J. F. Campbell Collection > Works of the Caledonian bards

M O R D U T H, 37
troubled waves. The gathering of the whirl-
wind was there : The fon of the gr3ve rofe on
the wings of the blaft. He flood on Craig-
duth's cliffy brow. The courfe of the ftorm
was round the trembling of his pointlefs fpear.
He leaned forward from his bed of clouds,
and his words were heard.
Raife, chiefs of Albin *, raife the fpears of
your ftrength. Let the voice of fhields be
E heard,
* Albln, which fignifies a mountainous country, feems
©nee to have been the name of all the ifland, as well as
Britain, in the Galic. But, after the Saxons had defeated the
South-Britons, and become malters of that divifion, their
part received the name of Sajfon, the latter x being neither
written nor pronounced in the Galic. Such of the South-
Britains as maintained their independency, were honour*
ed with the appellation of UalJIy, or Nihility, in oppofi-
tion to the vulgar who fubmitted to the conquerors ; and
the northern divifion, comprehending all Scotland, has
ever fince been invariably known in the Galic by the name
of Albin.
To launch forth into the rugged paths of controverfy,
is beyond the limits or intention of iheprefent notes: But,
when the definitions which truth compells the tranflator
to fubjoin to thefe poems, are direftly oppofite to the iC-
fcrtions of writers of reputation on the fdine fubjeft, a
vindication of them becomes ncceflary.
The