J. F. Campbell Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

394
COMHAIRLEAN DUINE GHLIC DO 'MHAC.
The following verses are from John Gillies's Collection of
Gaelic Poetry, published at Perth in 1786, now a rare book. In
the Cuairtear of June, 1842, five verses are given, entitled 'Comh-
liairlean an t-sean Duine,' substantially the same as some of these,
but with variations. Among the MSS. of a Kintail poet, Duncan
MacRa, dated 1688, in the possession of Mr. Donald Mackinnon,
Edinburgh, in a piece called ' Pairt de Chomhairle Mhic Eachain
'Ic Fhearachair do Mhac an Toisich a Dhalta,' two verses occur
which correspond nearly verbatim with two verses of Gillies's
edition. Other two are in Macintosh's collection. In the collec-
tion of Irish Proverbs appended to Canon Bourke's Grammar are
still other two verses, headed ' Comhairle an t-Seanduine,' some-
what different, but apparently part of the same poem. An addi-
tional verse, appended to the ironical advice, was got by Mr. A.
A. Carmichael, in Uist. It is evidently a part of the same poem.
All these fragmentary relics illustrate how rhymed compositions
are preserved, in whole or in part, from generation to generation.
A few emendations of Gillies's text are given, the more important
of which are noted. His granmiar and spelling are not of the
best. The wisdom, good feeling, humour, and pithiness of these
verses are remai-kable.
Comhairle 'thug ormsa Brian ;
Gun mo chiall a bhi gu tais.
Gun dol 'an cogadh no 'n sgleò,
Mur saoilinn teachd beò as.
Thug e orm comhairl' eile,
'S ar leamsa nach i bu tàire,
Ge bu learn earras an domhain,
Gmi a chur 'an coimheart ri m' nàire.
Cuimhnich sior-thathaich an teampuill,
'S na cuir do theann-gheall 's an eucoir ;
'S na tugadh ort or no beatha
Miouuan eithich a thoirt air feudail.'
Ma chluinn thu faoin-sgeul air fann,
Na cuir do leth-làmh 'n a luib ;
Na bi 'nad urrainn anns a' bhreig,
Leig an sgeul ud seachad uait.
Bi ciatach macant' air d'eolas,
'S na tog trògbhail air d'aineol ;
Na abair gu'n diùlt thu 'choir,
Na ob 'us na iarr onoir.-