O'n fhasach, us dhaom mi sios.
Thanic earrach le sioladh nan speur,
Cho d'eirich duill' uaine dhamh fein;
Chunic oigha me samhach 's an talla,
Agus bhuail iad clairsach nan fonn.

Bha deoir ag taomadh le gruaidhan Mhalmbine;
Chunic oigh me 's mo thuiradh gu trom.

C' uime am bheil thu co tuirsach, a'm' fhianuis,
Chaomh Ainnir-og Luath-ath nan sruth.
An ro e sgiamhach mar dhearsa na greine?
Am bu cho tlachdor a' shiubhal 's a chruth?
'S taitnach t fhonn an cluais Ossain,
Nighain Luath-ath nan sruth dian.

Thanic guth nam bard nach beo,

Am measg t aislin air aomadh nan sliabh,
Nuair thuit codal air do shuilan soirbh,
Aig cuan mor-shruth nan ioma fuaim,
Nuair phil thu flathal o 'n t seilg,
'S grian la thu ag sgaolta na bein.
Chual thu guth nam bard nach beo:
'S glan faital do chiuil fein.

'S caoin faital nam fonn o Mhalmhine!
Ach claonidh iad anam gu deoir;

Tha solas ann Tuiradh le sioth,
Nuair dh'aomas cliabh tuirse gu bron;
Ach claodhih fad-thuirse siol dorthuin,
Fhlath nighain Oscair nan cruaidh-bheum
'S ainmach an la gan nial

Thuitas iad, mar chuisag, fo 'n ghrian,
Nuair sheallas i sios 'n a soilse,

Andeigh do'n dubh cheathack siubhal do'n bheinn,

'S a throm-chean fo shioladh na h oiche.

FRAGMENTS

OF

ANCIENT POETRY,

COLLECTED IN THE

HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND,

AND TRANSLATED FROM

THE GALIC OR ERSE LANGUAGE.

Vos quoque qui fortes animas, belloque peremtas Laudibus in longum vates dimittitis ævum,

Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi.

LUCAN.

First published in June 1760.

ADVERTISEMENT,

PREFIXED TO

THE SECOND EDITION, EDIN. 1760.

In this edition some passages will be found altered from the former. The alterations are drawn from more complete copies the translator had obtained of the originals, since the former publication. One entire poem is also added, which stands No. XIII. in this edition. It may be proper to inform the public, that measures are now taken for making a more full collection of the remaining works of the ancient Scottish bards; in particular, for recovering and translating the heroic poem mentioned in the preface.