An Laoidheadair Gaelic na ain spioradail

MAC-AN-LEURA. 103
fìsiiìaii and other anclent traditlons, possessecl edilions of
all the above poems, but through various causes they are
àlmost all lost ; fragments may howe ver be stiU found among
a raass of papers t.hat have accumulated on his hands for
more than half a century, which with tivo large M. SS.
of Os»ian''s Pcems, would m-ake two handsome volumes,
These M.SS. were given with much relucUmoe to the
Highland Society of Scotland^ for a paUry prenii'Uin of
£20, which he preferred to a JMedallion ; and they are
not yet published. As Deor or Deivar lived when the
persecution raged against the ('ovenanters, his mind was
supplied with direful thoughts and tragic tales, which enabled
him to compose the occurrences of the times in verse ;
Ihis leads us to hint at what took place in Scotlaiid, but
more particularly in Argyleshire, leaving th« hitìtory iu
detail to abier hands, who have already pubUshed on the
subj«ct. We only aim at loeal incidents, as ascertained
by trodition, which escaped the notice of those learned
writers, who neither had aecess to communicate with the
peasantry, nor any knowledge of their language. And
this we do without intention to ofl'end any class of Christians,
and we earnestly wish aU sects to Uve as friends and
brethren, anà to comply with the foUowing couplet
CuÌYeamaid fuath agus falachd air cuìy (
'
Is biadhmaid uil' air an aon nen.
Let us be thankful that liberty of conscience, (an inestimable
blessing) is granted to aU persuasions, and that the
Toleration Act protects the meanest subject, who is per-
niitted to worship God, (whether Jew or Gentile) as ta
him seemeth best.
Gabhadh gach neach a rathad fein,
Le miannach dol dofhlaithe&s De.
Argvleshire Invaded by Coll M'Donnell.
The calamites and sutìerings this unfortunate country
had to endure for more than 30 years, during the reign^
if Charles I. and TI. are dreadful to relate. Theseorigin-
Kted in the feuds and factions of neighbouring Barons,
and Chiefs of ( 'lans, vvho became jealous of the power
Argyle haà acquired in the cuuntry,andlhroughhis unceasing
suppoit to the C'jvenanlers against tbe determinaiion.
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