Feinne air la araid a shealg air an tore nimhe 'na bheinn g' am b' aium Beinn an tuirc, is dh' fhairtlich air fhein 's a chuid con a mharbhadh agus thainig an righ dathigh fo throm fheirg an deis e fein leon leis an tore agus a chuid con a mharbhadh. An sin gheall e nighean b' f hearr bh' aige fein thoirt do 'n ghaisgich mharbhadh an tore nimlie. La dh' an deach Fionn a cbluaineachd Shealg Muc alluidh 's da ruagadh Cha do ghluais roimh 's an t sealg Aoh muc dhrisneaoh, dhonn, dhearg Ghreas e na se luimhne deug (cuibhne ? lothain?) Air a cinn 's ni can mi breug Chuir i dath dearg air gach coinn (cu 1) Dh' fhaghadh leis an t shealg gun deuuamh Lion e le naire flaith Fail Gum b'e Fionn chruth chomhlain » Kigh na Feine o Dhun Baobh Dh' uirligeadh e dhol beo 's an talmhuin Labhair Mac Eonan an 4igh On is mise mac righ is fearr Marbhaidh mi mhuc air nar ceann Air na bheil sibii beo ann Albuinn. Sin nar labhair Conan gluaireaeh Leis bu trie an t ole a ghluasad Cia h iad luchd nan guthan m5r Dar bhios iad 's na tighean osda Theireadh air gualaibh an cuid ban Nach bti tualeasg mac a mharbhadh Sin dar ghluais Caoilt a shiachaur Shealg air na muic tachaur, bheinn nimhe gxi Beinn tuirc Gu shliabh Ipathan Ian druit Far am biodh an tshean mhac nimhe Ann gleann Fuath ga h arach Thilg e oirre cheathar sleaghan Gu cuathanda, gu coram, oui-anti) 'S a shluig an t shean mhiic sud SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE S COLLECTION. 409 Air gach sith an sean srath luachrach Gach buille bheireadh se dhi Dhe an Ubhail uasal 6rbhuidh Bhiodh druim a mach 's a steacli Mar gacb tonn re carruig cloioh 'S truagh nach ann an deis mo bhais 'S ann bu mh6 mo chuid iomarradh Bhiodh mnathan na Feinne Fionn 'G am airse ann an Cromghlinn C ait am biodh mo leamian sith Nighean donn na ma]a min Nach tigeadh i gam chobhair 'S gur i odh-peathar o Conchair Suile dan d' thug e sau fhrioch (fireaoh ?) Gum facas nighean Bhaou Tigbean o chnoc gual amach 'S a h earradh caol uain 'm 'a tiomchiol 'S a sgian bheag bha 'n a laimh dheas 'S i toir a mach bair a hioann (sic) iongan Gur trie leatsa Chaoilt choirr Bhi 'g am iomaradh 's tu 'n ad eigin imreadh 'S ainmic le do ghnuis ghil Tighean do 'm t shith-bhruach d 'am feuchain Suidhe cuid ruim air lair Mhic Ronain nan airm aigh Ach an innis mi o 'n uiridh Na suirridhe agus na sean taghal Mar tugadh tu air mo cheann Bean a b' annsa leat na mi Cha chuireadh ma mutioi air bith Geasan ort nach dean mi fuasgladh Cha toir mise air do cheann Bean 's annsa na thii fein, Na bi 'g a cleith orm fhir 'S nach mi idir bean a h ainm, Tha triuir a chloinn Fhinn Gach aon te dhiubh air do thith Ge b'e th 's taire dhiubh sinn Na diultsa i air lughad ratha Air a laimh mhic na h ard fhlatha. Cuir an crios diosneach mu do thaobh 'S gu brath cha tig olc no tearrag. Cuir fainne mu do mheur Naoi oidhche roimh do bhas 'S gun tuit a chlaoh as an aimhne (fhaitme ? 410 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. Biodli mnaibhne na Feinne is Fiona Gad tairse ann an Cromghlinn Gabh sgian beag 'n ad laimhse Is beir air a mhuo air a ohluas deas 'S na gabh roimhe fiamh no feagal 'S na beanadh riut deur dhe 'm fuil Air na bheil a dh oir an Teamhar Sin arsa Fionn dar ohaidh e dhathigh le ceann na muice. Gun dith buadh rath air a cheann Air naoh bu dual bhi mall 'S tu mac na feinn bhear moudh (sic) 'S ann duit bu dual maith a dheanamh. Sin arsa Conan Tha gliocas an t saoghail uile Air a ohi,radh* ann Caolt 'n aon duine (* charuadh ?) Air neadh teagaisg Mnai-sith Naoh 'eil 'n aon riathaohd ruinne (rioghachd? riochd ?) Sin labhair Leanan sith. Maireach nitear do bhannais-se Mhio Eonain na tath shollui& (rath ?) Chi thu mise thugad le arraig (earradh ?) Gum b' e sin air arraig bhuadhach (eiric ?) Tighean o Chnoo Guaille amaoh Laogh bheag is biatagann Muoan mara is muagann (mathghamhuin) laimhe na ban sgathaoh beann ?) 