as Columba is said to have called it. His followers, the little sacred circle of twelve, 'the Family of Iona,' had to be militant with a vengeance: Milesian--or soldiering--as well as cleric, in their work; and the old traditions are full of references to their fight against the Féinne and the house of Ossian. But having so far prevailed as they did, they became in turn the chroniclers of the very things they had fought against. So in a sense, and a very real one, Iona is the first centre of the literature of the Scots Gaels to which we can point. The total effect of Columba, or Columcill, upon Gaelic life and literature, Irish and Scots, was immense indeed; to gather whose force one must read in the 'Book of Deer' and the old Irish MSS. on the one hand, and the Latin hymnology of the Celtic church on the other. But in speaking of Columba let us not forget the tender and beautiful figure of St. Bridget,--another of that mysterious train, including Merlin and St. Patrick, which has associations with Strathclyde-- "Bonnie sweet St. Bride of the Yellow, yellow hair!" St. Bridget, the St. Mary of the Gael, whose story has been retold by Miss Fiona Macleod in 'The Washer of the Ford,' may first be found depicted by the side of Patrick and Columba in the famous antique relic, the 'Domhnach Airgid,' dating back to the sixth or seventh century. She appears constantly in Gaelic hagiology, and with poetic as well as saintly fame casting a halo about her yellow hair. O'Curry's 'MS. Materials,' and other collections make it possible, luckily, for other than purely Gaelic students to read of her as she appeared in early time. She is a peculiarly interesting figure, because in the Celtic races women have always counted peculiarly; and there are signs that they will count even more in time to come. St. Bridget (Brigit, Bride, Breed), then, is the type for all time of the Celtic womanhood dowered with divine inspiration, poetry, and charm. The following variant on an old Gaelic poem is by Miss Fiona Macleod ('From the Hills of Dream'):-- ST. BRIDGET'S MILKING SONG O sweet St. Bride of the Yellow, yellow hair: Paul said, and Peter said, And all the saints alive or dead Vowed she had the sweetest head, Bonnie sweet St. Bride of the Yellow, yellow hair. White may my milking be, White as thee: Thy face is white, thy neck is white, Thy hands are white, thy feet are white, For thy sweet soul is shining bright-- O dear to me, O dear to see, St. Bridget white! Yellow may my butter be, Soft and round: Thy breasts are sweet, Soft, round, and sweet, So may my butter be: So may my butter be, O Bridget sweet! Safe thy way is, safe, O Safe, St. Bride: May my kye come home at even, None be fallin', none be leavin', Dusky even, breath-sweet even, Here, as there, where, O St. Bride, thou