J. F. Campbell Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry

INTRODUCTION.
Wales, we find Anourin, a prince of the Ottadini, Llywarch lien, and many others, who
gloried perhaps more in their hardic qualifications, than in their nobility of birth.
Among the Gael, Ossian stands conspicuous ; Fingal is celebrated for his poetical talent,
and more of the chiefs might be enumerated, as exercising the bardic spirit : indeed, the
national taste led the Celts to deliver themselves, especially on matters of serious import,
in a magniloquent and poetic strain. * The bards were, it is true, like other professions,
hereditary; but this rule must have been modified by circumstances. One with no ear
for music, or soul for poetry, could not take the place of his father ; and we know besides,
that aspirants were admitted. We are assured, that an irreproachable character was in-
dispensable, and a personal defect would incapacitate one from entering the fraternity ;
hence they were a class of superior appearance, while their consciousness of importance
gave them a commanding air.
Extraordinary honours were paid to the bards, and they enjoyed many important privi-
leges. They were exempted from all tax and tribute, and were not compelled to serve
in the army, although not prevented if they chose to do so; their persons were inviola-
ble, their houses were sanctuaries, and their lands and docks were carefully protected, even
amid the ravages of war. In the latter ages of their prosperity, ample farms were given
to many in perfect freehold, and they were entitled to live, almost solely at the public
expense. The Welsh laws of Hwyll Dda gave the bards and their disciples, liberty
and free maintenance. The various privileges and immunities, enjoyed by the different
classes, were strictly regulated by the Irish, who divided the order into seven grada-
tions. The first was entitled when travelling, to a horse and a greyhound, and two
raen as attendants for five days ; he was then entitled to be kept for one day, where
he might stop, be supplied with all necessaries, and rewarded by a gift of two heifers
or a large cow, for his recitations or other duties. The second was entertained in
like manner, for three days, and was furnished with three attendants when travelling.
As a gratuity, he received three cows. The third had four attendants provided for him
on a journey, and his reward was from one to five cows, according to the character of his
recitations or compositions. The fourth was allowed six attendants to accompany him,
for eight days. The fifth, accompanied by eight students in poetry, was entertained for
ten days, and was rewarded by five cows, and ten heifers. The sixth was entertained
for fifteen days, having a retinue of twelve students; and twenty cows were his reward.
The seventh, or Ollamh, was entitled to be freely and amply entertained for a month,
and bad on all occasions twenty-four attendants — his reward for the services he might
render, was twenty cows. The last four, we are told, were specially protected. Con-
sidering their number, and the erratic lives they led, the contributions they levied wero
by no means light. Keating says, that by law they were empowered to live six months
at the public expense, and it was therefore the custom to quarter themselves throughout
the country, from All hallow tide until May, from which they were designated as Cleir
na shcan chain, the songsters of the ancient tax. A wandering life seems to have been
congenial to their feelings, from a desire to disseminate their works, as well as provide