'S o ohoille chrith ghuailleaoh Air na heaohaibh broinn dearg 'S air na heaohaibh donn dearg Bhiodh gille oas d' am frithealadh s' 'S cha b' urrain e d' an tionalsan Ochd fiohead deug daimh alluidh san 'S cha n fhaoas riabh a sianalsann Sin aguibhse Fhiannaibh Fail Arraig Chaoilt o Leannan Gus an tig skil air bhraighibh bheann Agus fraoch air fairge ghlas Gu lo bhrath cha-n fhaio thu Ailbhin SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 411 Duan Fraoch agus Meagh. Am bodach sin on d' fhalbh a bliean Ged bha i seal 'u a reir Nis na biosa fo Lionn Dh' imich o Fioim a bhean fheiu. Dh' fhalbh bhean o Racine Ruadh Bu cheannard e air shluagh cheud Dar chair an curachan air seol (ohaidh 1) Thug i gradh do mhao righ Greug Cha do chuimhnioh i rosg malla Cairreal ge bu gheal a ghnuis Einn a bhean ouis air a cheann Mac Rudor an domhain mhoir Bu mhor a sh61ais re mhnaoi Dh' imich i uaith g' a deoin Shilleadh e deoir thun a lair. Thuirt Meagh nach biadh i slan Ach faigheadh i Ian a bais mm Do chaoran Loch an Fhioar Gun duine g' am buan ach Fraoch Cheud la chair Fraoch a snamh (chaidh) Air ghuth mhnaoi* 's cha b' aill leis olc *mna Thug e Ian a bhruid a thir Choran abuich mhion gun lochd. Sin dar labhair a bhean bhaoth na bha i gun ghrais gun cheil Bhrosluich i Fraoch thun t snabh * * snamh Ach an deach' e an d^il a bheist " Sud am meas am bheil mo mhiann " A dheagh mhic Chuaich nan sgiath dearg " Meas a' chrainn is airde dos " Chi mi air an loch ud thall." Gun do ghluais Fraoch 's cha ghille trom Shnamh leis air an lith * bhuig * linne Cha d' fhaod e ge bu mhor A,gh Thighean o na bhas robh a chuid. Thachair Fraoch mac Chuaich fein Agus a bheisd taobh air thaobh Shluig i, ge bu ro mhath agbleus Leith laimh na beul o sgarra thaobh 'S truagh gun chlaidheamh crudigh cruadh Laimh mhic Chuaich na gruagh dearg 412 SIR GEOEGE Mackenzie's collection. Agus Ian a ohois a thir Aig an righ nach smuainich cealg. Labhair i ris le fcarg lA bha i lA,n cealg is guinn Cha do chreid i Fraoch bhi marbh Ged bba bheisd gharbh na bhuinn. (mhuin ? Seachd righean chuir i gu bas Bu mhor a cka 's a h olc Bu chuid diubh Conall is Aogh Is Cairreal caomh nan airm goirt ConchuUin sgoilteadh sgiath Agus fear dion an taobh ghil Fraoch mac Chuaich nan rosg reidh Fear nach d' ob ni do dhuiuue air bith Chuir Fraoch gonadh anns a bheist Leis an treis bha 'n a dhorn Dh' fhag ise Fraoch air an traigh Chaidh i fein a snamh is i leont' Gleidh gach fear fo na grfeine Mhnaoi fein ma 's dean i lochd Air eagal 's gum bi i fhein Mar bha Meagh an deigh na corp. billies 107. Report of the Committee of the Hiyhland Society, p. 99 ; Appendix No. VII. Duan na h Inghin. Thachair do dh' Oisein air uair araid bhi air tulaich ro bhoidh- each 's e fuidh mhulad ro-mh6r cuimhneachdain air catha ro mhor ■chunnairc e uair eigin air an tulaich air an robh 'n a shuidhe. iSij nar labhair Patruic re Oisein " Oisein uallach mhic Fhinn " 'S tu ad shuidhe air tulaich eibhinn " Mhilidh mhoir nach" meata " Chi mi brdn air tinntin." F^ bhr6in bhiodh orm fhein Phatruic mhic Alpuin fheil Bhi cuimhneachdain Fionn na Feinne Seachd cathan na gnii Feinne An tulaoh air am bheil sinn maraon Phatruic chaomh na Preas saor SIR GBORSE MACKBNZIIS'S COLLECTION. 413. Chunnairc mise teaghlaoh Fhinti Gu miiirneach, aigeantaoh, meaghrach, Thigeadh iad uile iia sl6igh Seasadh Fionn conagh aigmheall (sic) 'N ar suidhe dhuinne uile an Fhiann Air an talach oir is iar Chunnaic sinn tighean o 'n ear Beau fhoriun 's i 'n a h aonar. Bhiodh rosg gaireachduiu 'na ceann 'S bhiodh h earradh aluinn m'a hiamchmn thiomohioll Bhiodh shlabhruidh 6ir bu chaon heabhra. 