Bha mi eòlach a d' thalla, 'S bha mi steach ann ad sheòmar." And it is stated by certain writers that he had a letter from the great Montrose signed "your loving and true friend." Not only all this, but on the Restoration of Charles II, whose home-coming John sang with passionate fervour, he was appointed the King's poet-laureate in Scotland, with a salary of £100 sterling per annum-but which the Scottish Exchequer reduced to £100 Scots-surely a unique achievement for a Highland bard. In his poem on the Return of the King "' he still sings joyfully of the fortunate turn matters had taken, and takes care to give glory and praise to the King Most High that Argyle is to get his deserts "An am rùsgadh a' choileir, Théid an ceann deth o 'n choluinn: Glòir, mar 's cubhaidh, is moladh do 'n Ard-Righ." Still, tradition tells that he on one occasion visited Argyle at Inveraray Castle, when a spirited dialogue took place between the chief of the Campbells and him, in the course of which the bard lost not a chance of abusing the abhorred clan. The story is as follows: After the Battle of Inverlochy the Marquis, stung by Iain Lom's satires, offered a reward for the head of the bard. Iain, however, instead of hiding himself, resolved to face Argyle at home. This would appear to be madness, but we have to remember that bards were considered as holding a sacred office in the country at the time. John accordingly set out on his journey, and arriving at Inveraray Castle requested an audience of the noble Marquis. Argyle would appear to have received his visitor kindly, and after partaking of hospitality they both had a look at the sights of interest within the castle. Eventually they came to a room in which was lying an immense number of blackcock heads. "Have you ever seen so many blackcock heads before, John?" asked the Marquis. Yes," answered John. "Where did you see them?" further inquired Argyle. "At Inverlochy," replied the bard. “Ah! John, will you ever cease gnawing the Campbells?'' said the Marquis. "I only regret," replied John, "that I cannot swallow them." But this is a story I I scarcely accept. Should Argyle be magnanimous enough to have overlooked and condoned all John's avowed vindictiveness towards his clan, there were many others who would very naturally take opportunity to exact revenge in some way or other, and John was not the fool to risk his life on a visit of the kind in question.^ The advent of William and Mary openly irritated Mac Donald, and he composed a poem on the occasion in which, while making an appeal to the supporters of the Stuart cause, the King and Queen are subjected to very rough treatment. The poem shows, however, that John possessed a wide and accurate knowledge of the internal conditions of matters national at the time, and the reader cannot but be struck by the fiery eloquence and double-edged expressiveness of this effusion. It cuts like a revolving saw-every verse a sharpened tooth. It is greatly powerful in its way. The Another exceptionally powerful production by MacDonald on political lines is his poem against the Union of England and Scotland in 1707. This composition again reveals John as intimately acquainted with this movement and the conduct of the parties chiefly active in bringing it to an issue. Union was, it would appear, unpopular, at any rate in Gaelic Scotland, and in any case Iain Lom did not conceal his aversion to it. It would appear clear from his verses that he felt bitterly disappointed at the result, which he found to be so far from the desire of his heart, and considered not by any means in the interest of Scottish nationality and prestige. As he says: 66 Toirt a chrùin bhuainn le ceannachd An ceart fhradharc ar sùilean." In his elegies Iain Lom sings from a generously human heart and genuine Christian spirit. Nothing could be finer than what we find in the Lament for Gilleasbuig of Keppoch": : "Moch Di-sathuirn' mo bheud, Ghluais geur chlaidheamh fo m' sgéith; 'S tric leam càradh na tréith fo 'n fhòid." Tha leann-dubh air mo chràdh ; Chuir mo shùgradh gu làr, Ged is subhaltach càch ag òl." Nuair a bha thu gu tinn, Gu 'n robh t' aigneadh, ar leinn, Bha do làmhan a suas, 'N dèidh do labhairt thoirt uat, Ris an Athair 's ri Uan na Glòir." I think I have read sufficient to enable us to delineate, so far as now possible, the personality and character of Iain Lom, the great Lochaber bard. That he was a man of no ordinary mentality is abundantly evident. Though it has been traditionally averred that he was educated, or partly educated for the priesthood, and that he passed a period in a college in Spain, I incline to the belief that he was not extensively educated; but at the same time he was by no means illiterate. In any case there is no denying that he an intellectual giant in his day, a student of the was psychology of his time. As a poet-or perhaps more correctly as a bard—he was gifted with very great powers of originality, penetration, and concentration, while a master of expression all his own. As a man he may be justly credited with having carried out to the letter his own injunction to a member of the Keppoch House, whom he addresses in the closing verse of his Lament to Gill-easbuig na Ceapaich: "A Cholla, cuimhnich 's gach gnìomh Cliù do shinnsir bho chian; Seas do rìgh agus Dia 'sa chòir." Ian Lom was buried at Dun-Aingil, in the Braes of Lochaber, and a few years ago a monument to his memory was erected by the late Dr Charles Fraser-Mackintosh of Drummond, who greatly admired our illustrious bard. When the grave closed over his remains Coll of Keppoch, who was present, asked another bard, who was also at the funeral, one of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, to pronounce a short elegy on the departed. The bard replied immediately in the following verses: "Chunna mi crìoch air m' fhear cinnidh, Dia 'dheanamh sìth ri t'anam." "B' fhuath leat Màiri, b' fhuath leat Uilleain, "Tha gaol an Leóghainn, 's fuath an Tuire THE CELTIC MISSIONARIES ON THE S. GALL," THE APOSTLE OF THE RHINE." All rights reserved. By the Rev. ARCHIBALD B. Scorт, M.A., D.D., Kildonan, Helmsdale. 30th APRIL, 1924. The Rev. John Mackay Maclennan, Lairg, presided over a meeting of the Society held on this date. The following, who had been duly nominated at the previous meeting, were unanimously elected members:-As an Honorary MemberMrs Margaret MacEchern, The Manse of Bower. As Ordinary Members-Rev. John MacEchern, B.D., The Manse of Moy, and Mr Frederick A. Black, Solicitor, Inverness. The Secretary intimated contributions to the Society's. Library received from John MacLeod Campbell, Captain of Saddell Castle, Argyll; Professor P. J. Maclean, Ohio; and Dr Morison, Annfield Plain, Co. Durham. The Chairman thereafter introduced the Rev. A. B. Scott, B.D., Helmsdale, who had kindly consented to deliver another of his series of papers on the "Celtic Missionaries on the Continent." Mr Scott chose for his subject this evening "S. Gall, The Apostle of the Rhine.'"' The paper was as follows: S. Gall was the apostle to the remnants of Celtic tribes that survived on the Upper Rhine; and, as his work extended, to the Germanic" barbarians" whose ancestors had swept the Celts from the two Germaniæ and the two Belgicæ, during and after 407 A.D. A century and a half |