Blair Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards > Volume 1

ADVERTISEMENT.
preserve many fine pieces, which, he has reason to believe, are now wholly lost
among the people. Respecting the bards — he is in possession of a large collec-
tion of curious and interesting particulars, known to few others. An Introduction
is also given which is devoted to a history of their privileges, and the influence of
their compositions on the state of society.
The work comprises, besides the lives of the poets, and numerous illustra-
tions and historical notes in the English language, the best pieces of ancient and
modern composition, properly classified.
Besides the merit of the poetry, the utility of the work will be otherwise great.
It will display the various provincial dialects, and the Glossary will be both in-
teresting and instructive to the philologist and Gaelic Student; while the historian
may consult the lives and notes with much advantage, the antiquary and philo-
sopher will find much light thrown upon ancient manners by the whole, especially
by the compositions of the Cliar-Sheana-chaix, or the Songsters of the ancient
tax, a class of the improvisatori hitherto unnoticed, but who exercised great
influence throughout the Highlands.