'S bhiodh shlabhruidh 6ir m' a caomh bhragad 'S bhiodh leantag dent sr61 a bhurre (b' uire Ma crios gradhach caomh curr (cubhraidh Bhiodh faiune an 6ir m' a geall ghlao Bhiodh Dunag oir m' a brat uaine Bragad bu ghil fuidh dealt Aig a righin uasal aigmheil Thug sinn na trom chion uile Teaghlaoh Fhinn bu lion tional Gun cheisd aig duine an Fheine Fhinn Dha mhnaoi fein ach dha 'n inghean Chuir i comradh air Fionn fein Nighean iiasal, is rioghail beus Mo chomraidh air Oisein 'n a dheidh Lamh chosgairt an teugbhoil Mo chomraidh air Oscar an aigh Loach nach gealtach an comhradh (oomhrag 1 Mo chomraidh air Goll m6ra Mac Morna na Bratach sr6il Mo chomraidh air Caoilte cruadh Air Dhiarmad donn 's air mac Lughaioh Mo chomraidh oirbh Fhiannaibh maith Eidir mac righ is ro-ilath (al. ard-fhliith Sin arsa Fionn " Ciod an toir air do dheigh " Ghruagach 6g nan rosga reidh " Nach innsidh tu dhomh a nighean ' No cia 'n t-shlighe thug thu 'n ceum. Toireachd bhiodh ormsa fhein Fhionn uasal is rioghail Fheinne Fear m6r mileauta treun Fhuileach, faobhrach, airm gheir Bas luath, beumnach, toilgeaoh Mac Morra ria;h na h Easbuilt 414 SIR GBOHGB MAOKBNZIe's COLLECTION. Eagal ormsa a Fhiannuibhse Fhinn E ga leaduirt 's 'g an dorruin Thug Ceathrar mac Fhinn gu m buadh Faolan 's Aodh is Eaoine ruadh Thng Eaoine rodach mac Fhinn Na briathra aild uir eibhinn Naoh robh duine 'n iar no 'n ear Fo cheathar Kannaibh an domhain Naoh fhagadh Eanchinn a chinn Mu 's leig iad leis an iughean Suidhidh mi so air do sgath Nighean ais ailde comhradh Mus toir fear m6r thu leis Ge m6r do bheaohd as fheabhas Cia fhad bhiodh fear mor uaibh Mhic Fhinn gam beireadh buaidh Bith dhuinn tamuil air a bheinn Agus bheir a bheannachd Oisein Chi sinn fear mor uainne Seoladh a chala 's a chuain Taruing luing air tir Tochd * oirn gu h ainmin (* teachd) Gum b' 6 sin fear m6r mallda (al. dtoa) Na stuagh dhireach Allbharuidh * (*Allmharuidh) Le fraoch feirg gu Fiann Fhinn 'S e 'n a chaor theinte thugainn Leine d' an t sr6il bhuidhe mu 'n fhear 'S a chriosuibh siad 'g a cheangal Da shleagh is cruadh na rinn 'S iad na buille sheas air a ghualain Sgian mh6r is or air a blaoph (sic) An dorn tousgeal a mhilidh. Bhiodh chlaidheamh m6r frasaoh nimhneach Cruadh Cosgarra co-chinnteach 'S a cheann bheart clochara 'n oir Os ceann sooharra a mhacain Thug e ruathar gun cheill Cha do bheannaich e dh Fhionu no 'n fheinne Mharbh e ceud do Fiannuibh Fhinn Agus mharhhadh leis an inghean Cheangal e naonar mac Fhinn Le naoi naonar do luchd leanmhuin Le cinnidh meanmnach mear mor Rinn Itilain armach euchdach Thiontan mo mhacsa air learg; SIB GE0E6K MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 415 Oscair 's e Ikn do throm fheirg Rinn e connfhadh gu dana Ris an fhear mh6r mhinarach Rinn e connfliadh ris gu dearbh Fhuileach faobhraoh is e garg Bhiodh sgriosadh faalagh gu teann (fala) Mar chloohan le garbh ghleann No mar chaor theinte o 'n tealuich Bhiodh tarruing nan laoch nimhneach Thug Oscar am beum gu fearail Os ceann Sochair a mhacan Dhicheth leis a bheum ghrand' Dhithicheadh Oighre aluinn na h easbuilt : Chladhaich sinn leac do 'n ghaisgeaoh Air an tulach mu 'n iadh na Fleasgaich 'S leac mhnaoi ^ air an taobh eile Mhic alpuinn a Albhuidh Sud an tulach a b' iilde dreach Far nach d' fhuair sinn gaiseg riabh Ach aon la sinn 'n ar cluain Thainig Righin uasal 6g Ga mh6r thug sinn di ghradh 'S iomadh fear a phaidh a poig Thuit iad mar dhoire gun bhath Dar thainig am Fear m6r Sud agadsa Eachdruidh nam fear Phadruic is glaine ceol Fearr is darna leath na Feinn Dh' fhag sinn air an t-sliabh gun deo Ge m6r bh' aguinn chleas 'S beag dhe nar leas rinn an lo. Dun Eibhin & Thachair an Fhein air la araid ri gaisgich ro-mh6ir g'am b' ainm Eibhin agus Trostan is thug iad cath fiadhaich ri cheil air traigh Chlian. Air bhas gus an deach' an Fhianti Cha d' thug i ceum teichidh riabh Ach nodag beag air an traigh Air an taobh siar do dhun gallan Cha d' fhuair sinn Ciuthach 's an duin ^ a mhnatha ? do 'n mhnao 416 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. Nam faigh bu mhiste dhiiinn Fhiiair sinn iomanadh agiis grain Bho Eibhin & o Throstan Chair (ohaidh) Goll leadairt na luracli* (*nan luireaoh 1) Le Eibhin mac ghorm shuileach Dh' ghiigar Trostan garg an ghoill Air Oscair euchdach connfhadh. Dh' ghuagair* iad air clanna morna (*Dh' agair ?) Na laoich cheannarda chrodha Dh' ghuagair iad air clanna Sgainne Fhionu fhuileach nan sleagh rinn gheur Dh' ghuagair iad air clanna Ceardal Clann an righ fhuair an dearbhadh Dh' ghuagair air Ryn mac Fhinn 'S air na Bailbh gabh bcl leinn. Sin nar