This rare Tract contains four different pieces. The Poem on the Earl of Argyle is not the same as the one in the Highland Society's old manuscript. M'LEAN'S SONGS. "ORAIN NUADHA Ghaedhlach, le Jain Maclleain, annan Eilean Tirreadh an Siorramachd Earraghaedheal; maille ri beagan do Cho-chruinneachadh taghte nach robh riamh roimhe ann 'n Clo bualadh." (Here follows a quotation in Galic.) “Duneudainn; Clo bhuailte air son an ughdair, le R. Meinnearach, 1818." 12mo. pp. 256. M'LEOD'S SONGS. "ORAIN NUADH Ghaeleach; maille ri beagain do Cho-chruinneachadh urramach na'n aireamh. Le Domhnul MacLeoid ann an Durinish, sa'n Eilean Sciatheanach." (Here follows a quotation.) "Inbhirneis: Clodh bhuailt agus r'an reic le Eoin Young, airson an Udair, 1811." 8vo. pp. 272. MCPHERSON'S SONGS. "ORAIN Ghaelic le Alastoir Mac Phearsoin." (Here follows a Gælic quotation.) "Ann Glasacho Clodh bhuailte airson an Ughdair; le Uilleam Mac'ille 'mhaoi, 1796." 12mo. DONALD MATHESON'S HYMNS. "LAOIDHEAN SPIORADAIL, le Domhnull Mathanach, duine urramach diadhaidh, a bha ann an Sgire Chil-donnain, an Cataobh." (Here follows a Galic quotation.) "An dara clodh-bhualadh, ath-leasaichte agus meudaichte. Bal-dhuthais: Clodh-bhuailte le Coinnach Dughlas agus a chuideachd. 1825." 12mo. pp. 52. 6d. The first edition we have not seen. The author was a native of Sutherlandshire, and resided, from his youth, in the heights of the Parish of Kildonon. He was born in 1719, and died in 1782. The work was published after his death by some of his friends, and the Advertisement bears the signatures of "John M'Donald," and "John Kennedy." JOHN MORRISON'S HYMNS. "DAIN SPIORADAIL le Eoin Morrison o'n Eilein Sgiat-hanach. Glasgow: Published by Maurice Ogle. 1828. A. Young. Printer." 12mo. 6d. The above was the production of a blind man, they were copied from his mouth by a Schoolmaster in the Highlands, and sent to Glasgow under the auspices of the Rev. D. Ranken, South Knapdale; and the Rev. Dr. M'Leod of Campsie, but the Printer declaring the MS. unreadable, it was given to Mr. Lachlan M'Lean, who recopied it, and obtained the author's consent to write three Hymns himself; viz. the first two and the last. JAMES MUNRO'S COLLECTION OF SONGS. "AN T-AILLEGAN; comh-chruinneachadh DhanOran, agus Dhuanag. Le Seumas Munro, Glas ghu Clo-bhuailte airson W. R. M'Phun. 1880." This Collection is embellished with a neat Engraving. This is the prettiest song book ever printed. It contains the very cream of Gaelic song. There are several original pieces in it by the compiler himself, some of which have become very popular. The publisher curtailed some of the original matter intended for this work, especially a Gaelic preface, explanatory of the reason for making some very slight changes on the orthography. Mr. Munro is a native of Fort William in Lochaber. He early discovered a strong predilection to the study of Gaelic and thence to that of general philology. He for some time studied the Law, but conceiving a dislike to it, has ever since followed the profession of Teaching. He is at present engaged as one of the General Assembly's teachers at Carradale, in Argyleshire. JOHN MUNRO'S COLLECTION OF HYMNS. "DANA SPIORADAIL ann an da Earrann. A cheud earrann air dhoigh araidh, arson Cloinne agus muinntir Oga: an dara earrann arson muinntir aig gach aois." (Here follows a quotation from M'Gregor's Hymns.) "Glascho clo-bhuailte le D. Maccoinich, 1819." 18mo. pp. 72. 1s. The second part has no separate titling, and the paging of both is continuous. The work, although anonymous, was the production of John Munro, Esq., accountant in Glasgow, who undertook it at the request of Dr. Brown. The first part contains Hymn I., from the col H lection of Wm. Gordon. Hymn II.-XXIV., translated from the English by Mr. Munro, and Hymn XXV. original by Mr. Munro, The second part consists of the cream of Dr. Smith's New Testament Psalms; and some of Dr. Dewar's Hymns considerably altered, with the addition of a few from Wm. Gordon's collection, and one or two translations from the English and original Hymns by Mr. Munro. OSSIAN'S POEMS. "THE POEMS OF OSSIAN, in the Original Gaelic, with a literal Translation into Latin, by the late Robert Macfarlan, A.M., together with a Dissertation on the Authenticity of the Poems, by Sir John Sinclair, Bart., and a Translation from the Italian of the Abbè Cesarotti's Dissertation on the Controversy respecting the Authenticity of Ossian, with Notes and a supplementary Essay, by John M'Arthur, LL.D., published under the sanction of the Highland Society of London. Magna est veritas et praevalebit. Vol. I. London; Printed by W. Bulmer & Co. Cleveland Row; sold by G. & W. Nicol, Booksellers, to his Majesty, Pall Mall; Creech, Bell & Bradfute, Constable & Co. Edinburgh; and Archer, Dublin. 1807." pp. ccxxxii. 278. Vol. II." pp. 390. The above is printed on a superfine paper, and contains, besides what is mentioned on the title page, an ideal Portrait of Ossian, Notices of Gaelic Books and MSS. The published price of the Demy paper was 21. 2s., and of the Royal paper 31. 13s. 6d. "DANA OISEIN MHIC FHINN, air an cur amach airson maith coitcheannta muinntir na Gaeltachd. Duneidin; clo-bhuailte le Tearlach Stuibhart. 1818." 8vo. pp. 344. This is a copy of the Gaelic contained in Sir John Sinclair's splendid edition of Ossian, and was printed at the expense of Sir J. Macgregor Murray and other gentlemen, for the purpose of being distributed among the Highlanders, to preserve as much as possible their ancient chivalric spirit, by giving them an opportunity of reading the valorous exploits of their ancestors, as the reciting of them had then nearly ceased. Accordingly there was a copy sent for the use of every parish school in the Highlands. These copies were addressed to the care of the parish ministers; but, whether from a curiosity to have a copy of Ossian themselves in the original, or from a supposition that the book would be useless to most of the raw disciples of a rustic school, many of these copies were never given up to their destined purpose, and we yet occasionally meet with the identical copies thus meant for general use, and for promoting a laudable object, lying dormant on the dusty shelves of a manse library, with the donatory ticket still fresh upon some, and taken off others!! SMITH'S COLLECTIONS OF POEMS. "SEAN DANA; le Oisian, Orran, Ulann, &c. &c. Ancient Poems of Ossian, Orran, Ullin, &c., collected in the Western Highlands and Isles; being the Originals of the Translations some time 3 |