Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1871 to 1900 > Sar-obair nam bard Gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards

110 SAR-OBAIR NAM BARD GAELACH.
most hyperbolical praise—and then, without any provoca¬
tion, he suddenly wheels round and overwhelms his
goddess with the most slanderous, foul-mouthed and un¬
feeling abuse. His “ MLmholadh Mbraig" is printed in
the Glasgow complete edition of his works of 1839.
ORAN AN T-SAMH RAIDH.
Air fonn—“ Through the wood, laddie."
An deis dhomh dusgadh’s a’mhadainn,
’S an dealt air a chbill,
Ann a madainn ro shoilleir,
Ann a lagan beag doilleir,
Gu’n cualas am feadan
Gu leadurra seinn ;
’S mac-talla nan creagan
D’a fhreagairt brim bhinn.*
Bi’dh am beithe deagh-bholtrach,
Urail dosrach nan earn,
Ri maoth-bhlas driuchd ceitean,
Mar ri caoin-dhearsadh greine,
Bruchdadh barraich tro gheugan,
’S an mhios cheutach sa Mhkigh :
Am mios breac-laogbach, buailteach ;
Bhainneach, bhuaghaoh, gu diiir !
Bi’dh gach doire dlu uaignidh
’S trusgan uain’ ump a’ fas;
Bi’dh an snothach a direadh
As gach friamhach a’s isle,
Tro ’na cuislinnean sniomhain,
Gu miadachadh blh :
Cuach, a’s smedrach’s an fheasgar,
Seinn a leadain ’n am bkrr.
* We have heard it broadly asserted, that the com¬
mencing stanza of this song is a mere translation of the
first stanza of a certain song in “ Ramsay’s Tea Table
Miscellany.” That there is a general similarity between
these two stanzas, is admitted at once: and that M‘Don-
ald may have seen the “ Miscellany,” and also read the
stanza in question, is likewise conceded. But that the
similarity between the two is such as to warrant the con¬
clusion that he must have seen it, we cannot allow. As to
its being a translation, if our opinion were asked, we
would say at once “ It is not.” But we subjoin the lines
from the “ Miscellany,” that the reader may have the
better opportunity of judging :—
“ As early I wak’d.
On the first of sweet May,
Beneath a steep mountain,
Beside a clear fountain,
I heard a grave lute
Soft melody play,
Whilst the echo resounded
The dolorous lay.”
Ramsa' Tea Table Miscellany, Veil J.
A mios breac-uigheach, braonach,
Creamhach, maoth-rosach, aidh \
Chuireas sgeadas neo-thruaillidh,
Air gach kite d’a dhuaichneachd ;
A dh’fhogras sneachd le chuid fuachd,
O gheur-ghruaim nam beann ard ;
’S aig meud eagail roi Phoebus,
Theid's na speuraibh ’ua smkl.
A mios lusanach, mealacb,
Feurach, faileanach, blath ;
’S e gu gucagach, duilleach,
Luachrach, ditheanach, lurach,
Beachach, seilleanach, dearcach,
Ciurach, dealltach, trom, tha ;
’S i mar chuirueanan daimein,
Bhratach bhoisgeil air lar !
’S moch bhios Phoebus ag dradh
Ceap nam mdr-cruach’s nam beann ;
’S bi’dh ’san uair sin le solas,
Gach eun binn-fhaclach boidheach.
Ceumadh meur-buillean cedlar,
Feadh phres, ogan, a’s ghleann ;
A chorruil chuirteach gun sgreadan,
Aig por is beadarraich greann !
’S an am tighinn do’n fheasgar,
Co-fhreasgradh aon am,
Ni iad co’-sheirm, sheimh, fhallain,
Gu bileach, binn-ghobach, allail,
A seinn gu lu-chleasach daigheann
A measg ur-mheaghain nan crann ;
’S iad fein a beucail gu foirmeil,
Le toirm nan organ gun mheang.
Bi’dh gach creutair do laigid
Dol le suigeart do’n choill ;
Bi’dh an dreadhan gu balcant’,
Foirmeil, talcorra, bagant’,
Sir chuir failt air a mhadainn,
Le rifeid mhaisich, bhuig, bhinn ;
Agus Robin d’a bheusadh
Air a gheig os a chinn.
Gur glan gall-fheadan Richard
A seinn na’n cuislinnin grinn,
Am barr nam bilichean blathor,
’S an dos na lom-dharag arda,
Bhiodh’s na glacagan fasaich
As cubhraidh faile na’m fion ;
Le phuirt thriolanta shiubhlach
Phronnair lughor le dion.
Sid na puirt a’s glan gearradh,
’S a’s ro ealanda roinn ;
Chuireadh m’inntinn gu beadradh,
Clia-lu t-fheadain ma’n eadradh.