dh' eisd uille an Fhiann Mar nach oual iad focal riabh Thug iad nodag air an triiigh Le teicheadh is le con ghraid (sic) Ghluais Oscair nan airni ^igh Coinneamh mhio an Nuamharan Bhiodh fras falbh (fala 1) ri lair Ceo teas dol 's an iarmailt Cloidhean gam bualadh gu cruaidh Fhuil air chraoslich* cnaudhe ruadh (*cr6 ?) Sgiathan 'n am bloidhibh ri lair. Aig mac maiseaoh Nuamharan Thug Oscar an * gaisg bheum buadhach * na 'S ann leinn bu leor chruadhachd Bhuin e oeann gun bhaol (mhaol T) deth Le faobhair geir a chlaidheamh. Beannachd, a mhic air an laimh Buadh lamhach leat agus coineachd Glao an oeann air bhraud (sic) bhan bhraghad Thoir e fianuis do Sheanathair. Ceann mhic Righ air thoir chreach 'S e chuireadh feum air ceud long phort Cha d thugainnse sud air sail Air mhaith an domhain donbhail. domhail. Cha leig mise fein 'sin dhuit Se lathair Goll M5r e* Cruachan *a ? Beir air a cheann gun aufachd (a,bhachd 1) 'S thoir e 'm fianuis na* hardflath *nan ? Air a laimhse Ghuill mhic morna Cha tuaaiim dhuit urram crodha SIB QBORGB Mackenzie's collection. 41/ Cha tugainnse cloinn t athar Air sliochd Chuinn cheud cathach Thug an t Oscair calma c6irr Ruadhar feardha fearail Dh' alluiceadh* e dh' aindeoin nam fiann * adhlaic Ceann 's a cholluin a dh' aon rian Chuir e 'n ceann mileanta Badhach (sic) Chuir e seachd traighean 's a bhUir Air deagh mhao maiseach Nuamharan Cha tugadh e snoise a ghearr do dh' Oisein no do dh' lolann. Dh' eirich Oisein baughach (buadhach) fial Ghlac c chlaidheamh 's~a sgiath Chuir e bhean cruidmhe m'a cheann Dha shleagh 's a ghorm lann Thog a chrios caoitheanta catha An aghaidh mhic na h ard flath Chair (chaidh) clann ronn is clann saoith 'S am bratuichean taobh air thaobh Chaidh iad gu tulaich nam buadh Mu thiomchiol Oscair airm ruadh Chaidh clann Laghach nighean Fhinn 'S am brataichean os an cionn Chaidh iad gu tulach nam buadh, Mu thiomchiol Oscair airm ruadh, Chaidh clanna Deirg nan lann 'S am bratuichean naoh rohh mall Chaidh iad gu tulaich nam buadh Mu thiomchiol Oscair airm ruadh Cuigear mac Ailbhin ri Fionn Cuigear Bhear (fear? mhear?) bhan Eirinu B'e Cairreal Ceutfach na creaoh Agus Aurul euchdach na hiorghail Faolan 's raon mac Fhinn Agus Aodh crodha coitchionta Cuigear ud uille bho sheol Gu crothanda 's gu calma toirteil Mil thiomchiol Oscair an aigh Gun easbnuidh sgiath na sgannan Ciod nis is fuireach dhuit Oscair mhoir nach eisd na gluig Clann Mheacuin Fhinn mu d' cheann 'S maithibh clami mhic treun mhall. Cha teid mi bhualadh na Fiann No Oisein mor nan garbh sgiath 27 418 SIR GEOEGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. nach 'eil iad so uile Na dhiobhalas* aon duine (i.e., dliiolas Cha robh m' athairs' fein Catha no comhrag 'na feim As nach d'thug e dhealbh chorp slan Air ghealachas a leannan Agus a cholluin chaomh choire Mar aon ngus anam ibnmhuin Deansa sud a mhic ghradhach Thur ghasda rah6ir 41uinn Thoir sith do dh loluinn nam flath La 'a e guile is treis 's an Teamhar N6 bu chuimhne leat catba cnoc. No latha catha beinn eudainn, Bhiodh full Ghuill gu dhomaibh 'N ti sheideadh na chup cornaibh 'S ann thuit Cuoll nam fleagh Le laimh lolainn euchdaich Cha b' e lolainn mharbh 's a chath e Cha mharbhadh ceud deth leithid Co thionnailinn Domhuin uille Tochda mu chuill chrodha bhuilleach Chuir Fearghus an ceann a cheile Seachda cathan na gna Feinne Fhuair e sith bhuan bhaubhach (sicj O GhoU crodha cruadalach. Sheall sinn teirthear a mach, Dhun Chiuthaich gu h uaibhreach Bean an righ na coisin beud Aig mac chatha 's a choisin Sheall sinn teirthair suas Gu criochan b'aille a snuadh Shuidhich sinn pubul sroil Ann an Eiachd chuimhne chatha mhoir Thiontadh mac Nuamfhir a shluagh Fhuilleach faobhrach taobh ruadh Air thoireachd a mhnaoi gu mall Eamhur nighean righ na h Easbuilt Chuir Ciuthach theachdair uaith Gu Fionn M°Cumhail nan airm ruadh Ceann Oisein thoirt da na laimh 'S ceann Oscair "^a ceud char. 