Gaelic poetry is voluminous. Exclusive of the Ossianic poetry which
has been referred to already, there is a long catalogue of modern
poetical works of various merit. Fragments exist of poems written
early in the 17th century, such as those prefixed to the edition
of Calvin’s Catechism, printed in 1631. One of these, _Faosid Eoin
Steuart Tighearn na Happen_, “The Confession of John Stewart, laird
of Appin,” savours more of the Church of Rome than of the Protestant
faith. To this century belongs also the poetry of John Macdonell,
usually called Eoin Lorn, and said to have been poet-laureate to
Charles II. for Scotland. Other pieces exist of the same period, but
little would seem to have been handed down to us of the poetry of
this century.
We have fragments belonging to the early part of the 17th century in
the introduction to “Lhuyd’s Archæologia.” These are of much interest
to the Gaelic student. In 1751 appeared the first edition of Songs
by Alexander Macdonald, usually called Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair.
These songs are admirable specimens of Gaelic versification, giving
the highest idea of the author’s poetical powers. Many editions of
them have appeared, and they are very popular in the Highlands.
Macintyre’s poems appeared in 1768. Macdonald and he stand at the
very top of the list of Gaelic poets. They are both distinguished
by the power and the smoothness of their composition. Macdonald’s
highest gifts are represented in his _Biorluinn Chloinn Raonuill_,
“Clan Ranald’s Galley,” and Macintyre’s in his _Beinn Dobhrain_, “Ben
Douran.”
Later than Macintyre, Ronald M’Donald, commonly called Raonull Dubh,
or Black Ranald, published an excellent collection of Gaelic songs.
This Ranald was son to Alexander already referred to, and was a
schoolmaster in the island of Eigg. His collection is largely made
up of his father’s compositions, but there are songs of his own and
of several other composers included. Many of the songs of this period
are Jacobite, and indicate intense disloyalty to the Hanoverian royal
family.
Gillies’s Collection in 1786 is an admirable one, containing many of
the genuine Ossianic fragments. This collection is of real value to
the Gaelic scholar, although it is now difficult to be had.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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