Blair Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards

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PREFACE.
stances, or, from prejudices resulting from geograpiiical considerations, have interspersed
their collections with a preponderating amount of doggerel and inferior rhymes ; nay,
many of their best pieces are given in an imperfect, or garbled form ; while not a single
attempt has been made to explain obscure phrases, or to develop the real and legitimate
meaning of doubtful idioms and passages. The task thus left for the future gleaner, although
no doubt considerably facilitated, was still great ; and it was not until I had completely
traversed the Highlands, and secured a variety of old manuscripts, that I ascertained the
nature of the labour I had imposed upon myself, in appreciating the character and quality
of the materials.
It is not for me to say with what success I have brought my labours to a close.
Without, however, arrogating to m3'self any exclusive means of information, or any thing
beyond ordinary abilities, I should hope, at least, that credit for indefatigable perse-
verance, and diligent untiring research will be awarded to me ; and that, while the
transcribed part of the work will be found superior to productions of the same nature, the
amount of original and curious matter which it contains will bear ample testimony to the
extensiveness of the inquiries I have instituted.
Some small items of self-interest are ever apt to be interwoven, even with our most
patriotic actions ; and, therefore, to steer wholly clear of all personal considerations, in
whatever we undertake, requires more virtue than is possessed by the generality of men.
Yet I sincerely trust that purity of motives will be a sufficient shield from the aspersions
and insinuations which have been levelled at me, by individuals who measure their neigh-
bours' actions by their own. These, however, I shall contentedly bear, provided I can only
be the means of wreathing one laurel more for the brow of departed genius. I would gladly
be spared the pain of animadverting upon a class of men, whose assistance I Ijad a right
to expect in so national an undertaking, — I mean our clergymen and schoolmasters. Those
gentlemen who hurl their invectives against the high-minded, patriotic, and talented
Dr M'Leod, for his unwearied efforts to enlighten his countrymen, and to exalt them
to a higher status of moral and intellectual excellence, will very naturally be as forward in
discouraging my endeavours to preserve from oblivion the songs of our native country.
An indiscriminate charge, however, would be as ungenerous, as it would be unjust ;
and, therefore, with great pleasure I record, among both classes, many honourable excep-
tions ; and, to them I take this opportunity of conveying my heartfelt thanks.
I may here notice a few deviations from what is generally recognised as the standard
of Gaelic orthography, that have been made in the following pages. Had I been writing
prose, where no inflections could offend the ear, or destroy the smoothness or harmony of
a sentence, these emendations, however justifiable in themselves, would not have been in-
troduced. But in poetry it is far otherwise. Indeed, to do justice to the harmony of
the versification, no acknowledged rules will apply. A north-country poet uniformly
writes ian, where one belonging to Argyle sings eun ; both taking care tliat the accordant
word chimes with their peculiar orthoepy. How murderous, then, would it have been
to the cadence and clinh of the bard, were either of these words made to conform to the
stiffness of established rules I This is but a solitary instance where thousands niight be
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