'S ceann Ghuill 's Chonan ma seach Fhaoin (fhaotainn ?) uile do dh' aon fheachd Se tr^than an d' iarr e sud SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 419 Oscair 's a ghreug Laoimneach Air bith dhoibh bhi toebda bho cheile Ciuthach & Fionn na Feimie Labhair fear air a bhaoph (thaobh T) Chi mi Oscair teathn (tighean 1 teann f An ceaun na seachda tra mar sin Thainig Oscair nan rosgan ghlan Gu hiathr faoithreanda nimhneach Gu cruadh coisgeara co chinnteach 'S maith dhluastadh us sinn Thruph fsic) Chiuthach mhic an Nuamhfhir Gur mise mbarbh do bhraithrean Agus cinnidh do shean mhathair Agus ga b' Chiuthach ainm gach fhir 'S na thainig dhiubh air saile soir Cha dreug dhiubh cm' lainne Aoh fuigheal faobh agus Bhrenan Muinntir Chiuthaich 's an duin Tharug iad air chul Oscair Muinntir Oscair dail mo ghlac Chair (chaidh) iad sud air chul chiuthaich Thog Oscair an lamh bheumnach lorn Gil frasach as a ghtiallain Chuir dheth Ciuthach an ceann Am fiadhnuis Fiann Eirinn Beannachd a mhic air do laimh Beannachd righ nigh na neull (sic) Gu robh omhrdan is aubh (sic agh ) Air laimh Oscair is connfhadh. Dar chunnairc Eamhur fhiall Ceann Chiuthaich air an t sliabh, Shileadh i na frasan fola Air na rosga rann ghlan Shileadh i na frasan deurach Air na Eosga aird aird gheurach. Air a bhas gus an deach an Fhiann Cha d' thug i ceum teicheadh riabh Ach nodag beag air an traigh Air an taobh siar do dhvin gallan. 420 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. Laomain M6r. Thachair an Fhiann air uair A,raid re Laomunn m6r Mac Nuamhfhir is thug iad oath fiadhach re cheile air an tnlach. 'S cianail sin a thulaich ^rd Air bh^r gu facas, uair An oommun nach diultadh roimh neach Ged tha e noohd gun teach gun tuar Ort a bhiodh Laomun m6r Mac an Nuamhfhir chlaoi' a ghreis Laoch chuir Alba fo chiiin Le ne&rt dh' a laimh 's a chleas Thugad dhise gu h umhal Dh' aindeoin a sluagh 's a righ Cruinneachd Alba 's a feoil A h airgiod, a h 6r, 's a fion, Thainig Cairreall ct dhe nar Fheinn Mac righ Alba nan sgiath 6ir Cha bheag sud niacin dhe do mhuirn Bho 'n thulaich uaine 's geal uaill Thainig mise ort cath nach tiom 'S nach till ann ionad cruadh Gun eagal faobhair no rinn Ge m6r air mo chinn a shluagh 'S e liunn (leinn ?) thainig Faolan fial Caogad sgiath is claidheamh glas tbeaghlaich Fhinn flath na Fiann ', Gu dun Laomun na sniogha cas. Cath iongantach oaom an uaill Sgioba duimasach do dheagh shluagh Bha Diarmad is Caoilte cruadh Fo na bhratuich eucfdaich (euchdaich) airm ruadh Thainig olann Niaur chruaidh Clanna dheargadh luadh an rinn Naoi fichead sgiath gharg ann goil 'S mharbhta ceud leis gach aon fhear, Thainig Glann Niaur dhuinn Thainig buighne nan ainm iuall Cat ha m6r gun chairdeas nan dhail Le fraoch feirg is iomarbhaidh Thainig an Fhiann ghaolach gu m6r 'S na ghlas sloigh bu mh6r neart Fian mharra harrum (fathram 1) nan tonn SIR GEORGE Mackenzie's collection. 421 Thainig iad 's bu trom am feachd. Thtdnig droing eile dhe nar Fheinne Is iad gabhail gfeill gaoh fear Lorn Ian loingeas agus long Luireach agus lann is sleagh. Thainig tri chathan deth nar Fheinn Leis Ghiolla 's maith feum air this Laoch nach d' thug breathra do fhear lulain mear naac Morna mor Air bhi dhuinn bhi gaorraid o 'n dim Chunnaic sinn doire dluth is sleagh Aon chath fhuileach feardha mor Bu lionmhor an sl6igh is fir Aon laoch fuileadh roimh air th6s Le hearradh siod agus sroil. Le luraich mhor iarsaoh ulaioh Le sgabul treun bhreao bhuadhach 'S le dha shleagh fhad ohaol dhireach Sgian mhor is or air a thearluin Air crios mac na mhoir mheinmein Be sud laoch feardha fuileach An toscair calma crotha builleach Odha Fhinn reiibadh na cathan Deagh mhao uasal na h-ard flath 'S ann beagan an deigh na shlighe Thainig Oscar nan airm nimhe Thainig an tarruin mhear mhearach Bratach Fhinn 's a threun teaghlach 'S e thainig fo na gille ghreine Seachd cathan na gna Fheinne Thug sinn tarruing chleas chruadh Mu dhun Laomun anns an uair Ga nar Faothag ann iomairt chleas (sic) Cha dghuth dha mo threis bhi buan. B' e mo mhac Oscair nan cathan 'S ann leis chosgadh an t saoidh 'S e connfhadh Laomuin nan cleas Chuir m6r ghonadh deas 'na thaobh. 