The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

750
The Hi^Jdand Mo7ithly.
pure as the limpid crystalline stream on its bed of pebbles.
It is difficult to determine in what species of poetry William
Ross most excelled—so much is he at home in every
department. His pastoral poem, Ormi an t-Samhraidk,
abounds in imagery of the most delightful kind. He has
eschewed the sin of Macintyre's verbosity and Macdonald's
anglicisms, and luxuriates amid scenes, which, for beauty and
enchantment, are never surpassed. His objects are nicely
chosen—his descriptions graphic—his transitions, although
we never tire of any object he chooses to introduce, pleas-
ing. We sit immovabl)- upon his lips, and are allowed, at
the beck of his finger, to feed our eyes on new and hitherto
unobserved beauties. When we have surveyed the whole
landscape, its various component parts are so distinct and
clear, that we feel indignant at our own dulness for not per-
ceiving them before—but as a finished picture, the whole
becomes too magnificent for our comprehension."
The songs of William Ross are well known, so I shall
content myself by quoting two verses from " Cuachag nan
craobh," a song in which he indulges in melanciioly and
painful reflections in consequence of his love disappoint-
ments :
—
Thuit mi le d' ghath, mhill thu mo rath,
Striochd mi le neart dorain
Saighdean do ghaoil sait anns gach taobh.
Thug dhiom gach caoin co-lath,
Mhill thu mo mhais, ghoid thu mo dhreach,
'S mheudaich thu gal broin domh ;
'S mar fuasgail thu tra, le t'fhuran 's le t'fhailt'
'S cuideachd am bas dhOmhsa.
'S cama-lubach t'fhalt, fanna-bhui 'nan cleachd
'S fabhrad nan rosg aluinn ;
Gruaidhean mar chaor, broilleach mar aol,
Anail mar ghaoth garaidh
Gus an cuir iad mi steach, an caol-taigh nan leac
Bidh mi fo neart craidh dheth,
Le smaointinn do chleas, 's do shugradh ma seach,.
Fo dhuilleach nam preas blath'or.
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