Blair Collection > Treatise on the language, poetry, and music of the Highland clans

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THE rOETRY
pilloried in the satire, with the ever-recurring, sneering notes, seal a nis air,
(" look at him now !") are enough to annihilate any person possessing the least
sensibility, who, while hearing them, is conscious of having been in so degrading
a condition even for once in his life. Gillie-Callum, the composition of which
is by some witty bard ascribed to Noah, who first danced the hilarious dance
hinlBelf over two cross vines while " glorious," on discovering the virtue of their
fruit, presents a striking contrast to Daorach Robbi. The total abstainer could
hardly find a better text for his lecture than Daorach Robbi ; while the temper-
ance lecturer would not be far wrong in adopting Gillie-Callum. Both tunes
strikingly illustrate the descriptive character of the music of the Gael. He
who, when in his cups, staggers, stops, stares at vacancy, and sprawls in the
mud, like Robbi, is worse than a fool, unless he totally abstain ; while he whose
worst exhibition when in his cups is to dance Gillie-Callum, like father Noah,
would not be wise were he to totally abstain. At least, so thought the bard,
William Ross, who wrote the following verses, which I submit as a fair average
specimen of the legion of Highland drinking carols. Whisky is personified in
Gaelic poetry under the name of
MAC-AN-TOSAICH, — THE SON OF THE VAN.
Co a shamhladh fear do bheusan,
CO a havla' I'er do veysan
Ri fion, tanadh, geur na Fraing?
ri fi-on tana' geyr na frayng
Na dhi-moladh Mac-an-Toisaich,
na yi-mola' mac-au-tnysaych
Ach leibid nach oladh dram ?
ach lebid nach ola' dram
Fonn : —
Glac an t-shearrag, lion a ghloinne,
glac an terag li-on a yloynè
Bh-uain am balach, gruamach, gann ;
Tu-ayn am balach giu-am-ach gaun
Gille gasda, mac-na-bracha,
gilli gasda mac-na-bra-cha
'S ioma gaisgeach ort an geal.
's i-oma gaysg-ecli ort an gell
logain crabhaidh bidh dhat dhiteadh,
i-og-ayn cravay bi yat yite
Le cul-chaint tha daicheal feall ;
le cul-chaynt ha day-chel fell
Ged a chaineas iad le'm beoil u,
ged a chaynes i-ad lem be-oyl u
Olaidh iad u mar an t-alt. — Glac, &c.
olay' iad u mar an talt
A chleir fein ge seunt' an cota,
a clileyr feyn ge seynt an cota
Tha na's leoir dhiu ort an geall,
ha na.s Ic-oyr yi-u oi't an gell
Who would compare a man of thy
smedduiu (spirit)
To wines thin and sharp of France ?
Or dispraise Macintosh,
Save a sneak that will not take a
dram ?
Chorus : — •
Seize the bottle, fill the glass,
Hence, the boor churlish and scant ;
Noble youth, son of malt,
Many warriors pay court to thee.
Lecturing hypocrites may abuse thee
Behind thy back, in plausibly deceit-
ful words ;
But although they slander.
They drink thee like brook water. —
Seize, &c.
The clergy themselves, although their
garb is saintly,
Are, many of them, among thy
devotees,