A GAELIC HYM N. By ALEXANDER CAMPBELL (Alastair Buidhe Mac Iamhair), the Gairloch Bard. 'S ion'adh leam an nadur Tha air tarmachdainn 's na sloigh, Tha mòran air an sàrachdainn Ach 's mor am bròn ri smuanachadh A ni tha iad a buachailleachachd Nuair thig oidhche 'n uamhais oirn, 'S a bheir sinn suas an deo, Gum b' fhearr dhuinn caoin an t' Slanuighear, No na dh' fhagas sinn do stòr. 'S mor an ceo 's an dorchadas, A thug air falbh ar cail, Is sinn ag iarraidh beartais, Far an d' fhairtlich e air cach. Ar n-inntinn air a h' eigneachdainn, Bu mho againn na chaithe' sinn, 'S nuair thig am bàs cha tillear e, Is mar a faigh sinn uidheam Cha chuir an saoghal enodach oirnn, An Ti a chaidh an urras oirnn, 'S a dh' fhuiling ris a chrann, Cha b' eagal dhuinn á teasairginn Ach 's tur a mheall an saoghal oirnn, Ged gheibheadh sinn na dh' iarradh sinn, Oir tha nar càil do-riaraichte, Cha 'n aith'near luchd a bheartais innte Ag cadal anns' a smuirich, Far nach duisgear gu la-luain. Mas th' ann a theaghlach Adhamh thu, 'S gur aill leat a bhi beo, Faigh airmeachd gu da thearnadh, O gach namhaid th' ort an toir. Cuir creideamh mar sgiath didein ort, 'S mar 'bi thu air an fhirinn Theid do dhiteadh latha 'mhòid. Tha latha 'mhoid sin uamhasach, Do 'n t' sluagh as miosa càil; Bi'idh feadhainn eile luath-ghaireach, BIOGRAPHIES OF LIVING HIGHLANDERS.-We understand that a series of Sketches of contemporary Highlanders is to appear in the Biograph, a monthly magazine, published in London, entirely devoted to "Men of our own Time,' An interesting Biography of Mr Donald Macdougall, late Royal Tartan Warehouse, appears in the June number; and we are informed that one of the Rev. Alex. Stewart, F.S.A. Scot., ("Nether-Lochaber "), will appear in the issue for July, from the same pen. Others will follow. A HIGHLAND LEGEND. THERE was once upon a time a very cautious and prudent matron residing in a hamlet among the Highland hills. She had an only son whom she adored-which is a species of idolatry that mothers with only sons are given to. This son had fallen in love with a young girl in a neighbouring glen, and resolved to marry her. The mother was not very well pleased at this resolution on the part of her son, for she thought, as he was sufficient for her happiness, that she ought to have been sufficient for his. We have said, however, that she was a prudent woman, and so she resolved, rather than part with her son, to take his wife into her house also. The young people were married, the wife took up her abode in her mother-in-law's home, and the old lady resolved to test her new daughter-in-law's power to keep a secret before she would give her any of her confidences. The power of keeping a secret was always considered in the Highlands to be one of the cardinal virtues, and to this day the Southron is spoken of with contempt as one who wears his heart upon his sleeve for daws to peck at. "Ceilidh an Gall an rud nach eil fios aig air"; "The Lowlander will conceal what he does not know,” being a frequent saying among the people. It is always more or less a painful arrangement to make a young wife live under the eyes and beneath the same roof as her mother-in-law. They may both be excellent women, but they are not in a position to appreciate each other, however sensible they are; the "women that own" a man are naturally rivals, and, therefore, there must be jealousy between them, more or less. The Ruth and Naomi bond seldom exists out of the Bible, and there even it was formed in very exceptional circumstances, Testing the young wife in different ways seems to have been a frequent habit in these olden times. A skein of tangled yarn was given her to wind when she first came home, and if she lost her temper over it, so as to snap a single thread, she would not be trusted with any duty requiring delicate care or patience. In this instance it was the power of the young wife to keep a secret that was to be tested, and it was done as follows: The elder lady one day, with an air of great importance and secrecy, took the young one aside and said she was going to tell her some awful secret, and that she must swear she would never reveal it to a human being, not even to her husband. The poor creature, flattered with such marks of confidence, and having her curiosity aroused, promised faithfully. "Remember," said the old lady, "it is to the hearthstone I am telling it." "It is indeed," said the daughter-in-law, "for the hearthstone will repeat it before I will." Then, said the elder one, I will tell you what happened to me when I expected to have a child once. I was brought to bed of a cat, no one living knows it, and I would die rather than any one else would know it but yourself. The young woman was astonished at the terrible nature of the secret, but vowed that it would be faithfully kept, and that no human ear would ever hear the story from her. The poor creature was quite in earnest about keeping the secret, but alas for human weakness; it became a burden so heavy that she could not bear it, A thousand times it had been on the tip of her tongue when talking confidentially with a neighbour. It surged within her as the waves of the ocean that could not rest, and with the greatest difficulty she from day to day resisted