The Modern Scottish Minstrel , Volume I | Page 2

ranging over a long exciting period, from the days of
Harlaw to the expedition of Charles Edward. The 'Prosnachadh Catha,'
or battle-song, that led on the raid of Donald the Islander on the
Garioch, is still sung; the 'Woes of the Children of the Mist' are yet
rehearsed in the ears of their children in the most plaintive measures.
Innerlochy and Killiecrankie have their appropriate melodies; Glencoe
has its dirge; both the exiled Jameses have their pæan and their lament;
Charles Edward his welcome and his wail;--all in strains so varied, and
with imagery so copious, that their repetition is continually called for,
and their interest untiring.
"All that we have to offer belongs to recent times; but we cannot aver
that the merit of the verses is inferior. The interest of the subjects is
certainly immeasurably less; but, perhaps, not less propitious to the lilts
and the luinneags, in which, as in her music and imitative dancing, the
Highland border has found her best Lowland acceptation.
"We are not aware that we need except any piece, out of the more
ancient class, that seems not to admit of being rivalled by some of the
compositions of Duncan Ban (Macintyre), Rob Donn, and a few others
that come into our own series, if we exclude the pathetic 'Old Bard's
Wish,' 'The Song of the Owl,' and, perhaps, Ian Lom's 'Innerlochy.'
"But, while this may be so far satisfactory to our readers, we are under

the necessity of claiming their charitable forbearance for the strangers
of the mountain whom we are to introduce to their acquaintance. The
language, and, in some respects, the imagery and versification, are as
foreign to the usages of the Anglo-Saxon as so many samples of
Orientalism. The transfusion of the Greek and Latin choral metres is a
light effort to the difficulty of imitating the rhythm, or representing the
peculiar vein of these song-enamoured mountaineers. Those who know
how a favourite ode of Horace, or a lay of Catullus, is made to look,
except in mere paraphrase, must not talk of the poorness or triteness of
the Highlander's verses, till they are enabled to do them justice by a
knowledge of the language. We disdain any attempt to make those
bards sing in the mere English taste, even if we could so translate them
as to make them speak or sing better than they do. The fear of his
sarcasms prevented Dr Johnson from hearing one literal version during
his whole sojourn in the Highlands. Sir Walter Scott wished that
somebody might have the manliness to recover Highland poetry from
the mystification of paraphrase or imposture, and to present it genuine
to the English reader. In that spirit we promise to execute our task; and
we shall rejoice if even a very moderate degree of success should
attend our endeavours to obtain for the sister muse some share of that
popularity to which we believe her entitled."
In respect of the present volume of "The Modern Scottish Minstrel,"
the Editor has to congratulate himself on his being enabled to present,
for the first time in a popular form, the more esteemed lays of Carolina,
Baroness Nairn, author of "The Laird o' Cockpen," "The Land o' the
Leal," and a greater number of popular lyrics than any other Caledonian
bard, Burns alone excepted. Several pieces of this accomplished lady,
not previously published, have been introduced, through the kindness
of her surviving friends. The memoir of the Baroness has been prepared
from original documents entrusted to the Editor. For permission to
engrave "The Auld House o' Gask," Lady Nairn's birth-place, the
Editor's thanks are due to Mr Paterson, music-seller in Edinburgh.
While the present volume of "The Modern Scottish Minstrel" is offered
to the public with becoming diffidence, the Editor is not without a faint
ray of hope that, if health and sufficient leisure are afforded him, the

present publication may be found the most ample and satisfactory
repository of national song which has at any period been offered to the
public.
ARGYLE HOUSE, STIRLING,
_April 18, 1855._
CONTENTS.

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JOHN SKINNER,