'S mi Oisein an deigh nam Fiann Dh' iomairichin sgiath ann oatha garg Cha toir mi 'n duigh aig meud m 'uile Ceum an aghaidh uchd no aird Gur mi Oisein bochd mac Fhinn 'S ann rium leagadh e run Ach an duigh ge beag mo rath 'S mi an dara cath bha air thus. 422 SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. Dkn an Deirg. Thainig an Dearg dana Treatlial (Druibheil) air la araid asteach air chuan na Eirinii gu glacfadh Eiriiin uile, is gu tabhairt fo chics gu h iomlan. Innis caithream an fhir mhoir Thainig thugaibh air oeud doigh 'N trenn laoch tha \kn do ghoil B' e an Dearg dana mac Treathal Fuidh aisgill na Fiann is gairbh ghoil Thogar an Dearg mac Treathal 'N fhoir thir nam fear fionn Gu criochan fuilleach fionn Eirinn 'N geall gaisgich an domhan torr Bhuineadh an Dearg mac Treathal Air mheud, air lend, 's air dhealbh 's air dhreach Air ch6mhnadh ceart, 's air chfeatfuidh Dithis laoch nior chumdha ndhfail (sic) 'G amharc chuan chobhar bhan B' e fiaoin rodach mac Fhinn 'S an Caoll crodha mac Rifin 'N dithis bha fhorior (fair' air) chuan 'S ann thuit iad nan soirm suan Cha do ghabh iad sgeul an fhir mhoir Ach gun do e treuchd man ceart choir Thug an laoch bu ghlaine dreach Leum 6 crannuibh chraoslaich Air a Phairc bhar a snaidh Air an traidhach gheal ghainnich Fhalt maoth buidhe mar 6r cheard Os cionn mhala mhin dealbh Da dhearc shuil, ghorm ghlan Os geal gnuis a mhilidh Lann tana gu leadart chuirp Aig an laoch nach gealtach an comhrag Da shleagh oraimhe reamhar catha An laimh mhic na h ard f lath a Briathra thug an laoch Ian Mun drachadh e air sail Nach dreug e gun gheill thoirt leis gach Fiannuibh 's math dha fheabhas Thoir sgeul dhuinn, fhir mh6ir Oir sinn tha fhorir a (fair' air o) chuan SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE'S COLLECTION. 423' Da mhao righ sar mhough (?) sinn (sic) Dh' fhiannuibh slan mhoughs Eirinn Tir o'n d thainig mi mi anois 'S tearc aon laooh dan bith m abhnais (sic) 'S mi 'n Dearg o thir nam fear fionn 'S mi 'g iarruidh ard' rioghachd Eirinn. Dha maith do ghaisgi^achd, fhir 'S ge mhor do bheachd dhe d' f heobhas B'iomadh ann Fianuibh Finn Laooh dh' fhag air do chounfhadli Com'nach feuchmaid re cheile 'N ar fiabhruis anns an aimhreite Thun an Dearg a b' ailde dreach Thogair 'n Caoil crodha cathmbor Nochd iad lanna tanna 'N corpuibh caomh crios-gheal Bhriseadh iad an earradh gabhaidh Air a cheil' anns an t eugbhoile Ghlac iad cuim a eheil' Anns an iorghail gu aimhreite Ach gun do cheangaladh leis an Dearg An Caol crodha 's na codhrannan (sic) Dh' eirich Eaoine an aigne mhir 'N deis 'n Caol crodha chrioplain Mac Righ na Feinne gu skr Chun an treunfhir ohonbhail Nochd iad lanna tanna 'N corpuibh caonih criosgheal Bhriseadh iad an earradh gabhaidh Air a cheil' anns an teugbhoile Ghlac iad ouim a cheil Anns an iorghail gu h aimhreite Cheangal e 's bu chruaidh an fheum Raoine rodach nan luath bheum Sgaoil do Chrioplain a laoch luim 'S tog sinne mu da thimchiol Gabh briathra dinn ma seaoh Nach tog sinn airm 'n ad aghaidh Dh' fhuasgail an curaidh an treas fiaoh Coimbhreabchi (sic) nan deas^ treun laoch Ghabh e briathra dhiubh mar sin . Nach tog iad airm 'n a aghaidh Ghluais e der an sin gu teach an righ 1 Cuibhreaoh ? ^ ditliis ? 424 SIE GEOEGB MACKBNZIES COLLECTION. N.B. Gu tigh Chormaic mhoir theaghlaich B' iomadh fear ceann bheirt is sr6il Bhiodh mu Chormao an ceud doigh Bu lionmhor curaidh gun sg^th 'G amharc chuan a ohobhrdha bhhain 'S maith 'n tigeadh duinne 'nail thairis Dh' iomairt ohleas air Fionn Eirionn Ceud chuir teann ri leadurt An dearg dhe a mhuinntir 'S d^ cheud eile fiudh gnioadh dha (sic) Chlaoidht' leis an Dearg 'n aon 14, Uiread eile ged bhiodh iad ann Bhiodh an anam 's an aon bhall. Dar cbunnaic an Eigh teann righ Teamhr Dichiol an Deirg a leadairt a mhuinntir Chuir e teachdair gu luath Gu mac Cumhail nam m6r shluagh. Mochthra latharn mharach Thainig mac Cumhail gu tromdha Le naoi mile gaisgich glan Gun easbhuidh sgiath no sgannan (sic) Dheagh sluagh mhic Mhoirn nan creach Cuirm is