Volume II. Guth na Bliadhna ' leabhar II.]

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enemy, and a simple humble peasant—varied by a " Highland Chief"—who comes, single-handed, or with a score of stalwart sons, to the rescue of the endangered Scots in the very nick of time. The! grateful King rewards the simple peasant (or the "Highland Chief") on the field of battle ; and the new-made knight receives a surname (generally a " punning" one) and vast landed estates there and then.

Sometimes there is a Gaelic tag introduced into-these romancing tales, no doubt to heighten the effect, and to lay the suspicions of doubting souls. What matter if the Gaelic be execrable, and under­standable of few. The tag is there, so that the unlearned may not lift up their horns on high, and speak with stiff necks. A collection of these tales would be amusing; but a single example may perhaps suffice. The blushing champion, in this case a " Norman " of obscure origin, is led before the grateful King (who in these tales, more frequently than not, is Pictish—remember, gentle reader, that no true genealogist of the old school ever waited] for time or tide), who inquires of the hero (in the English language apparently) "Will you be my Chancellor of the Exchequer ?" The wily Nor­man, who knows better, replies, " Cha bhi" where­upon the thunderstruck Prince observes, "Then Harvey shall be your name," and dismisses the] saviour of his throne and country loaded with lands and honours. Of course, these tales are not with­out their variations. Second in popularity to the battlefield yarn, was the tale setting forth the marriage of some bold Norman to the beautiful Gaelic maiden of Heraldry and Romance—"the] last of her race and name" (and very comfort­ably dowered into the bargain). There seems to have been a number of these desirable orphans in Celtic Scotland in the old days, and were it not that the genealogists have kindly furnished us with their names, one might indulge a little scepticism upon the point. As for their pedigrees, which a layman like myself would be disposed to regard as of just as much importance as their appellations, our friends the genealogists have either drawn a com­plete veil over them or have told us so much only as suffices to whet our appetites, to raise our curiosity, and to excite our expectations—and no more. The accounts of these transactions are in general related in so graphic and lively a style, and are accompanied with so many circumstantial de­tails, that one wonders that, since the genealogists were about the business, they did not anticipate these objections on the part of a sceptical posterity, and complete their narratives with the necessary particulars. It is a little remarkable, too, that these tales of bold wooing on the part of gallant (but tocherless) Norman adventurers all hail from Norman sources. No doubt the Gael was too much honoured by these condescending alliances to have breath left wherewith to signify his gratitude for them. Hence the modesty of our records in this respect.

From joking about names of persons to jokes touching names of places is not a far cry—at all events from the genealogist's point of view, whose fertility of invention is here something remarkable. And, by the way, the Saxon who remarked that a surgical instrument is the appropriate agency to employ to introduce a joke into a Scotsman's head, could have had no experience of certain Scottish genealogists. It is a little hard that a simple crooked mouth such as the eponymous of the

Cian Campbell evidently had, should have been brushed aside, as it were (by the genealogists), in favour of their ridiculous Campo hello, vide Beau-champ, Beecham, et multis aliis. What possible connexion between the two there can be, I, for one, fail entirely to see. A crooked mouth is a crooked mouth, surely, all the world over; and the same remark applies to a fertile plain, wherein, by the way, the cart is never put before the horse, at least by knowledgable persons. On the other hand, mirabile dictu, the devious proboscis of the Camerons has come off Scot free, so far, at all events, as our " national" genealogists are concerned. Why is this? Cameron is certainly a place-name, some­where near the Border, I believe ; and why, in this case, to hold scriptural language, one should be taken and the other left, is, to me, a mystery. Is not a crooked mouth as honourable a peculiarity as a crooked nose, and just as worthy to be handed down bodily as well as patronymically ? I have tried, mentally, to account for the existence of this myth on the ground of the alleged acquisitiveness of the Campbell family; but cannot. Is a crooked mouth more a sign of acquisitiveness of the landed kind than, say, a wry neck, or a squinting eye? Obviously this is a simple case for physics to decide, and I shrewdly suspect that were it not for the genealogist and his bag of snobbish tricks, such a head-splitting conundrum would never have existed. My congratulations to Cian Cameron, which has been spared the foolish attentions of the genealogists, so far at all events as the appearance of the person of their eponymous was concerned.

Heralds and genealogists are, doubtless, kittle cattle; but what shall be said (and done) unto the novelist? I confess the novelist who puts broad

