History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

382 HisTOKY OF THE Clan MacLeax.
CHAPTER XL.
Maclean poets.
So far as my own knowledge extends, all MacLean poets, save one, wrote
in Gaelic. This consequently not only narrowed their influence, but limited
their reputation. For the list of them, I am almost wholly indebted to Eev.
A. MacLean Sinclair's Clarsach na Coille.
Hector MacLean, commonly called Eachunn Bacach, or Hector the
Cripple, was born about the beginning of the seventeenth century, and was
poet to Sir Lachlan MacLean of Duard. It is said that he had eight brothers
killed at the battle of Inverkeithing, where he was wounded, from the effects
of which he was ever afterward lame. He was a poet of great ability. Four
of his poems have been published, and eight preserved in manuscript. Two
occur in Beauties of Gaelic Poetry, and one in Clarsach na Coille.
■John MacLean, known as Iain MacAilein, or John son of Allan, was born
in Mull, about the year 1670. He was highly esteemed and lived in comfort-
able circumstances, and obtained great celebrity as a bard, and is entitled to
high rank as a poet. His elegy on Sir John MacLean is a poem of great
beauty. His poems ^ abound in lamentations over the downfall of the Mac-
Leans ; but there is no trace of imprecations against the Campbells. His
residence was near Aros ; and his poems, twenty-eight in number, were taken
down by Dr. MacLean, and preserved in his manuscript. Twenty of these
were published in 1888, in Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair's Glenbard Collection,
and two in the Beauties of Gaelic Poetry. He belonged to the Ardgour
family, and died about 1760.
Captain Andrew MacLean of Knock, eldest son of Bishop Hector Mac-
Lean, was known as Anndra Mac-an-Easbuig, or Andrew son of the Bishop.
Five of his poems occur in Clarsach na Coille.
Rev. John MacLean, known as Iain MacGilleain, was the son of Ewen,
ninth MacLean of Treshnish ; was minister of Kilninian in Mull ; and married
Isabella, daughter of Charles MacLean in Tiree. Three of his poems are in
Dr. MacLean's collection ; one appears in Pattison's Gaelic Bards, and one in
Clarsach na Coille.
Hector, fourth MacLean of Coll, has previously been mentioned as a
highly accomplished scholar, a man of piety, and devoted to literature. He