poig an teach teann righ Teamhra Ceud chuir Fionn leadairt An Dearg dhe mhuinntir 'S dk cheud eile fuidh gnioadh dha (sic) Chlaoidht' leis an Dearg an aon \k Uiread eile ged bhiodh iad ann Bhiodh an anam 's an aon bhall. Dar chunnaic Fionn nam Fian 'N Dearg leadairt a mhuinntir Bhrosluioh e chip catha An aghaidh mhic na h ard flath Seachd la agus seachd ttath Gum bonmhuin (sic) mio agus mnii Dioladh nam fal gun sgath Air a ohuraidh le c5mhnadh Na leigt' suan no codal Do righ no 'n Dearg gruadh coirc Ghlacfuidh e Eirinn le bheachd Agus bhiodh 'n geill a luingeas. Greis air uirsgeul 'n an dcighs' Trian gaisgeachd cha-n innis -Then follows Conn M'^ an Deirg verbatim,, tlie same with the edition in Gillies, p. [39], THE MAC NICOL COLLECTION. Of the 2819 lines of heroic poetry which formed the Mac Nicol Collection, Dr Cameron transcribed 1063. This is a very fortunate circumstance, inasmuch as it appears that the Mac Nicol MSS. are now lost, possibly beyond recovery. The following are the pieces which he has transcribed : — An Invinn 106 lines. Urnidh Ossian 146 Ossian agus Clerioh (Manus) 188 Conn Mac an Deirg 188 Cath na 'n Seiseir 62 A Chios Chnaimh 66 Cath Bein Edin 112 Two Extracts, corrected forms, from (1) Manus 68 (2) Invinn 22 Luidh Fhraoich 105 Dr Cameron published Mac Nicol's "Urnidh Oisin" in the Scottish Review of October, 1886. He has left corrections of Campbell's text in Leahhar Na Feinne for one poem only, viz., " Ossian and the Cleric" or "Manu.s.'' This we reproduce in full. Unfor- tunately Campbell's text is not very accurate, if considered literatim. It is easy to see his mistakes in the case of well known poems, but in the unique poem of "A Chios Chnaimh," as well as one or two more, we subjoin corrections of the most serious errors. 42 G THE MAC NICOL COLLECTION. Dr Camehon's Corrections on "Manus." •2. Fhoin for Thein. 4. Fagamaid for Tagamaid. i^. prop for prap. mhachd for rahao. 9. bn for bu. 10. Hogiad for Hog iad. 1'2. Shaoladh for shaoileadh. 13. Rechidh for Eachidh. don for do 'n. 15. Racharsa for Rachansa. 16. Fearghus for Feargheas. armail for armoil. 17. feasioh for fearich. bu for bo. 18. ghluas for ghluais. Thian for Fhiau. thair for hair. 20. do d' for dod. ma 'm for mu 'm. 21. Fearghus for Feargheas. ohosmhuil for chosmail. 23. dhomh for dho. 2.3. tugamse for tugainse. (neach comgrase). brath for brach. 27. Dianamaid for Diarmaid. 28. e for he. a nochd for an noohd. sgaram for sgarrain. 29. Bearmachd for Beannachd. bumaibh for buinidh. na 'n for nan. Verse, So for Se. Chuineas for cluineas chureas. s' oar for 'scar. Doighansa for Doigh annsa. nan for 'na 'n. lomlan for lom-lan. A guinne for Agumne. chur.for chuir. chron for ohran. Bu for S bu. o sair for os air. Colan for Cotan. Tuadh for Tuath. 'N iath for 'N oath. Thachair for Hachair. na 'n for nan. Re for Ri. Tuitem for Thuitem. ba for bu. Turleim for Turloim. ghumeach for ghuinneach. Sheilg for Heilg airsan for air san. Chaol for Chaoil. nan for na 'n. 43. (na caomh) for na Gaoil. Fhaalt for Fhoalt. 44. Fuasgeath for Fuasglath. Fhreun for Threun. 45. treid for heid. 30. 31. 32 33. 34. 35. 37. 38. 41. 42 Corrections on " Chios Chnaimh." Line 5, for eug read eisg. ,, 13, for ceutach read conlacb. „ 19 & 22, read oscionn. ,, 23, alternate for gar is Ge 'm bheil. Corrections on " Cath na 'n Sbiseir." Line 3, read, Ban du Osgar 's Fearragan Fial. ,, 12, delete an ceud. ,, 15, for osean, read oscean. ,, 27, for Gloir, read Gloin. THE MAC NICOL COLLECTION. 427 Between verses verse : — 10 and 11a later hand snujiests to iuscrt this Diongidh misidh Aheissir eille 'She huirt Caorril nan arm gaiste As cha chuir e trom oir chach Aoin Laoch a hig am chobhail. Corrections on ''Fhaoch." Verse 6, read maoh e hein. 8, for Ospic read Bhie. 15, for masibh, read maoibh. 17, read Veid aibh. 19, for Chial, read bhial. 20, for cu si, read ensi. 26, for chloghreach, read hriach or a cholg. „ Friach, read T riach, also hhara. 