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

IAIN MAC CODRUM. H3
one thrashing ; but, on approaching nearer, he heard his son rehearsing his poem. He
admonished him to attend more to his work than to idle songs, and left him, without
thinking of the verses he had heard till the fame of the satire was spread abroad, and a
noise was made about it throughout the country. The verses then recurred to his mind,
and he had no doubt of the real author. He spoke to John most seriously in private.
He was himself a pious and a respectable man, and was much affected at the thought that
any of his family should disgrace his fair reputation. He was sensible of the ill-will and
hatred that John would incur were he known to be the author ; and he, moreover, dis-
approved of the license taken with the characters of individuals. The young poet
promised him that he would give him no more occasion of regret on that score ; and he
kept his word. Respect for his parent's authority restrained him ; for he composed
no more of the kind while his father lived, nor any so severe afterwards. He must
have had great command over himself, as well as submission to the will of a parent.
It is no easy task for a young author, while hearing his compositions recited and
applauded, not to indicate the interest which he feels. Although unnoticed and un-
known, while feeling all the flattering suggestions which popularity must have incited
within him, yet a revered parent's authority checked the progress of the young aspirant
in the career of fame.
After his father's death, M'Codrum concealed no longer the flame which he had been
smothering in his breast. His name became known, and he was acknowledged to be the
most famous bard in the Long Island since the time of Neil M'Vurich, the family bard of
Clanronald. John M'Codrum was, like most of the bards, indolent. The activity of the
body, and the exertion of mental qualities, go not always together. An anecdote will
better illustrate this part of his character than any description we can give: — A gentle-
man sent for his neighbours to assist in draining a lake. The country people assembled
in numbers ; and, exerting themselves, soon finished the work, much sooner than the
poet had expected they would have done : he just came in time to see the last of it. The
gentleman was determined to punish him for his sluggish and indiff'erent behaviour.
When he ordered some provisions and a cask of whisky for the people, he told them to
sit down, and called on the poet to act as chaplain, and ask a blessing. The bard was
not regarded as a man of grace. All were attentive, thinking him for once out of place.
He, however, spoke in a most reverential manner — his grace was brief and pithy,
couched in verse, and was longer remembered than the sumptuous repast. While he
expressed gratitude to the bestower of all good gifts, he turned the operations of the day
into ridicule.
When Mr M'Pherson was collecting " Ossian's Poems," he landed at Lochmady,
and proceeded across the moor to Benbecula, the seat of the younger Clanronald. On
his way thither he fell in with a man, whom he aftervvarils ascertained to have been Mac
Codi urn, the poet: M'Pherson asked him the question, "Am beil dad agad air an
Fheinn ?" by which he meant to inquire whether or not he knew any of the poems of
Ossian relative to the Fingalians, but that the terms in which the question was asked,
strictly imported whether or not the Fingalians owed him anything, and Mac Codrum,
It