Ossian Collection > Dean of Lismore's book

THE BOOK OF
And the quiver of Cuchullin,
Ir, Evir, and Eireamon/
And were I to possess them,
The harp of Curcheoil," which hid men's grief,
The shield of the King of Gohior."-^
Lomond's^ ship of greatest fame,
Had I it npon the strand.
All I've seen I'd freely give,
Ere as now I'd long remain.
Long to me api^ears the coming
Of Alexander Mac Intosh,
That my disease he might drive away,
And thus I might no longer lie.
Long.
No Author.'
For the race of Gael, from the land of Greece
There is no place where they can rest ;
Doubtless thou would'st much prefer
To raise the Gaelic race on high.
Now that thou risest 'gainst the Saxon,
Let not thy rising be a soft one ;
Have your swords with sharpened blades,
' The tliree sous of Milidli of Spain, cally the occasion of it. It is addressed
from whom the Milesian races are de- to Archibahl, Earl of Argyle, Chancellor
scended, according to Celtic story. of Scotland, who was killed at the
^ The Editor can give no account of battle of Flodden in 1513. The Saxons
these names. The traditions respecting assailed so virulently by the poet are,
them seem to have perished. in all likelihood, not the Lowland Scotch
3 A famous Celtic hero, from whom Init the English, and the poem is pro-
Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond are said Imlily a " Brosnachadh catha," or incite-
to derive their names. ment to the rising of the Scotcli, and
■* There is a portion of the beginning particularly the Argyle men, previous
of this ode wanting, and we have no to the disastrous battle of Flodden.
means of knowing who the poet was. This invests the fragment with peculiar
A reference to the history of the time, historical interest. There seems not to
and the names introduced into the be much of the poem wanting, probably
I'nem; however, suggest very empliati- ■''idy a few lines.