Scotch into the mouths of Gaels is to me a thing abominable and unforgivable. Personally, I start with a loathing for the speech of the kailyard—in which respect I yield to the soft impeachment of being a trifle prejudiced—but to be treated to a "dis­course," not beside a cabbage stalk, but beneath a birch tree, or by a mountain loch, is simply madden­ing. And the worst of it is, that the impudence and effrontery of these clod-hopping quill-drivers does not end here : they have actually appropriated, by laying profane hands on, some of our Gaelic sayings, and have put them into their vulgar jargon. For instance, every one knows who was the author, and what were the circumstances, of the following familiar saying, Bhiodh an oidche an oidche, nam bu ghilkan na gillean. The man who made that re­mark was a Gael, and had Gaelic in plenty : yet my non-content novelist must needs relate the story as though he were an English speaker, to whom his preposterous " the nicht would be the nicht, if the lads were the lads " was appropriate and normal utterance. Probably Sir Walter Scott was as frequent and flagrant an offender in this respect as any—his Gaels were obviously born at lime-light, and spoke an English all of his own " nain sel'"— but peace be to his literary ashes, since he some­times meant well, and, at a season when to give the Gael any other than a bad name was unfashionable, if not treasonable, made some respectable pleas in our behalf. Besides, there is a vast difference in point of talent, if not in point of view, between the Kail-Yairders and the Wizard of the North, and, doubtless, something should be forgiven the latter on that account. I do not protest that neither kail­yard nor midden should have its cheap literature ; but I certainly think that honest Jock's blas sounds

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barbarously in Tir nam beann, 's nan gleann, 's nan gaisgeach—-in the land hallowed by memories of classic Ossian and secured to us and to our posterity for ever by the music of the bards.

I have yet another bone to pick, which is the Highlander à Voutrance—attired o mhullach gu bonn —or Stage Gael. They have the same kind of misfortune over in Erin, but, thanks to the Gaelic League, his sun is set. Here he still flourisheth, not so much on the stage—for with us the mummer's trade is not popular—as in real life. He is much "in evidence," as the saying is, at " social gatherings "■ -to which the epithet " Celtic" is frequently (mistakenly) applied —and by his Cairngorms you may know him. He is the first to drink an honest toast " Highland " fashion (that is to say, with one of his hind legs on the table) and always the last to do anything practical to advance the Gaelic cause. Is there a so-called " Highland " regiment threatened with the breeks, or a "sword of honour" to be presented to some fool in pipe­clay who hath deserved exceedingly at the hands of his brethren asses, and straightway he arises to do his bit of public shouting (a nasgaidh) or to put his useless name to the still more useless parchment. Such "Gaels" we have, alas! and, abundantly, to spare. Who will rid us of them? What kind fate will overtake them ? It is the Gaelic spirit we want—not so much its mere externals, useful and admirable though they may be when united to the other. We want work, not play. Our nationality will not live by tartans alone, nor by dint of that which cometh out of the haberdashers' shops. Duisg suas a' Ghàidhlig, tog do ghuth: na biodh ort geilt no sgàth! Yes : but wiser and more patriotic are those who face

Cumha na Frainge 267

the music than such as create or merely call the tune.

Fear do Chridhe.

cumha na frainge

[Chaidh an t-òran so a sgriobhadh 'sa bhliadhna 1871.]

A Chruithfhear an t-shaoghail

A Righ mhòr gun tùs ;

A chruthaich sinn ri t'iomaigh,

Dion sinn fo d'sgiath,

Na d'mhathas, 's na d'mhòr thròcair,

Deonaich sinne sheoladh;

'S le'd ghrasan iochd-mhor treoraich,

Gu d'innis flathail sinn.

Ach's mor an t-aobhar smaointean Dhuinn, buaireas na Frainge ; A Eigh! na chuir thu d'chùl, Ris an rioghachd ud s na h-innte; No le cogadh's le gach plàigh, Le goirt, 's le blàiran bàs-mhor; 'M beil acasan ri phaidheadh, Trom chis dhuit, O Ard-Righ ?

O! 's muladach ri innseadh, Gach naigheachd bhochd 'n tir Bha uaireigin dhe 'n t-saoghail, Na taice mhath dhuinn fhein; Tha bailtean 'sa raointean, Air snamh am fuil a laoich threun, 'Sa mnathan òga a' caoineadh Tuiltean de dheur.


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Litrichean

269

0 ! 's muladach dha rireadh, Gach naigheachd bhochd o 'n tir ; Tha 'n diugh a 'n cas na b'eiginn, 'S gu fior bu mhor am beud; Ach co's urra dhe leirsinn, An cradh 'sna lotan creachdach ; Tha 'n diugh a' meath 'sa lèireadh, Na miltean de sluagh!

Tha piuthar ann gun bhrathair,

Tha mathair ann's i 'caoidh,

Athair a cuid paisdean,

Nach till rithe a chaoidh ;

Tha sin ann's a charaid,

'S a Eigh ! nach cruaidh an caradh,

Tha cumha a mic aluinn,

A thuit am blàr gun bhuaidh.

Ach nach truagh leibh cor na ribhinn

Is glana gnuis 'us snuadh !

Tha sior ospagaich's a' caoineadh,

'S a' fasgadh dhorn gu cruaidh.

A falt cuaileanach 'ga reubadh,

'S a tùr an ire a treigsinn,

'S i gal 'sa caoidh a ceud ghradh,

'S gu brath cha dean i a luaidh.

Ach mu dhiobair Mac na h-Eeirinn,¹ A choisinn cliù's gach buaidh, Cha bann gun fhuil's gun, èirig, A liubhair e srian a riaghaill. Bha esa' 's a chuid fiuran, Mar h-aon do shianar dhiubh-sa, 'S cha bann gun chosgais dubhlan, A chail na Frangaich buaidh.

