Ossian Collection > Gaelic bards

•212 ANCIENT GAELIC BARDS.
YERSES ADDRESSED TO MR. E. LLHUYD.*
When Mr. Edward Llhuyd published his "Arch?eologia
Britannia," in 1704, so pleased were the Highlanders
with the interest with which he invested their language,
that many of them addressed complimentary verses to
him, expressive of their appreciation of his work, In
* What follows is the original of these verses, with the spell-
ing somewhat modernized, to make them more intelligible to the
Gaelic reader : —
Air teachd o 'n Spàinn do shliochd a' Ghàidheil ghlais,
'S do shliochd nam Milidh, 'n fhine nach bu tais;
Bu mhòr an sgleò 's gach fòd air cruas an lann,
Air fil'eachd fòs 's air fòghlum nach bu ghann.
'N iiair dh' fhàs am pòr ud mòr a bhos a's thall
Bha meas a's pris de 'n Ghàilig anns gach ball —
An Teanga lionmhor, bhrighmhor, bhlasda, bhinn,
'S a' Chànain thartrach, liobhta, ghasda, ghrinn.
An cùirt nan Eigh, re mile bliadhn' a's treall,
Gu 'n robh i 'n tùs mu 'n d' thog cainnt Dhù'-ghall ceann.
Gach fili 's bard, gach lèigh, aosdàn' a's draoi,
Gach seanachaidh fòs, gach eoladhain shaor a's saoi,
Gu'n tug Gatheliis leis o 'n Eiph't a nail,
'S an Gàilig sgrìobh iad sud le gniomh am jjeann.
Na diadhairean mòr, bu chliù 's bu ghlòir do 'n Chleir,
B' ann leath', gu tarbhach, 'labhair iad briathra Dhè.
B'i labhair Pàdruig 'n Innisfàil nan righ,
'S am Fàidhe naomh sin, Calum caomh 'an I.
Na Frangaich liobhta lean gach tir am beus,
I nan JJeòraidh ghabh gach foghlum freumh.
B' i b' oide-mùinte luchd gach dùthch' a's teang';
Chuir Gaill a's Dubh-ghaill chum an iùil 'so 'n clann.
Nis dh' fhalbh i uainn gu tur, mo thruaigh ! 's mo chreach !
'S tearc luchd a gaoil — h' e sud an saogh'l fa seach !
Thuit i 's an tiir m' araon r'a h-ùghd'raibh fèin,
'S na flaith' 'm bu dùth' i ghabh d' a còmhdach spèis.
Reic iad 's a' chùirt i air cainnt ùr o 'n de,
A's threig le tàir, 's bu n;ir leo 'n cànain fèin.