the temptation of whispering it to some one. At length it quite overmastered her, and still afraid of her awe-inspiring mother-inlaw, she dared not tell it to any human being, but she slipped out, and, addressing herself to the bright stars that shone above her head, she said A rionnag 's a reultag bhreac, Which, in a free translation, may be rendered thus Ye speckled star above the earth, My mother-in-law to a cat gave birth. The old lady, who had evidently been watching the young one keenly, had followed her out, and, listening, she heard her address to the star, and, to show that she was caught in her hour of weakness and in the act of betrayal, she cried out sternly A bhrionnag 's a bhreugag bhochd, Which may be translated Ye poor base lying one, Not a cat did I bear, but a son. And so the poor creature hung her head in shame, knowing that she would never more be intrusted with any secret of importance by her mother-in law. Now I think this young wife caught a tartar in her mother-in-law, and that she was too hardly dealt with, seeing she so far kept her word as not to give the secret to any human being, and that she did not exaggerate by saying two cats or three cats. She neither proved base or lying as her mother-in-law scandalously called her. She only proved weak, and that was misfortune enough. In this story we see something very much akin to the experience of the barber of King Midas, who, bursting almost with the weight of the strange secret committed to his charge, dug a hole in the earth, and, to relieve his soul, whispered into it "King Midas be it known to you has very very long ass's ears under that cap of his." The secret that the barber committed to the earth was whispered by the reeds that grew out of the place into which he had so anxiously poured it to relieve his over-burdened spirit. The earth refused to keep his secret; and this poor young wife, who gave her's to the air, was equally unfor tunate. MARY MACKELLAR. ROB DONN'S MONUMENT.-We have received an excellent photograph of this monument, erected to the Reay Gaelic bard in 1827, from Mr Munro, photographer, Dingwall. THE LATE DR PATRICK BUCHAN. PATRICK BUCHAN, M.A., M.D., and Ph. D., eldest son of the late Mr Peter Buchan, Peterhead, died at his residence, Orchardhill, Stonehaven, on the evening of Wednesday, 25th of May, aged 66 years. Dr Buchan was born in Peterhead, where he received his elementary education, and afterwards studied at Aberdeen University, where he gained several bursaries, and took his M.A. and M.D. at an unusually early age. On the completion of his college career, he commenced, and continued for a short time, to practice as a country doctor. He afterwards became a West India merchant, making Glasgow his headquarters, and occasionally visiting India. At an early period, he became connected with the Lancashire Insurance Company, acting as superintendent of agents; and, coupled with that office, he was also for a time resident secretary in Inverness, until nearly two years ago, when he retired to reside at Orchardhill, Stonehaven, a property of his own, where he died. In 1836 he married Isabella, the fourth daughter of Captain Guthrie, Stonehaven, who survives him. Dr Buchan possessed many agreeable qualities. Perhaps he will be best known by the many sweet and genuine Scottish songs that he wrote for the "Book of Scottish Songs," ," "Whistle Binkie," and other similar publications. In his early days he was fond of literary pursuits, but he was always careful that the authorship of his contributions should not become known. From time to time he has contributed many articles, songs, and poems to the magazines and newspapers published in the localities where he chanced to be residing at the time. Among the better known of his literary efforts, we may mention "The Garland of Scotia" (Glasgow: Wm. Mitchison 1841), which was edited jointly by him and Mr John Turnbull. The introduction, "Remarks on ancient Music and Songs of Scotland," and the notes were the work of the Doctor, while Mr Turnbull was chiefly concerned with the arranging of the music, which was adapted for the voice, flute, and violin, &c. This work, once very popular, now scarce, was dedicated to Scotland's sweetest singer, John Wilson. Deceased aided considerably in editing the two volumes of Scottish songs and ballads, published by Maurice Ogle & Co., Glasgow, in 1871. In 1868 his work entitled "The Genesis of the Angels; or the Mosaic narrative of Creation and Geology reconciled," was published by W. P. Nimmo, Edinburgh, and again the same work was issued by Maurice Ogle & Co. in 1870. In 1872 there appeared from his pen a handsome foolscap 4to volume entitled "Legends of the North: The Guidman o' Inglismill and the Fairy Bride." He wrote various newspaper articles on commerce and sanitary reform. In consequence of a series of papers on the last named subject, he was created a Ph. D. of the University of Jena. When in Inverness, he wrote a number of popular legendary tales of the Highlands, which appeared in the Celtic Magazine, and which were highly appreciated by the reader. Nine of these were afterwards published in "The Historical Tales and Legends of the Highlands," compiled by the editor. Although this was generally |