Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

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" signify that particular piece of violence, there is
" no reason,"
The learned author is not so fortunate in this
observation as in his other remarks on his sub-
ject. The Gaelic language, however, explains
the meaning of the word circius, pronounced as
if written kirkius, satisfactorily ; cuairtghao sig-
nifies literally whirlwind, and, in the mouth of a
Roman, might naturally enough be expressed by
kirkius.
Camden, Glastum. — " There is, saith Pliny,
" an herb Wkt plantain, called by the G-<inh glas-
" turn, with which, writers tell us, the Britons
" used to paint themselves. This is the herb
" which we now call woad. It makes a blue or
" sky colour; which colour is called glas by the
" Welsh to this day." Glas is expressive of a sky
colour among the Gael ; it signifies properly pale,
wan, or gray ; each glas, a gray horse.
In the original of the poem of Temora, this
word occurs in a simile applied to the moon :
" Mar ghlas sgia ro taoma na neoil
" Snainh seachad tfaa gealach na h oiche."
Translated thus by Mr M'Pherson :
" The moon, like a dim shield, is swimraing
" through its folds."