1 Mac Mahon.

Ach sguireamaid mar thoisich,

Us guidheamaid glòr do 'n Ti,

Tha 'riaghladh anns na h-Ardaibh,

'S a' ceadachadh gach ni:

'Na d'mhathas, 's 'na d'mhor-throcair,

Deonaich sinne a sheoladh,

'S le d'ghrasan iochd mhor treoraich

Gu d'innis flathail sinn.

Alasdair Bisset.

Air fonn, " Gu ma slàn chi mi".
litrichean . TI AGUS TALAMH

A charaid,—Is lionmhor na dòighean eibhinn a th'aig daoine an là an diugh air airgiod a chosnadh, agus reic fhaotainn d'an cuid bathar. 'Se 'n dòigh mu dheireadh dhiubh seo air an d'fhuair mi iomradh a th'aig lighiche's a' bhaile ris an abrar Camus a' Chorra an Ceannd.

Tha dòigh aige air ti mhath fhaotainn gu saor, agus tha e 'cur roimhe gu'n toir e crioman beag talamh a nasguidh do gach duine a cheannaicheas dà cheud phund de'n ti aige. Feumaidh duine ceithir punnd fhaotainn comhla air thoiseach, agus leis a seo gheibh e comhchordadh air a sgrìobhadh le fear-lagha, agus air a sheuladh leis an lighiche, a' gealltainn uiread seo de thalamh a thoirt seachad a nasguidh, cho luath 'sa bhitheas an dà cheud punnd iomlan air a cheannach. Feudar seo a bhi air a dheanamh leth-phunnd aig àm, an deigh do'n cheud ceithir phunnd fhaotainn comhla. Tha e air inn­seadh gu'm bheil an talamh seo an Albainn agus Eireann cho math ri Sasunn.

Tha sinn a' cluinntinn bitheanta mu'n stri laidir a

tha daoine a' deanamh air son beatha na Gaidhlig a neartachadh 'sa Ghàidhealtachd, agus cha'n 'eil duine beò a tha m's dèigheil air soirbheachadh fhaicinn air cuisean na Gàidhlig na mi fhèin, ach ciamar a bhitheas daoine ann a bhruidhneas a' Ghàidhlig fhad 'sa tha'n dùthaich 'na fàsach fo chaoraich agus fèidh ?

Leinn fhein, cha'n 'eil ni a's fheumaile do na Gàidheil an dràsd na cothrom beagan talamh fhao­tainn uair 'sam bith tha feum aca air, agus obair leis an cosnadh iad uiread 'sa chumas iad beò aig an taigh. Tha moran miotailtean 'san talamh 'sa Ghàidhealtachd agus rachadh mèinnean gual agus iaruinn fhosgladh le glè bheag de dhragh no cosdais do'n chuid a's mb de na h-uachdrain. Nan rachadh an dà obair seo a chur air dòigh bhitheadh fada tuillidh airgiod tighinn do'n Ghàidhealtachd, agus an sin nan deanadh meall de dhaoine am measg marsantan nam bailtean riaghailt air beagan talamh a thoirt seachad a nasguidh do dhaoine a cheannai-cheadh fiach sium suidhichte de'n bhathar aca, cha 'n 'eil teagamh nach bitheadh toiseachadh againn air na seòid a chur air ais an Tir nam beann.

Tha gnothach 'eile ann a tha 'na bhacadh mhòr do dhaoine tighinn do'n Ghàidhealtachd a dh'fhuir-eachd ann, 'se sin na càintean. Tha tri no ceithir sgireachdan ann far am bheil na càintean tuillidh air deich tastain 'sa bhliadhna mu choinneamh a h-uile nòd de mhàl. Cha'n 'eil an leithid ach 'na sgainneal do dhùthaich coltach ris a' Ghàidheal­tachd, oir ciod an goireas a th'aig an luchd àiteach-aidh air son suim cho mòr a phaigheadh a h-uile bliadhna ?

Cha'n 'eil rud sam bith ach rathadan agus sgoiltean math aca. Gheibh duine a'cheart uiread agus mìltean de ghnothaichean beaga comhla ris cha mhòr am baile sam bith gun tuilleadh cosdais air seo. Tha iomadh sgireachd an Sasunn far nach tig na càintean gu leth uiread sin. Cha'n e gur toigh leam Sasunn : cha toigh, ach an sud a ghabhadh faotainn an Sasunn bu chòir dha a bhith an Albainn cuideachd leis an leithid sin de ghno­thach, oir's iad na roinntean a's bochda de Shasunn am bitheantas far am bheil na càintean a's ìsle.

Bu chòir do chuid d'ur luchd-leughaidh feuchainn an dòigh a dh'ainmich mi roimhe air ti agus talamh, oir tha mi cinnteach gun oibricheadh an gnothach air dbighean eile. Le'r cead, Cailleach an Ti.
"BRITAIN" AND ENGLAND

Sir,—Will you allow me some of your space to ventilate a matter which appears to me to de­mand some attention on the part of the inquiring public ? I allude here to the practice which has sprung up of late of styling England " Britain," and of calling Englishmen (and Scotsmen) "Britons". I believe this custom is largely in deference to Scottish sensitiveness, which is prone to take of­