The Celtic Magazine, Vol. I, No. VI, April 1876: A Monthly Periodical Devoted to the Literature, History, Antiquities, Folk Lore, Traditions, and the Social and Material Interests of the Celt at Home and AbroadVarious
History
The Celtic Magazine, Vol. I, No. VI, April 1876: A Monthly Periodical Devoted to the Literature, History, Antiquities, Folk Lore, Traditions, and the Social and Material Interests of the Celt at Home and Abroad
The following is a very imaginative piece, descriptive of a flighty
individual who proposes to do more than he can accomplish:--
Cheann a'n Tobermhuire Head in Tobermory,
'S a chollainn 's a Chrianan, Body in Crianan,
Cas a'm Boad hoi-e, Foot in Boad (Bute) hoi-e,
'S a chas eil a'n Grianaig Other foot in Grianaig (Greenock).
It is a most melancholy fact, that at present there is a combined and a
determined effort put forth to banish the native language, and the
native melodies of the Gael entirely from the country, and to bring the
whole population under the sway of the artificial language taught in our
schools, and of its artificial melodies. The foreigner represents our
language as low and vulgar, quite destitute of the sterling qualities
peculiar to his own; and consequently not deserving either to be held
fast, or to be worthy of attentive study. And in order that he may be
the more successful in his effort, he pretends to be our greatest, our
only friend; heartily disposed to make us learned, wealthy and
honourable, yes, and, of course, pious too. I say to him at once,
without any ceremony, keep back, sir, give over your fallacious, your
blustering bombast, we know the hollowness of your pretensions. The Gael
has a language and melodies already, superior to any that you can give
him, and would you attempt to rob him of his birthright and inheritance,
which is dear to him as his heart's blood? Every true friend of the Gael
would certainly give him a good English education; but instead of doing
away with his own language and melodies, it would be such an English
education as would ground him more than ever in a knowledge of his own.
Is it not an acknowledged fact that, there is nothing that grounds
students more thoroughly in a knowledge of a language than to translate
it from his own. This mode of teaching is perhaps more troublesome to
schoolmasters at first, but when once fairly tried and put in practice,
it will, without doubt, be the most agreeable and the most successful
part of their work, and would not have such a deadening effect, either
upon their own minds, or upon those of their scholars.
ARCHD. FARQUHARSON.
ISLAND OF TIREE.
THE HARP BRINGETH JOY UNTO ME.
O autumn! to me thou art dearest,
Thou bringest deep thoughts to me now,
For the leaves in the forest are searest,
And the foliage falls from each bough.
And then as the day was declining,
While nature was wont to repose,
A sage on his harp was reclining
Who sang of Lochaber's bravoes.
He played and he sang of their glory,
Their deeds which the ages admire;
Then softly, then wildly, their story
He told on the strings of his lyre.
While praise on the heroes he lavished,
And lauded their triumphs again,
A maid came a-list'ning, enravished--
Enrapt by his charming refrain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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