28, for provid, read pronnir. Corrections on "Invinn." yerse 7, line 5, for an Righ, read an aigh. ,, 16, for Inmaccain, read Mhaccain. „ 20, for bha rarich, read bhi-narich. Cath Beinn Edin. In the second line ceol has the ce deleted, and the result is ol.. Line 8, for snad, read mod. „ 85, for Oiohin, read Oichin. ,, 86, for as, read an. ADDENDA ET COREIGENDA. he ' ' ■ ^"^ ' The following poems in the Dean of Lismore's Book are endorsed by Dr Cameron as revised in May, 1888, from the 9th to the 12th, inclusive, of that month, viz. : — The two poems on page 2. Anvin in nocht, p. 8. Goll's Praise, p. 54.. The Heads, p. 66. A Zorri, p. 75. The Graves of the Feimie, p. 76. Am Brat, p. 76. Fleyg vor, p. 84. Tulaoh na Feinne, p. 86. Bennyoh di hylych, p. 90. Mark Dwnua, p. 91. Alexander's Grave, p. 92. Hanic yvyr, p. 101. Di vi za'nich, p. 102. Margi za gallir, p. 103. The Seven Sins, p. 104, Gillipatrick Onachtan p. 107. Page 10 — This poem, known as " (Jrnaigh Oisein," was pub- lished in the Scottish Review (1886), and it is here reproduced from that version of text, transliteration and translation. Page 20 — The Ballad of " Essi-oy," here given, appeared in the Scottish Celtic Review, both text and modern version, with translation. Page 33, line 7 — Aliter, Righ na Fola trom, or Righ na Fodhla -truim ? Page 37, line 2 - -Properly gun bladh, " renowned." Page 63, line 20— Aliter, Jnghean Mheadhhha. Page 67, last line — Better hast than has. Page 71, line 6 — Properly le m\ not learn. Page 71, line 22 — For duiltadh, read diultadh. ADDENDA BT CORRIGENDA. 429^ Page 97, verse 8, last line, read' — Ceann nan ceud agus nan cuire. "The head of hundreds and of hosts.' For this rendering, compare Goimpert Conchohair in Rev. Celtique VI., 176, where at line 71 occurs the exact equivalent, viz. ; — hud cend cet is cuire. Page 121, Poem II., line 8 — Read dhuinn. Page 123, verse 4, last line — Read either sol or sal. Page 125, line 28 — For last word, read haidhf. Page 126, line 6 — Read ancoml" and m'. Page 126, Poem VIII. , verse 5, first line — Read cln-uthidh. Page 127, Poem IX., line 2 — Read toighhheim. Page 129, note 1--Read maittghin. Page 130, line 8 — Read seisi. Page 135, line 10 — Read ni ; line 17, for a, read o. Page 137, line 13 — Read, La da deach,' &c. line 24 — For x, read / in 6a;"- Page 139, line 7 — Read ancnocsa. line 5 from bottom — Read tonn. Page 140, Poem XXL, line 1 — Read hrathis e ftin. Page 141, last line of Poem XXI. — Read cunradh. Page 143, line 4 — Read an tochfniadh. Page 151, line 12 of poem — Read drd , '2'2, read agh. Page 152, line 19 — Read heighfar ; 32, read ttalniA'. Page 153, Proverb 29— Read /eafea. Page 1 60, line 8 from bottom — Read cldirsech, not clairsech. Page 161, line 3 of second poem — Read choimhed. Page 162, line 8 from bottom — Read iomairt. Page 163, line 6 from bottom — Read don tseors. Page 134, line 9 from bottom — Read "sheinnx' sisi cruit." Page 165, line 6 of Poem II. — Read spionadh. Page 166, line 3 from end — Read duimne. Page 385, line 7 from bottom — Read geilt rather. Page 386, line 24 — Read ro, not rohh ; last line, read chiuin. Page 387, line 30 — Delete hyphen at mor-shluagh. line 33 — Read Se for So. Page 388, line 25 — For loir, read toir. Page 390, line 6 — Read j'?a«A, not flath. Page 391, line 17 — Read aimhreidh ; 29, delete hyphen at ar-duhh, (fee. Page 393, line 5 of poem — Read cclch. Page 394, line 5 from bottom — Read num. Page 395, line 5 of second poem — Delete Neach on margin. Page 395, verse 4, last line-— Read "na scian 6ire." 430 ADDENDA BT CORRIGENDA. Page 396, verse 10 — Eead fir and Feinne. in line 3 ; verse 14, last line — " Osgar calmunt' c.ruaidh-h\m\\e&G\." Page 397, verse 18, last line — Keverse ear and iar ; verse 19, line 3 — Read leath. Page 398, line 17 from bottom — Insert round brackets, not square. Page 399, line 12 from end — Read so ; line 9, deach. Page 400, line 1 of poem — Read mdr. EREATA IN "MEMOIR.'' Page xlv., line 16 — Read emotion. Page xlviii., line 1 2 from bottom — Read Kilmun. Page clvii., line 22 — Read benefited.