Blair Collection > Vestigia celtica

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an unseen source, or from unseen Powers,
are tipon us, oirnn : we have to carry
them.
The reliofious sio^nificance of this form
of Celtic speech is still further emphasised
when we turn to the parallel use, above
referred to, of the preposition y^ = under.
The visitation from Above comes ?//<9;2
us, and we are therefore tinder it. Piously,
therefore, we must submit, if it be a visita-
tion of evil, and as bravely as we can, we
must carry the appointed burden. Joy-
fully, also, and with grateful heart, if it be
a visitation of gladness, or of happy de-
liverance, must we lift up our eyes to the
propitious skies ; our yoke is easy and our
burden light ; let us be strong men, rejoic-
ing to run our race.
The language of Celtic devotion is every-
where alive with the movement of this
pregnant linguistic phenomenon. I shall
quote but two examples from the Gaelic
Psalter. The one is from Psalm xxxiv. 19
(Smith's Version, 1787) : —