An gaidheal - National Library of Scotland

—;!;—;April, 1873.THE GAEL. 6^With mcany a chief and clan besides, whoquickly did contriveTo make their names immortal in thefamous 'Forty-five!How well they fonght let Falkirk fieldand Prestonpans declare;Well might all Europe, as it marked,applaud their valour rare.Woe's me, for dark CuUoden Moor,where, all to rashly brave.They to a force their own thrice told unequalbattle gave!What mortal might could do, they did,—but who 'gainst fate can strive?To destiny alone succumbed the Clans of'Forty-five.Alas! that their descendants now, upontheir native soil.Can hardly find, for deer and sheep, aspot whereon to toil;Our good old race of Chiefs give place tomercenary knavesWho, for a bushel more or less, wouldplough their fathers' graves.'The age of chivalry is past,' yet shall itsfame surviveForever, brightened by their deeds—theClans of 'Forty-five.^OTtcsponbciKC.A IIEBRIDEAN EPITIIA-LAMIUM.Sir,— I have much pleasure iusending you a Hehridean Epithulamhimwhich I recently received fromthe Rev. Mr. Stewart, ISTether-Lochaber.The introductory^ note givesit a pedigi'ee, and I need not thereforerefer to it further than to statethat the translation is by Mr. Stewarthimself, and that I deem it admirable.Mr. Stewart got the piece from agentleman in Cheltingham with arequest that he should translate it,and the following is the result.inserting itByin your first number youwill, I have no doubt, receive thethanks of j^oiu' numerous readers.Yours, &c., W. M.Glasgow, 10th March, 1873.meet the bride coming forth from herchamber with her maidens on the morningafter her marriage, and to salute her witha poetical blessing called BcannachadhBaird. On the occasion of the marriageof the Rev. Donald Macleod of Duirinish,in the Isle of Skye, this practice havingthen got very much into disuetude, andnone being found prepared to salute Imbride agreeably to it, he himself came forwardand received her with the followingbeautiful address :[We present our readers with theoriginal hnes as they stand in the M.S.,only omitting two lines that are partlyillegible from their falling into the sharpfoldings of the sheet. The sense andtenor of these lines, however, Mr. Stewarthas ventiired to guess at and to incorporatewith the English version.]BEANNACHADH BAIED.Mile failte dhuit le d' bhreid ;Fad' an re gu 'n robh thu slan.Moran laithean dhuit a's sith,Le d' mhaitheas a's le d' ni 'bhi 'fas.A' chulaidh-cheille-s' a chaidh suas'S trie a tharruing buaidh air mnaoi;—Bith-sa gu subhailceach, ciallach,thionnsgain thu fein 's an treubh.An tus do choimh ruith 's tu og ;An tiis gach lò iarr High nan dul,Cha 'n eagal nach dean E gu ceartGach dearbh-bheachd a bhios 'n ad run.Bith-sa fialaidh—ach bi glic ;Bi misneachail—ach bi stold';Na bi bruidhneachd 's na bi balbhNa bi mear no marbh 's tu og.Bi gleidhteach air do dheadh aimn,Ach na bi duinte 's na bi fuarNa labhair fos air neach gu h-olc,'S ged labhrar ort na taisbcan fuathNa bi gearanach fo chrois,Falbh socair le cupan Ian.Chaoidh do 'n olc na tabhair speis,A's le d' bhreid ort, mile failt'A BARD'S BLESSING.Comely and kerchief'd, blooming, fresh,and fair,All hail and welcome ! joy and peace bethine.Of happiness and health a bounteous shareBe shoAver'd upon thee from the handdivine.Wearing the matron's coif, thou seem'stto beEven lovelier now than erst, when fancyfree,It was the custom in the West Highlandsof Scotland in the olden time to mv heart fromThou in thy beauty's strength did'&t stealme.